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: To Outline Your Story…Or Not?
For you writers, or even wanna-be writers out there, this bit of information may be helpful. I first presented it as a newsletter for my writing community years ago, and later in a 2012 post.
Films About Books: You’ve Got Mail
This 1998 romantic comedy stars Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, one of the most popular couples in that genre. But You’ve Got Mail offers another sobering reality from that era: the Big Box discount store pushing out the Ma and Pa shop of days gone by. In this story we’re talking about bookstores.
Throwback Thursday: Writing Novels For—Fortune And Glory? Think Again…
Did you expect to see the word “profit” in that title? Not likely. Let me share some thoughts from what I’ve experienced over the past gazillion years and nearly thirty novels written.
“I Play Hockey And I Fornicate…” – More Memorable Movie Lines
Wow, did I get too serious in some of my recent posts? Let’s remedy that with notable quotes from a few of my favorite flicks.
Throwback Thursday: The Number People
This post from 2012, though a fictional story, is really MY story right out of my childhood in The Bronx. With the recent death of Elie Wiesel, it is even more relevant.
Films About Writers: The Words
Actually, I could have categorized the 2012 romantic drama, The Words, as a film about a writer writing about a writer—who’s writing about another writer. With a top-notch cast that includes Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Dennis Quaid, and Jeremy Irons, among others, I figured it was worth checking out.
Throwback Thursday: Writing To Vent
Those of us who write novels have a great platform for saying pretty much anything we want. The characters we create often reflect our likes, our dislikes, our politics, our worldviews, and many other things. And there is nothing wrong with venting our spleens through fiction—with one caveat.
The Ongoing History Of THE SHINING: Part Three
In 1977, when Stephen King hit the bestseller lists in hardcover for the first time with his classic, The Shining, it became evident that he was on his way. Still, he wasn’t about to call all the shots when his story was optioned for film by the renowned director, Stanley Kubrick. So the movie version, while a classic in its own right, differed in a number of significant ways from the novel, and King fumed over it for many years.
Throwback Thursday: Guilty Pleasures—Q, The Winged Serpent
New York City attacked by a monster? What, again? Yes, by an ancient Aztec god in this campy film, which I wrote about in 2012.
The Ongoing History Of THE SHINING: Part Two
In last week’s post I talked about Stephen King’s 1977 novel, The Shining. I have to believe that it initially thrilled the author to learn the film rights had been acquired by renowned director Stanley Kubrick. But ultimately, he did not like the end result.
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