John Watson
Bio
Originally from Scotland, I now live in Atlanta with my chef wife Penny. I am a horror author with 16 books published to date. I look forward to reading and interacting with other writers.
Stories (21)
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Flash Fiction - Lanterns
“I don’t understand, Grandpa. Can you tell me again?” The old man sighed heavily. He turned to look out the window, which was coated by a layer of winter frost. It was still early, but the darkness had already crept in, adding dark edges to the ice on the window. “It’s an offering, boy.”
By John Watson12 days ago in Fiction
The Paranormal Digest for Dec 27, 2025
Well, we have reached the final digest for 2025, but fear not, it will be back and churning out the spooky in the New Year. This week, I am also adding something new to the regular features. While I love writing this stuff, fiction is really my main thing. With that in mind, I will be adding a weekly drabble (100-word story) into the mix. I hope it’s something you will all enjoy. We do have a bit of a theme this week, which I hope will be a howling good time for all, so let’s get to it.
By John Watson15 days ago in Horror
The Paranormal Digest for Dec 20, 2025
It may seem hard to believe, but this will be the final digest before Christmas. While some of you will be staying home and enjoying a few days off, others will almost certainly be traveling for the holiday season, but where will you stay? Will it be with family or will it be in a hotel with a troubled past, a place where former guests failed to check out? The core them for this week is haunted hotels, but there are other creepy little segments, too, so let’s get right to it.
By John Watson22 days ago in Horror
Flash Fiction - Night Creeper
Before I get to this week's story, I should explain that this one is more than a little real. I have had issues with anxiety for some time. When my wife is home, I am usually good, but when she travels for work, things can go south quickly. This piece was based on a real experience, and while the creature is not real, it was how I imagined it in my mind after an unpleasant evening of anxiety and dread.
By John Watson23 days ago in Fiction
The Paranormal Digest for Dec 13, 2025
It’s once again my favorite time of the week, as I get to write about some of the creepy things that exist out there in the world. Of course, there are some who will scoff and suggest that ghosts and such are not real, but we can ignore all that negativity and revel in the paranormal and the things that defy explanation. I have some cool stuff for you guys this week, so let’s get right to it.
By John Watson29 days ago in Horror
Flash Fiction - Infestation
The day he was forcibly removed from his research position, certain words were used that could have been used as grounds for a lawsuit. Insane, unhinged, and certifiable were the pick of the bunch, but rather than lawyering up, Dr. Evan Ballinger decided to continue his work at home.
By John Watsonabout a month ago in Fiction
Vocal Vs Medium Vs Substack
There was an extended period of time where writing became close to impossible for me. Mental health issues took me down and made it hard to sit down and focus on the words and ideas that are constantly swirling inside my head, begging to be noticed. After getting back to the doctor and getting well, I am now in a creative space where I cannot wait to sit down and write. With that in mind, I am sharing my words everywhere, but which of the main platforms is best? Read on and find out.
By John Watsonabout a month ago in Writers
The Paranormal Digest for Dec 6, 2025
The scariest thing to discuss this weekend might well be the fact that I will be turning 58 in the next couple of days. In order to keep my mind off that, I am going to bury myself in the paranormal and share some more cool stuff with you guys. With that in mind, let’s get to this week’s dose of creepiness.
By John Watsonabout a month ago in Horror
Flash Fiction - Eye of the Beholder
Eye of the Beholder Beauty, they say, is in the eye of the beholder. What happens, though, when fire takes away any possible sense of exterior beauty? Does anyone then care about what’ inside, about the loving heart that beats beneath the ravaged flesh ruined by flames?
By John Watsonabout a month ago in Horror
Urban Legends - Slaughterhouse Canyon in Arizona
If you are in any way interested in the paranormal, you must have some level of love for urban legends. Deep down, we know that they are all more about cautionary tales or creepy campfire stories than actual lore, but they are still fun to talk about. For this one, why don’t you all join me in a trip to Arizona for a closer look at Slaughterhouse Canyon.
By John Watsonabout a month ago in Horror
Great Serial Stories You MUST Read!!
This past week, I made the decision to put my new novel on Substack. I had always planned to serialize it and had made a blog for that specific purpose. After testing the waters with Substack, I was amazed at how quickly my audience grew, so I decided to pull the trigger and put Nerve Damage on there, too. I also found out that there were a lot of other authors putting their serial novels on Substack, so here are 5 that caught my eye.
By John Watsonabout a month ago in Writers
