John Elcik

Author Bio

John Elcik is a prolific author, publisher, and storyteller whose work spans satire, speculative fiction, genealogy, humor, and narrative nonfiction. With a background that blends education, advocacy, and creative experimentation, his books explore how people make meaning—through stories, families, institutions, and the strange systems we build to organize our lives.

Across dozens of series and stand-alone works, Elcik is known for blending accessibility with depth. His writing often uses humor, allegory, and character-driven storytelling to approach serious themes: power, identity, legacy, memory, and change. Whether writing political allegory through animals, guiding readers through family history, or crafting speculative futures shaped by choice and consequence, his work invites curiosity rather than certainty.

John Elcik is also the architect behind multiple narrative universes and pen-name lanes, each designed to meet readers where they are—without blurring audience expectations. His books are unified not by genre, but by a belief that stories are tools: for understanding the past, navigating the present, and imagining better futures.

Short Bio

John Elcik writes across satire, speculative fiction, genealogy, and humor, using storytelling to explore legacy, power, and the systems that shape our lives.

Series & Selected Works

(Grouped by series; titles listed with subtitles exactly as published.)

Canine Detectives

Character-driven mystery adventures blending humor, heart, and sleuthing—grounded in loyalty, teamwork, and canine logic.

• Barks and Bonds: A Cloverdale Drive Mystery

• Benji: The Solo Dog Gets a Friend

• D.C. Doggie Diplomacy: A Canine Spy Thriller

• London Barks: A Canine Sleuth’s Adventure

• New York Nightscapes: A Canine Detective Thriller

• Mysteries in Barksville: The Adventures of Pip Whittaker

• The Hound and the Shadow: A Dog Detective Novel

• The Howllywood Heist: A Star-Studded Canine Caper

• Tokyo Tails: The Neon Pawprint Puzzle

• Paws & Claus: A Christmas Mystery for Canine Detectives

• Chewed Up but Chosen: One Dog’s Ancestral Journey

• Collared: The Fall of Free Roam (Prequel)

• The Great Barkentine: A Snowy Mystery in the Mountains

• World Tour: Special Cases

Croak & Dagger

Political mysteries and satire told through amphibians, animals, and absurd power structures.

• Frogs, Dogs, and Ballot Box Logs: A Political Mystery

• Ponds, Politics, and Presidential Pooches: An Election Mystery

• From Lily Pads to Legislation: A Political Journey

• Toadacious Tales of the Meadow: A Whimsical Mystery

Political Fables & Satire

Allegorical works using animals and exaggerated systems to examine power, ideology, and governance.

• Academy of the Awkward Animals: Misfits, Mayhem & Juice Box Rebellions

• Barks and Rebellion: Barking Back from the Brink

• Factions of the Future: Power, Loyalty, and the Next Generation

• Freedom’s Fables: The Forest Rebellion

• Heir of the Cheese: A Dairy Tale of Entitled Entrepreneurship

• iPig: When Farm Meets Firmware

• License to Quill: One Duck. One Mission. Zero Emotional Readiness

• Tails of Dogland: A Political Satire

• The Bark Side of the Street: A Noir Satire

• The Democracy of Dogs: A Political Allegory

• The Fetch Directive: A Techno-Political Satire

• The Hunger Doctrine: Where Taste Is Treason

• The Nutleys: Hoard It All!

• Warden Wanted: A Wild Election in the Animal Kingdom

• Woke in the Woods: A Journey from Points to Purpose

Foundations of Family History

Practical, reflective, and narrative-driven genealogy and legacy works.

• Ancestry Standards: Ensuring Accuracy in Genealogical Research

• Beyond the Family Tree: A Deeper Look at Family History

• Roots and Branches: Tracing Your Family Tree with Ease

• Software Tools for Genealogy: Boosting Your Research

• The River We Inherited

• Whispers of the Past: The Elcik Family’s Stories & Legacy

• You’re Already Leaving a Legacy

• Discovering Your Family Story

Speculative Justice

Science-fiction thrillers exploring memory, authorship, and power.

• Astra: The Ghostwriter of the Galaxy

• The Ghostwriter Protocol: When Memory Writes Back

• Gardner Protocol: The Case of the Time-Traveling Trial

Galaxies of Youth

Speculative science fiction for teens and reflective readers.

• Galaxies of Youth: Echoes & Illusions

• The Living Constellation

• The Infinite Draft

The Nutty Ark

Animal adventures with heart, humor, and economic allegory.

• The Nutty Ark: Noah the Squirrel’s Acorn-Packed Adventure

• New Horizons: Sequel to The Nutty Ark

• The Seeds of Adventure: Prequel to the Nutty Ark

Garden of Guardians

Fantasy adventures centered on courage, cooperation, and growth.

• Garden Guardians: The Quest for the Magic Seeds

• Magic Seeds and Brave Deeds: A Critterton College Adventure

• Nutwood Nights: The Cosmic Nutventure

• The Harmony Quest: A Journey of Magic and Friendship

Culture & Society / Humor

Memoir-inflected humor and cultural reflection.

• Born Twisted: A Boomer Childhood Untangled

• Still Twisting: Growing Up Boomer, One Misstep at a Time

• Twilight Twists: Boomers’ Belly Laughs & Beyond

• Feminization of the Modern Male: A Hilarious Odyssey from Macho to Mindful

• Man Caves to Man-Buns: A Humorous Guide to Modern Men

• Moxie Mania: The Untold Saga of the World’s Zestiest Drink

Self-Publishing & The Writer’s Workshop

Guides and meta-commentary on writing, publishing, and authorship.

• A Modest Proposal

• How Not to Write a Bestseller: A Comedy of Author Blunders

• Pseudonym Power: Crafting a Multifaceted Author Platform Using Pen Names and Facebook Magic

• Everything’s a Book: Confessions of a Plot-Twisted Author

• The Last Pen Name: A Story She Didn’t Finish

• The Book Marketer’s Survival Guide: How to Tame the Literary Jungle

Motto / Tagline

Stories are how we remember, question, and rebuild.