Press Release

New Novel Offers an Unflinching Look at How Men Feel about Sex, Love, Marriage, and Massage Parlors

Sag Harbor, NY – March 20, 2017 The Permanent Press, a noted publisher of literary fiction, has published God Bless Cambodia, a picaresque comedy from performer and fiction writer Randy Ross. The novel has been published in hard cover and lists for $29.95.

What Reviewers Are Saying about God Bless Cambodia:

"Very entertaining" -- Booklist
"Consistently funny" -- The Jewish Post
"...this story of a flawed character’s midlife crisis becomes an easy one to relate to."

 -- Kirkus

The Book: God Bless Cambodia follows the adventures of Randall Burns -- forty-eight, out of a job, and tired of wasting his time pounding away on Match.com as if it were a game of Whac-A-Mole.

One day at Barnes & Noble, he comes across a travel guidebook for single men with a unique itinerary and a titillating passage on vaginal thrush. Burns is no traveler: He hates public toilets, loud noises, weird smells, and people who sweat. Eventually, the call of the thrush, his fears of dying alone, and a snarky e-mail from ex-girlfriend Ricki, compel him to take the trip.

During his travels, Burns strikes out with women on three continents and suffers loneliness that would have broken Papillon. The only thing that keeps him from returning home is Ricki, who continues to email, declaring her certainty that he's having a rotten time and won’t last another week.

On the fourth continent, Burns accepts that he's going to die alone and the sooner, the better. He bungee-jumps, eats food from street carts, and visits a body spa named "The Curious Finger." He lets go of his germophobia and his quest for a woman, and begins to enjoy himself. Ricki emails again. She’s now on antidepressants and sorry for her past behavior. Is his luck with love about to change?

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The Publisher: Founded in 1978, The Permanent Press is an independent press committed to publishing works of social and literary merit. http://www.thepermanentpress.com

The Author:  Randy Ross is a Boston-area writer and performer. His one-man show, "The Chronic Single's Handbook," based on God Bless Cambodia, has been featured at fringe theater festivals in the U.S., Canada, and Edinburgh, Scotland. In 2007, he took a trip around the world and learned to say in three languages: "Speak English?" "Got Pepto-Bismol?" and "Where is the evacuation helicopter?" This is his first novel. 

Release for 2019

For Immediate Release 

"The Chronic Single's Handbook" Comes to the Providence Fringe Festival

Novelist and fringe veteran Randy Ross provides an unflinching look at how men feel about sex, love, marriage, and massage parlors.

What reviewers are saying about The Chronic Single's Handbook:

"Compelling" "Flawless" Pittsburgh in the Round (2017 Pittsburgh fringe)

"A lot of fun to watch." Four Stars Winnipeg Free Press (2015 Winnipeg fringe)

"Sharply funny"…"Some of life's tougher punch lines"…"A quality solo show" FringeReview (2014 Edinburgh fringe)

The Play: The Chronic Single's Handbook is a one-man show by Randy Ross about a chronically-single guy who travels the world hoping to change his luck with love. It's Eat, Pray, Love meets The Forty-Year-Old Virgin. The story begins in Boston and goes astray in Greece, South Africa, and Asia. Along the way, audiences are exposed to the stories “Domination for Dummies” and “One Day at The Curious Finger Body Spa.” Sweet, innocent, a touch raunchy with adult situations, adult language, and more adult situations. 

The Performer: Randy Ross is a Boston-area novelist and story-teller. His comedic novel, God Bless Cambodia, was published in 2017 by The Permanent Press, a New York-area publisher of literary fiction. He has performed at fringe festivals in the U.S., Canada, and Edinburgh, Scotland. In 2007, Ross took a four-month, solo trip around the world and learned to say in three languages: “Speak English?” “Got Pepto-Bismol?” and “Where is the evacuation helicopter?” His shows and novel were inspired by the trip.

Performances at The Down Studio, Waterfire Arts Center, 475 Valley St, Providence

TUESDAY July 23, 2019 @ 10PM-11PM

WEDNESDAY July 23, 2019 @ 7PM-8PM

SATURDAY, July 27, 2018 @ 7PM-8PM

Tickets $15

http://fringepvd.org/the-chronic-singles-handbook.html

Press Contact:
Randy Ross   Randy@randyrossmedia.com 

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House Theater set up in my home for Airbnb shows

Descriptions

Dear Event Planner:

I am a Massachusetts-based novelist and performer. Would you consider having me come in for a unique author lecture that is part publishing talk and part performance?

I could present either of the following:

1) Show "Tales from a Reluctant World Traveler"

Sixteen weeks, four continents, three bungee jumps, and I couldn't come home soon enough. This is the story of how a Boston homebody turned a solo trip around the globe into a comedy novel and an acclaimed one-man show. The one-hour multi-media event would include a slide show, readings from my new novel, and live performances from my one-man show. This event is geared toward general audiences, book groups, and writers. I recently gave this lecture at Porter Square Books in Cambridge, The Tewksbury Public Library in Tewksbury, MA, and Weller Book Works in Salt Lake City.

2) Lecture "A Debut Novelist's Rocky Road to Publication"

Feeling discouraged about your writing prospects? Don’t be. Massachusetts writer Randy Ross pitched his debut novel "God Bless Cambodia" to 110 agents and 15 small presses before receiving an offer from The Permanent Press, a New York-area publisher of literary fiction. He will discuss lessons he learned the hard way about querying agents, negotiating a contract with a small press, and how much credence to give to advice from experts, well-meaning friends, and not-so well-meaning reading partners. He will also perform scenes from his one-man show, "The Chronic Single’s Handbook," which was derived from the novel. This event is geared toward aspiring writers. I have given this lecture at writing groups in Boston, San Diego, Pennsylvania, and Calgary, Canada.

My Bio: Randy Ross is a Somerville-based writer, lecturer, and performer. His comedic novel, "God Bless Cambodia," was published in 2017 by The Permanent Press. His one-man show "The Chronic Single's Handbook" has been featured at theater festivals in the U.S., Canada, and Edinburgh, Scotland. In 2007, he took a trip around the world and learned to say in three languages: "Speak English?" "Got Pepto-Bismol?" and "Where is the evacuation helicopter?" The novel and one-man show were inspired by the trip. Previously, Ross was an executive editor for PC World magazine. He holds a masters in journalism from Northwestern University.

Links:

- My lectures page

- The novel

- My listings on The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners' web site

Thank you for your time.