Author: markswritingcorner

Mark Ahern was born in 1979 and is from Ireland. He attained a Degree in Commerce from UCD in 2000 and a Masters in European Studies in 2001. He has written three novels to date encompassing science fiction and thrillers. At times Mark has used his experiences as an individual with a disability to write from a truly unique perspective. "Chronicles of Martan" which is his sole science fiction work to date, is an epic space odyssey inspired by his love of Star Wars. This was followed by "Not the Usual Suspect" and "Paradigm". His current project is called "The Irish Ripper" and should be available late 2019.

Review: People of Abandoned Character by Clare Whitfield

A debut novel by Clare Whitfield and all I can say is I hope she writes lots more. I gave this novel four out of five stars on goodreads and it was well deserved.

This novel is craftily set in late nineteenth century London and it doesn’t shy away from the hardships of the time. You really get a feeling for the squalor, the putrid smells and the desperation of the times. This is a world of prostitutes, thieves and a huge disparity in wealth between rich and poor. The main character Susannah is complex and also bisexual. I enjoyed the sub story between her and a fellow nurse. Fortunately for her she is also determined and of strong character.

It is clear that she marries for money as much as love, something I find very reasonable for the times. However, the marriage quickly takes a dark turn as her husband who at first showers her with love, becomes increasingly violent. As her own fascination with Jack The Ripper grows, she begins to suspect her husband.

This novel is full of intrigue and twists. The twists are very believable and it’s as if you’re slowly seeing behind the mist. Even Susannah has a dark side, which made me like her even more. Perhaps, because I believe people are rarely all good or all evil.

If you haven’t read this novel, I recommend that you do.

Cults – A new understanding! (Comedy)

When I grow up I want to be rich and famous. My Mum would state that a man in his forties is grown up, but I tell her that kind of thinking is so last century. That I am still the future. A blank canvas that still has to be painted on. The world is my oyster. Like, I’ll probably live to be two hundred or something. At this point, she rolls her eyes and tell me that yes, I am correct and not at all insane like my brother says.

But I digress, what would the ideal job be to achieve these aims? Some would say an astronaut or maybe a professional sports player. Not sure if I’d make a great soccer player though. But they would be wrong. You want to be a cult leader! Preferably one that you start yourself. Joining someone else’s cult is a truly terrible idea. Lots of mediation without the zen.

No, being the cult leader is where I want to be. That’s where the cash, sex and power is. The drawback of course is the hours of talking nonsense I’d have to do. Ah, I might just about manage it.

You are probably wondering by this stage where I got such great inspiration from. From Sky Documentaries of course! Honestly, the things I learn from just watching watching tv. It was a documentary about a cult called Nxivm. Like you, I thought who would put an “x” after an “n”, but then I noticed how it shows up internet searches. It has no competition. Very clever.

The documentary was supposed to be about what an evil cult it was, which was true I guess. But I thought it was a brilliant “how to brainwash people” tutorial. It’s all about breaking people down psychologically so that they can be easily influenced. Great stuff altogether. I was nearly in tears by the end of it. It did have a sad ending though – the cult leader went to jail. I reckon I could do better.

So, have I told you all about how great I am and how I can lead you to “enlightenment”, to be the best person you can be??

Ever wonder why you don’t get that job/girl/house?

Don’t worry you can trust me, like I have a website and everything. What could possibly go wrong?

My friend Herbert Part III

He had always been there, rarely moving more than 30 centimeters and that was just for food. Quite the lazy spider really, did feck all and that’s saying something coming from me. He must have been on the spider equivalent of being on the dole. In that one spot, right over my head. Till he wasn’t. I looked everywhere like up, down, left and right. But nope, he is gone. Just like that, no goodbyes or thanks for the memories.

It can only be work of the the evil (creative license) Mr. R (no breaches of GDPR on my website). My mother hasn’t been near the place. Perhaps, it was jealousy or just basic hygiene, but poor Herbert and his dirty web are gone. Oh how I cried, well there was one tear anyway although that could have been the bit of hair that got stuck in my eye.

We hadn’t really been getting along recently. As I’ve been saying he never put much effort into our friendship. It was like I was just more furniture to him. Hopefully the passing was fast, like with a hoover or something and not what my little brother used to do to spiders..

Revenge will be swift but what to do? Put salt in his tea, “accidentally” drive over his toes. I need plausible deniability. Well, at least I now have plenty of time on my own to contemplate. Hours and hours of just me in this little room, looking left, looking right.

Wait! What’s that I see? It’s too big and furry to be a spider.. I wonder what’s its name?

My friend Herbert Part II

I’m not quite sure me and Herbert the spider are still the best of buddies. Just a sense I’m getting. It was all going so well – working from home, chatting to Herbert. Me telling him all my problems, him listening to me hopefully. That’s if he can hear at all.

But lately, he’s being getting on my nerves. Like all he does is just sit there, never moving – just hoping some fly will come along out of nowhere. I left all the windows and doors open for ages but to no avail. It would want to be a fairly thick or suicidal fly to be honest. I did see him eating something once, but it didn’t look the best and that’s saying something. I’ve been telling him his web really isn’t in the best of spots and could he not put some effort in and move to a better location with more potential. Using all the key buzzwords that we use nowadays but nada, nothing. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t like bees.

I tell Herbert that David Attenborough would not be impressed. That if we made a documentary about him and his exploits nobody would care if spiders were going extinct. Maybe I’m too harsh. I’m thinking he might be gone into hibernation or maybe he’s dead. Maybe he thinks the same about me. Why is this silly human stuck in this little room doing fuck all? Why does he just sit there? He wouldn’t understand about the internet and stuff and how I’m actually very busy and living this great life.

In any event, his little area is now in a special area of conservative of sorts. I told him he will be fine and live to a ripe old age, unless my mother calls. Then only God can save him. Even in this modern age of gay marriage, changing sex etc, I don’t think there is a place in her heart for the friendship between a man and a spider. All she will see is a dirty web. I told him not worry, his progeny will always return.

Review of “The Testaments” by Margaret Atwood

People who know me know me well, know that one thing I really like is a good dystopia. Whether it’s zombies ripping people to shreds or women imprisoned in a system where they serve no purpose other than to breed. Like, what is there not to like.

I’m a big fan of the tv series “The Handmaids Tale” but I only found the acclaimed novel so-so. So, I wasn’t quite sure what I’d make of the Booker Prize winning “The Testaments”. It is a prize I’d love to win myself someday!

Well, I don’t think I have ever read a book so fast. I could barely leave the book down. Firstly, it’s not what I would have expected. It’s a sequel to both the novel “The Handmaid’s Tale” and the TV series. I thought it was going to be a regurgitation of the second series, but no it is entirely original.

Aunt Lydia is just brilliant in this novel and by far the most interesting character. You get to see that she was playing the long game all along, which is an interesting twist. She is far more intelligent than has been let on till now.

This dynamic is a bit unusual for such a feminist novel. We’re back to a woman gaining power over men through the use of her wit. In more modern novels/tv, female and male charactars tend to ape one another.

You also learn much more about the inner workings of Gilead and the existential problems it faced. Like, all imaginary worlds it doesn’t take long to think of questions that would limit their stability. Gilead is no exception. The demeaning of women has led to them abandoning the sinking ship

I can see this having further tv show potential. She has brought the story on again. Although it’s just as likely it will go in a totally different direction.

For my regular readers I am now throwing in a short poem. My first foray into poetry. Please do let me know what you think –

Meaning by Mark Ahern

Tick tock that is the sound of the beating clock 

Tick tock we grow old wither and die 

Tick tock the universe forever expands 

Tick tock a new infant is born 

Tick tock love blossoms and bloom 

Friendships are won and lost  

Fortunes are gathered and blown 

Tick tock enjoy each second you have 

Update October 2020

Hello readers, I do hope you are all keeping safe and healthy in these very strange times. Ireland is currently beginning its second lock-down and it feels even more depressing than the first. This is just a quick update to say how the blog is going and my plans for the future. This year is on track to at least match the number of views in 2019, which is a reasonable achievement considering that in 2019 the blog received a huge boost from free Facebook advertising. I have managed to achieve my goal of increasing the number of views per user, which I put down to the ever increasing content on the website.

Still trying to promote “The Irish Ripper”. It has proven to be a difficult thing to do during a pandemic. But I’m trying my best to adapt to this new reality. In fact, I am going to do my first virtual book reading this week. Wish me luck! If it goes well I may do more of these in future. If it’s a disaster maybe not lol.

Going into the future I intend to keep doing the comedy pieces, short stories and the odd article about other issues. I am also, albeit very slowly working away at my next novel. I have a title for it but recently thinking of a change so won’t make it public for now. It will be a sequel to “The Irish Ripper”.

Currently reading “The Testaments” by Margaret Atwood. I loved her novel “The Handmaids Tale” and I’m really enjoying this one so far. I might put a review up on the blog when I’m finished.

I am also considering doing podcasts. Only recently realized how easy they are to make. Although I’m sure it’s much more difficult to make ones that people actually want to watch!

Anyways, that’s all for now readers. Please consider subscribing to my mailing list by leaving your email under the “contact me” option.

Have a wonderful day and stay safe everyone!

My new friend Herbert (comedy)

Well I guess just like everyone else during these times of covid, it’s very difficult to make new friends. The world has become a much smaller place. That’s why I think it should be celebrated when you do. Me and Herbert have so many things in common.

  • we more or less live in the same place, except he lives a little higher off the ground. He can easily see me at my workstation below him and I just have to look up to see him.
  • we both like our food albeit different types in fairness.
  • outside could be potentially hazardous for us both.

But, there are things that set us apart –

I have only two legs but he has eight.

I seem to be the more energetic one, which quite frankly doesn’t say much for him. He seems to sit for hours without moving. Quite impressive in my eyes.

What I really like about Herbert is that he’s always there to listen and never interrupts me. What more could I ask for?

Yes, I think we’ll be bff till one of my PAs hoovers him up.

Lauren and James (Pt 5)

James wasn’t quite sure what kind of movie to download to watch with Lauren. Maybe it should be something romantic but what if he was misreading her signals. It could get cringe worthy. But then again, if it was an action film it might be a golden opportunity missed. Oh, anything for a simple life. If only women would tell you what they wanted rather than being so cryptic.

Eventually, he made a decision. Now, he just had to hope that it was the right one.

**********************************************************************************

Lauren had everything exactly the she way she had hoped for. Okay, she had no idea why he had selected “Jurassic Park III or whatever” as the film to watch, but she thought it best not to complain. She had decided to wear a low cut top for the occasion and she could instantly tell that the sight of her cleavage was having the desired effect.

Still, it had taken some tenacity to convince him to get out of his wheelchair and sit on the couch beside her, that she had hastily moved into position. He knew that he would struggle to sit straight and would start to lean sideways, exactly as was then happening.

“Maybe, it would be easier if I put my arm around you like this, see.”

His head rested against her bare shoulder. For a few minutes, they watched the movie. A volcano was blowing up in the film, but she cared not a jot. She flicked James’ ear and he turned towards her. For the first time, they peered into each other’s eyes. She leaned towards him and kissed him on the mouth, gently at first but when he responded, more aggressively. She felt his hands on her breasts. She thought about taking off her clothes, but decided that would be for next time. For twenty minutes, they kissed with hands wandering over their bodies before they realized that his father would be back soon.

“So, what happened at the end of the film?” James asked with a wide grin.

“Who cares?” Lauren laughed, “what made you pick that film anyway?”

“Are you kidding me? It’s romantic. See how those Tyrannosaurus were looking at each other.”

Lauren gave him a knowing kiss and told him she would pick the next one.

Lauren and James Pt 4

James wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. Lauren seemed to be smiling that bit more at him recently and wearing a heavy scented perfume that drove him wild with arousal, although he tried his best not to show it. Instead of her just watching him playing video games, they would talk for hours. Well, mostly Lauren would talk, which was just as well as James would struggle even without his slight speech impediment. But he was an excellent listener, especially to her and that seemed to compensate.

They would discuss everything together and James now felt like he knew everything about her. She even told him about an ex boyfriend that recently contacted her.

“Yeah, imagine that texting me just as I’m about to go home. For you know what! No, that’s just not me anymore.”

James was somewhat stunned, mostly by the fact that a man would not realize what a gem she truly was.

“Oh, I just don’t know.”

James thought he should say something, anything.

“You deserve more,” he replied.

This raised a smile as she flicked her long, curly red hair.

“Why do you say that?”

James turned crimson and struggled to respond.

“Why don’t we watch a movie when I’m here tomorrow. You could download something off the internet.”

“Yyeah that’d be greatt,” replied James.

*************************************************************************

Lauren’s heart was beating ferociously as she got into her car. He definitely likes her, she was sure of it. But just not sure enough to kiss him. Not yet anyway. This film would be the opportunity. She would have to make the move but that was okay, it was the twenty-first century after all.

Every night now, he would enter her dreams and she would tell him how she truly felt. That he brightened her every day. That she loved everything about him.

Yes, it was now the time to do it for real.

Lauren and James Pt 3

James couldn’t quite place the first moment or day it happened, just that it seemed to happen more often now. Looking at the clock to check how much longer it would be till she arrived or that feeling of sadness, even emptiness when she left again. She made him laugh and would cheer him up whenever he felt down. At times, he had to strongly resist asking her to stay. This hadn’t happened with his last Personal Assistant.

The more he thought about it, the more he knew not that something was wrong but different. His last Assistant never made him feel like this. Then one night they kissed. It was only a dream but it made him nervous around her the next day, especially when she leaned over him putting on the sling and some of her hair brushed against his ear. No, he had to put these feelings behind him. Even before his stroke he had never been good with women and now what chance would he have in a chair with slurred speech? Would she be impressed that he had reached a new level in one of his games? No, he didn’t think so, not even if he reached “God” status.

And he didn’t want to lose what he had or to make a fool of himself. Better to keep quiet and keep the status quo. Perhaps, unrequited love was the best he could hope for in any event.

***************************************************************************

“Why, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, he’s just been quieter the last few days. A few days ago, I was going to put on his sling and I felt the atmosphere change abruptly. It was really weird.”

Lauren was chatting with her Mum. They talked about everything and she was the one person that she felt she could always depend on. It was late Saturday evening.

“Maybe, he likes you, like fancies you.”

“What?” she replied incredulously.

“Well, he is a man around your age and you are quite pretty. Look darling if you don’t feel the same way go easy on him. He doesn’t get out of that house much and the two of you get on well, he might be content with that.”

Lauren didn’t know what to say in response. Fortunately, she was now running late and had an excuse to leave, which she quickly took.

She was meeting her friends Suzie and Rose. Lauren hadn’t seen them in a while and had been looking forward to meeting them but now found herself restless as she sat down. Instead of concentrating on what they were saying, her mind became fixated on what her mother said.

Could he really be into her?

She loved spending time with him and didn’t want to lose that, not to mind a good paying job. He was handsome, but surely it would be unprofessional for anything to happen between them. This wasn’t something she felt she could chat about on a night out with her friends, so mostly she stayed quiet.

“What’s wrong with ya?” Rose asked abruptly over the loud music, “barely a peep out of ya alnight?”

Lauren responded that she wasn’t feeling the best and that was kind of true. They told her to drink up, as if alcohol was always the best solution.

Then just as she was on her last pint, her phone buzzed telling her that she had received a text message. Her heart missed a beat. It was Stephen, the guy she had being having a “thing” with. She hadn’t heard from him for some time.

“Ah, not him again,” Rose exclaimed sensing her unease, “he’s only after an easy ride when your pissed.”

True, but she hadn’t had sex in a while. What would she do?