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.
Sam Neill, A Consummate Actor: Part One
Through the decades I’ve enjoyed pretty much all of the films in which Sam Neill performed. Learning of his sudden death last week at the age of 78 saddened me. As an homage I watched three of my favorite films: JURASSIC PARK, EVENT HORIZON, and IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS. Just about everyone knows Dr. Alan Grant in the Spielberg classic, but the other two, geared more toward hard-core horror fans, are where Sam Neill did some of his best work. I wrote about IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS a decade ago and will revisit it here. Surprisingly, I’d not written about EVENT HORIZON, but will rectify that next week.
Myths And Legends: Ghostly Bridges
You normally don’t think of bridges when it comes to hauntings. Bridges are useful structures that get you across busy roads, or train tracks, or even rivers. But many bridges around the world—especially older ones—have grim histories because of bad or weird things that might have occurred on or near or beneath them in the past. Let’s explore a few of these haunted bridges.
Does The Dipshit Deterrent Work?
Some fun today, lifted from the pages of my most recent book, THE MAGIC OF THE BIKE PATH (A Jack Miller Senior Moment: Book Six). Jack hasn’t ridden the Ultimate Bike Path for nine months due to a “major malfunction.” Now, the Old Guy—his alien handler—has assured him that the issue has been resolved. The cosmic tunnel is perfectly safe.
Pick Your Poison—Straight From The Garden
Consider this a sneak preview of a brief scene that will appear in my next book, which should be ready for public consumption before the end of the year. I just had to write about a place in the UK where all of the plants and trees are toxic, some downright deadly. Here’s the scoop on the aptly named POISON GARDEN.
Long John Silver And Moses…One And The Same?
Who knew? I sure as heck didn’t. Charlton Heston, a Hollywood mega-star throughout the second half of the 20th century, portrayed Robert Louis Stevenson’s infamous one-legged sea cook/pirate in a 1990 film version of his classic novel, TREASURE ISLAND? Well, shiver me timbers!
“My Grandfather’s Work Was Doodoo!”
I recently watched Mel Brooks’ comedy classic, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974), for the umpteenth time. (“Umpteenth” is a useful work that translates to I-don’t-know-how-many-times-but-it’s-a-hell-of-a-lot.) Whenever you find yourself in need of a laugh, there are no remedies much better than this, an homage to the 1931 horror classic.
The Witch Queen Of New Orleans
Witchcraft as an officially recognized religion? Yes, it happened, due to the efforts of a unique woman named Mary Oneida Toups.
Guilty Pleasures: BAD MOON
Does watching a “trashy werewolf movie” interest you? Then check out the 1996 horror flick, BAD MOON, a bonified Guilty Pleasure: a practically non-existent box office, and brutal reviews. I pulled the comment in the first sentence from one of the few decent reviews: “Bad Moon succeeds with what you want in a trashy werewolf movie.” Still, it has its moments.
Myths And Legends: The Willard Library
Incorporated in 1881 to serve the residents of Evansville, Indiana, the Willard Library contains the kind of publications one would expect to find in a typical storehouse of knowledge. It is also home to local and genealogical archives. But its most interesting feature: THE WILLARD LIBRARY IS HAUNTED.
History Via Horror
My horror novel, THE MODOC WELL (first published as THE WELL, Bantam Books, 1991), is creepy and gory enough to satisfy any aficionado of the genre. But in one chapter I deviate a bit to present a bit of fascinating—and heartbreaking—local history.
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