Research Randy Anniversary Sale!

This time last year — my third book, Research Randy and the Mystery of Grandma’s Half-eaten Pie of Despair, was about to go out into the world. This has been both a very long year and strangely short at the same time. The days are long, the years are short? I don’t know, but it’s been very busy no matter how I slice it.

Research Randy came out of a pure love for the books of my childhood, kid detective stories like Encyclopedia Brown, 5 Minute Mysteries, and the like — as well as my deep appreciation for The Lovecraft Mythos and cosmic horror. The book has sold okay, but it was not the breakout success I had secretly hoped for…yet. It may be that it looks like a kid’s book so adult readers just pass it by. It’s not really a kid’s book but if your kid is supercool and digs horror, you aren’t going to find anything unacceptable in the story. But it had to look like the form I was honoring, so once again, I write a book that is very tricky to market!

I do conventions now and again and I see many authors that are also expert merchandisers and marketers. I am always impressed by how they promote their books. I have some sort of mental blockage where I just can’t get myself in the place where I can shift into sales.

But I did want to recognize the one year anniversary of my favorite thing I have written. The ebook version of Research Randy is on sale for 99 cents through Halloween. It’s on AMAZON, of course, but you can get the same deal from any ebook bookseller. I hope that you check it out.

Also, thanks to everyone who has supported the book over the last year. It’s meant a lot. If you haven’t had a chance to, a short review on Amazon goes a long way. It doesn’t have to be a book report, just saying you enjoyed the read is plenty.

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Black Sabbath Charity Anthology Now Available!

I’m proud to be a part of this project. I’m sharing the TOC with so many great writers, and I have to admit I think my story kicks ass. Help a great cause and pick up a copy!

Now live on Amazon and Wide ebook distribution to be released on Godless September 22, 2024

From the publisher who brought you Nature Triumphs: A Charity Anthology of Dark Speculative Literature, Dark Moon Rising presents Symptom of the Universe: A Horror Tribute to Black Sabbath

A worldwide gathering of award winning horror authors have come together to craft a collection of dark fiction stories covering every album and every era of Black Sabbath. Each story is inspired by one of Black Sabbath’s greatest songs from the biggest hits to the most obscure album tracks. SYMPTOM OF THE UNIVERSE: A HORROR TRIBUTE TO BLACK SABBATH is an immediate classic for rock fans and horror fans alike. Featuring the talents of Stewart Giles, J. Rocky Colavito, Sidney Williams, Tom Lucas, Thomas R. Clark, Ezekiel Kincaid, Neil Kelly, Tony Millington and many more, curated and edited by J.C. Maçek III with a foreword by Martin Popoff, Symptom of the Universe will whet your appetite for horror and rock at the same time.

All proceeds are being donated to the Dio Cancer Fund

Trigger warnings: Themes of addiction, mental health, and self-harm

Are you ready for a rocking read??

Amazon E-Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDJPL9CV

Amazon Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/Symptom-Universe…/dp/194598791X

Wide Distribution: https://books2read.com/u/bPn0oJ

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New Horror Anthology Coming in Hot

I’m pleased to announce that my story “After Birth,” inspired by the Black Sabbath song “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” is included in this new anthology Symptom of the Universe, coming out in September. That’s next month! Whoa.

All proceeds go to the Dio Cancer Fund. It was an honor to be able to contribute to what will be an outstanding collection of stories and authors.

From the publisher:

Dark Moon Rising Publications

Available for Pre-order

Releasing September 18, 2024

A worldwide gathering of award winning horror authors have come together to craft a collection of dark fiction stories covering every album and every era of Black Sabbath. Each story is inspired by one of Black Sabbath’s greatest songs from the biggest hits to the most obscure album tracks. SYMPTOM OF THE UNIVERSE: A HORROR TRIBUTE TO BLACK SABBATH is an immediate classic for rock fans and horror fans alike. Featuring the talents of Stewart Giles, J. Rocky Colavito, Sidney Williams, Tom Lucas, Thomas R. Clark, Ezekiel Kincaid, Neil Kelly, Tony Millington and many more, curated and edited by J.C. Maçek III with a foreword by Martin Popoff, Symptom of the Universe will whet your appetite for horror and rock at the same time.

All proceeds are being donated to the Dio Cancer Fund

Trigger warnings: Themes of addiction, mental health, and self-harm

Are you ready for a rocking read??

Amazon Pre-order: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDJPL9CV

Tom LucasLeave a comment

AuthorCon III was a blast!

Last month, I shared a table at Scares That Care: AuthorCon III with my good friend and fab author, Sidney Williams. Scares That Care is a horror author convention that I have wanted to attend for some time, but I was waiting until I had something new out to promote…and that something needed to be horror. So, thanks to Research Randy, I had a good excuse to make it happen.

I don’t do a lot of events. Not because I’m something special, but in my eyes, it’s quite the opposite. What do I have to offer? Most of the other authors really have their act together. Their tables look amazing, they are great at engaging passers-by, and they seem to sell a lot of books. Super cool for them and mad props! I dearly wish I follow suit, but I seem to lack a critical piece in my own psyche to make that happen. It might be my personal relationship with the craft of writing, my personality, my reading habits, or maybe just a poor attitude. I dunno, but it keeps me from beating the streets to really sell some books. I find it exhausting and somehow a bit artificial. All the selling…for me the only real reason to sell books is so that I can present my work to new readers, and those new readers will enjoy the experience.

Or maybe it’s a problem of EGO.

Whatever my hang-up is, the bottom line is that I had a really good time. My friend Sid is a great host and as it had been some time since we had spent time together in the 3-D world (not Zoom) — that was pure joy. I also enjoyed meeting several new authors such as Ashon Ruffins and Eric Butler. I was also reunited with my 2014 New Bizarro Author Series classmate Scott Cole, and met a wonderful couple from the UK that knew my work from that same series.

I should do this kind of stuff more often. I really should. I hope I come back to embracing it soon. Seeing so many authors, readers, and fans was an invigorating tonic.

Tom LucasLeave a comment

Rain Taxi Reviews Research Randy

How is that for some joyful alliteration? It was highly unexpected, but to my surprise the esteemed Rain Taxi Review of Books allowed me through the doors. All I ever want is to create work that is entertaining, intelligent, and quite simply, fun.

Rain Taxi Review of Books is not normally a publication that would cover my work, and I am excited by the prospect of reaching an audience that would not discover my books otherwise.

The quarterly is quite inexpensive and I’m sure they would love your support. Well written, thoughtful reviews for 25 years going. Check them out here. I have no affiliation with them, I just think that it’s important to respond to nice things in kind.

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Grab my latest book for only $.99

I’ve never tried the book newsletter promotions before, so here goes. I’m promoting the book on all the discount ebook sites. Let’s see if it moves the needle…Starting today and through Sunday, 2/25 — the ebook version of Research Randy and the Mystery of Grandma’s Half-eaten Pie of Despair is marked down from $3.99 to only $.99. If you have been thinking about picking it up, this is a better price than you can even get at a dollar store.

It’s a steal and you can find it on any bookseller site (not just you-know-who).

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An Evening with Tom Lucas at the Kerouac House

The video from my recent author talk is now available!

Put together by the awesome John King (the Drunken Odyssey podcast), this evening at the Kerouac House (Orlando, FL) gave me the opportunity to revisit previous works and read a little from the new book, Research Randy and the Mystery of Grandma’s Half-eaten Pie of Despair.

(Which could use some reviews on Amazon or Goodreads, if you are so inclined)

Although no one sat in the front row, I assure you that there was a room full of people in front of me…at least I think so.

Tom LucasLeave a comment