G. Michael Vasey's Blog: The Wacky World of Dr. Vasey, page 61
January 23, 2015
Want to Review My Book?
Right, if you want to review one of My Haunted Life Too or My Haunted Life 3 drop me an email to gary at garymvasey.com. I will send you and amazon gift certificate (so specify uk or .com please) that you PROMISE to use to purchase my book on kindle, read and review. Does that sound like a deal?
First 15 to send me a request via email will get the gift certificate.
Ready, steady… go!
Tagged: Announcements, Books, reviews
My Haunted Life 3 Now Out!
Brno, Czech Republic, January 23rd. My Haunted Life 3, the final installment in the hit My Haunted Life trilogy of scary but true tales of the paranormal is released today on Kindle. Published by William Collins Publishing, London, My Haunted Life 3 is the final collection of creepy short stories in the popular series.
My Haunted Life 3 includes short stories about ghosts, orbs, strange coincidences and graveyard terror and is released while My Haunted Life Too remains a top 20 Kindle book in the supernatural category on Amazon.co.uk. The original My Haunted Life also still features in the best selling supernatural list on Amazon.
All three books in the series are exclusively available on all Amazon sites in Kindle format.
About G. Michael Vasey
G. Michael Vasey is a Yorkshire man and rabid Tigers fan that has spent most of his adult life lost deep in Texas and more lately, in the Czech Republic. While lucky enough to write for a living as a leading analyst in the commodity trading and risk management industry, he surreptitiously writes strange poems and equally strange books and stories on the topics of metaphysics, the occult and the paranormal on the side, hoping that one-day, someone might actually buy them.
After growing up experiencing ghosts, poltergeist and other strange and scary experiences, he developed an interest in magic and the esoteric. These days he fancies himself as a bit of a mystic and a magician to boot. Most of his inspiration for his scribbling comes from either meditation or occasionally, very loud heavy metal music.
He has appeared on radio shows such as Everyday Connection and X Radio with Rob McConnell to tell strange and scary stories. He has also been featured in Chat – Its Fate magazine and interviewed by Ghost Village and Novel Ideas amongst others.
He blogs addictively at garymvasey.com and he tweets micro thoughts at @gmvasey. He also reviews a lot of very weird books at strangebookreviews.com.
Tagged: Announcements
January 22, 2015
Succubus
Dusky curves and veiled, shadowy lines
Tempting teasing tresses
Lie heavily on her naked shoulder
Bold breasts beneath emphatic caresses
She sucks me deep into her fiery world
Draws me, tempts me, ever closer
A smoldering, yet lingering look
Is all that I have to offer
Forlornly following her voluptuous figure
Tracing her curvaceous shape with my finger
My enflamed imagination still rising
Her sultry hotness pulled my trigger
Silken moistness moistly beckons
Tiny pinpricks of pleasure
A voyage of erotically rabid discovery
Honeyed tongue to steal my treasure
Flicked, licked and deliciously twirled
Building to an arching release of pressure
Image: Succubus by Jasonlan (Lan Jun Kang)
Tagged: erotic
January 21, 2015
An Old Man in Scotland
To spice things up a bit, here is a story from My Haunted Life – out in Kindle and paperback formats from any good Amazon online store.
Originally posted on The Wacky World of G. Michael Vasey:
In the run up to Halloween, here is another true and strange tale of the paranormal. I will post a new strange true story each day so don’t miss them.This will be last until next Wednesday as its a long weekend public holiday here….
We were touring the west coast of Scotland for a day or two. We had set out from Glasgow that morning and fully intended to go back there that night but the day had been fun with lots to see and do and so by the time we entered Inverary it was already quite late. In fact, we had already visited Inverary jail that morning before motoring a bit further up the coastline so the idea of staying the night there seemed a good one and would give us more time to look around.
In the end we settled on the George in the main street…
View original 538 more words
January 20, 2015
Sign Up For My Newsletter?
If you want to be kept abreast of all things G. Michael Vasey once a month or so then please sign up for my newsletter that I am launching. I will feature short stories, fun articles and news about books…..
Sign up here and join a growing bunch of ‘in the know’ people…… you can unsubscribe anytime….
Tagged: all me, Announcements
My Haunted Life Series Experience
In Amazon terms, My Haunted Life and My Haunted Life Too are both best-sellers in their categories. While neither has earned the #1 spot in their category as of yet, they have both been in the top 10. My Haunted Life 3 is due on on Friday 23rd January so perhaps it will be the one to be number one? We will see.
I have learned a great deal through these three short kindle books actually. A lot about writing and a lot about Amazon and sales. What amazes me is how few books are needed to be in the top of a category! Having said that, you need to sell 5-6 books day in day out to stay there! Sales numbers (including free give aways) for the two books are still quite low as well. My Haunted Life is close to 300 copies and My Haunted Life Too close to 280. Those are, in truth, not huge numbers.
So has my experiment been a success or not?
On one hand a big YES. I have learned a lot as I said earlier about writing and marketing books with this experience. I think I have also broadened my audience a bit as well and I have generated some royalties – this bit is quite nice as the royalties are more than beer money for the first time in my writing career! What is more is that other books are selling well too. The Last Observer is selling so too is Astral Messages for example. In fact, for the last 2-months I have sold at least one copy of every book except the ill-fated Poems for the Little Room (Perhaps I need to rethink the title?). So, yes, overall, its been a good experiment.
On the other hand, the negatives are that actually, I have yet to sell books in the kinds of volume that, from a business perspective, makes it worthwhile. I have yet to break 500 copies of any book outside of my business titles. Thats hardly ‘best selling’ is it? Plainly, I need to keep my day job!
Despite that, this is really a hobby and a lot of fun. With a number of other projects in progress (The Lord of the Elements, The Art of Science and more Kindle books too), I have been reinvigorated by this and, if I keep at it, slowly but surely, I can see a day when, while not a household name by any means, I could retire on book royalties…..
Tagged: Astral Messages, Books
January 18, 2015
Mark Stavish Reviews The Mystical Hexagram
Mr. Mark Stavish, who leads the Institute for Hermetic Studies and is a widely known and published esoteric author himself, kindly wrote a review of The Mystical Hexagram and posted it on Amazon.com yesterday. I reproduce below. He gave the book 5-stars.
Over a year ago Dr. Vasey was kind enough to send me a copy of his book The Mystical Hexagram. In a slim volume of under 100 pages, Dr. Vasey and his co-author Sue Vincent have managed to pack a great deal of information on the importance of what must be the most common of esoteric symbols – the interlaced triangles or hexagram. However, while some references are cited, the book, or monograph really, is a summary of Dr. Vasey’s considerable reflections and meditation on this important symbol. A symbols Dr. Franz Hartmann in his work, Magic White and Black, saw in the hexagram, “This is one of the most important magical signs, and practically applied invests man with magic power…Knowing that sign practically means to realize the nature of God…to be God and to know…”.
What makes The Mystical Hexagram of value to the reader is not simply Dr. Vasey’s commentary, but in addition a set of simple and progressive exercises that one can perform to deeper their personal connection and understanding of this symbol that has for many become a representation of the Great Work itself. It is also a template for guide for students as well, in that it is a working example of how to undertake this kind of reflective work for oneself – work essential to progressing on the Path of Return. In this way, The Mystical Hexagram is not only to be read, but studied and even imitated so that its deeper lessens can become one’s own.
For myself I was particularly pleased to read many comments similar to my own, from an article written nearly twenty years ago on the same subject entitled, “Notes on the Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram”. The book’s endorsement by no less a luminary than Dr. Vasey’s teacher Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki, Director of Studies for the Servants of the Light school of esotericism, and author of numerous works on Western esoteric practices is also reason alone to read it. (I had the good fortune to interview Ashcroft-Nowicki many years ago, and that interview along with my article on the the hexagram can be read at: http://www.hermeticinstitute.org.) In publishing their private reflections in The Mystical Hexagram the authors have provided a wonderful and much needed tool for students of esoteric symbolism and ritual magic. Take advantage of this wonderful guide and let it help you as you walk the Path of Return.
The original review may be found here. My thanks to Mr. Stavish for his very kind review.
Meanwhile, Corpus Stavish is a place where you can read a lot of his writings including his thoughts on the Hexagram
Tagged: Corpus Stavish, Mark Stavish, mystical hexagram
January 17, 2015
Materialism and the Demise of Magic
I occasionally explore Facebook and other social media in search of something new, a different take or simply just fellow travelers. However, recently, I seem to have discovered a whole host of so called Magicians or people who talk about magic or claim to use it. I am so bitterly disappointed by this. What these people believe to be magic is pursuit of a better orgasm, monetary wealth, their own way and to feel good about it. That’s not REAL magic. That’s a materialistic, want it now by any means fair or foul, corruption the the Art. However, I fear this is where many end up.
Magic is about exploring the inner self and discovering the deity within. It is about thankfulness, joy, love, and gratitude. It is about alignment of self with the Creator and discovering that all is ONE. Anyone who achieves even a glimpse of this state will understand that, while we may develop magical powers in the process by which we could move mountains, we will not use them. Magic takes years and years of hard and tedious work.
We change ourselves and in that way we change the world. That is the work of the Magician. Power over the Elements within us. We work to balance the Elements within us not feed our vices instantaneously!
I blame The Secret. That horrid little book that talks about cosmic ordering systems and the like. Instant gratification. It is based on truth but it is a twisted truth. It is a materialistic version of the truth that will eventually bit you in the bum. It will – It’s called Karma!
Look, I am all for be wealthy, healthy and wise. I am. But to me, magic – real magic – is about finding out about me – the real me – and not about the pursuit of riches, power or an orgasmic state of mind (whatever that actually is!).
I shall write more about this in future posts.
My Haunted Life 3 Readied for Release
Yesterday evening, I finished My Haunted Life 3. It needs editing now and so on but it will be available later next week. Here is a listing of stories for you;
SCARED OF THE DARK
GUARDIAN ANGEL
THE MONSTER IN THE CUPBOARD
PROOF
THE APPARITION
DÉJÀ VU
ORBS
THE FACE
THE LODGER
THESE SHOES ARE MADE FOR WALKING
BATTLE CRY
YOUR LIFE IS ONE BIG FAT LIE!
Again, some of the stories are about me but several are stories I have been told by friends. I hope people enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
However, thats the last of The My Haunted Life series – at least for now. They have proven to be popular and both My Haunted Life and My Haunted Life Too are on several Amazon best seller lists still (The latter in the top 10 in the UK!). I do hope this continues and that the third installment does even better. I also see my other books selling more strongly so hopefully, I have begun to build an audience.
There is much, much more in the works…. and I feel good about the future for my writing.
Thanks to everyone who may have bought one and please do remember – reviews – good or bad – are important and don’t take so long to write.
Tagged: My Haunted Life, writing
January 15, 2015
Your Life is One Big Lie
One of the central themes of all my writings – even the My Haunted Life series – is the nature of reality and the role that we may play in dictating that. Over the last twenty or so years (if not my entire life really), I have read, meditated on, studied and discussed this topic and the process I have come to several conclusions. One of these is that I now believe that much of our world is an illusion.
It’s easy to draw analogies with movies like the Matrix here and I and others often do but what I mean is a lot of what we think we know isn’t real. It isn’t truth nor fact. I once said (and thought it was rather cute) -
“The more I think on it the more I realize that certainty is an illusion. History was written by the winner, the news is provided with a spin and other people are opaque. We know nothing for certain. It used to be that the internet might provide information,but it too is now nothing but opinion and scare mongering. Nothing can be relied upon. We have to look inside ourselves for anything of value – anything that can be relied upon – but it too is colored by our ego and personalities.
So in the end, if the past is a colored view and the future a fancy, what do we have left?
Simply to live in the moment…..” (The Mystical Hexagram (Vasey & Vincent, 2012)).
Life is an enigma and I may never actually understand the answers but I do know this. Everything that we take to be true is probably not. Let me give a few examples;
1. History – history is written by the winner and it reflects a perception or view of what happened. There are alternative histories for everything and the sad thing is, they are all colored by the same issue.
2. Education – Education is partly about providing certain tools – reading, writing, critical thinking, analysis – but only in limited degree. The rest of education is essentially to ‘brainwash’ you with cultural normalities, cultural convention and to ensure you don’t actually challenge the system. Most people accept what they are told as the gospel truth and never for a minute stop to think critically or analytically about things. In this way, the illusion is maintained.
3. Religion – While all religions are probably based on wisdom and spiritual truth, they are all and without exception, subverted to match someone’s political or cultural agenda. They become the basis by which people can be manipulated and controlled.
4. On a more mundane level, the music or entertainment industry can be used to prove its all illusion too. Many singers can’t sing (they use computer software now to ensure perfect pitch), many musicians can’t actually play, many live performances are lip synched. It’s all a lie (It didn’t used to be). Actors and actresses public personas are creations and false often nothing like the reality. Show business is really all a show – an illusion – just like everything else in your life.
5. You are bombarded day in and day out with messages – some subliminal and others in your face – buy this, eat this its good for you, holiday here and so on. The marketing machine uses our ability to imagine and visualize – a rudimentary skill though it is in the majority of us) and uses OUR magic making ability and equipment to have us make THEIR reality. Our magic has been hijacked!
I could go on and on but I won’t. Don’t ask me who the THEY might be. I have no idea and I am not a conspiracy theorist – that’s just another fantastical dead end. That there is a THEY – whether THEY actually know it or not, I am sure.
I also have concluded this. Given everything turns out to be illusion and that I cannot trust anything, then I must turn to the only thing I can rely on – me. Unfortunately, I have to first clear the Me of all the nonsense I have been conditioned with and am bombarded with daily. As Mark Stavish terms it – I must know my own mind. This is far from easy and may not be attainable at all but I can make progress towards it and, in doing so, I can take control of my life and my reality. I can be a true mage and imagine my thoughts into reality. Of course, I also live in other people’s realities too and I must learn how to interact with their parallel universes too.
You know, if the outer world we call life is an illusion while the inner world is real then surely, the Kingdom of heaven truly is within us and faith – well, it can move mountains.
Tagged: Consciousness, dreaming, Happiness, imagination, mystical hexagram, Reality
