Category Archives: rant

Is Steampunk Elitist? A guest Post by Mat McCall

Posted on October 1, 2022 by Mark Hayes

“Why do Steampunks always dress up as wealthy Neo-Victorians? What about the workers and the poor, why don’t Steamers dress up like them?” Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, books, fiction, Harvey Duckman, indie, indie novels, opinion, quotes, rant, reads, sci-fi, steampunk, writes, writing | Tagged amreading, guestposts, opinion, reads, sciencefiction, steampunk, writer, writerslife, writing | Leave a comment

Talking books…

Posted on September 27, 2022 by Mark Hayes

“Are they available in audio…?” I get asked for the fifth time that day. At which point I start to explain, in my usual fluid, utterly self-confident, and in no way panic-stricken way that unfortunately they are not… I’ll go … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, books, fantasy, fiction, Hannibal Smyth, indie, indie novels, indie writers, novels, opinion, publication, rant, self-publishing, steampunk | Tagged amreading, books, indiereads, newreads, read, reads, sciencefiction, steampunk, writer, writers, writerslife, writing, writingtips | 6 Comments

Cable Street Remembered

Posted on August 9, 2022 by Mark Hayes

A former Tax official who’s millionaire wife avoids tax and his opponent ‘Pound-shop Thatcher’ are attempting to get the votes of a constituency of 0.2% of the British people. So they are both coming out with increasingly extreme right wing … Continue reading →

Posted in politics, rant, reads, steampunk, writes, writing | Tagged fashists, politics, reads, steampunk, torys, writerslife, writing | Leave a comment

Mandolins and the 0.2 percent

Posted on July 23, 2022 by Mark Hayes

For complicated reasons, this is a bit of a rant. If you are offended by rants about politics, you may want to read other, more entertaining posts, like the last one I posted with fictional rules for tea duelling earlier … Continue reading →

Posted in big questions, blogging, depression, humanrights, humour, pointless things of wonderfulness, politics, rant | Tagged humour, mentalhealth, music, politics, rights | Leave a comment

Levelling down…

Posted on May 24, 2022 by Mark Hayes

I don’t do political posts very often. There are a number of reason for this, one of which this is a writing blog, not a political activism blog. I write escapist fiction, there are other places you can go to … Continue reading →

Posted in big questions, humanrights, politics, rant, rights | Tagged foodbanks, humanrights, politics, rants, reads, Trussell trust | 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

An interruption to normal service…

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Mark Hayes

It may not have escaped regular readers of this occasionally profane whiterings that I have been somewhat absent for some time. It’s also quite possible no one noticed, as my absence from the blog has by definition created a lack … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, big questions, blogging, Hannibal Smyth, indie writers, indiewriter, mental-health, music, pointless things of wonderfulness, quotes, rant, reads, writes, writing | Tagged covid, harveyduckman, indiecommunity, mentalhealth, morality, writerslife, writingcommunity | Leave a comment

The Electric Eel’s, or the more you know, the less is true

Posted on January 5, 2021 by Mark Hayes

Electrophorus electricus, or to give it is none Latin name, the Electric Eel, is one of those things that keeps cropping up in pulp fiction’s. It’s what the harder up bond villain type puts in his shark tank, if he … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, big questions, goodnews, goodreads, humour, indie writers, pointless things of wonderfulness, rant, reads, writes, writing | Tagged amreading, amwriting, amwritingscifi, funstuff, humour, reads | 1 Comment

Never trust a politician with a beard, he’s hiding something

Posted on October 29, 2020 by Mark Hayes

Its October, the leaves are falling, the witches are abroad, and I’ve opened the blog up to guest writers again. Yes its Indie October. Throughout October some old favourites among my guests will be returning along with some new voices. … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, big questions, books, humour, indie, indie novels, indie writers, indieoctober, indiewriter, pointless things of wonderfulness, politics, rant, reads, writes, writing | Tagged amreading, beards, indiebooks, indieoctober, indiereads, indiewriter, politics, reads, writer, writerslife, writing, writingcommunity | 1 Comment

Complexities and questions

Posted on October 21, 2020 by Mark Hayes

Its October, the leaves are falling, the witches are abroad, and I’ve opened the blog up to guest writers again. Yes its Indie October. Throughout October some old favorites among my guests will be returning along with some new voices. … Continue reading →