When did Bulldog become the enemy?

I am at the daunting midway point of a break from work. The days have trickled by as I mixed up seeing family, farting about in the local towns, playing Diablo 4 with the wife and finally getting my collective faecal matter together in the writing projects that lingered over my burnt out corpse.

After having gone through stage zero of my eleven step plan to push book sales, and ideally become a more active writer and less active marketer, I have tidied up the established novels that I have published. Given them a fresh kick up the backside and turned my attention back to the always present task of finishing the Bulldog sequel (Bulldog 2: And Dead Mouths Open). 

With the weight of this tarting up of my old works now complete, I have turned my attention to this unfinished follow up and the always nagging task of getting more visible reviews on Amazon to shift more books. Don't get me wrong, 280+ sales in 8 months is some prime time, head in the clouds, unthinkable business for someone who just wanted to tell stories since he was writing them on scrap paper at his nans kitchen table. But every single "self-help for indie-authors" page suggests getting 10-15 reviews on your books to keep them in the algorithm. 

How easy is that? 

Well, not very. Most download the book and put it aside on the later-base. Similar to how I buy digital copies of computer games I likely will never play. The issue comes in getting those downloading or reading the books, to turn around and say "Hey, that wasn't half bad, let me leave a short review" so that others can see this isn't some piece of shit AI generated garbage. 

Much to my frustration, this has been easily the most productive week I have had working on the messy background side of the writing work I love in months. Work has been draining, it happens when you work in rescue, and life has just been allowing me to push the stories off to the side and out of eyeline. 

Now, why is Bulldog the enemy?

I write stories for fun, I love creating worlds, stories and nightmarish monsters that make your skin crawl and the worry creep in. Creating atmosphere inside someone's mind with just your conjured up words in a fictional setting is magic, real magic. But Bulldog hasn't felt like that since I got into the needles of the background mess that comes with book writing.

Mainly, the cover, it was miserable. It was great at first. I loved the simplicity and if you saw the original cover of Bulldog 1, then you know what I mean. It was tidy and minimalist. 

But it wasn't captivating, and what is art meant to be if not captivating. So I went back to the drawing board, and finally after 3-4 different iterations, some arguments with myself in the late hours of the night and multiple tantrums. 

Bulldog 1: Too Many Monsters, finally has its cover that I feel confident in. Its gross to look at, gore adjacent and has a wonderful flare of British culture in the bunting hanging behind the central withering mess of bone and flesh. 

It suits. 

But this task of polishing up a story that really came out of nowhere, a dream, had become the living bane of my everyday life. Glancing anywhere near my laptop or bookshelf just reminded me "oh, yeah I didn't finish that cover" and I would sulk. Like the adult I have allowed myself to become. 

But its done and I can finally hold up a massive middle finger to the design process knowing the thematic staples for the series are now in stone. 

Before I go.

I don't usually call to action in my blog, its more of a venting space and a brief glimpse into the madness and pains that come with writing for anyone curiously morbid enough to read. 

But today I am asking for your help, I have done relatively well in terms of sales. But I NEED reviews and if you would be interested in reading a copy of my book for free, any of my books, just drop me a message at JJays92@gmail.com. 

It is obviously not mandatory you leave a review, if you just fancy reading my works but don't want to pay for them, let me know, that's fine also.

However, if you do feel like leaving an honest review, it would be more helpful than paying for my book. Every review you give boosts me further into the algorithms evil spotlight and more readers eyes. 

Drop me a message if you fancy a terrifying read for free- the reviews are naturally not mandatory. 

All of my books are here if you want to browse before you message me for a free copy: 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/John-J-Anderson/author/B0DP34FPDB?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Stay safe and don't swallow any bugs you don't recognise!