Category Archives: indie writers

Monomania et le gothique

Posted on October 30, 2023 by Mark Hayes

If a Gothic tale needs one thing to make it a truly Gothic tale, it needs an antagonist in the grip of a profound monomania. Obsessions and obsessional manias are among of the principle building blocks of gothic literature. Be … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, books, fantasy, Goth, horror, indie, indie novels, indie writers, novels, opinion, Poe, reads | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Snail Telegraph by Jessica Law

Posted on October 20, 2023 by Mark Hayes

Introduction by Mark Regular readers will be aware I have a workaday interest in quantum theory. In particular what fascinates me are ‘spooky’ particles as they can be interpreted to explain a spiritual connection to, well, everything. Having a degree … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, blogging, dreamlands, fantasy, humour, indie writers, indieoctober, music, writing music | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Breaking Reality in Gloucester by Nimue Brown

Posted on October 18, 2023 by Mark Hayes

Introduction by Mark Nimue Brown is one of my favourite authors and one of my favourite people. Despite this I invariably mispronounce her name, I’m a bit useless like that, I read a word and how it sounds in my … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, book reviews, books, fantasy, fiction, indie novels, indie writers, indieoctober, reads | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Observations… by Roz White

Posted on October 13, 2023 by Mark Hayes

As is my want in October I have opened up the blog to guest posts, in part to encourage those shy retiring beasts writers to leave there shells and case a little light on the thoughts that pass for what … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, fiction, indie writers, indieoctober, steampunk | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Are you ready for the apocalypse? by Liz Tuckwell

Posted on October 12, 2023 by Mark Hayes

Introduction by Mark : Elizabeth Tuckwell is a fellow Harvey Duckman writer and the aunt of an old friend of mine. These two things are not connected and we were unaware of the second connection till the old friend read … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, big questions, Harvey Duckman, indie writers, indieoctober, indiewriter, opinion, reads | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Telling Deck: A Guest Post from Will Nett

Posted on September 8, 2023 by Mark Hayes

Will Nett, not the one who ran away form the Spanish armada, the other one… with a guest blog on tarot cards, possibly, or just general Will Nett witter, which is good witter we have to say. Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, druidry, fiction, indie writers, pagan, reads, supernatural, writes | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Writers Life : An Honest Conversation

Posted on August 23, 2023 by Mark Hayes

What is success, well for me it is readers, it has always been readers. You have to find your own way to judge your success. But as a community writers need to be more honest with each other. ‘Fake it until you make it’ is all very well except that builds false expectations against which we measure ourselves. And that is damaging. Continue reading →

Posted in amwriting, depression, indie writers, indiewriter, opinion, writes, writing | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Strange wonders

Posted on July 25, 2023 by Mark Hayes

Tales of Sanctimonious cults, another of a strange tower that do not want to be seen. A story of madness and elder gods returning in the Tees valley, a tale of a magician appointed to the court of Victoria Sax-Coberg. The strange statement of a life repeating in waves of twenty-seven, a tale of a wyrd in the western deserts cira 1850, a story with Sigmond Freud in a rowing boat and finally Hannibal Smyth, who is his as reliably honest as ever, while carrying and aspidistra. Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, books, cthulhu, fantasy, fiction, Hannibal Smyth, horror, indie, indie novels, indie writers, indiewriter, Passing Place, reads, sci-fi, steampunk, supernatural | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Book reviews beyond the paradigm

Posted on July 23, 2023 by Mark Hayes

What it it was easy to change our lives? What if happiness wasn’t an impossible dream to chase after? What if we could have nice things?

or something like that Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, big questions, depression, fiction, indie writers, pagan, reads | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Rabbit Hole

Posted on July 5, 2023 by Mark Hayes

So I am down the rabbit hole, admit The Matter of France, Italian Epic Poems, adrift in the pedalo of an idea, that may become a thing… Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, big questions, books, dreamlands, fiction, humour, indie, indie novels, indie writers, indiewriter, music, rant, reads, writes, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment