PORTLAND, Maine — Although she writes fiction, J. Courtney Sullivan loves to do research for her books.
For her new novel “The Cliffs,” she immersed herself in libraries and scholarly works to educate herself further about a dizzying array of topics: Indigenous history in Maine. Shaker history. Civil War letters. The history of mediums and spiritualists. The list goes on.
Those topics and more are woven into the story of “The Cliffs,” which takes place in a coastal Maine town inspired by Oqunquit.
This is Sullivan’s second novel set in the state. The first one was called “Maine.” Now that’s a title that gets right to the point.
Why does Sullivan feel so connected to Maine? Watch our interview to find out.