Category Archives: amreading

Dear Edgar 41 ~ The Gold Bug

Posted on August 25, 2025 by Mark Hayes

To an extent then, this Poe story shorted the second world war and saved the lives of many allied soldiers… Which is almost enough to forgive its flaws… And certainly more than the DeVince code ever managed to do. Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, books, Dear Edgar, opinion, Poe, reads, retro book reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Dear Edgar 39 ~ The Pit and the Pendulum

Posted on July 29, 2025 by Mark Hayes

It is a perfect tale in that respect, in that it does exactly what Poe set out to do. It gets under your skin, and crawls about… Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, Dear Edgar, horror, movies, Poe, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dear Edgar 35 ~ The Oval Portrait

Posted on July 9, 2025 by Mark Hayes

On occasion, when you spend time in the company of dead authors, you come across an obscure little story that inspired something far more well known. Occasionally the original feels like it is a pastiche of the more famous work. … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, Dear Edgar, Poe, reads | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The post-con collapse

Posted on July 8, 2025 by Mark Hayes

Working a convention is exhausting. I am not alone in this. Almost every author I know has much the same story. Conventions are draining, much I suspect because writers tend not to be the kind of people who are naturally … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, books, cthulhu, Dear Edgar, humour, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Dear Edgar – 32 : Never Bet the Devil Your Head

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Mark Hayes

Toby’s mother was sinister handed and used to flog him with her left hand. Apparently, this is considered to be most improper. This unfortunate parenting has driven Dammit to become overly fond of making spurious bets and the expression “I’ll bet the devil my head”. Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, Poe, reads, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Cogkneys, Minoan’s and Devilish Preludes

Posted on June 11, 2025 by Mark Hayes

Anyone following this blog over the years will be aware my taste in reading can be a tad ecliptic. Well buckle up buttercup, ecliptic was three turns back. Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, book reviews, druidry, fantasy, humour, pagan, steampunk, urban fantasy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dear Edgar ~31 : The Colloquy of Monos and Una

Posted on June 9, 2025 by Mark Hayes

There are (in this tale) broad themes in regards to life, death, the impermanence of existence, decay both moral and physical.

It really is a bundle of laughs…. Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, book reviews, opinion, Poe, reads, retro book reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Quiddling for Quizzels

Posted on May 9, 2025 by Mark Hayes

(This is originally something I wrote for Hopeless Vendetta, in November last year. It is something of an autumn story, so entirely out of place mid spring… But I republish here because I want to, and readers of my blog … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, fantasy, fiction, humour, reads | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Dear Edgar 29 ~ A Descent into the Maelström

Posted on May 6, 2025 by Mark Hayes

Author C Clark, The Playboy model, the whirlpool , and Edgar Alan Poe Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, Dear Edgar, retro book reviews, sci-fi | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Justice for Pluto

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Mark Hayes

There are in fact seven dwarf planets (though three are listed as ‘possible dwarf planets’) among the many other Trans-Neptunian Objects that have been identified. Two of them even have moons. The main reason Pluto is recognized as a planet is because it was discovered first. Eris, Haumea, Makemake, Quaoar, Orcus, Sedna, and Gonggong all could lay equal claim to planethood.

The most plausible reason why the other TNO Dwarf-planets are not recognized as planets is I suspect because learning all nine planets in order is already too much for some people before you add another seven dwarf’s. Given Disney’s recent issues with that number of dwarfs this may prove wise… Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, books, Harvey Duckman, indie novels, indie writers, indiewriter, reads, sci-fi, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment