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: 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.
Along The River Of Lost Souls
The Animas River, part of the Colorado River System, begins high in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado and winds all the way down to its confluence with the San Juan River in New Mexico. On our recent trip to the Four Corners region, Jacqueline and I seldom lost sight of the oftentimes breathtaking tributary, once known by the lengthier name of Rio de las Animas Perdidas—the River of Lost Souls.
Throwback Thursday: What’s In A Name?
“Hey Mike, where do you come up with those weird character names and place names in your fantasy and sci-fi novels?”
Short And Sweet III
I just got back from a cool trip to the Four Corners area, mostly in Colorado. I’ll have plenty to say about it in next week’s post. For now, I want to sadly acknowledge the passing of actor Harry Dean Stanton last week at the age of ninety-one.
Throwback Thursday: Tall Tim’s Tales—Memories Of Arizona
So what DON’T I like about Arizona? Traffic roundabouts. Can’t stand the damn things, which are ubiquitous—at least where Jacqueline and I traveled during our recent trip. In a small town called Cottonwood there were like four or five of them in a row—in the middle of freaking nowhere!
Guilty Pleasures: The Relic
This 1997 horror film is based on the best-selling book, RELIC, by popular authors Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Fans of these two know that this novel marks the initial appearance of the enigmatic FBI Agent Pendergast, who is totally absent from the movie. A box office disappointment with mixed reviews (although Siskel & Ebert loved it), THE RELIC definitely qualifies as a Guilty Pleasure, one that I always enjoy watching.
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