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.
“Are There No Prisons? Are There No Workhouses?”
As a Jewish kid growing up in The Bronx—in a neighborhood of mostly other Jews—I had little exposure to Christmas, other than learning it wasn’t “our” holiday. Even so, I enjoyed many of the Christmas movies that played all through December on our 12-inch, black & white television. My two favorites were MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (1947) and A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1951). I thought it might be fun to list some quotes from these two gems.
Throwback Thursday: Read & Critique—Hazardous To Your Health?
From the early ’90s to the mid-’00s I facilitated numerous read & critique workshops in my home. At its height I led three of them every week, in addition to the gazillion other things I did to earn a living. As you can imagine, working closely with so many writers for nearly fifteen years can lead to some interesting stories…
Myths And Legends: A Gateway To Hell In Kansas
An unincorporated community called Stull, located a short distance from larger Kansas cities Topeka and Lawrence, has the dubious distinction of being the Devil’s playground. That is, of course, if you believe the urban legends about the Stull Cemetery.
Throwback Thursday: Myths And Legends—The Iowa Murder House
In June of 1912, barely two months after the sinking of the Titanic, an unspeakable tragedy in the most unlikely of places took over the headlines for a time. The heinous crime that occurred in Villisca, Iowa was neither myth nor legend; that came afterward—and it continues on to this day, more than a hundred years later.
Break Out Those Secret Decoder Rings!
The unique 2004 science fiction-adventure film, SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW, has a definite 1930s-’40s feel about it. In a way it pays homage to old luminaries such as Flash Gordon and Captain Midnight. (Those of you in my, uh, approximate age bracket doubtless recall those secret decoder rings, yes?)
Throwback Thursday: Fair Or Fowl—A Chicken Tale
This story is about the best day ever for a first-time published author: me. Naturally it took place a long, long time ago: 1978, to be exact. My sword & planet novel, THE PRISONER OF REGLATHIUM, had just come out. I had an advance copy but as yet had not seen it on any shelves.
Films About Writers: The Dark Half
The 1993 horror film, THE DARK HALF, is an adaptation of Stephen King’s 1989 novel of the same name. His main character, Thad Beaumont, is a bestselling novelist—what else? Writers love to write about other writers, and King leads the league in that category.
Throwback Thursday: “I’m Still Here, Chief”
That line comes from my second-favorite movie of all time, FREQUENCY. Released in 2000, this fantasy/baseball/serial killer/father & son relationship flick, starring Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel, has just about everything I could want in a story. But for my wife Jacqueline and me, it has given us even more.
Demons In…The Bronx?
The 2014 supernatural horror movie, DELIVER US FROM EVIL, is “inspired by” the actual experiences of a New York City cop named Ralph Sarchie. I like to think that “inspired by” gives the filmmakers even more creative license than “based on a true story,” and I’m sure that’s the case with this film. Still, true or not, DELIVER US FROM EVIL has more than its share of disturbing moments.
Throwback Thursday: Guilty Pleasures—Lake Placid
LAKE PLACID (1999), which garnered its share of crappy reviews, is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. And I’m not alone, as the film did well at the box office and spawned three made-for-TV sequels. The original had a solid cast, all of whom managed to keep a straight face throughout the comedy and the terror.
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