Open Secrets

 

Hi, I'm Legend, she/ze, and we're back to our third set of interviews this month here in the Teashop Between Worlds. Please welcome CJ from Jack Ori's Open Secrets. It's book one of the Cedarwood Campus Mysteries, so be warned. Don't go to school there, sounds like it will have a high body count.​ Jack has kindly provided a content warning for this interview with their fabulous prescient abilities: This interview contains references to child abduction and implied SA of a child.

​

Legend: First of all, please introduce yourself. Name, pronouns if you wish, and tell us an interesting fact about yourself.

 

CJ: My name’s CJ Jennings, short for Cassandra (even if I wasn’t transmasculine, I’d hate that name. Ugh.) My pronouns are they/them -- thanks for asking, cause most people don’t! I don’t mind he/him either cause it’s a lot closer to the truth, just no female pronouns, if you don’t mind.

 

I reckon the most interesting thing about me, at least going by how most people react, is that I grew up in a small North Carolina town and now I live in Cedarwood, NY, a stone’s throw from NYC. People say I’m brave for movin’ up here, but to be honest it’s always been my dream to live in NYC and I knew I had to get out of where I was at.

 

Legend: Good for you following your dream. Can you tell us a bit about the world you live in?​

​

CJ: Cedarwood’s a fictional suburb on Long Island in New York. I’m a freshman at Cedarwood University, where I’m taking up journalism, and our school’s close to downtown where there’s coffee shops, restaurants, and so forth. Cedarwood is one of those towns that people reckon is a safe haven, a place to raise children without the influence of the city and all, but the truth is, behind closed doors all sorts of nightmares are takin’ place. During the last few months, I’ve been investigating the murder of a graduate student and dug up a scandal my school wants to keep hidden, and that’s the least of what goes on in this town. Don’t think I’m hating on Cedarwood, though. It is a good place, it’s just it’s got a dark side no one wants to acknowledge.

​

Legend: Without a dark side, none of us would get books. Good work on breaking walls there. Let's jump straight in. What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

 

CJ: Before I came to Cedarwood, I’d say it was when I was fourteen and I got myself kidnapped by a predator I met online. I sneaked off to the woods to meet him and ended up tied up in the back of a Jeep, but believe it or not, I fought my way out of that vehicle with my hands tied behind me. 

​

Legend: *Shudders* Less crazy and more terrifying! Let's not dwell on that. Instead, something nice. Who or what is the love of your life?

 

CJ: That would be Ken. He’s my best friend, what folks up here call a ride-or-die, cause he’s always here for me, and a genuinely good guy. He could have gone off to Howard University and he turned it down to stay here in Cedarwood so he could help out with his baby sister. I wasn’t ever planning to admit how I feel about him cause he’s straight and I’m not a girl despite how it seems, but turns out he doesn’t care what people think we are.
​

Legend: Good for him. Where I'm from, most people aren't fussy about gender, so I always appreciate seeing that attitude from people in other worlds. What cause or underrepresented group do you champion?

​

CJ: I’m here for all the people whose stories haven’t been heard or believed. After I was kidnapped, the local police didn’t do a whole lot for me other than tell me what happened was my fault cause I sneaked out to the woods instead of following my parents’ rules. I won’t let that happen to someone else. I’m especially protective of children, but I’m pretty much dedicated to helping anyone who has been abused tell their story and get support.
 

Legend: Sticking up for children is a great cause. Sorry you didn't have someone in your corner. If you could go back and do one thing differently, what would it be?

​

CJ: Obviously, not go into the woods that day. It’s made me who I am but it ain’t an experience I wish on anybody.
​

Legend: It's funny. Traumas make us who we are. We wish we hadn't had them, but what worse traumas are prevented because we did? Would we be who we are? It would be interesting to interview the same people from alternate dimensions and see how similar or dissimilar they are. Anyway, a philosophical conundrum for another time and a different type of tea. If you’re not the main character, tell us what you think of them. If you are, pick a supporting character.

​

CJ: Let me tell you about my roommate, Dani. She’s about to be in a little trouble herself in the next book. Dani’s a real sweetheart and I’m sorry I ain’t attracted to her the way she wants, but I also worry about her cause when she gets to drinking she doesn’t stop. I know we’re in college and all, but it’s a little more than partying with her, and it’s gonna get her in all sorts of situations she’d rather not be in if she doesn’t get it under control.
​​

Legend: Well, Dani, I hope you're listening to this interview. Take care of yourself! Speaking of drinking at college, how do you feel about social situations? Do you throw yourself into it or are you the person rehearsing every conversation in their head a million times?

​

CJ: I’m not one for big crowds, parties, that sort of thing. I like small groups, my friend group of three or four people at a time is more than enough for me even if I do tend to replay conversations in my head and wish they’d gone better.

 

Legend: So while you're not out partying, and if you had the time and money, what new hobby/skill would you like to learn?

 

CJ: I’d like to learn to be a better chess player. I ain’t really a strategic thinker, though that’s what a team’s for, I reckon. But learning how to think more than one move ahead would help me a lot.
 

Legend: Especially if people keep getting killed at your school. Last question. Do you have anyone who is part of your family but not biologically or legally related to you?

​​

CJ: Ken’s little sister. It’s somewhat odd dating a man who’s in charge of his sister most days cause it’s almost like I’m a stepparent although she ain’t his child. I’ve babysat her before and I’m real familiar with her habits and with what she needs different cause of her autism.

​​

Legend: It's very sweet that you're part of his family, not just him. Thanks for joining us today, CJ. Please feel free to hang around for a cup of tea and chat with our audience.

​