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.
Throwback Thursday: Opening Lines—Part Three
I suppose I’m fascinated, if not obsessed, with the bad opening lines that have been submitted to the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest over the past thirty years. What the heck, they are so entertaining. Here are some more award-winning gems from the past. Enjoy!
Mr. Mankind Still Creeps Me Out
Growing up in the 1950s I got to experience first-hand the new wave of science fiction movies that defined the era. One of my absolute favorites, Invaders from Mars (1953), had the distinction of being the first film to present aliens and their spacecraft in color (that’s SuperCinecolor, to be specific), beating out the classic War of the Worlds by a few months.
Throwback Thursday: Transitions—From Scene To Scene, Part Two
In my last post I promised to share some more transitions from my novel, FREEDOM’S HAND, to show how this necessary device can strengthen a writer’s story. It’s time to pay off.
Please!—Write Well, Not Fast
It’s novel-writing month or some such thing again, so I’m going to post my annual rebuttal on the matter, as I will likely do for a long time to come.
Throwback Thursday: Transitions—From Scene To Scene, Part One
Transitions can make or break a narrative. I first presented this post in 2013, and it will be just as relevant in 2023.
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.
Latest Release
