Category Archives: Uncategorized

And sometimes you just need to hear it…

Posted on January 21, 2022 by Mark Hayes

This morning, as I got in the car to drive to work, the radio told me Meatloaf had died. Meatloaf, particularly when in combination with Jim Steinman’s lyrics, has long been part of my life. My older sister bought Bat … Continue reading →

Posted in opinion, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Micro Fictions

Posted on January 19, 2022 by Mark Hayes

I don’t like micro fiction. I say this not to denigrate it as entertainment or indeed as an art form. It is simply a personal thing. If pushed as to why I don’t like it then I will admit that … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, book reviews, books, dystopia, fantasy, fiction, goodreads, Harvey Duckman, horror, indie, indie novels, indie writers, indiewriter, opinion, reads, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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 →

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Voices from Hopeless

Posted on January 17, 2022 by Mark Hayes

Originally posted on Druid Life:
https://markhayesblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/masthead.jpg On the 22nd of January, there will be an online Hopeless Maine festival, which is an exciting prospect. I’ve already got some brilliant content in from people involved in the project, with more to…

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Horrorscopes 2022

Posted on January 10, 2022 by Mark Hayes

Originally posted on The Hopeless Vendetta:
https://markhayesblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/hopeless__maine_horoscopes_by_copperage_dbagx9t-fullview.jpg It has to get better, we thought. People will be comforted if they know that, we thought. And so we looked, and we could not look away, and we knew terrible, unspeakable things…

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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 , , , , , | 5 Comments

Nostradamus Poe

Posted on December 8, 2021 by Mark Hayes

This blog is many things, most of them literary. Occasionally it touches on important subjects like depression, traction engine’s (though this is a new development and will probably be a passing phase), life in general, racism, sexism, other ism’s, and … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, big questions, horror, humour, indie, opinion, politics, reads, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A touch of yellow…

Posted on November 30, 2021 by Mark Hayes

Those who have followed my blog previously will know that aside from the odd post about writing in general, book reviews, talking about my own work, and the occasional pondering on the inner workings of the universe, mental health and … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, big questions, book reviews, books, cthulhu, goodreads, horror, indie, indie novels, indie writers, novels, reads, rites, sci-fi, steampunk, supernatural, Uncategorized, writes, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Harvey Duckman Presents: Volume 8

Posted on August 28, 2021 by Mark Hayes

Originally posted on Ben Sawyer:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09DTC9ZMR?notRedirectToSDP=1u0026amp;ref_=dbs_mng_calw_7u0026amp;storeType=ebooks Looking to escape to another world with a super fast read? Looking for urban fantasy that is a bit different? Or weird stories to make you think? Wanting to discover speculative fiction from writers…

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Naming the Novel

Posted on July 15, 2021 by Mark Hayes

Originally posted on Ben Sawyer:
“It’s as good a name as any. And I’m not likely to forget it. That happens sometimes.” When I first put this site together, I wrote a sentence that has more or less been there…

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