The ebook version of Trial Run is on sale for $4.99 through this Thursday, October 15, 2015.
Here are the links to two online booksellers that are offering the sale price:
Here’s the Trial Run trailer:
Hollywood Happenings: Sept-Oct 2015 Edition
I’m kicking off a new blog series called “Hollywood Happenings.” I don’t claim to know everything that goes on in Tinseltown, but I can relay information and insights that relate to my personal journey into writing for the big screen.
I recently received an email from Nicholas Burgess-Jones, producer of the Emissary film project. He read the manuscript for Merchant of Alyss (book #2 in the Legends of the Realm epic fantasy series). Here’s what he had to say:
“I am amazed at how Merchant of Alyss resonates with me. It is like the words and the characters are from a far-off dream or a place and era that I once lived. It is a very peculiar feeling but at the same time an enthralling and exciting one.
Davis, the writing is phenomenal. Visually, I see absolutely everything… our joining together in this work is not our doing… what we are embarking on will be an amazing and life-changing journey which will benefit many.
Things are beginning to move quickly and the people I have been looking for to join my team here in London are beginning to come forward. I now have an assistant, who is introducing me to some interesting like-minded people – Christians who have a lot of business/creative/film experience and good contacts. I am also meeting numerous friends and contacts and arranging meetings with key people…”
Stay tuned for scenes from our next episode!
‘Trial Run’ is like a 5000-piece jigsaw puzzle, says reviewer
Today I’m featuring reviews of Trial Run from three bloggers:
- Amy Brock McNew
- Tina Hunt
- Steve Hilton
Amy Brock McNew, on her blog, Guts on the Page
Trial Run is a techno-thriller, and one of the few I’ve read that truly lives up to the name.
While there is a lot of technical jargon, the author explained it in a way that I felt I had a general idea of the concepts, which is really all that is required to understand the story. Though, I must admit, there were times that I may have wandered over some of the scientific description a bit. If you don’t enjoy such jargon, parts of the story may seem tedious to you.
When I first started Trial Run, I was curious how the myriad of characters would blend together. It didn’t take long to find out. This story wound the players together in a way that was believable and realistic, despite the extraordinary nature of the concepts and happenings.
Each character was fully developed with a distinct voice and presence. Some I loathed, some I loved, which was the intent. Of course, I have my favorites, (Charlie and Elene). Though Trial Run is plot-driven, I felt that all of the characters played their roles beautifully, which is rare in a plot-driven story.
The further I got into this book, the more I loved it.
Trial Run was like a rolling wave that didn’t just plow you over, but swept you up in its wake, taking you exactly where it wanted you to go.
You have no choice but to hang on for the ride. As the plot folded the characters together and weaved each bit and piece to slowly reveal answers, I was unable to put it down. I had to see what came next.
All in all, a very solid and entertaining book. It may not be a light and easy beach read, but it is exactly what it is intended to be. A thriller. A story that requires you to give a little as well. Trial Run is the kind of immersive read that I enjoy.
Tina Hunt, on her blog, Pot of Manna
In the beginning, this book reminded me of a 5000-piece jigsaw puzzle: not easily put together, but worth the effort. I trust Thomas Locke (Davis Bunn). I know him to be a crafter of amazing stories. And Trial Run is no exception.
As with so many of his other books, the author does a masterful job of developing the personalities of the characters. I could relate to their struggles and fears.
One of my favorite lines: “…my heart says, we have all been drawn together for purposes beyond our wildest dreams.”
This is my first book to read and review in this genre. I found it to be fast-paced, with enough twists to keep me interested. And the subject was intriguing. It kept me thinking as well as entertained.
Some readers were put off by the “non-ending” to the story. Knowing there was more to come did the opposite for me. I’m ready for more.
Steve Hilton, on his blog, Doc’s Doin’s
This is not your typical suspense / thriller novel. Because Thomas Locke is not your typical novelist. You may find yourself (as I did) putting the book down and walking away from it for a few days. But rest assured – you’ll be back.
You may find yourself (as I did) starting the book over. That’s ok, too. Quite frankly, there really is a major “learning curve” involved, if you are not quite up to speed with the space – time continuum, particle physics and / or quantum computing.
Which merely serves to demonstrate how truly diverse Thomas Locke (you may know him as Davis Bunn) really is.
There is a line from The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton, describing one of the characters:
“He knows everything, and is fascinated by the rest.”
When I think of Thomas Locke, that’s the statement that comes to mind.
Perhaps you can recall the “space race” of the late 1950s, when everyone with the necessary money and technology competed to “win” the edge, gain the advantage, and reap the rewards that went along with it.
In Trial Run the race continues. Only this time, it’s all in your mind.
Or is it?
Dr. Gabriella Speciale has assembled a team of elite scientists with one goal in mind – to create, and control, out-of-body experiences that transcend the limits of time and space.
Reese Clawson is looking to take the same science and harness it for military use.
Trent Major is a gifted grad student whose unsettling dreams have placed him right in the middle.
In the end, one warning remains clear: what you don’t know CAN kill you!
With the two considerations firmly in mind, one should be prepared for the ride of the century in Thomas Locke’s Trial Run!
5 stars for an edge-of-your-seat thriller.
Q&A With Thomas Locke: What is Near-Time Sci-Fi?
Q: You refer to Trial Run as “near-time sci-fi.” What does that term mean?
Thomas Locke: Near-time sci-fi is a story that takes place in today’s world, but one where reality is drawn around the unseen corner.
A perfect example is Jurassic Park, where dinosaur DNA is extracted from amber, inserted into frog embryos, and the monsters are returned to a modern earth setting.
Q: How did you adapt this concept for Trial Run?
For several years I served as marketing manager of a Swiss bio-pharmaceutical company. My primary markets were in Africa and the Middle East, and I traveled there extensively. Time after time I saw how healthcare and pharmacology were so deeply embedded with western viewpoints that we could not even redefine our approach to fit the patient’s needs within a different culture.
Nowadays there is a significant conflict raging within our own life sciences, especially human psychology and biology, bio-physics, and pharmacology. My earlier experiences have come to roost within my home culture.
Western concepts of healthcare and drugs and human testing all face cultural fault lines. Many conservative scientists and doctors feel their professional lives have come under threat. Others, however, believe these issues reveal a need to redefine the very concept of life sciences.
Coalescing Field Theory
One example which formed a conceptual basis for Trial Run has to do with the changes in pharmacology. A group of scientists have recently begun work on what they term, “Coalescing Field Theory.” They propose that human beings, at their most elemental, are a pulsating energy charge.
This has created some serious heat. Traditional pharmacology is based upon the concept that human beings are essentially a series of carbon-based chemical actions and reactions. When these chemical processes are interrupted, human life ends.
The Coalescing Field Theorists say this is totally incorrect; all that happens is the physical shell ceases to interact with the larger physical universe. The core human entity simply changes from one state of awareness to another.
Nonlocality
What came next was the real declaration of war. Basing their work on quantum physics, Coalescing Field Theorists suggest these pulsating energy fields, what they hypothesize are the essential human structure, are also not isolated. Instead, these theorists applied a development in quantum theory known as nonlocality.
In essence, nonlocality states that at the quantum or subatomic level, the entire universe is interconnected. Any quantum entity, such as a single electron, can influence another entity, regardless of space and time. The effects are instantaneous, and can theoretically occur over any distance. At the quantum level, the speed of light is meaningless. In fact, it is theoretically possible for the effect to result before the event actually takes place. Coalescing Field Theorists use this concept of nonlocality as the basis to insist that all human entities are interconnected.
Trial Run’s appeal, in my opinion, is based upon the sort of visceral audience participation that drives such hits as the Harry Potter series and films like The Matrix. People return to these stories over and over because they want to claim this alternate reality for themselves.
This, to me, is a pinnacle of revelation: when the audience finds the concept so appealing they seek to replace their own reality with this new construct.
Also in this series:
Sweepstakes Winners Announced
Congratulations to the winners in the Trial Run sweepstakes!
Grand Prize
Taylor Wasson, from Washington State, won an iPad mini. Taylor is a student at the University of Washington, studying marketing, international business, and French. I’ll bet the iPad mini will come in handy!
First Prize
Karen Hadley from Oklahoma and Heidi Dru Kortman from Michigan each won a $50 gift card to their favorite tech store, and a portable battery charger for their electronic devices.
Book Giveaway Contests
During our four one-day giveaways, the following people each won a copy of Trial Run:
- Alexis T., Minnesota
- Amanda T., Alaska
- Benjamin L., Texas
- Beth W., Florida
- Bill M., Georgia
- Bonnijean M., South Carolina
- Breanna P., Texas
- Dean M., Washington State
- Diane E., New York
- Joscelyn S., Texas
- Julianna R., Pennsylvania
- Linda A., Ohio
- Lucinda L., Indiana
- Mary M., Georgia
- Patsy R., Virginia
- Sarah H., Pennsylvania
- Shirley C., Florida
- Sue D., Missouri
- Thomas R., Louisiana
Giving Away 6 Copies of ‘Trial Run’ Today!
It’s my final book giveaway of the month! Today, six people will win a copy of Trial Run on my Facebook page.
How to Enter
Visit my Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/tlockebooks, from 5 a.m.-8 p.m. EDT. You’ll see a “Comment to Win” graphic.
Here’s the prompt:
Have you ever felt so strongly about anything (or anyone) that you were “knocked out of the park, heart first”? COMMENT for a chance to win a copy of TRIAL RUN!
Here’s a quote from Trial Run for context:
“Nothing, not a landmine in Anbar Province nor saving a UN special ambassador’s life in Darfur, prepared Charlie for the first time he met Gabriella. The lady just plain knocked him out of the park, heart first.”
Stop by my Facebook page at 9 p.m. EDT today to see if your name is on the winners’ list.
Final Days of Sweepstakes
The Trial Run sweepstakes ends Friday, August 28, 2015, at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
The grand prize is an iPad mini! Two first prize winners will each receive a $50 gift card to their favorite tech store and a portable battery charger.
The sweepstakes is hosted on my Facebook page; to enter, click http://woobox.com/qma22n
You get bonus entries when your friends and followers on social media enter, and you get additional bonus entries when you like the Facebook pages of our partners.
If you are not a Facebook user and want to enter, visit the Official Rules page and follow the instructions under the heading, “Alternate Entry Method for Non-Facebook Users.”
Good luck, everyone!
‘Trial Run’ Reviews from BuddyHollywood, Tosca Lee, Manhattan Book Review
New reviews of Trial Run are arriving from far and wide. Here are three I received this week:
“Thomas Locke masterfully keeps the suspense level taut throughout the book. It is a rare author that can create such dramatic tension in a storyline that contains areas of technical discussion, like quantum computing, while still maintaining a character driven plot.
A fast-paced, constantly unfolding mystery with well-developed characters. Trial Run promises to begin a strong new series which manages to transcend the bounds of science fiction writing.”
—Stacy Shaw, Manhattan Book Review
“A thrilling cocktail of science, technology and danger elegantly served at breakneck speed. Intoxicating and seriously addictive as only Thomas Locke can deliver.”
—Tosca Lee, NYT bestselling author
“Trial Run grabs readers from the first page and keeps them hooked to the last page. Locke weaves words to create masterfully evocative descriptions, scenes and characters. The science is presented in a Crichton-esque manner, compelling readers to believe that not only can it be true for some future date, but it is probably being used in some secret laboratory right now.
Trial Run will make a great last-of-summer read. Before you start reading, stock up on munchies and extra light bulbs; once you start, you won’t want to put it down.”
—Paula K. Parker, BuddyHollywood.com
Q&A With Thomas Locke: How do you research diverse subjects?
Q: How do you go about researching/understanding such diverse subjects as prions, quantum computing, and contract law?
Thomas Locke: It all started with my nephew and dear friend, Mason Matthews, to whom Trial Run is dedicated. Mason is a theoretical physicist and was doing his doctorate in quantum computing at the time. He is, needless to say, a lot smarter than me.
A lot of our conversations centered around Mason needing to dumb things down so I could understand what on earth he was talking about.
But the one thing that kept hitting me like a series of lightning bolts was the possible link between quantum mechanics and human consciousness. Our consciousness, at its core, does not seem to function according to what anyone would consider logical patterns. The whole issue of time and causality are redefined at the level of thought and human emotions.
That was the starting point. Even before I had the foggiest idea what he was going on about, I knew I had to try and put this into a story.
Also in this series:
Yahoo! It’s Book Giveaway Number Two!
It has been one week since Trial Run released. We’re celebrating the launch of my new “Fault Lines” techno-thriller series throughout August, with book giveaways and a sweepstakes.
GIVEAWAY TOMORROW!
Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 12, I’m giving away 5 copies of Trial Run on my Facebook page. Entering is easy; visit my page at https://www.facebook.com/tlockebooks from 5 a.m.-8 p.m. EDT.
You’ll see a “Comment to Win” graphic with this prompt:
FILL IN THE BLANK for a chance to win a copy of TRIAL RUN: If I could have an out-of-body experience, I would _______.
Leave a comment and you’re entered. That’s it! Be sure to stop by my Facebook page at 9 p.m. EDT on Wednesday to see if your name is on the winners’ list.
Here’s a social update I’d love for you to share starting at 5 a.m. EDT August 12:
Comment at http://on.fb.me/1IWE7uM by 8PM EDT for a chance to win #trialrun by @tlockebooks
SWEEPSTAKES
Have you entered the Trial Run Sweepstakes yet? The grand prize is an iPad mini! Two first prize winners will each receive a $50 gift card to their favorite tech store and a portable battery charger.
The sweepstakes is hosted on my Facebook page; to enter, click http://woobox.com/qma22n.
You can enter once per email address through August 28. You get bonus entries when your friends and followers on social media enter, and you get additional bonus entries when you like the Facebook pages of our partners.
If you are not a Facebook user and want to enter, visit the Official Rules page and follow the instructions under the heading, “Alternate Entry Method for Non-Facebook Users.”
REVIEWS
Over 60 people have reviewed Trial Run on Amazon, and dozens more reviews have been posted to Goodreads, B&N, personal blogs, etc. A huge thank-you to the reviewers who serve on “Team Trial Run” – you play such an integral role in spreading the word about this story.
Here are excerpts from four “Team Trial Run” reviews. Please click the publication titles to view each person’s full review:
Tracie Heskett, on Goodreads:
“Trial Run provides a different kind of escape for those who read for pleasure. It takes readers into the world of what if? in a new way and leaves the door open for human potential and creativity to take the next step.”
Phillip Cole, on his blog:
“The concept of having an out-of-body experience is familiar to most people, but what if it could be done at will? What would this enable people to do? Two separate teams, one a pioneer in the field, the other using technology stolen from the first team, are pursuing two different outcomes to these experiences. One is looking the knowledge to be gained, the second is looking for a new weapon.”
Sue Stevens, on ChristianBook.com
“Everything is so cinematographic…. you can see it all unfolding in your brain as race along with the characters, on both sides of the story. The ‘villains’ are just barely separated from the ‘good guys.’”
Judith Barnes, on Amazon:
“Is it science fiction, thriller, or mystery? Trial Run is all three, seasoned with a hint of romance.”
Jigsaw Puzzle #5 from ‘Trial Run’
It’s time for this week’s interactive jigsaw puzzle, featuring a new scene from Trial Run, my techno-thriller that released August 4.
Each week’s puzzle is progressively more challenging. This puzzle has 72 pieces, but they’re in challenging shapes.
Tortoise & Hare Awards
Last week’s winners of the Tortoise and Hare awards are:
Tortoise Award: Mike Winskie, at 16:32
Hare Award: Amanda T, at 6:04 (Amanda has won the Hare Award three weeks in a row!)
See if you can “beat” the fastest and slowest times! Be sure to record how long it took you to complete the puzzle in the comments.
Put together previous puzzles!
Week 4 – 78 pieces, quote from Trial Run
Week 3 – 72 pieces, quote from Trial Run
Week 2 – 60 pieces, quote from Trial Run
Week 1 – 50 pieces, quote from free ebook, “Double Edge”
Discover how
it all began
in this explosiveprequel to Trial Run
Journey into
the Realm
with this ebookshort from Emissary
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