Featured Interview With J.J. Cunis
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I have lived year round on the Cape since 1984. However, according to local customs, only my daughter can be considered a native Cape Codder. I have engaged in numerous occupations and activities from paperboy, to bag boy, to laborer, to metal fabricator, to bank examiner, to CFO, to COO, to ghost youth sports writer, to entrepreneur, to movie extra, while writing along the way. My roots were in Marlboro, MA and have been replanted in Boston, Washington DC, New York, San Juan, Houston and finally Cape Cod where I expect to remain firmly planted barring any climatic catastrophes … knock on wood.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
A creative writing class in high school was really what kick started my writing. I wrote mostly suspense and horror short stories. My teacher was a nun and seem to love my work … no matter how gory it got.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I started on Poe, Tolkien, Vonnegut, Kesey, Heller, Irving and Clavell. Then there was McMurtry, Hiaasen and Lehane. The two most influential though were Douglas Adams and Stephen King. Currently I’m diving into the complete works of Mark Twain beyond Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is the novel, ITCHIWAN –
Four wise-ass, foul mouth, but lovable thirteen year old boys with backgrounds of South Boston Irish, upper class WASP, local townie Wampanoag twins … a summer on Cape Cod … a mysterious long buried time portal … a captivating suspected witch … a reborn murderous Wampanoag legend thought to be only a fairy tale to scare children and keep them close to home … Hey, what’s the worst that could happen?
Ehhhh … mayhem, horror, time travel, romance, humor, tears and non-stop thrills. A ride of your life with unforgettable characters, both good and evil.
Do you miss that queasy feeling interrupted by sporadic humor? It’s time to get it back! Enjoy being embraced in a roller coaster of a story that zips you from 1968 to 1992 to 1720 to the time of legends to before that and back again ultimately culminating in the present … Or is it?
Cape Cod has a secret that nobody knows … well that’s not true … though those that did, usually didn’t for long. But the few that knew and lived … oh, never mind … it probably won’t concern you … Welcome to Cape Cod! Enjoy your stay … avoid the marshes and dunes … and you should be fine … I think …
****I worked at a resort development in the eighties. The owners, (a famous old blue blood yankee family) liked my writing style and had me do the copy for their 25th anniversary magazine documenting the history of their development and the surrounding area. Doing this I found a book written in 1934 called “The Narrow Land” by Elizabeth Renyard. Part of it chronicled Wampanoag legends as told to her by a Chief Wixon. She also spoke of the Screecham sisters, Witch Pond and Sam Bellamy to name a few. Through her I found Pukwudgees and asked “What if … ?” ***
Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles