Hey you lovely lot,

Let’s talk (again) about the creatures that slither into my inbox wearing “book promoter” name tags. A nuisance? Absolutely. But also… sport. I’ve started baiting a few of them… carefully, politely… until they reveal the gears of their stupid, AI-churned pitches. Then I hold the mirror up. You would not believe the lengths they go to for easy money from authors. Two even pinched the identities of well-known reviewers, like toddlers in oversized trench coats pretending to be grown-ups. Shit.

Before anyone worries: I’m fine, my wallet is fine, and my sense of humour is thriving. I’ll keep poking holes in their scams and sharing the best (worst) bits, because sunlight is a great disinfectant… and because it’s fun.

On to proper news.

The Triumvirate Murders – Death as a Business Expense is almost there. Yesterday I got the final proof in my hands and it looks beautiful. Just a handful of tweaks and a final proofread, and we’re done: 330 pages of wintry Finland, where breath fogs, blood steams, and accounting meets homicide.

Release day: 6 December, Finland’s Independence Day, because that’s when the action kicks off. Mark your calendar, chill your Koskenkorva (a very strong and popular Finnish alcohol, clear as the ice on the lake, but burns like the fire of a sauna), and maybe clear a Sunday for recovery reading.

Handful book launch

And a lighter note with sprinkles: I made a short video about Handful - The Boy at the End of the Rainbow. If you’re local, I’m launching Handful on Wednesday, 5 November at 6:00 pm at Schrödinger’s Books. It’s the best little bookshop in New Zealand, and they somehow manage to be both alive and dead to their to-do list at the same time. Come for stories, stay for the chaos.

Register here if you’re coming: RSVP here

Fly in from overseas if you must – I’ll sign your boarding pass and your book.

That’s me. Watch out for inbox goblins, bring your warmest socks for Triumvirate, and I’ll see you at Schrödinger’s on the 5th at 6 to celebrate Handful.

With mischief,
—Janus

P.S. If a “promoter” tells you they can guarantee bestseller status for a small fee, tell them you can guarantee them enlightenment for a slightly larger one.

Janus Lucky
www.januslucky.com

Get my books from below:

👉 Amazon
👉 Apple Books
👉 Books.by – for those who like things a bit more indie

And local Schrödinger’s Books In Petone is selling my book both on-site and by mail across New Zealand.

and of course, Kobo.