Steven Helmer Publications

I always feel bad when I wake Stormcloud up and move her so I can sit down. Then I remember she is getting free room and board in exchange for keeping mice and other unwanted intruders out of the house. And yet here she is, sleeping on the job. __________________________________________________________________________ Here is a story I wrote about a cat we used to have:  Apollo Gets Adopted (A Short Story)

Synopsis: Tommel Castle is set to host an elaborate Valentine's Day wedding between Alannah Hamilton and Darius Palmerston, with Alannah's wealthy and influential father, Charles, saving no expense and Police Sergeant Hamish MacBeth's ex-fiancée Elspeth Grant traveling with the wedding party to provide exclusive coverage of the event for her television station. However, as seemingly forewarned by Elspeth's gift for premonition, the happy event is met with tragedy and Hamish, along with his constable, Davey Forbes, are soon investigating a murder after Palmerston is found slashed to death by a sword hours after the wedding and another wedding guest is later found killed.  Review: While I had my early doubts (and dislikes) about the direction Hamish Macbeth's story was taking following M. C. Beaton's death and the decision to continue the series with R. W. Green's assist, I have admittedly begun to enjoy some of the later books more than expected. In fact, wh...

Synopsis: Falling in love with acting when she first saw Jimmy Stewart in a movie, Carol Burnett go on to pursue her dream, starting on Broadway and eventually becoming one of the most recognizable people on television. This memoir talks about her decades-long career, the people she met and the memories she made along the way. Review: Even though I am pretty sure they were all re-runs by that point, I remember watching quite a few episodes of The Carol Burnett Show when I was a child. While I don't know if I could necessarily say it was my favorite show growing up (it might have been a little too adult) I do remember enough of the skits to understand why it was a popular series and, now that I'm older, how it was just one of the reasons she is an icon today. As a result, when I came across her memoir This Time Togethe r, at the library, I decided to check it out and read it. After finishing the book last night, I can say I both enjoyed it and have gained even more of an appre...

Synopsis: The East Side Kids, minus Muggs, accept a job at an aviation factory run by Algy's father, Mr. Reynolds. The factory has been under attack from spies, who nearly kill test pilot Tom Larson by sabotaging his plane. Muggs, who spends his day wandering around the airfield while waiting to drive his gang home, begins to suspect Dr. Richard Nagel, the owner of a new air ambulance, of being the mastermind. However, Nagel's stellar reputation and Muggs' not-so-stellar reputation result in his theory immediately being dismissed, forcing him to find proof. Who's in it? The movie stars Leo Gorcey , Bobby Jordan , Dave O'Brien , Joan Barclay , George Pembroke and Ernest Morrison . Review: I forgot to pick out a movie for this morning so, since it had been a while since I last watched an East Side Kids/Bowery Boys film, I figured I'd just do a quick search for one. Flying Wild was one of the first I came across and it looked interesting, so I gave it a try. A...

To be clear, I'm not complaining. I would much rather have it be hot and humid outside than cold and damp. However, it does feel a bit as though Wisconsin once again skipped spring this year or at minimum, had a very abbreviated season. In any case, I did get out for a walk today and, unlike yesterday, when the weather was identical, but I saw very few signs of life, I did manage to get some photos. Here is a selection of them. ________________________________________________________________________ Here are some other lunchtime walk photos I've taken: Lunchtime Walk Photos (5/11/2026) Lunchtime Walk Photos 5/16/2018 Lunchtime Walk Photos 8/14/2017 Lunchtime Walk Photos 8/21/2017

Synopsis: When his train conductor father is killed in an intentionally caused wreck, pilot Larry Baker vows to find the man responsible for both that crash and a series of other wrecks plaguing the L & R Railroad. This proves to be more difficult than expected when he learns "the Wrecker" is able to disguise himself as anyone. Who's in it? The movie stars John Wayne, Shirley Grey, Conway Tearle, Tully Marshall and Edmund Breese. Review: This may make me sound a bit un-American, but I've never been a huge fan of John Wayne movies. Look, the man was a legend and I'm not denying that. It's just his most famous films essentially have him playing the same character in a different setting, to the point I can't identify the movie on sight, just that it is a John Wayne film. That said, when I came across The Hurricane Express , I was intrigued. It was a film that starred Wayne before he was a household name and that, along with what sounded like an intere...

I didn't get out with my camera all that much this weekend, other than a few minutes to try out the tripod I bought. I did, however, snap this birdfeeder photo yesterday afternoon, just because my camera was handy when the bird landed. ________________________________________________________________ Here are some other birdfeeder photos: Bird Feeder Photos 4/28/2018 and 4/29/2018 Bird Feeder Photos 11/10/2018 Bird Feeder Photo Bird Feeder Photos 2/22/2020

Synopsis: Getting his first big break in show business as a writer for comedian Sid Caesar , Mel Brooks has been entertaining people as a writer, director and actor for decades, winning Academy Awards and changing the comedy landscape with films like Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein . In this autobiography, Brooks tells his story and talks about the people who impacted his life along the way. Review: If I were to ever compile a list of my all-time favorite directors, I am confident the majority of them would be horror film directors. However, even if that did turn out to be the case, I think I can say with absolute (well maybe 99 percent) certainty Mel Brooks would probably wind up on the top. The man is a comedy legend, and I find myself quoting his movies practically daily. As a result of this, when I was able to get a copy of his autobiography All About Me! through the local library, I did. And, since it was a holiday weekend, I was able to get through it over the course o...

It's Memorial Day and with my annual trip to local cemeteries to pay respects to family members who served (including my dad and grandfather) already behind me, it likely will be a day when I end up watching some of the many war movies that are bound to be on TV. While I'm not a huge war movie fan, there are some that are must-watches whenever I come across them on one of my movie channels. Some of these are obvious choices, others might be a surprise, especially when compared to better-known films but they just speak to me. Below are my five favorites but, before watching, please be sure to take a moment to remember and thank those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Glory (1989) This movie, in my opinion is THE movie to watch if you want a Civil War film. It's one of Matthew Broderick 's best roles and he had a strong supporting cast that includes Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington . There are some great, realistic battle scenes and a solid story (though maybe not comp...

James took a seat at his desk, calmly leaning back in his chair as though it was just a normal, ordinary night and there wasn’t a man standing near the door of his den holding a .38-caliber revolver. “Take a seat, Mr…” James started to say. “Watson,” the armed man responded. “Matt Watson.” “Please make yourself comfortable, Mr. Watson,” James said. “Can I call you Matt?” Matt nodded and walked over to a worn couch on the far wall. Pushing up the glasses he wore on his thin, unshaven face, he scanned the room cautiously. “There aren’t any weapons, if that’s what you’re worried about,” James told him. “And as luck would have it, I left my phone in the kitchen.” James could see Matt studying him, trying to read his tone of voice and facial expressions. “I have no reason to lie to you, Matt,” James said. “I am willing to cooperate fully and get out of here alive. You just need to tell me what you want. I should tell you, however, I don’t have a lot of money in the house or really anything ...

Synopsis: Agatha Raisin has tried to convince herself she is over her ex-husband James Lacey, even after he returned unexpectedly into her life and moved back into the cottage next door to hers. However, when he offers to take her on a surprise holiday, her old romantic feelings cloud her judgement and, despite warnings from the vicar's wife, Mrs. Bloxby, she accepts. Only, the romantic vacation to a warm beach Agatha imagined instead turns out to be a trip to Snoth-on-Sea, an English resort town that has fallen on hard times, is nothing like James remembered and turns their vacation (complete with separate hotel rooms) into an instant failure. And that is before Agatha gets dragged in for police questioning after her missing scarf is used to strangle Geraldine Jankers, a dreadful woman she had a public spat with just hours before, resulting in an extended stay as she tries to find the real killer, has her life put at risk as a result and sees any hope of reconciliation with James...

Synopsis: When inventor Boyd Milburn discovers his wife, Peggy, standing over the dead body of a man who tried to rape her, he decides to take the blame for the murder to protect their daughter, Dorothy. Paroled after 15 years, he returns home to discover Peggy living a dream life, paid for with his inventions.  When Dorothy, now a grown woman who believes her father died, gets engaged to Paul Wallis, Peggy disapproves and threatens to disinherit her daughter, forcing Boyd to intervene and threaten to expose the truth if she doesn't let the wedding happen. However, things take a dark turn when Paul is falsely accused of killing the judge that sentenced Boyd, forcing the ex-con to decide what steps he is willing to take to once again protect his daughter. Who's in it? The movie stars Henry B. Walthall, Grace Valentine, Nancy Welford, Ricardo Cortez and Jack Curtis. Review: I came across about a half dozen movies last night that looked interesting and since I do have a limite...

I debated going for a walk today, both because I knew the trails would be muddy after the rain we got and because of a pain in one of my hamstrings that likely is either from a pull or old age. Ultimately, I decided to go mostly because I realized the latter feels better if I move around and, as it turned out, it was a good day for photos too. The first discovery was the baby turtles that are finally hatching. I was able to get photos of two, including one with my cell phone for scale. The second discovery was the deer that is hiding out in the wooded area in the middle of the park. I figured there was one in there again because I heard something moving around last week but it finally made enough of an appearance for me to get some photos. I made sure to thank the deer for being ultra cooperative as I had to change positions multiple times to keep my camera from focusing solely on the trees and grass around it. Here are some of the photos: ______________________________________________...

Synopsis: While working as a page at a Hollywood radio station, Frankie Ryan aspires to be an on-air comedian with his friend, Jeff Jefferson while also doing his best to convince producer Bob Farrell to give a singing audition to the beautiful Anne Mason, who works at the radio station receptionist desk. He soon finds himself caught up in a mystery when the station's top talent, Rita Wilson, is murdered during a rehearsal and a singing cowboy, Tex Barton, is later found killed.  The mystery takes a whole new urgency when the police arrest Anne for the crimes. Who's in it? The movie stars Frankie Darro , Mantan Moreland , Marjorie Reynolds, Tristram Coffin , Dick Elliott , Lorna Gray and Clyde Dilson. Review: I was recently introduced to actor Frankie Darro when watching another movie this week and was surprised when I realized he starred in Up in the Air , a movie that has been in my library for a couple months, but I just never got around to watching. After making that di...

Synopsis: Bellhop Buzzy O'Brien dreams of solving crimes like his father, a now-deceased police officer, and while he has had some success, family friend Det. Steve Lanahan doesn't like Buzzy's meddling, which he knows can put the young man in danger.  This comes to a head when a banker is murdered in Buzzy's hotel and Buzzy chooses to protect the police's top suspect, Kitty Monahan, because he doesn't believe someone with that last name could commit murder. Facing possible jail time for interfering in the investigation, Buzzy must figure out who the real killer is before Steve or the hotel detective, Fluger, catch and arrest him. Who's in it? The movie stars Frankie Darro , Dick Purcell , Mantan Moreland , Sheila Darcy and James Flavin. Review: While trying to decide if I wanted to watch vampire movie this morning or a fantasy film promising plenty of sword fighting, I happened to come across Irish Luck. Unable to decide between my first two choices, I e...

As I go through another re-watch of the series Psych , I find myself a bit amazed at the number of characters who were introduced, some with multiple-episode stories, only to be written off the show and never mentioned again.  My opinion about this is mixed. While some of the characters, like Freddie Prinze Jr.'s cameo as the alien-obsessed Dennis Gogolack made sense as a one-off, other characters, such as Shawn Spencer's ( James Roday Rodriguez ) long-time love interest, Abigail Lytar ( Rachel Leigh Cook ) seemed like they should have been around longer than they were. There is one character, however, that I find myself lumping into a different category - someone who both deserved a bit more time on the show but also in a different capacity. I am referring to Nestor Carbonell's Declan Rand, a character that I think would have made an awesome supervillain but was never given the opportunity. A quick recap for anyone who doesn't remember Declan. Introduced in the season...

Synopsis: Elderly and unliked goat farmer, Pete Jenkins, performs a Satanic ritual right before he dies and later returns as a younger version of himself, posing as his nephew, Nick Richards. Soon after, a dog attack leaves a local gas station owner, David Simpson, seriously disfigured and that is followed by a pair of mysterious deaths. Meanwhile, Richards seems to be endearing himself to Simpson's fiancée, Nell Lucas. Who's in it? The movie stars Ed Nelson , Jean Allison, Richard Crane , Edgar Buchanon and Spencer Carlisle. Review: I had woken up this morning intending to watch the 1927 silent film version of The Cat and the Canary.  However, it turned out to be a poor-quality copy, and I decided to call an audible after a few minutes. I had come across Devil's Partner a couple days ago, thought it looked interesting and decided to give it a try. It turned out to be an OK choice but not quite as good as I was hoping it would be. I think the best way to describe this fi...

Synopsis: After committing what they hope will be their last armed robbery on their way to a new life in Florida, Mickey and his girlfriend, Jules, run out of gas and break into a nearby home in the hopes of either stealing the car in the garage or gas. While searching the house, they come across a young girl chained in the basement and soon after encounter the home's owners, George and Gloria. When an attempt to rescue the girl, Sweetiepie fails because of the girl's surprising reluctance to leave, Mickey and Jules are taken captive by the other couple with little hope for escape and their lives likely in danger. Who's in it? The movie stars  Bill Skarsgård , Maika Monroe , Jeffrey Donovan, Kyra Sedgwick and Blake Baumgartner. Review: My wife and I had discussed going out tonight, but she has a potential modeling gig tomorrow (weather pending) and my bucket-list archaeology dig earlier today took a bit more out of me than expected. So, as usually happens, we found a mov...

Being involved in an archaeological dig has been on my bucket list for some time now and I finally had an opportunity to do it this morning without even needing to get in my car. Some background. My hometown of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin has a park known as Swan Park.  This part of Beaver Dam has a history that dates back thousands of years, when it was (according to the city web site) a popular hunting ground for local Native American tribes. The part of Beaver Dam's past that is applicable to this story is the late 19th Century, when Dr. George Swan built a hotel/spa on the piece of land. The resort lasted just two years before he closed it and auctioned off most of the buildings. Today's dig, which was open to the public and drew quite a few volunteers was to try to locate artifacts from that hotel. Courtesy of the Beaver Dam Library Since the park is within walking distance of my house, I decided to volunteer. I only was there for a couple hours, but it was a productive couple o...