Justin Gustainis
Encyclopedia
Joseph Justin Gustainis is an American college professor and fiction writer. When younger, he wrote and published a great deal of academic writing, including the book American Rhetoric and the Vietnam War (1993). Beginning in the mid-1990s, while retaining his academic job, he began to write fiction
. He has published, so far, two novels -- The Hades Project (2003) and Black Magic Woman (2008) -- and a number of short stories. A third novel, a sequel to Black Magic Woman entitled Evil Ways, is in progress and scheduled for publication in 2009.
. His upbringing was strict, loving, and very Catholic. After spending the early grades in several schools, in fifth grade he was enrolled in St. John the Evangelist School
in Pittston, from which he graduated in 1968.
Gustainis went to college at the University of Scranton
, a Jesuit school 12 miles from his home. He commuted for all four years. That means that while the rest of his generation was, apparently, getting high, getting laid and getting crazy, Gustainis was living at home with his parents, who continued to impose curfews on him even as a 21-year-old college Senior.
While earning a degree in Political Science
at Scranton, Gustainis was a member of the university's Army ROTC program—of which the first year was mandatory for all students at the (then) all-male institution. Gustainis reluctantly decided to complete whole the four-year program, less out of patriotism than a sense of the inevitability of the draft.
Gustainis was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army the day before receiving his Bachelor's degree. Later, he went on active duty, to fulfill his service obligation. Details of his military service are not available on the public record.
After being honorably discharged from the Army, Gustainis held a variety of jobs including a brief stint as a professional bodyguard, before returning to school. He earned a Master's degree in English from the University of Scranton
and, some years later, a Ph.D. in Communication
from Bowling Green State University
in Ohio. Along the way, he met and married the love of his life, Patricia Grogan.
After finishing his Ph.D., Gustainis took a one-year faculty appointment at the University of Rhode Island
. The next year, he was hired by Plattsburgh State University in upstate New York, part of the SUNY system. He remains there today, as a professor in the Department of Communication Studies.
He tried again in 1994, less with the intent of publishing anything than as a way to deal with some personal problems he was experiencing at the time.
Over the next three years, Gustainis worked on a novel that would eventually become The Hades Project.
At the same time, he took up short fiction writing again—this time with both greater persistence and more success.
His stories began to win prices in contests, and he also sold some of them to semi-pro magazines.
Gustainis finally sold The Hades Project to a small, independent publisher, Wahmpreneur Press, in 2002.
The novel was published as a trade paperback, under the publisher's Brighid's Fire Books imprint in 2003.
Gustainis's second novel, Black Magic Woman, was sold to British publisher Solaris Books
in 2007.
After years trying to interest either an agent or a publisher in the book, Gustainis saw the manuscript that he submitted to Solaris Books go from the slush pile to a contract offer in three weeks.
Solaris Books expressed interest in turning Black Magic Woman into a series, "Quincey Morris Supernatural Investigations," chronicling the adventures of occult detective Quincey Morris
and his partner, "white" witch Libby Chastain.
Black Magic Woman is scheduled for publication in January, 2008. The release of the second book in the series, Evil Ways, is planned for January 2009.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
. He has published, so far, two novels -- The Hades Project (2003) and Black Magic Woman (2008) -- and a number of short stories. A third novel, a sequel to Black Magic Woman entitled Evil Ways, is in progress and scheduled for publication in 2009.
Biography
Gustainis was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania and grew up in nearby Pittston, a former coal town on the banks of the Susquehanna RiverSusquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
. His upbringing was strict, loving, and very Catholic. After spending the early grades in several schools, in fifth grade he was enrolled in St. John the Evangelist School
St. John the Evangelist School
St. John the Evangelist School is a Catholic, private, K-8 elementary and middle school located in Attleboro, Massachusetts. St. John's was founded in 1954, and holds one class for each grade in the school....
in Pittston, from which he graduated in 1968.
Gustainis went to college at the University of Scranton
University of Scranton
The University of Scranton is a private, co-educational Catholic and Jesuit university, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in the northeast region of the state. The school was founded in 1888 by Most Rev. William O'Hara, the first Bishop of Scranton, as St. Thomas College. It was elevated to a...
, a Jesuit school 12 miles from his home. He commuted for all four years. That means that while the rest of his generation was, apparently, getting high, getting laid and getting crazy, Gustainis was living at home with his parents, who continued to impose curfews on him even as a 21-year-old college Senior.
While earning a degree in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
at Scranton, Gustainis was a member of the university's Army ROTC program—of which the first year was mandatory for all students at the (then) all-male institution. Gustainis reluctantly decided to complete whole the four-year program, less out of patriotism than a sense of the inevitability of the draft.
Gustainis was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army the day before receiving his Bachelor's degree. Later, he went on active duty, to fulfill his service obligation. Details of his military service are not available on the public record.
After being honorably discharged from the Army, Gustainis held a variety of jobs including a brief stint as a professional bodyguard, before returning to school. He earned a Master's degree in English from the University of Scranton
University of Scranton
The University of Scranton is a private, co-educational Catholic and Jesuit university, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in the northeast region of the state. The school was founded in 1888 by Most Rev. William O'Hara, the first Bishop of Scranton, as St. Thomas College. It was elevated to a...
and, some years later, a Ph.D. in Communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
from Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
in Ohio. Along the way, he met and married the love of his life, Patricia Grogan.
After finishing his Ph.D., Gustainis took a one-year faculty appointment at the University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
. The next year, he was hired by Plattsburgh State University in upstate New York, part of the SUNY system. He remains there today, as a professor in the Department of Communication Studies.
Writing career
Gustainis first tried his hand at writing fiction in 1978. He wrote a few mystery/suspense short stories and sent them off to magazines. Receiving (as one might expect) nothing but rejection slips, he put his ambitions to be a writer aside.He tried again in 1994, less with the intent of publishing anything than as a way to deal with some personal problems he was experiencing at the time.
Over the next three years, Gustainis worked on a novel that would eventually become The Hades Project.
At the same time, he took up short fiction writing again—this time with both greater persistence and more success.
His stories began to win prices in contests, and he also sold some of them to semi-pro magazines.
Gustainis finally sold The Hades Project to a small, independent publisher, Wahmpreneur Press, in 2002.
The novel was published as a trade paperback, under the publisher's Brighid's Fire Books imprint in 2003.
Gustainis's second novel, Black Magic Woman, was sold to British publisher Solaris Books
Solaris Books
Solaris Books is an imprint which focuses on publishing science fiction, fantasy and dark fantasy novels and anthologies. The range includes titles by both established and new authors...
in 2007.
After years trying to interest either an agent or a publisher in the book, Gustainis saw the manuscript that he submitted to Solaris Books go from the slush pile to a contract offer in three weeks.
Solaris Books expressed interest in turning Black Magic Woman into a series, "Quincey Morris Supernatural Investigations," chronicling the adventures of occult detective Quincey Morris
Quincey Morris
Quincey P. Morris is a fictional character in Bram Stoker's horror novel Dracula.-In the novel:He is a rich young American from Texas, and one of the three suitors for the hand of Lucy Westenra. Quincey is friends with the two other suitors, Arthur Holmwood and Dr. John Seward, as well as Jonathan...
and his partner, "white" witch Libby Chastain.
Black Magic Woman is scheduled for publication in January, 2008. The release of the second book in the series, Evil Ways, is planned for January 2009.
External links
- http://www.justingustainis.com
- http://www.thehadesproject.com