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 Second-Oldest Book
I don’t recall exactly when THE YEAR THE YANKEEES LOST THE PENNANT, published in 1954, came into the Sirota household. Maybe I picked it up at a library sale…a possibility, as back then I haunted the West Farms Branch (in The Bronx) of the New York Public Library. Still, the Yankees were MY team, so why would I want to read a book about them losing?
Throwback Thursday: Myths And Legends—The Cannibals Of Ancient Scotland
When Wes Craven, the late film director, needed source material for his 1977 horror classic, The Hills Have Eyes, he turned to a story that combined truth and possibly fiction. An easy choice: he referenced the legend of SAWNEY BEAN.
This “Song” Says It All
I’ve been through starts and stops with my writing career. At present I’m in a “hold” pattern, for unavoidable reasons. I addressed one of the “stops” at a long-ago book launch for my novel, THE BURNING GROUND, one that I repeated shortly afterward as keynote speaker at the Southern California Writers’ Conference.
Throwback Thursday—Writers: Take A Hike!
To me, walking is more than just exercise. I first presented this post in 2020.
Remembering Apollo Creed
I was saddened to learn about the passing of Carl Weathers last week. The ex-football player-turned actor died “peacefully,” according to his family, in his sleep at the age of 76.
Throwback Thursday: Report From The Quarantine Cave 5.0
So glad NOT to be in the cave anymore, although we remain cautious. This post first ran in 2020, during the heart of the pandemic.
Words Of The Wizard: Part Two
A wizard of the Istari order, Gandalf the Grey—later, after his death during a battle with a Balrog, Gandalf the White—is a dominant figure in the two remarkable screen trilogies, THE HOBBIT and THE LORD OF THE RINGS. Admirably portrayed by Sir Ian McKellen, he also provides some memorable lines. Here are a few from the second trilogy.
Throwback Thursday: “Mrs. Peel, We’re Needed”
Can’t believe that the awesome Diana Rigg has been gone for four years already. I first presented this post in 2020.
Words Of The Wizard: Part One
A wizard of the Istari order, Gandalf the Grey—later, after his death during a battle with a Balrog, Gandalf the White—is a dominant figure in the two remarkable screen trilogies, THE HOBBIT and THE LORD OF THE RINGS. Admirably portrayed by Sir Ian McKellen, he also provides some memorable lines.
Throwback Thursday: Alligators In The Crawl Space—Bad Idea
The 2019 creature feature/disaster flick, CRAWL, is an anomaly. It did well at the box office, which is not that odd for the genre. But it also garnered its share of excellent reviews, compiling 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, and that doesn’t usually happen for creature features.
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