About the Book:
The Old Man, as he’s come to be known, was born during a time when Mortals and Immortals coexisted. Back then he had many Mortal friends, but that was over 400 years ago. Before they all grew old and passed away. Since then he’s been living day to day, spending his time trying to maintain the memories he has of them.
His world, in what has been dubbed the Eternal Era, is one that never changes. No one dies, but no one is born either. Eventually the Old Man takes matters into his own hands after discovering a way to reverse his immortality. Now nearing the end of his life, he sits down to write his memoirs, to tell about all those friends he loved so dearly, to explain why he did what he did and what it means for humanity’s future.
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Author Interview:
1: Tell us a little about yourself and what got you in to writing?
I always wanted to tell stories. As a teenager I thought I wanted to be a film director. In fact, some of my first attempts at writing, aside from a handful of awful short stories, were a handful of awful screenplays. But as I got older and continued to find inspiration in stories of the written variety the dream of being a director slowly faded and was replaced by the dream I’m currently pursuing, and will likely continue to pursue until I run out of ideas or die.
So, I started writing my first novel when I was 20. The idea of writing an entire book was quite intimidating but once I started, I found the process so wonderful I was hooked. Creating a character with only the smallest idea of who they are and watching them evolve into a fully realized person is one of my favourite experiences. It’s also extremely therapeutic to be able to explore through writing various experiences like tragedy, relationships, or any other experience, and through that exploration come out with a clearer and more developed perspective. That’s not to say that some days the actual act of sitting down and writing out the sentences that will make up the story can feel tedious and there are days when I feel like doing anything but writing. But even on those days, there is some sort of drive that forces me.
2: Do you have a favourite time and place where you write?
I usually write in the morning after I drop my daughter off at the school bus. I don’t know if I would say it’s my favourite – I’m not much of a morning person – but at the moment it’s the most convenient. If my daughter’s schedule didn’t require me to wake up when I do, I would probably write late at night.
I don’t have a favourite place to write though. Anywhere I can be comfortable is fine. One of these days I’d like a study or writing nook but for now it’s my living room.
3: Where do your ideas come from?
Difficult to say. Everywhere and anywhere I suppose. A lot of ideas come from reading, others from news stories, others from my wildly vivid dreams. There are ideas everywhere. The trick I suppose is being able to recognize how those ideas might work in a story. A camping tent that eats all those who sleep in it might seem like a good idea in the proper story but could be a very bad idea in the wrong story. But I love getting a little sliver of an idea and exploring it exhaustively until it’s a fully developed world filled with characters and conflict. Then you have to write it all down which, admittedly, can be a bit more of a chore.
4: Do you have a plan in your head of where the story is going before you start writing or do you let it carry you along as you go?
I have a vague idea usually of where my story is going. I usually have an ending in mind towards which I try to maintain aim, but I also think writers should let their stories develop naturally and allow changes in direction. Everyone is different, I’m sure, but I like the experience of not knowing exactly where I’m going and the surprise of finding out where I end up.
5: What genre are your books and what drew you to that genre?
The first two books I wrote, which haven’t been published, were literary fiction. The protagonist has problems in his life, he goes through some experiences and is a better person at the end, that sort of thing. But I switched genres with my newest novel, which did get published. So, the switch seemed to have paid off. My newest book, We Are God, is a dystopian/speculative fiction novel. I just had an idea that came from who-knows-where and I had to write it. I didn’t make a conscious decision to try a different genre, this new idea that popped into my head made that decision for me. But I’ve always loved dystopian novels. George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, Margaret Atwood, just to name the most recognizable masters of the genre, are some of my favourite authors so it was only a matter of time before I wrote something like this.
6: What dream cast would you like to see playing the characters in your latest book?
That’s a fun question. Unfortunately, I don’t have a fun answer. I actually have no idea. It would be important to me that the cast be very diverse, a cast that represents much more of the world than just North America or Europe. But aside from that, I don’t have much of an opinion.
7: Do you read much and if so who are your favourite authors?
I’m an avid reader. My first real love affair with a writer was Charles Dickens, specifically David Copperfield, which I know is so common amongst young men that it is a cliché. But it was a book that really opened my mind to what a writer can do with words. I thought it was incredible, like the words he was stringing together were spells instead of just sentences. But since that first major love I’ve grown into something of a polyamorist. I love a lot of Russian authors: Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Bulgakov, Nabokov. My favourite fellow Canadian authors are probably the two Magarets – Atwood and Laurence. When I need a laugh, I turn to the likes of P. G. Wodehouse or Douglas Adams. I like the horror of H. P. Lovecraft, the sci-fi of H. G. Wells and Philip K. Dick, the satire of Kurt Vonnegut. Really though, favourite authors is a subject that I could write about for pages. I’ll stop here.
8: What book/s are you reading at present?
I usually have a few books on the go at any given time. Right now, I’m reading Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, The Civil War in France by Marx, and The Reincarnation of Tom by this indie author I just discovered named Aden Simpson. I’m only a few chapters in but it’s already proving to be a hilarious ride.
9: What is your favourite book and why?
This is a difficult question but if I had to choose, I would say the Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. It is one of the most imaginative books I’ve ever read, and, like David Copperfield; it transformed my perspective on what an author is capable of with their writing. In it the Devil arrives in Moscow with a group of demonic characters, some of whom are hilarious, others frightening. There’s also a love story, a giant anthropomorphic cat that likes guns and vodka, a man is turned into a flying pig, and that’s just some of it. It’s an incredible book that somehow surprises me every time I read it.
10: What advice would you give for someone thinking about becoming a writer?
Write. And keep writing. But also read. A good writer is a good reader. Keep challenging yourself by reading authors who are much better than you and study them to find out what makes them better. Read authors you might not think you like and try to find out what it is about them that other readers do like. But mostly, just keep writing and rewriting, even if it’s only a few paragraphs a day. If you do that, eventually, even if it takes years, you will have a book that you’ve written and that will always be an accomplishment from which anyone can take a bit of pride.
11: What are the best Social Media Sites for people to find out about you and your work?
I’m not the most social media savvy person in the world and I don’t post often but if anyone wants to follow me they can. Here are the links:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jordan.mund
Twitter: @jordanjmund
Instagram: www.instagram.com/mundjordan
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/19811708.Jordan_Mund
About the Author:
I was born and raised on the Canadian Prairies. I went to the University of Manitoba where I studied English and Philosophy. I’ve always loved creating stories and am excited to now have one of those stories available for others to (hopefully) enjoy. I currently live in Asia with my wife and daughter.
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