J.D. Cunegan

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a lifelong comic book fan who’s been writing in one form or another since I was 11 years old. My first novel, Bounty, was published in June 2015, and since then, I have self-published five novels (four in the Jill Andersen superhero/mystery series), a novella, a collection of short stories, and I’ve had two short stories included in anthologies.

Among my influences are Stan Lee, Kevin Smith, and Joss Whedon. I’ve been an X-Men fan from the moment I first read comic books, and I’ve also enjoyed the likes of Spawn, Witchblade, Batwoman, and Saga. I write a series that combines superhero epics with police procedurals, and my fantasy book is very much in the vein of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and even Supernatural.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I released a collection of short stories titled LEGENDS OF THE GEM back in January. It’s a prequel of sorts to NOTNA, detailing the history of the Gem of Notna through a series of stories sprinkled throughout the gem’s history and its effect on its hosts and even the worlds they inhabit. NOTNA was inspired, in part, by the comic book series Witchblade, and back in the day, Witchblade had a companion series titled Tales of the Witchblade, which detailed the Witchblade’s past without taking up time in the main series. LEGENDS OF THE GEM is similar to that concept.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My most productive writing tends to happen late at night, when normal people are sleeping (and to be honest, I should be too). I’ll write during the day, but I find my highest word counts and my best work almost always come after the sun has gone down.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stan Lee is one of my biggest influences; without his influence on comic books and superheroes overall, I’m not sure if I ever discover comic books and decide to become a writer. Chris Claremont was the first comic book writer I fell in love with, and among my other influences are Kevin Smith, the late Michael Turner, and Marc Silvestri. Joss Whedon is an influence solely because discovering the Buffyverse helped me rediscover my love for writing after a particularly dark, creativity-free time in my life.

I’m also inspired by countless other self-published/indie authors, including the likes of R.R. Virdi, S.E. Anderson, E.A. Copen, and Otto Linke. Their work is quality, but it’s their willingness to share their insights and support other authors (like myself) that help keep me going — particularly when the words aren’t there and the frustration mounts.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently writing BETRAYED, which will be the fifth book in the Jill Andersen series. Right now, I’m shooting for a summer release, but seeing as how I’m on my fifth rewrite, there’s no telling when it’ll actually come out. After that, I’ll work on book six in the series, BITTER END, as well as start laying the groundwork on a spinoff series I can’t really say too much about right now (lest I spoil stuff that hasn’t actually been written yet).

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Word of mouth is always best, but I’ve also found geek conventions are a solid way of selling my books and getting my name out there (conventions have led to new authors discovered, new partnerships to emerge, podcast opportunities, panel appearances, etc.). Online, mailing lists are usually my most reliably successful promotion methods. Social media doesn’t really do much for me — unless it’s someone else posting about my work.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Finish your work. If you don’t finish your work, you’ll never be able to focus on anything else — not editing, not publishing, nothing. If you start a story, finish it. Even if that story never sees the light of day, simply finishing a story can have long-lasting benefits (like the confidence in knowing you can do it). Also, never delete anything. You never know when something you wrote and moved away from might come in handy again.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To quote Chuck Wendig, “FINISH YOUR SHIT.”

What are you reading now?
Chuck Wendig’s BLACKBIRDS and R.R. Virdi’s STAR SHEPHERD.

What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m in the process of writing and drawing a graphic novel titled BOUNTY: ORIGINS, a non-canon retelling of Bounty’s origin story. Comic books are what inspired me to become a writer, and Bounty was originally created to be a comic book character, so a graphic novel is a way for me to bring her back home, so to speak. It’s also a way for me to challenge myself as a creator by telling a story in a new format.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
R.R. Virdi’s GRAVE BEGINNINGS, Stephen King’s ON WRITING, S.E. Anderson’s STARSTRUCK, and BATWOMAN: ELEGY.

Author Websites and Profiles
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J.D. Cunegan Amazon Profile

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