John-J Anderson

My life has been held up on two turtles shells. Lady and Gus, the only constants I've ever known. Brought into my life for pure happenstance. But kept around ever since for a love so understated and fondness that's bone deep. You watched me move homes... Twice.  You saw me fall in love and break my heart, you never called me a fool or left me judged.  You basked while I got married and stayed safe while I saw the world.  When I cried for the boys, you kept me close. When I cared for Angel, you watched her even closer.  You've been the dispenser for Hero.  The TV for Ghost.  You've been Tanya's nightly ritual.  You've been Angels fascinations. But I'll never forget, my ever present babies, is that above all else you've both been my friends.

Changing things up this week, I am going to discuss the rescue work that pays the bills before anything else literary or personal. In case you missed it, writing doesn't pay the bills - ask a million indie writers and you will hear the same - so during the week I work at an animal rescue rehabilitating and rehoming abandoned dogs. One such dog is a big girl called Roo, she has been in the rescue for almost three years and today Roo is finally going to a home that wants her and loves her. Adoptions like this really make the work easier on days when it feels like an uphill battle. Otherwise the past week has seen huge amounts of progress for the dogs, I finally managed to harness and walk both Howie and Stanley - two particularly complicated boys who need a bit more patience. They have both enjoyed my company for the majority of my time at LU, but this week was a great reminder of what patience and observation does for these relationships. It has been a busy month or two, we have lot...

Growing Boy Mum always called me her growing baby boy. If only she knew how right she had been. I learned early on that something was off. The way my nails grew back was something unseen. But the parlour trick was not stopping there. The limited injuries kept both parents aware. Well, the doctors deemed me fit. Medically magnificent above it all. 15 years later and the growing boy still just that. But now almost six feet tall. - So, when Dad up and left, for this reason or that cause. I picked up the pieces. Bills began to climb. I could always tell the bad letters just from Mums nervous creases. Our family deserved better. Dad leaving would not break us. It was unheard of to think aloud. To speak it would have been insane. But what gifts can I give my family. When I am the boy who feels no pain. - The search for answers led me into the dark. To the parts of the world that hide in shame. But with the ticking clock of homeward troubles rol...

By now you've had a chance to read the entirety of Organ, the first full length novel I completed and published (self) online - I hope you enjoyed it and took something away to remember. Well, now that its behind us both and secured in the recesses of its own shadow I thought it would be cathartic to have a discussion on the story behind Organ. Dig into the bones of the beast and let Oscar Rubens live on in exploratory surgery, lets unravel Organ and see what falls out. Check out the image to the right, this was the original design my little brother - and creative genius, seriously this boy is going to be iconic in the media industry. I asked him to sketch up something a child might draw for his broken family, detailing small elements of Oscars life - including the planes his father would help him spot and the deep connection with his mother. Samuel, my brother, nailed the style and age range for the young Oscar Rubens art style. I think he still has the original, but here is the f...