Dogman, a True Encounter

This book, presented as a true encounter, follows Tami, a 42-year-old New Yorker, as she recounts her life-altering move to the Great Smoky Mountains with her husband, John. What begins as an adjustment to rural life quickly devolves into a harrowing experience with the legendary Dogman, leaving her with deep, lasting trauma. While the title might suggest a creature feature, the narrative focuses on the protagonist's personal journey and the psychological impact of the encounter. This book is intended for adult readers due to its themes of terror, trauma, and the recounting of a deeply disturbing event. It is not suitable for children.

My name is Tami, and I'm forty-two years old. I was born and raised as an only child in New York. My parents and I lived in a three bedroom house in a "not so bad," part of town. At eighteen and fresh out of high school, I went to work in my families restaurant. It wasn't what I had wanted to do. And I hated every minute of it. But I hadn't received a scholarship and college just wasn't affordable right now. I had wanted to go and major in arts. Then open up my own shop one day. So my future plans were pretty much set. At twenty-two, I was still waiting tables when I met John. John stood out from the rest of our normal patrons with his cowboy boots and blue jeans. He had a beautiful smile and gentle eyes. It wasn't long before he became a regular and I fell in love. After a whirlwind courtship and wedding, we moved to his hometown of Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains. Being from New York this was a very big adjustment for me. His family was very nice and before I knew it, I found myself fitting in. If I had only known then that these mountains contained a nightmare and I would leave them with a terror so raw that I would not fully recover. And I would never again set foot in those beautiful mountains that I once called home.