My first ghost encounter
The following is a true story. It was a Sunday evening way back when your Overlord and Saviour's voice still hadn't broken. My mum and dad had rightly ordered my sister and me to bed for school the next day, but little did they know, I had come to dread bedtime. Not because I had […]
The “real” difference buying from Amazon vs. my store
Another week comes to a close, and another #AskWatson segment begins. I must say, this week is a meaty one. Lots and lots of questions, so let’s dive into this week's replies: ========== Hi DJJ… Curious about the audiobook process – why go AI narration instead of hiring voice actors? Was it purely a cost […]
A video that made my blood boil
After doom-scrolling TicketyTockety for chicken gyros recipes (and succeeding, thanks for asking), I stumbled upon a video that got me a little… Restless. It showcased a “type” of person I’ve long come to sneer at in all their tasteless vitriol. In fact, I have such contempt for what these individuals do that they automatically rank […]
Mr. Muse strikes again
As we head into the final third of Book #5’s edits, something is plaguing me. No… it’s toying with me. You see, without giving too much of the mustard away, Book #5 sets up a historic meeting for the sequel (Book #6) at a “certain” location that has remained mostly unexplored in The Divided Region. […]
The best one-liner in fantasy?
Whilst descending into the Reddit rabbit hole late last night when I should’ve crammed in as much sleep as possible before Master Liam’s nightly operatic performances (what can I say? I like to live on the edge), I came across a thread for fantasy’s best one-liners. I have to say, the replies didn’t disappoint. However, […]
What Coldplay taught me today
Today I learned something pretty remarkable: Coldplay (the world-famous band — if you don’t know them or haven’t listened to a single track of their music, then I don’t know what to diagnose you with) has never had any lineup changes or used touring musicians in almost 30 years. It's literally been the same four […]
A cautionary tale to busy folks
Hot off the printing press is a cautionary tale I shared on my socials that I figured would also benefit Legionnaires whether you have brats kiddies or not. Fair warning, though: It might choke you a little. (I know it did me as I wrote it.) ========== "Why doesn’t Dad play with me anymore?" I […]
The policy Google forced me to give up
I signed off yesterday’s #AskWatson with a little teaser as to a problem I faced using Google to narrate my books. Honestly, it had me in knots for reasons I’ll explain. Anyone who’s read more than six of my emails will understand exactly why in a moment, but all I can say is that I […]
My dark secret?
It’s Sunday, and the seasoned Legionnaires among us know what that means: #AskWatson The day where I scoop up the best questions sent my way via email or social media and answer them. Got a couple of goodies this week, so let’s dig in: ========== Is D.J.J. Watson hiding some dark secret, or can you […]
The vape that almost ruined my day
In 2023, I drove across Spain for 6 hours. My destination? La Linea. Despite clocking hundreds of miles, dodging speed cameras, and encountering more toll booths than I’ve ever experienced before, the journey went off without a hitch. That was until I parked up a couple of miles away from the famous Gibraltar Rock. I […]
The real reason I quit horror
Somewhere between 2014 and 2016, I exclusively wrote supernatural thrillers. It’s a genre I loved and still do (I mean, who doesn’t love a ghost story?), but I quickly came up against a brick wall. After spending several months writing The Curse of Abbey Ruins duology, I moved on to a new project and wrote […]
My unsexy audiobook masterplan
Over the past few days, I’ve been exploring Digital Narration for my books and I must say: I’m impressed. I played around with this tech a year or so ago, and I wasn’t that wooed. It was good—definitely better than Siri reading my books—but it still had that “tinny” sound that made me want to […]
Why I don’t play in the sea
I watched a 17-minute YouTube video last night that reminded me why I do not play in the sea. It followed a young 20-something New Zealand kayaker with a vessel kitted out with numerous fishing rods and GoPro cameras. His setup was honestly quite impressive. It’s clear he had been doing this sea fishing thing […]
Amazon not-so Prime anymore?
A few years ago, Amazon Prime was flawless. Speedy delivery times (with plenty of same-day deliveries), low prices, and a suite of TV shows you could watch ad-free. Fast forward to today, and almost none of that is true. Yet I’m paying more for the service while receiving less. It sounds like I’m dunking on […]
5 things you can expect from Book 5
As I’m back in the writing corner editing Book #5 today, I figured let’s explore 5 things you can bank on encountering in this sequel. Without further ado, let's kick things off with number 1: 1 – It’s more than twice as long as One True King. Yes, as a self-confessed addict of short fiction, […]
This is awkward 😳
It’s Sunday, and usually that means one thing: #AskWatson However, given the drought of unique questions this week (bit awkward, but then, it has been an strange week for me), I figured today would be a good opportunity to give the boys and girls of the Legion a little housekeeping update. Shall we? After 5 […]
How to remember a book long after you’ve read it
A good book always sticks in the mind. However, even fond memories aren’t immune to the tendrils of time. Let enough years and decades slip by, and you’ll be left with a handful of scenes and moments that stood out while the rest falls into the fog. Luckily, books are simple things to reacquaint ourselves […]
Is TDR actually Lord of the Rings in disguise?
In between wobbly walks in the rain and a flu that is still ravaging my coil, I've spent an enormous amount of time rewatching Lord of the Rings. And I loved every second of it. The characters… the camaraderie… the epic world of Middle-earth… the battles… ah 😊 Let’s just say, it has made my […]
I cracked
I’ll be honest — I hesitated writing this email. As your daily host, I not only want to give my girls and boys of the Legion a fun little read every day, all while keeping up my slightly exaggerated, sometimes grossly preposterous, and (let’s face it) wildly charming persona as your Overlord and Saviour. Life […]
7 things this plague has taught me
1. We always assume we’ll be fine—until the flu knocks us flat. Never take good health for granted. 2. I miss Lady Laura and Master Liam immensely. (And yes, I know she’ll use this against me in the future.) 3. A couple of days is all it takes to lose momentum. 4. Lord of the […]