Anyone who’s read David Tallerman’s work will tell you he knows his stuff when it comes to writing a story. Let’s face it – with his stories appearing in Clarkesworld, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Lightspeed Magazine and more, there’s no reason not to expect great things from this collection published by Digital Fiction Publishing.
The Sign in the Moonlight and Other Stories offers a variety of unearthly tales and David’s tenacity to see the collection not only published, but published in a style befitting the wide range of stories within it, is yet another testimony to the strength of his work.
Thanks for joining us here on SFFWorld, David. As well as fiction and graphic novels you’ve written for the screen, and poetry. Is there anything you WON’T write?
I’ve sometimes joked that I’d draw the line at Cowboy Romance. But honestly, if the right story came along then I’d probably write Cowboy Romance, or anything else. I like to keep on my toes, and switching genres and mediums as much as possible has always seemed the best way to do that.
You’ve written about the process of how The Sign in the Moonlight and Other Stories came about, including the trials you have been through to see it in print. It’s an understatement to say it hasn’t been easy. Has this changed your perception of the small publisher industry?
Not changed, but maybe hardened the views I already held. A lot of great work comes out of the small press and there are people working tremendously hard to make that happen; but when you’re dealing, often, with one man bands, there’s also a lot of room for egos and problems spiralling out of control. I’m proud of The Sign in the Moonlight and Other Stories and in the end things worked out well; I couldn’t be happier with the job that Digital Fiction Publishing have done, and there’s some good news pending regarding a hardback edition as well. But all of that’s definitely been overshadowed by the two years of wasted time and effort that led up to that point. So I’d say that I’m warier these days than I used to be. I’d never rule out working with small press publishers, but I need to be a little surer that the individuals in question are about the books and the writers and not just about promoting themselves.
The Sign in the Moonlight and Other Stories is an illustrated collection, which isn’t something you see every day. How important was it to have Duncan Kay as the illustrator, and how much of that decision was influenced by your passion for the graphic novel?
The one definitely came directly out of the other. Duncan and I had for a long time been trying to put together a project called C21st Gods, which began as a ten 
page comic strip, was for a long while an animated film script, and ended up as a graphic novel that the intention was to have Duncan draw. So when we were floating ideas for other projects to collaborate on and I was trying to find ways to get The Sign in the Moonlight and Other Stories moving, it just made sense that Duncan should illustrate it. Duncan eventually had to walk away from Gods – it’s now in the hands of the extremely talented Anthony Summey, and due from Rosarium later in the year – so it’s great that we got to finish a project together. The work he did was stunning, and really brings the collection to life.
It’s a ‘dark and stormy night’ and the beer ran out before midnight. To make matters worse the power died 5 hours ago. And you? Well, you thought it was a cracking idea to hire a cabin in the woods. Yes, miles from the nearest human being. (Writers gotta write, right?) What’s in the room with you?
That does sound like the kind of dumb idea I’d have! But wait, there’s no electricity? What am I writing on? I’m not sure I even know how to use a pen and paper anymore. And if it’s after midnight, why aren’t I asleep? Keeping sensible hours is a crucial part of being a freelance writer, you know.
Um … okay. Well, I’m not one for working without my creature comforts. I guess that no power means no CD player, so presumably I’ve managed to find a hand cranked record player from somewhere, because I find it really hard to write without music. I suppose I have no internet either, so a good dictionary and thesaurus. Perhaps my juggling balls for those all-important juggling breaks.
On the plus side, the beer has run out, so at least I can move straight onto the wine.
The Way of the Leaves from The Sign in the Moonlight and Other Stories set in a town amidst the moors. As a Yorkshire-based author, do you find that the atmospheric moorland creeps into your work naturally or do you deliberately seek out more remote parts of Yorkshire for inspiration?
I’m Yorkshire born and bred – though I’ve wandered a bit, from East to North to West – but I try hard not to write what I know if I can make stuff up instead. Still, I often find the moors creeping in; if there’s particularly bleak and beautiful scenery in any of my stories, it probably came from Yorkshire.
The year has already been a busy one for you, with the release of Patchwerk from Tor.com and stories out with Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores and Digital Fiction Publishing. Have you anything else lined up for launch this year?
As I hinted above, there’s the hardback of Sign in the Moonlight coming out in the not-too-distant future, that should be getting announced pretty soon. And we should have at least the first issue of C21st Gods out in the autumn, to be followed by a couple more and eventually a trade paperback in 2017. I have quite a few short stories due in a variety of places. But the big news – that I’m not at liberty to talk too much about yet! – is a new novel, out hopefully towards the back end of the year.
Also. Do you ever stop creating stories?
Alas, these days, the actual story-making element is the bit I always wish I could devote more time to. I’m mostly working on novels and other long projects, so the smaller ideas inevitably get sidelined, which is really painful sometimes. But certainly I’m never that far away from some aspect of the writing process; it’s not a job you really get to take holidays from.
Thank you for answering my questions, David.
The Sign in the Moonlight and Other stories is available here in the UK or here in the US. You could do worse than follow David Tallerman on his website, as I don’t doubt that we’ll be seeing much more of his work in future.*
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Interview by Shellie Horst – SFFWorld.com © 2016
*Warning. This Yorkshire lass may be biased toward those from’t shires.
