Swords, Specters, & Stuff
Welcome to My World
I started this blog in January 2012 for one simple reason: I love to write. I named it “Swords, Specters, & Stuff” because I especially love to write about writing, about books and movies in my favorite genres, about authors that mean a great deal to me. But there’s more to it than that, which is why I included “Stuff” in the title. It is “Stuff” that gives me carte blanche to write about anything, which is why you’ll see stories about special trips to Cooperstown, Sedona, and other places; about getting older; about baseball; about the otherworldly way in which I met my soul mate; about the loss of good friends, and so much more. Enjoy! And feel free to leave a comment.
Harry Potter In The Bolivian Rainforest?
In 1981 a young Israeli man, Yossi Ghinsberg, went backpacking around the globe in search of adventure. During a trek through a minimally explored jungle in Bolivia, he found more adventure than he ever bargained for—and it nearly cost him his life.
Throwback Thursday: Guilty Pleasures—Mimic
The 1997 sci-fi/horror flick, Mimic, is one of my favorites, though to date I had not written about it (that changes today). Maybe it had to do with my utter disappointment with its two direct-to-video sequels. Let me explain.
Bone Tomahawk: Odd Title, Compelling Film
I checked out the 2015 western/horror flick, BONE TOMAHAWK, for two reasons. First, I like those genres, and second, the film stars Kurt Russell, one of my favorites. I had not even heard of it until recently, and it is not hard to understand why.
Throwback Thursday: Why I Do What I Do (Or Did What I Did)
Given my (approaching) dotage I’ve been taking on fewer writers in recent years, though I still love sharing in the success that many of my writers experience. This was more than evident last week when, three days apart, I received two freshly minted non-fiction books from a couple of writers with whom I thoroughly enjoyed working, from start to finish.
Films About Writers: Under The Tuscan Sun
In 1996 Frances Mayes, a writer, book reviewer, teacher, and foodie extraordinaire, published a memoir—replete with recipes—called UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN. The book spent over two years on the NEW YORK TIMES bestseller list, a remarkable achievement. A romantic comedy-drama “loosely based” on the book was inevitable…
Throwback Thursday: Self-Publishing—Where’s The Watchman?
Quite a few years ago, when self-publishing, e-publishing, POD and such were in their embryonic stages, literary super-agent Richard Curtis (who at one time represented me) wrote an op-ed piece in Publishers Weekly titled, “Who’s Guarding the Gates?” The article detailed his concern over books that were going to be published without any professional screening from literary agents, or editors at mainstream publishing houses.
Native American Film Gems: Dreamkeeper
The excellent, Emmy Award-winning 2003 film, DREAMKEEPER, began life as a two-part Hallmark mini-series, which accounts for its three-hour length. But the time flies as you watch this spellbinding tale about a Lakota storyteller and his quest to see the oral tradition of his people carried on.
Throwback Thursday: Opening Lines—Part Four
I just can’t get enough of those great bad opening lines that have been submitted to the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest over the decades. Here are some more gems from recent years.
Oy! Jack Miller Rides Again…Well, Soon
As one who loves to write, I enjoyed creating all my many published novels. But my comedy/sci-fi trilogy (BICYCLING THROUGH SPACE AND TIME, THE ULTIMATE BIKE PATH, and THE 22ND GEAR, all from Ace/Berkley) provided me with the most fun I ever had—and ultimately, sad to say, some heartache.
Throwback Thursday: “We All Go A Little Mad Sometimes”
I love memorable lines from the silver screen, especially if they’re from movie favorites that I watch numerous times. A couple years ago I wrote a post titled, “She Wouldn’t Even Harm a Fly”—the great last line from the classic 1960 Hitchcock film, PSYCHO.
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