Digging Graves

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Bulldog 2: And Dead Mouths Open

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John-J Anderson

John-J is an author whose work slices deep into the human condition, blending horror, poetry, and raw lived experience. He is the five-star-reviewed mind behind Organ, a visceral journey into biological horror; Digging Graves, a haunting collection of poetry and short stories drawn from his real-life years working as a gravedigger; and Bulldog: Too Many Monsters, a dystopian military horror that blurs the line between the brutal and the surreal.

With over 42 countries stamped into his passport, John-J draws on a global palette of cultures, myths, and human encounters to inform his storytelling. A committed vegan and full-time animal rescuer, he spends his days rehabilitating and rehoming stray and abused dogs—compassion that stands in stark contrast to the darkness he explores in his fiction.

Whether excavating fear or unearthing truth, John-J writes with a voice forged from soil, blood, and hard-earned empathy.

The Bulldog Conundrum

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 Bulldog: Too Many Monsters has been my most successful book release to date. Quickest summary possible for those unfamiliar with the story; its a dystopic military horror set in the United Kingdom after being invaded by an unknown army. Residents are plunged into sick contests to see if they can survive against the mysterious, horrifying, hordes of monsters the invaders have brought with them.

That's the elevator pitch anyway. 

I came up with the idea after having two dreams back to back that appeared identical, in similar vain as the mini-blurb above. Originally this was intended to be a short story, perhaps a couple of pages, instead this has morphed and oozed itself into a fleshed out series of horror books. The first (Too Many Monsters) has just been temporarily taken off sale while the cover is reimagined in the image I originally envisioned, having sold over 100 copies, it felt like it was slowing down and the right time to get what I dreamt of out of the cover design. 

Here's the kicker, I am now reassessing if this original piece could be fleshed out further. Perhaps I could finally include that side story of Liz, the defiant girlfriend of Frank, the main protagonist. Spoilers coming up for anyone that still wants to read Bulldog: Too Many Monsters. Liz leaves Frank before the events truly unfold as she seeks out the safety of her own elderly parents, unfortunately we never again hear from Liz in the story that follows Frank and Bucket. 

Liz could be a fun and distressing side story to accompany the closing chapters of the original Bulldog book, now I am sitting with the nagging feeling of correcting this original failing and giving Liz the proper send off. It would clear a few hurdles that have erected in my second-guessing mind. Perhaps a chapter on Liz could round out this universes origins, give the world a greater sense of realism that others are suffering not just our dear Frank and his sidekick, Bucket. 

Bulldog as a series has quickly become my fixation as I write, the sequel for Organ has taken a back seat while I flesh out this familiar yet terrifying world and the fresh story "Don't Play In Daddy's Orchard" has paused for the moment. Bulldog has become my very own bog of eternal sadness. But this could be the step to clear the fog, design the cover, give Liz her flowers and get Bulldog: Too Many Monsters back on the shelf before its sequel Bulldog: Into The Fires launches. 

Anyway, I have procrastinated
enough from actually doing any of the above. Keep your heads above the water and your eyes on my very under utilised socials for info and news on all of my books.

P.S. Once again I don't have any relevant photos, so the thumbnail is me visiting some sheep on a historical site in Peterborough.

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