Author Archives: Mark Hayes

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About Mark Hayes

Writer A messy, complicated sort of entity. Quantum Pagan. Occasional weregoth Knows where his spoon is, do you? #author #steampunk http://linktr.ee/mark_hayes

Self-publishing: A Guidebook for the Tourist#2: Reviews

Posted on January 28, 2017 by Mark Hayes

“There are a whole lot of people out there in internet-land trying to help you become a self-publishing genius. The vast majority of them have one thing in common. They are trying to make money out of you.” As I … Continue reading →

Posted in self-publishing, writes | Tagged , | 10 Comments

The Transition of Juan Romero: the complete Lovecraft #10

Posted on January 26, 2017 by Mark Hayes

‘The Transition of Juan Romero‘ is a strange fish as far as Lovecraft’s fiction goes. Like ‘Old Bugs‘ it was first published posthumously by Arkham House as Lovecraft himself disavowed the story, and refused to allow it to be published in his … Continue reading →

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Self-Publishing: A Guidebook for the Tourist#1

Posted on January 26, 2017 by Mark Hayes

There are a whole lot of people out there in internet-land trying to help you become a self-publishing millionaire. The vast majority of them have one thing in common. They are trying to make money out of you. Indeed judging … Continue reading →

Posted in publication, self-publishing, writes | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

20000 Leagues under the Sea: Jules Verne: Retro Book Review

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Mark Hayes

If you want to know about a classic, and any book that survives in print long enough generally gets considered a classic, there are plenty of dry Wikipedia entries you could read.  No one reviews them in the way they … Continue reading →

Posted in book reviews, pointless things of wonderfulness, retro book reviews, steampunk | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Hope Amid the Slaughter

Posted on January 24, 2017 by Mark Hayes

There is the tiniest spark of hope in the face of a malignant cancer that is eating away at the natural world. However, I must start with the opposite of hope. The West African black rhino has gone the way … Continue reading →

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Old Bugs: The Complete Lovecraft #9

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Mark Hayes

Lovecraft tells the tale of ancient star beings lurking under the oceans. Insect intelligence watching human from the outer planets. Strange monsters in the darkness waiting only to pray upon those who are foolish enough to call attention to their … Continue reading →

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Memory: The complete Lovecraft#8

Posted on January 21, 2017 by Mark Hayes

There are short stories, and there are shorter stories, and then there are micro stories. ‘Memory’ is the shortest of all H.P.Lovecraft tales, a flash fiction masterpiece before the term flash fiction had even been conceived. It is also among one of the most beautiful, insightful and chilling…. Continue reading →

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Beyond the Wall of Sleep : The Complete Lovecraft #7

Posted on January 21, 2017 by Mark Hayes

“I have an explanation of sleep come upon me.” – Shakespeare From the first of the dreamland mythos in ‘Polaris’, we move straight on to a second and much lauded ‘Beyond the walls of sleep‘, it has inspired heavy metal bands … Continue reading →

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Letting the other half govern (finally)

Posted on January 20, 2017 by Mark Hayes

Back in 2013, on my previous blog, I wrote a post called ‘Women in politics, politics in decline’. It contained a lot of facts and figures, mainly because it started out before that as part of an essay for the … Continue reading →

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Polaris : The Complete Lovecraft #6

Posted on January 14, 2017 by Mark Hayes

‘Polaris‘ takes it name from the north star, that single static point in the ballet of the night sky around which all else appears to revolve. The star so beloved of sailor and navigators in general due to its constancy. … Continue reading →

Posted in dreamlands, Lovecraft, retro book reviews, rights, rites | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments