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—Your Book: Managing Expectations
A person of some fame and accomplishment (in endeavors other than writing) contacted me some years back to see if I could assist her in writing a book about her life. At first thrilled and honored, I quickly re-evaluated the possibility of this happening when she informed me of her expectations for getting this project done—not only her expectations for me, and for my role as coach/editor, but for herself.
Films About Writers—Papa: Hemingway In Cuba
I first saw this 2016 film six months ago, during a limited release in the U.S. I’m talking REAL limited—hardly in any theaters, and in most cases for no longer than a week. But no way was I going to miss a film about one of our greatest—and most messed up—writers.
Throwback Thursday: Writers Are Amazing
I’ve worked with countless writers over the decades as a coach and editor, and interacting with the majority of them has been a joy for me. But with some, not so much. Do you want to know the difference?
Once Again: Write Well, Not Fast
It’s novel-writing month or some such thing again, so I’m going to revisit my post on the matter, as I will likely do for a long time to come. My opinion has not changed.
Throwback Thursday: “They’re Here Already!”
This odd coincidence took place at a writers’ conference. I first wrote about it back in 2012.
My Halloween Playlist
As an old(er) guy living in a 55+ community, I no longer have to hand out Halloween candy at the front door. Not that I minded doing it back in the day, except that I usually wound up eating at least half of what I (over)bought. And, as the author of four horror novels, my warped mind had me answering the door in the most grotesque fright mask, which sent many little trick-or-treaters screaming to their moms, who waited on the curb.
Guest Post: The Mark On Eve
How’s this for a storyline? A young woman named Eve so strongly supports a candidate in her bid to become America’s first female president that she takes a bullet for her. But Eve doesn’t mind. She’s actually not a “young” woman; she’s over three hundred years old…
No, Not Another Willy Wonka!
The New York Daily News reported that a planned prequel to the 1971 classic, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, has caused social media to blow up in protest. Let me add my voice to that. I mean, can’t they leave well enough alone?
Throwback Thursday: “Give A Writer A Fish…”
Actually, the quote goes something like this: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Depending on where you look, it is either an old Chinese proverb or it comes from the Talmud.
Bazaars And Kettles: A Pictorial
Just got home from the beautiful town of Idyllwild, a mile high in the San Jacinto Mountains of southern California, where I take my bride every October to celebrate her birthday. It is a breathtaking place, both literally and figuratively.
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