Tag Archives: reading

Dear Edgar 48 ~ The Oblong Box

Posted on December 9, 2025 by Mark Hayes

In September 1841 John C Colt, the brother of renown gunsmith and industrialist Samuel, found himself in the unenviable position of being choked to death with his own cravat. In fairness to the elegant neck wear it was not responsible for the attempt on its wearers life, rather Samuel Adams, a printer of text books who had been employed by Colt, was using the cravat as an improvised garrote. This was over the matter of $1.35, an inconsiderable sum even in 1841 to motivate an attempted murder by neckwear, one would think. Continue reading →

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Dear Edgar 47 ~ Mesmeric Revelation

Posted on December 8, 2025 by Mark Hayes

Poe, Newton and hypnotism Continue reading →

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Friday book news

Posted on October 24, 2025 by Mark Hayes

Because one is as ever behind on reviews, as well as general book news here is a catch up in general on my book news and a few new releases form authors I have reviewed before and recommend. Firstly this … Continue reading →

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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 →

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Dear Edgar 41 ~ The Gold Bug

Posted on August 25, 2025 by Mark Hayes

To an extent then, this Poe story shorted the second world war and saved the lives of many allied soldiers… Which is almost enough to forgive its flaws… And certainly more than the DeVince code ever managed to do. Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, books, Dear Edgar, opinion, Poe, reads, retro book reviews | Tagged amreading, book-review, books, Dear Edgar, fiction, horror, Poe, reading, writer, writing | 3 Comments

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

Maybe Tuesday

Posted on June 19, 2025 by Mark Hayes

In another universe, where a man in a small lab in China didn’t drop a non-descript vail on the floor (allegedly) on a Tuesday in late 2019, the release of my 2020 novel ‘Maybe’ might have gone differently. It must have been a Tuesday when he dropped the vial, these things always happen on a Tuesday. No one ever accidently changed the course of history on a Monday. Continue reading →

Posted in fantasy, goodreads, indiewriter, reads, sci-fi, steampunk, writes, writing | Tagged amreading, book-review, books, fiction, reading, reads, sciencefiction, steampunk, writerslife, 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

Justice for Pluto

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Mark Hayes

There are in fact seven dwarf planets (though three are listed as ‘possible dwarf planets’) among the many other Trans-Neptunian Objects that have been identified. Two of them even have moons. The main reason Pluto is recognized as a planet is because it was discovered first. Eris, Haumea, Makemake, Quaoar, Orcus, Sedna, and Gonggong all could lay equal claim to planethood.

The most plausible reason why the other TNO Dwarf-planets are not recognized as planets is I suspect because learning all nine planets in order is already too much for some people before you add another seven dwarf’s. Given Disney’s recent issues with that number of dwarfs this may prove wise… Continue reading →