Frank Talaber discusses his diverse writing across genres, his creative process, inspirations, and the challenges and rewards of his prolific career, including adapting his novels for film.
Frank Talaber is a literary force to be reckoned with, a masterful storyteller whose works transcend the boundaries of genre and captivate the imagination. Residing in Chilliwack, BC, Canada, Talaber has carved a niche for himself in the literary world, earning accolades for his ability to weave intricate narratives that resonate with readers on a profound level. His writing has been described as a soul on fire, with a pencil that screams his truths onto the page. With over fifty articles and short stories, sixty blog posts, and fifteen novels to his name, Talaber’s prolific output is a testament to his boundless creativity and passion for storytelling. His novel, The Joining, was a top-three finalist in the Canadian Book Club Awards in 2020, and The Lure was a quarter-finalist in the 2018 Screen Craft Cinematic Book Competition, showcasing his ability to craft compelling narratives that stand out in a crowded literary landscape.
Talaber’s work is a testament to his versatility and depth as a writer. He effortlessly navigates a wide range of genres, from urban fantasy and science fiction to romance and erotica, all while maintaining a consistent and captivating voice. His stories are known to grab readers, whether kicking, screaming, laughing, or crying, and drag them into the worlds he creates. Talaber’s writing is not just about telling a story; it’s about exploring the depths of the human experience and the subconscious, bringing to life characters and situations that challenge and inspire. As you delve into this interview, prepare to be transported into the mind of a true literary visionary, whose works continue to push the boundaries of storytelling and leave an indelible mark on the hearts of readers.
You’re known for writing across a wide range of genres, from urban fantasy and science fiction to romance and erotica. How do you manage to maintain a consistent voice while navigating such diverse genres, and what draws you to explore so many different styles?
To be quite honest I just write whatever the heart desires and the muse propels me to pursue. Usually mystery thrillers, fantasy, ghost and paranormal stories. The rest of the genres evolve from there. I like trying to get into the head of a being or creature and trying to think and act like they would. What propels them, their desires. I’ve often stated that I write off-the-wall, same goes with characters and situations. I often ask myself, what if? I also love getting stories from people and have often said, ‘you can’t write the situations that some people have lived’. Some of these I’ve weaved into stories and novels.
One example from Raven’s Lament is Raven waking up after being trapped in a tree for over three hundred years and seeing machinery for the first time.
Raven stirred from his slumber at the sound of angry buzzing. Similar to bees on a rampage when xuuadjii, grizzly bear, had broken into their hive and stolen their honey, only much shriller.
The shrill noise broke his concentration. Something was definitely out of place.
It was the silence. A great emptiness sucked free of all spirits.
Just the annoying growling persisted, and that too was only sound, no spirit voice to accompany it. Raven lifted upward. Maybe the buzzing had something to do with this uneasy void.
Clearing the security of the trees, he stopped beating his wings and fell earthward, his heart in his throat.
Devastation. Total devastation lay everywhere.
The slopes before him formed an unending sea of red soil bleeding down to the ocean. The few remaining trees cried over it.
Endless droning turned his head again. Raven spread his wings and flew in search of the source of this annoyance. Over the last hill he found the cause and settled close to the men and beasts cutting away at the trees. A cedar crashed to the ground, shaking the earth. Several men gathered around it like wolves at the collapse of a stricken elk. In their hands, the containers of the angry hornets rose in unity in insatiable hunger, hewing the wood with swirling, sharp razor teeth like those of kkung, the killer whale.
Stripped of its limbs, the trunk lay bare. The sweet scent of wounded cedar dissipated as the workers quickly moved on to the next tree. In minutes, they did with those savage hornet boxes what braves would have taken days to accomplish.
In Raven’s Lament, you blend environmental themes with fantasy elements. How did you come up with the idea of a rare tree releasing something into our world, and what inspired you to tackle environmental issues through a fantastical lens?
I was sitting in UBC museum in Victoria, BC. The First Nations rooms has all of these totems from the First Nations tribes of BC. I swore I heard voices like people were reaching out and whispering to me. Just after that I heard about the cutting down of the rare Golden Spruce on Haida Gwaii In protest of logging.
One of my customers a famous First Nations Carver, Tom Patterson, said that their cultures were all oral based and those that have passed away did so before they could hand their legends and stories down to the next generation. So all of those story tellers and holders of the rich history are always looking for someone to speak on their behalf. Most First Nations strongly believe in reincarnation and that we come back to renew our journeys on this earth.
So, I based Raven’s lament on this true incident.
Your writing style has been compared to Dan Millman, Charles De Lint, and Tom Robbins. How do these authors influence your work, and what aspects of their writing do you incorporate into your own?
To be honest I love to write on spiritual matters and help others like Dan Millman does. I took several courses over the years through an organization called Context which opened my eyes to a lot of everything around me and others and how they attract things to themselves and to myself.
I’ve been told that I weave paranormal and fantasy together a lot like Charles de Lint does and have been told I write very much like he does.
As for Tom Robbins, I have written many funny and off-the-wall scenes taking you to places you never thought would happen nor be prepared to laugh at. While some of my themes are dark and edgy I like to write in an upbeat and funny way. My main internal belief is that the good person must win in the end otherwise it becomes a dark and depressing place.
You’ve been described as a natural storyteller with a compelling narrative style. Can you share some insights into your writing process and how you tap into the depths of your subconscious to craft your stories?
Seriously it began in high school I took what I thought would be an easy creative writing course.
On the first day of the class the teacher handed out a blank lined binder and said this is the class manual. I put my hand up and said, “yeah, But it’s blank.”
“Yeah, your job is to fill it.”
We had to spend the first 20 minutes just writing. At first it was murder, I’d write things like the walls are still green and the cute blonde sits in front of me. But after a bit it kicked in and I’d sit down and pound out page after page. He was teaching us subconscious writing flow. Just write, no edits, grammar etc. To this day I can sit down and pound out entire short stories in one go. It opened up my muse.
Example, my dentist asked me, ‘why aren’t there any dentist TV shows. “I said because you’re mostly dweebs,” He agreed and said, “write me something about a dentist detective”, so I did.
That afternoon I cranked out a 4,000 word story about a dentist that encounters an unusual patient which turn out to be an alien stranded here on earth. If you ever want to read it called, Myzterious Mr. Jones or contact me via email and I’ll send you a copy.
With over fifty articles, sixty blog posts, and fifteen novels to your name, what have been some of the biggest challenges and rewards in your writing career? How do you keep your creativity and passion alive across such a prolific output?
I usually have two to four novels ideas on the go, along with several stories. I also do a lot of research on topics and that in itself steers me to write new tales and stories. Again, my mind goes into ‘What If’ which makes me come up with entire novels as I get entrenched into what or how this legend was either begun or made possible.
You mentioned working on a script and movie project. How do you envision transitioning your novels into film, and what challenges do you anticipate in adapting your stories for the screen? Are there any particular aspects of your books that you’re excited to see brought to life in film?
Yes, I write very visually, when I was young I owned over 5,000 comic books and tend to write in visual blocks. I also learned to bring all five senses in a scene. If I can make the reader hear, taste, touch, smell and see the scene I’ve got them pulled in. One of my novels, The Lure has been asked to be made into a movie. I made a video pitch deck of it to present. See link below and turn up the volume.
