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.
My 2017 Halloween Playlist
Last year I mentioned that as an old guy living in a gated 55+ community, I no longer have to hand out Halloween candy at the front door, since no one does trick-or-treating. In addition to eating the last two Reese’s peanut butter cups, I get all the ones that come before them! Pretty cool.
Throwback Thursday: Myths And Legends—Cropsey
A long-ago childhood nightmare rose up unbidden from my subconscious recently to cause a few sleepless nights. That nightmare had a name: CROPSEY.
An Early Halloween Treat…Or Trick?
With Halloween nearly upon us, I’d like to share a creepy scene from THE BURNING GROUND, one of my four horror novels. This is the final scene in chapter one, which takes place in 1849. (The balance of the story is contemporary.)
Throwback Thursday: Better Late Than Never
With regard to novelists, I’ve written a great deal about listening to the voices of experience when it comes to a writing coach/editor. I shared the following post in 2013 and figured it would be just as relevant today.
Scenes From An Idyllic Mountain Hideaway
Last week being the second week in October, Jacqueline and I made our annual trip to Idyllwild, a mile-high town in Southern California’s San Jacinto Mountains. My bride’s birthday occurs during this time, and we’ve been driving up to Idyllwild for years to celebrate it at a cozy cabin in the pines.
Throwback Thursday: Guilty Pleasures—Arachnophobia
If you’ve read this blog for any period of time you probably know that I’m a sucker for movies like the 1990 bug-fest, ARACHNOPHOBIA. Creepy-crawlies? Yep, I’m there. And this one is a gem.
Freedom’s Hand: Let’s Hope It Never Comes To This
I began writing the bare bones of Freedom’s Hand many years ago and ultimately published it in 2013. My storyline was that, five decades after the liberation of the European concentration camps, a white supremacist called The Commander would use his vast wealth to replicate Auschwitz in the desert of the American Southwest and “collect” all minorities with the intention of destroying them.
Throwback Thursday: Priscilla Rolls On
I had the great pleasure of seeing the musical stage production of PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT here in San Diego. Most of the twenty or so familiar songs are still rolling around in my head, and they are more than welcome there. But above all the laughs, the music, and the glitz, the message of this show is one of tolerance and love—and on that score, Priscilla hits the high note.
“They’re Coming To Get You…”: Lines From Vintage Horror Movies
The dialogue in horror movies can range from outrageously humorous to super creepy. Here are just a few, all of the films prior to 1990.
Throwback Thursday: Still Scary After All These Years
The late, great Richard Matheson, one of my favorite authors, wrote many novels that I still cherish. At the top are two in particular: BID TIME RETURN (SOMEWHERE IN TIME), a time travel/romance that takes place in and around San Diego’s Hotel Del Coronado, and HELL HOUSE, a 1971 haunted house story that became the 1973 film, THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE.
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