Category Archives: humour

Dear Edgar 43 ~ Diddling

Posted on October 3, 2025 by Mark Hayes

‘Diddling’, or to give it it’s original title ‘Diddling Considered as One of the Exact Sciences’ is by way of a humorous essay pretending to be an academic work, rather than a story. It is certainly a fun little read, as long as one accepts this central conceit. Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, Dear Edgar, humour, Poe, reads | Tagged #amwriting, amreading, books, Dear Edgar, Edgar Alan Poe, fiction, reading, reads, writing | Leave a comment

The Humpty Dumpty Controversy

Posted on July 28, 2025 by Mark Hayes

I have questions, many questions, but lets consider first why did Humpty fall. Obviously, people do fall off walls we know, but in general not just because they are just sat on them. In actuality, sitting on walls is not an inherently risky proposition. Continue reading →

Posted in big questions, humour | Tagged books, conspiracy, family, humour, humpty-dumpty, life, nursery-rhymes, reads, writing | Leave a 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 amreading, author, books, fiction, reading, reads, steampunk, writer, writers, writerslife, writing | 2 Comments

Dear Edgar 34 # Three Sundays in a Week

Posted on July 4, 2025 by Mark Hayes

Occasionally, amid explorations of obsession and madness, horror and satire, existentialism and human frailty… You just need to tell a ridiculous tall tale or two to keep yourself amused. Nothing could be even slightly problematic about that could it… Well… … Continue reading →

Posted in humour, Poe, reads, retro book reviews, Uncategorized | Tagged amreading, books, Dear Edgar, fiction, Poe, poetry, reading, reads, writing | 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 book reviews, book-review, books, humanity, humour, pagan, paganism, reading, reads, steampunk, urban fantasy, writing | 1 Comment

Occasional unattributed wisdoms

Posted on May 14, 2025 by Mark Hayes

Stare long enough into the void, and your eyes go a little squiffy. Continue reading →

Posted in amwriting, big questions, humour, opinion, reads, writes, writing | Tagged books, humour, philosophy, poetry, reads, writer, writing | 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 fantasy, reads, steampunk, writers | Leave a comment

Retail Theory, the downs, and why she hates everything…

Posted on April 4, 2025 by Mark Hayes

Retail is a strange place. I am aware I speak as a man who is less than fond of shopping, and who has never worked in a shop, but I have long been aware for those who do, retail is a strange place. Just how strange… Well that’s where Maggie Weber’s book comes in. Continue reading →

Posted in book reviews, books, humour, indie writers, indiewriter, reads | Tagged amreading, book reviews, book-review, bookreview, books, fiction, reads, romance | Leave a comment

Dear Edgar 16 ~ The Business Man

Posted on March 26, 2025 by Mark Hayes

At home, on the shelf above my desk, just to the left of the raven black quill and owl tormented ink stand, and in front of the leather bound scroll case of dubious origin, I have a porcelain phrenology skull, … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, Dear Edgar, humour, opinion, politics, reads | Tagged amreading, book-review, books, Dear Edgar, horror, literature, Poe, politics, reads, reviews, satire | Leave a comment

The personalities of books

Posted on January 3, 2025 by Mark Hayes

I am passing the time working through an old WIP that stilted at 15k, but which I keep coming back to. Its a couple of years since I worked on it, and I have got to a section in which … Continue reading →