ABOUT

After one year spent reviewing, sticking to this category of blogging and this community, brimming with eager and avid readers smacked hard by the speculative fiction fairy I feel confident enough to create an ‘About’ page and finally give some insight on what goes on in this slice of ever changing chaos.

Although the anniversary of my blog came and went some months ago, a subtle something prompted me to steer my blogging one step further in hopes of sounding more mature or at least as professional as other more popular blogs. With this invisible milestone passed I am presenting a short and hopefully insightful page for possible readers and presses alike.

ABOUT:

My name is Harry Markov, but I’d gather you already know that from the small bio blurb on my blog, so I’ll move on. I have been born, raised and currently residing in Bulgaria, Eastern Europe, where I am ploughing through my International Economic Relations degree. I plan on storming the SF&F literary scene with a number of novels in an eclectic mash of genres, but so far the heavy artillery is the works. As we speak I am also planning the launch of a proper author’s blog dedicated to my writing ramblings.

My addiction to speculative fiction stems from Japanese anime series, which introduced me to worlds I only wished existed. As my tastes evolved from the childish Digimon to the bloody Hellsing I was introduced to Rowling at the age of 11, then to Tolkien, Le Guin and Pratchett. The rest is pretty much a natural progression. The Internet along with blogging introduced me to the newest titles, containing, action, gore, magic and that weirdness I enjoy so much.

“Temple Library Reviews” is the extension to my addiction, an online reading journal to remedy the problem with my short memory and also a valuable tool to keep plugged in the fast growing SF&F scene that seems so far away from my small country.

GUIDELINES:

I review literary works of any lengths and formats. Novels, novellas, short stories, magazines and e-zines, anthologies and comic books. I welcome everything as long as it’s in either of these genres:

* Fantasy: I don’t have a favorite sub genre, so everything from epic to urban is accepted.
* Science Fiction: This is a field I read less in, but has been rewarding no matter the pick.
* Horror & Gothic: I like the good scare as well as the good dread and the moody melancholy. If it’s dark, bring it on.
* Cross Genres: I am open to paranormal romance, alternative history, steampunk, literary with bizarre tropes or world building or with an active spiritual/mystical/supernatural tone.
* Non Fiction: If it concerns anything above.
* Comic Books / Graphic Novels / Manga: As long as they fit the genre categories above.

I am not easily disturbed and I am open to any and all subjects, if they are vital to the story and serve as an exploration of the dark recesses of the human mind that we like to pretend are in check. GLBT content is okay with me and I don’t shy from violence, if it is fully necessary to the story. As a young, hot blooded man, I don’t mind sex in fiction and steamy paranormal romance is never a bad thing every once in a while, but I am not open to erotica, though I may make an exception, or reviewing pornography.

Since I started covering the newer releases without doing the basics first I have embarked on detailed reading of already famous or older series on my way to fantasy enlightenment. So I am sad to announce that I would have to screen what I read. This means that I will not accept self-published work any more.