Deston Munden is the author of several books, including Tavern, also set in Dargath. Born and raised near the Outer Banks, he can be found writing, cooking, playing World of Warcraft, and cosplaying in the way-too-hot North Carolina weather. His latest novel is Recipes for an Unexpected Afterlife and he recently talked about it with Daryl Maxwell for the LAPL Blog.
What was your inspiration for Recipes for an Unexpected Afterlife?
Funny enough, there were other cozy fantasies that I was reading before: Cursed Cocktails, Can't Spell Treason Without Tea, and Legends and Lattes, I thought, maybe I can do something like that in my world of Dargath. So, I tried it. I had never expected it to be so much fun.
Are Rottgor, Cleo, Astra, Calfe, Tytli, or any of the other characters in the novel, inspired by or based on specific individuals?
A little bit of everyone I know kind of came together within this book. Rottgor is strongly based on my uncle who I gave the dedication to and Calfe is based on a best friend. Everyone else is kind of a blend of different people that I've met. It's a lot of little things when it comes to that for me. I take pieces of the people I know.
How did the novel evolve and change as you wrote and revised it? Are there any characters or scenes that were lost in the process that you wish had made it to the published version?
There weren't a lot of huge revisions that happened. The core concepts stayed the same. One of the biggest scenes I still wish I could incorporate was The Way of Kings-type prologue that I had made. It's one of the few things that I wanted to incorporate into the main story, specifically a character named Galelin Grimstone, the leader of the Six Shadows. He was a huge influence on the Rottgor we have now and was at first going to be the ascendant to Astra, but I found a more interesting option.
Are you a fan of the Fantasy genre? What are some of your favorite novels, films, and/or series? Who are your favorite authors and/or filmmakers?
I'm a huge fan of the fantasy genre. I actually have a whole epic fantasy book series in this same world. Some of my influences are Robert Jordan, Patrick Rothfuss, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein, Tomi Adeyemi, Octavia Butler, N.K. Jemisin, and Brandon Sanderson, with my favorite book being The Way of Kings. But I really wanted to throw my hat into the mix because there aren't a lot of people that look like me in the industry. I think that I'm doing a fairly good job.
Do you have a least favorite? (I realize that you may not want to address this one, and if that is the case, please don't. But I also realize it might be so bad that it could be fun to answer.
I do have some I don't really like. For example, I'm not a huge fan of Romantasy like Fourth Wing or ACOTAR. The focus of the story isn't my cup of tea. I'm also not a fan of pure grimdark fantasies like The Black Company, parts of A Game of Thrones, and The Prince of Thorns (I like Mark's other books, just that series was NOT my thing). They aren't for me. I'm more of a hope type of guy.
Do you remember your first exposure to the Fantasy genre? If so, what was the title and/or the author?
Redwall by Brian Jacques. I hope when you read Recipes for an Unexpected Afterlife, you'll see the food. Between this and, of course, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I think that is where I started truly wanting to write.
Your biography says that you were born and currently live in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Do you have any favorite places? A hidden gem that someone visiting should not miss, but would only learn about from a resident?
I do have a lot of places that are close to me. There's a Mexican restaurant that I always go to, especially around the time when I started writing this book. It just opened, and it's manned by this wonderful Mexican couple who always talked to me when I got there. That and a café run by this giant man from Pittsburgh. So, I wanted to have the vibes of these two restaurants that I frequent in my fantasy book. I plan to give them both a copy of the book when it is released.
Your biography also states that, when you aren't writing, you enjoy cooking and cosplay. Did you learn to cook, like Rottgor, from your father or another family member? Do you have a favorite type of food to cook? A favorite recipe?
Cooking is my secondary hobby, and cosplay is my third. I learned from my mom and my uncle. They used to compete a lot on Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I always wanted to cook like them! My favorite type of foods to cook are meaty dishes and soups, but I also REALLY love baking bread (though I'm not good at it). My favorite recipe is my Mississippi Pot Roast and my lime or lemon pepper wings.
Can you tell us a bit about your cosplay? What costumes have you created? Do you do it just for fun, or do you compete? How do you deal with wearing a costume in the Georgia heat?
Orihk is my main cosplay. He's my Dungeons and Dragons character that I made specifically for social media. He's goofy, a bit over the top, and kind of flirty, the exact opposite of who I am as a person. He likes to dance, and he has a ton of exes (some his fault, some not). But he's entirely protective of his friends and instills the parts of a Paladin and a Bard. I want him to have his own book one day!
As for dealing with the North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia heat… I don't. I don't deal with it well, at least.
Recipes for an Unexpected Afterlife would make a marvelous film or series! If/when it is adapted, who would your dream cast be?
I would want it as an animated film. The wonderful voice talents of Matt Mercer or Travis Willingham would fit Rottgor perfectly. Astra is harder to nail down, though. I would have to do a whole casting of this one day.
What do you think it is about Fantasy that draws you, as an author and/or reader, to these types of stories?
It's the coziness and the heart that really gets me with these types of fantasy works. I'm all about bringing a little bit more light into the world. To me, it's important to bring back fantasy that has a good message to tell. We're so lost in the bad and negative aspects of the world. The cozy genre really brings it all together. At the end of the day, you know everything is going to be alright.
What's currently on your nightstand?
I’m currently reading Ignited Moon by Andrew Johnson, a friend of mine!
Can you name your top five favorite or most influential authors?
Brandon Sanderson, Brian Jacques, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, N.K. Jemisin.
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
Redwall by Brian Jacques.
Was there a book you felt you needed to hide from your parents?
No. My parents were really accepting of anything that I read!
Is there a book you've faked reading?
No. But there are books that I faked liking. The Great Gatsby being one of them. Looking back, I'm like eww, no.
Can you name a book you've bought for the cover?
Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James. I did not like the book.
Is there a book that changed your life?
Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein.
Can you name a book for which you are an evangelist (and you think everyone should read)?
I would probably go to war for The King of the Wylds by Nicholas Eames. It's SUCH a good fantasy book.
Is there a book you would most want to read again for the first time?
It’s between The King of the Wylds and A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin.
What is the last piece of art (music, movies, TV, more traditional art forms) that you've experienced or that has impacted you?
The entire discography of Sleep Token. When I say Sleep Token music has inspired me to write!
What is your idea of THE perfect day (where you could go anywhere/meet with anyone)?
I would love to have a day with Brandon Sanderson. I want to be able to go to a World Con, be a panelist, and be one of the authors in that circle. Have good food, good conversation, and absorb some of the skills from some of the best!
What is the question that you're always hoping you'll be asked, but never have been?
What makes your books different from the fantasy books in your genre?
What is your answer?
I love to think that my books have two main components that I don't see in a lot of other books: a focus on the good of the world and seamless diversity. I want everyone to feel represented and, most importantly, safe. I feel like there's either one or the other in a lot of fantasy works, sometimes neither. So if you're looking for something refreshing yet still has a strong conflict, I think that I'm the right author for you.
What are you working on now?
I'm currently working on the fourth book of my epic, The Dargath Chronicles. It's called Summerset Soiree and it focuses on a big gala that is going to attract the presence of great evil. It's a really good time.
