Who Is C. J. Rune?
So, who is C. J. Rune?
Well, the short answer is: I am!
The more correct answer is: I am, but that’s not my name.
So why would I write under a pseudonym? Am I part of the Federal witness protection program and required to keep my identity a secret?
No (though perhaps one of my characters might be someday).
Am I carrying a hybrid human/alien inside of me and have been forced into hiding as an alien species pursues me to see to it the unborn creature never sees the light of day?
No (though perhaps one of my characters might be someday).
I’ve known I wanted to write fiction since I was eight years old. It’s been my dream. However, this dream was put on hold as, from a young age, I needed to work full time. Although it led to a successful career in business management, then consulting, and ultimately as an entrepreneur with my own Internet-based company, it was a career that left little time for writing.
Yet, during this career, two things never left me. The first was my dream I might someday become a writer of fiction novels. And the second was the creation of stories. Storylines developing and continuing in my mind month after month, year after year, spanning many different genres. From action-adventure to science fiction and fantasy (my personal favorites); from horror and paranormal to religious fiction; even young adult fiction to outrageous satirical comedies. In fact, the only fiction genre you’re unlikely to see my novels fall into is romance. Not because I wouldn’t want to, but because my wife has never been very keen on me having affairs, even if only with made-up characters in my head.
Ultimately, I sold my company and, at last, found the time to pursue my real passion for writing fiction.
My hope as an author of fiction is to bring my stories to life for my readers. Stories involving situations which either could, theoretically, exist or situations so fantastical they could never actually happen. To make such stories entertaining, the characters in the stories must be as captivating and believable as possible. They must be brought to life. But these characters can sometimes come up with some pretty crazy, hair-brained ideas and, as the author, my job is to see these ideas of theirs through. To research them, understand them, then make them convincing. Ideas sometimes involving political or philosophical beliefs of a controversial nature which do not necessarily reflect my own.
I wouldn’t want a reader so upset with one of my character’s ideas they feel the need to show up on my doorstep, eager to discuss their own point of view.
On the other hand, I also wouldn’t want an overzealous reader so inspired by one of my character’s ideas they feel the need to show up on my doorstep eager to discuss their own point of view. No offense, but my wife also isn’t very keen on unannounced company.
Writing under a pseudonym, I feel, provides me a creative license to breathe life into these stories and their characters. As I am sure many other fiction writers would attest to, we don’t write these stories only because we want to produce a novel. Or because we hope to become the next J.K. Rowling. We write these stories because we have to, no matter where those stories or their characters might take us. They crowd our minds, fighting for our attention, and the only way to silence them is to give in to their demands and yank them into this world, if only for a short time.
As I close what is likely to be the only lengthy, non-fiction writing you’ll read from C.J. Rune, I’ll end with this: I also like puzzles & games. Not only solving them but, also, creating them. So, don’t be surprised if you come across an Easter egg or two (…or dozen…) from time to time in my books.
And you may even find a mystery now and then lying around this website.