Local horror writer awaits publication of first novel, ‘Oogie Boogie Central’
Ask M. Stephen Lukac to categorize his first novel, “Oogie Boogie Central,’ and the Uniontown writer is hard-pressed. “The reviews and early readers say it cuts across the genre,’ Lukac responded. “I would say it’s a supernatural thriller. There are elements of a Stephen King thriller. There’s also quite a bit of humor. There’s some elements of mystery and the whole premise for it is multiple personality disorder, which has always fascinated me.’
Readers will have a chance to decide for themselves when “Oogie Boogie Central’ hits the bookstores. Lukac said the book will be available by Feb. 14. Published by Medium Rare Books of Anaheim, Calif., “Oogie Boogie Central’ can be ordered from any bookstore and will be available at Waldenbooks in Uniontown Mall, where Lukac is store manager. Waldenbooks is taking advance orders.
Lukac is finding his two careers fit together nicely. In fact, he recently was the guest on the Horror Writers Association’s Web site, where fellow writers were able to pepper him on the book-selling industry.
“The expertise in one field carries over to another,’ Lukac quipped.
The dual roles also mean Lukac will soon be selling his own book to the public. In Uniontown, curiosity has already caused local readers to pre-order copies of the book, which is being printed with a cover shot (a ghoulish-looking face) that Lukac believes is “going to jump off the shelf.’
If that doesn’t persuade people to read the book, the title will captivate them.
During a recent interview, Lukac explained how he named the book.
“The book takes place in West Virginia, which is just this hotbed of folklore and strange phenomenon. ‘Mothman Prophecies’ came out of there. These are things that ‘happened.’ When I was writing last year, the title was blah and my best friend and I were talking about it. We always called those types of books oogie boogie stuff. I said, ‘why don’t I call it ‘Oogie Boogie Central,’ and he said ‘Go with it,” Lukac said.
In writing the book, Lukac let his imagination flow.
“The writer’s main job is to play ‘what if?'” Lukac explained.
“I said what if someone with multiple personality disorder spoke in a strange voice, acted differently, had different abilities. There are documented cases of adults speaking in the voice of a child or a woman with male mannerisms and a deep voice. What if I came up with people with multiple personality disorder that didn’t actually have a disorder but they are housing the souls of departed people. They have access to people’s memories, physical abilities and knowledge. For instance, a character – one of the deceased people – is a Japanese samurai from the 17th century, so his physical abilities are transferred to his host.’
In line with this premise, Lukac developed a story, set in modern-day Charleston, W.Va.
“The main character is a gentleman named Milo Tucker. He is the head of a department store’s security department. Outwardly, he’s very successful, but, inwardly, he feels he’s wasted himself. He doesn’t feel he’s lived up to his potential. He encounters a murderer the entire state is after and is trying to apprehend him. This will show people he’s not just a guy who works in a department store. This is the impetus that drives the book. A host of other characters come along.’
While the book depends on Lukac’s imagination, there are parts that mirror his life, including living in Charleston, working in security for a department store and being married.
Born and raised in Uniontown, Lukac graduated from Uniontown Area High School in 1980.
“I went to college at California University for a few years, studying computer science. Then life intruded and I’ve been working in retail ever since,’ he said.
Lukac worked at Radio Shack at the Laurel Mall in Dunbar Township. He was a store detective at Gee Bee’s in Chambersburg and Uniontown. Then an opportunity with Waldenbooks came up and he’s been with the company for 12 years. He started working in Morgantown and then went to Charleston. He’s been back in Uniontown since 1995.
Lukac is married to Rhonda and the couple has three children: Nathan, 18, Zachary, 14, and Alexys, 7.
A voracious reader, Lukac has been writing all his life. When people ask, he says he’s been working on “Oogie Boogie Central’ for 40 years.
“That’s not really an overstatement,’ he commented.
He did the bulk of the writing for “Oogie Boogie Central’ in 2000-2001 at night.
“Once the family’s asleep and I can get a couple of hours of peace. But I write in my head constantly before word hits the page or screen,’ Lukac said.
“Any thinking of plots or where you go with the story I think about months before I put everything down. I can’t do the outline thing. You get way too caught up in the process and don’t accomplish the thing you’re trying to do.’
Lukac said “Oogie Boogie Central’ is the first book he has completed and felt good enough to submit to publishers. He is working with Medium Rare Books, a small press in its third year of publication.
“They’re coming out with about 10 titles this year. They deal primarily with horror or dark fiction or suspense,’ Lukac said.
But Lukac has discovered that writing is not the most demanding part of the book industry.
“You work years on this thing. People think you write the book and then it’s over. Writing the book is the easy part. The last year has been insane,’ he said, noting, “I have read the thing over and over to the point where I can quote it to you from proof readings and revisions.
There’s just the promotional aspect. One thing my publisher suggested was to get my name out by writing short stories.’
Lukac found an avenue for short stories on the Internet in what he called “Webzines.’ And he found success here as well. One of his stories, “Sweet Sorrow,’ has been recommended for the Bram Stoker Award in the short fiction category.
“The Bram Stoker Award is to horror like the Edgar Allen Poe award is to mystery,’ Lukac explained. “It’s given by the Horror Writers Association. It’s a long process. Pieces in the different categories are recommended. From that, they come up with a preliminary ballot and then a final ballot is chosen. It’s been real exciting.’
In addition, Lukac collaborated with another writer from Medium Rare Books on a story that’s going into a print anthology called “The Decay Within’ by 3F Publications that will be available in October. Lukac also received invitations to participate in two more anthologies that will be published next year.
“It’s a good way of getting my name out and making people familiar with my work,’ he said.
Lukac, who has joined both the Horror Writers Association and the Mid-Atlantic Horror Professionals, is also getting to know to people in the genre. And he has nothing but nice things to say about them.
“Dark fiction is the most tight group of people. The people I have met in the last year – if you judge them on their writing, you’d run screaming for the nearest mental institution or clergyman of your choice. But they are the warmest, most encouraging, welcoming group of people I’ve ever been associated with,’ Lukac said.
“My publisher invited me to the World Horror Convention in Chicago last April. My wife and I flew out. We knew no one. Within three hours, you would have thought we knew these people for ages,’ he continued. “We met Peter Straub, Neil Gaiman and a lot of other established and up-and-coming authors. There was none of this petty jealously.’
In fact, several writers have written endorsements for Lukac’s book, including Andrew Vachss.
“He’s been my favorite author for years and now I have the honor to call him friend and defacto mentor,’ said Lukac. “His endorsement will appear on the front cover. That was a thrill.’
What about future books? Yes, there will be more.
“The next book will be titled ‘Oogie Boogie Bounce.’ It’s a direct sequel. I have plotted four books in a story arc,’ he said.
In the meantime, readers who like Lukac’s book and want to sample more of his work can look forward to the upcoming anthologies, due as early as October. If impatient, they can visit the Web site www.oogieboogiecentral.com. In addition to information on the book, Lukac provides readers with “Steve’s Vent,’ a column about “whatever’s honked me off at the time.’
As for Lukac, he is waiting for “Oogie Boogie Central’ to appear in stores and is preparing to do promotions for the book. Medium Rare Books is planning to do an official launch of “Oogie Boogie Central’ at the next World Horror Association convention in April in Kansas City. There will also be local promotions to do.
All the while, however, Lukac keeps his sense of humor.
“It’s kind of like a snowball,’ Lukac said of the way his writing career is building. “Part of me is excited and looking forward, and there’s still that cynical side waiting for the other shoe to drop or someone to jump out of the shadows and yell, ‘Psych!’