Category Archives: indiewriter

Occasionally, one is asked why…

Posted on January 17, 2022 by Mark Hayes

Writing is, so E.L. Doctorow would have it, a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia. As quotes go, I find that one just a tad depressing. Mainly because it has a smidgeon of truth to it, for me at least, I … Continue reading →

Posted in indie writers, indiewriter, Uncategorized, writes, writing | Tagged mentalhealth, writer, writerslife, writing | Leave a comment

The Hydrogen Cigar

Posted on December 21, 2021 by Mark Hayes

‘Helium is a bit of a sticky wicket you see. Had you requested Hydrogen that would have been easy,’ Sir Robert had been informed by his chief science officer. The scientist, whom Sir Robert suspected was a man who would … Continue reading →

Posted in books, fiction, goodreads, Hannibal Smyth, indie, indie novels, indie writers, indiewriter, novels, reads, sci-fi, steampunk, writes, writing | Tagged amwritingsteampunk, fiction, indiereads, reads, sciencefiction, steampunk | Leave a comment

A message from The Sanctimonious Order of the Willing Sacrifice

Posted on December 15, 2021 by Mark Hayes

We, The Sanctimonious Order of the Willing Sacrifice, must regrettably start this annual meeting by apologising, but once again, for the tenth year running, we have failed to secure a year king. While there are of course be those who … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, cthulhu, dreamlands, druidry, fantasy, fiction, goodnews, goodreads, horror, humour, indie, indie writers, indiewriter, mythos, opinion, pagan, pointless things of wonderfulness, rant, reads, rites, writes, writing | Tagged amreading, druids, fantasy, fiction, newreads, pagan, reads, writer, writers | 4 Comments

The Other Elves…

Posted on December 13, 2021 by Mark Hayes

Lord of the Rings, was perhaps the greatest mythological whitewashing job ever undertaken. The works of Old Grandpapa Tolkien drew heavily on Nordic, Germanic and to a lesser extent Celtic mythology, though it changed a great deal in doing so. … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, book reviews, books, druidry, Europe, fantasy, fiction, indie, indie novels, indie writers, indiewriter, mythos, novels, reads, Uncategorized | Tagged amreading, books, darkages, fantasy, indiebooks, reads | 5 Comments

Books of the year

Posted on December 7, 2021 by Mark Hayes

It may be slightly early, as there is a fair chance I’ll read a couple more before the end of the year, but now seems as good a time as any to do my annual Passing Place Blog Books Of … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, book reviews, books, humour, indie, indie novels, indie writers, indiefriday, indiewriter, sci-fi, steampunk, supernatural | Tagged amreading, books, goodreads, newbooks, newfiction, newreads, reads, steampunk, writer, writers, writerslife | 1 Comment

Illuminating observations of the perils of an indiscreet life…

Posted on December 5, 2021 by Mark Hayes

For reasons, that have never been explained to me, at Pudsey (the small town between Leeds and Bradford and somewhat merged into both these days), in the large park behind the swimming pool, just up past the aviary, this is, … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, book reviews, books, druidry, fiction, goodreads, indie novels, indie writers, indiewriter, pirates, reads, steampunk, supernatural, writes, writing | Tagged amreading, books, childhood, druidry, druids, fantasy, reads, steampunk, steampunk fantasy, writers, writerslife, writing | 5 Comments

Five years of Passing Place

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Mark Hayes

Five years ago my personal favourite of my novels, and the one I will grudgingly admit to being most proud of Passing Place was release. I say grudgingly because all my novels are little slithers of my soul and, excepting … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, big questions, book reviews, books, Esqwiths, fantasy, fiction, goodnews, goodreads, Hannibal Smyth, Harvey Duckman, horror, indie, indie novels, indie writers, indiewriter, novels, opinion, Passing Place, publication, reads, sci-fi, self-publishing, steampunk, supernatural, writes, writing | Tagged amreading, books, fantasy, newreads, novels, reads, sciencefiction, speculative fiction, steampunk, urban fantasy, writer, writers, writerslife, writing, writingtips | 1 Comment

Sailing on an Hourglass Sea

Posted on November 22, 2021 by Mark Hayes

Not too long ago I reviewed Mat MaCall’s The Dandelion Farmer. I was I think now perhaps a little too gushing in my praise of the novel, the first of a trilogy of which the second The Hourglass Sea is … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, book reviews, books, fiction, goodreads, indie, indie novels, indie writers, indiewriter, novels, publication, reads, sci-fi, steampunk, writes, writing | Tagged amreading, amreadingscifi, bookreview, books, reading, reads, reviews, sciencefiction, scifi, steampunk, writerslife, writing | 4 Comments

Returning to the Passing Place

Posted on November 22, 2021 by Mark Hayes

One of the odd questions one gets asked when one is stood around at an event by a display of books you have written is ‘which would you recommend?’ I have strong feelings for all my novels, for a variety … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, book reviews, books, Esqwiths, fantasy, Harvey Duckman, indie, indie novels, indie writers, indiewriter, novels, Passing Place, reads, sci-fi, supernatural, writes, writing | Tagged amreading, books, reads, sciencefiction, scifi, steampunk, urbanfantasy, writer, writers, writerslife, writing | Leave a comment

Occasional reviews: Holly Trinity and the Ghost of York

Posted on November 4, 2021 by Mark Hayes

As a son of the shire, I have spend many a day and night in the streets, snickers, and alleys of York. It is an old city, it was old before the Vikings got there, it was old before the … Continue reading →