Doggem is a spooky little tale about toy dogs and dark doings. A gently disturbing horror story. But beware, this charming cocktail of witchcraft, imagined folklore and paranormal fantasy might just bewitch you.
Not easy to pin down genre. Without doubt it has a certain heart-breaking beauty to it. Maybe it’s a modern fairytale. A scary one, flavoured with a dash of the occult, written for an adult audience. After all, fairy tales feature the supernatural and have a magical aspect to them.
They often have old cottages and eerie, unnerving woodland settings.
Wickedly enchanting women and innocent children.
Ancient evil and everyday greed.

Source Format Pages Publisher Genre Publication Date
Author ebook 48 indie

Horror (Short story)

 December 2nd, 2018

When John F. Leonard offered me to read this short story, I didn’t have to think twice and jumped at the chance. Having read his Call Drops, I knew I was in for a quirky treat!

In short, I absolutely loved this story. LOVED. IT! It is a simple idea, inspired by real life- a kid bringing home a soft toy from school to take care of it and diarize the events. It is a lovely little idea and surely has some benefits to it, however for the parents… well, I don’t blame any parents looking at this exercise as a surveillance method in disguise. Now, sure, even the surveillance can bring about positive change for those whose childhoods aren’t set dinners and supporting parents. It’s always the question about where do you draw the line in between privacy and enabling proactive interference. Anyway…

How could a face have so many lines and retain the capacity to smile? How could hair be so raven black and yet streaked with burnished chrome. How could such crooked hands produce such yummy cakes? He hoped it would provide some material for Doggem’s diary.

Doggem by John F. Leonard

John’s writing is sublime and it comes across especially from Doggem’s pov chapters. An inanimate object with the ability to observe and think and understand. I enjoyed Doggem’s pov so much, it reminded me yet again why I love to read! Doggem is a child’s toy, but he doesn’t have childish thoughts. He has something deep inside him… a certain kind of wisdom to enable him to think in a certain way, to enable him to ask certain kinds of questions that only comes with age. Leonard took an inanimate object and gave it such a personality, such a setting!

The nimble industry of a spider as it spins a web of hope and hunger. To witness such small things and truly see them is to witness that which defies explanation. The glorious wonder of creation.

Doggem by John F. Leonard

Doggem is taken home by 5 year old George. A little boy who’s surrounded by typical adult behaviour: electrified atmosphere ingited by anxious parents, an atmosphere filled with dark secrets and even darker agendas! And throughout it all: George is blissfully unaware and Doggem can only witness.

I do not wish to tell you all about the story because it’s better when you go into it without knowing as little about it as possible. All I know, is that it sucked me in from the very beginning and I didn’t want to stop reading until I knew the end… It brought some surprises: by where the story was heading, by everyone it involved, and as I mentioned above- the beautiful ideas that have been delivered through beautiful writing. It really did hit the mark with me! What I’m trying to say is that whilst it is a short story, it delivers a lot! I am so glad I got to read it and I hope you will give it a chance too!