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I talked with Comicality back in 2020 and together we produced this interview (reproduced here) which talks about my book Milo and writing in general. He (Comicality) was such a nice guy, easy to talk to and always encouraging, a huge personality who will be missed with his passing this year (2024) and who leaves a space in the lives of many that will be difficult to fill. https://imagine-magazine.org/releases/volume-56/talo-segura-milo/ I am honored to bring you guys our new featured author, Talo Segura, and his story “Milo”! I truly enjoyed this story, and I’m happy to welcome Talo to the Imagine team! Here is our interview! Be sure to send feedback and comments whenever you get the chance! And look for “Milo” to have a new chapter every month this year! Cool? Enjoy! Comicality: – Welcome to Imagine! We’re happy to have you here with us, and I’m loving the talent that I see with your story here. So let me start off by asking…reading this story, right off the bat, it felt very personal to you as an author. If I may ask, where did the idea for this story come from? And how close is it to any personal experiences that you’ve had in the past? Or is this just an original idea that you wanted to explore on your own? Talo Segura: – Great question! Where did the inspiration come from? It’s a mixture, you take ideas and add in experiences and that kind of makes the basis for a good story. I took inspiration from a great film, but I don’t want to say too much because it could be a bit of a spoiler, let’s just say it was about how parents could react to discovering their son (or daughter) might be gay. I added in some personal experiences, long hot summers in the south of France, which (hopefully) evokes a certain atmosphere, I wanted the reader to feel they were there. The story plot and idea were original, aided by a little research to get the facts straight. Comicality: – You said that this was your very first effort at writing a novel. Can you tell us what made you actually sit down and do it? What motivated you to write “Milo”, and put it out there for people to see? Talo Segura: – I should make a confession (of sorts), I wrote something else, but Milo is my first book, first story I finished. I started writing encouraged by someone I met, I can’t say that the very first effort was a success, more disastrous. I still can’t decide about it, but that’s another story (no pun intended!). Along the way, I suddenly told myself, “I CAN write,” and set out to write the book that became Milo. A story I constructed with a beginning, a middle, and an end, and which I got edited and had feedback to help put together. What motivated me? Inspiration and a desire to prove something to myself. To produce a finished novel, or novella, because it’s short, but then it’s best to be realistic when you start. A short book completed is better than a long one you don’t quite manage. Comicality: – Congratulations on that then! Hehehe! So, if you had to describe your story (Without giving away any spoilers, of course), what would you say that it was about? What would you say to draw readers in, and what would you want them to take away from the story when they’re finished reading it from beginning to end? Talo Segura: – It isn’t easy to answer these questions. Let’s say I would very much like readers to be pulled into the story, to want to discover what happens, to be surprised by unexpected twists and turns, but to come away at the end pleased and a little sorry it had finished. Without giving anything away the book is a little like one of those European movies you might have seen. There is no huge world shattering event (it’s not a block buster with special effects) it is one summer and two families confronting what life throws at them. Comicality: – I can definitely see that. There seems to be a focus on the family life and surrounding characters in your story instead of just the protagonist and his thoughts about being gay. I’m interested in what you were thinking and what led you to make the choices you made to develop the story and build it up the way you did. Can you give us some insight on your thought process there? Talo Segura: – Lots of stories with a gay theme can swing the pendulum too far in the opposite direction. The desire to create and read about our hero who (perhaps) like us, is or might be gay, can lead to places which don’t look too much like the real world. That’s fine for fantasy and sci-fi, but this book was a real life drama, so I wanted the gay theme to be set as very much a part of everybody’s life. Which means the whole world isn’t gay and there might even be other issues people have to confront. I believe that in setting a balance rooted in reality it can make for a more powerful exposition of coming to terms with and accepting being gay, as part of everyday normality. At least, that is what I hope for. Comicality: – So, you feel that having a wide and diverse cast of characters and personalities makes for a more realistic representation of the real world when it comes to your writing? Care to elaborate? Talo Segura: – A diverse cast of characters can make for interesting reading, but I don’t mean to say you need a large number, more that the people that populate the story reflect reality. I’m talking about real life drama, a slice of life, and I mean an author might want to consider that there are men and women (boys and girls), all sorts of inbetweens and lots of diversity out there. I would simply like writers to think about that, the mother of the boy coming out, what is she thinking, why does she feel so bad? It is not easy to get inside the heads of your characters, but I think sometimes the parents (as an example) of the boy coming to terms with maybe being gay can get overlooked. What are their feelings? My own mother blamed herself, I don’t judge her for that, I tried to understand how she felt. She thought she may have been responsible, done something wrong. She did nothing at all to make me gay, but she was playing out all her own fears and worries at the same time as I was trying to come out and stop hiding. I think giving a little time to develop supporting characters personalities makes them more real and in doing so heightens the drama. It is not only all about the gay son coming out, but at the same time his mother and father are coming to terms. It’s why in Milo there is more going on than simply what is happening for the main character. Comicality: – Very true, indeed. I noticed that you have a real flair for description and paint beautiful pictures with your use of words and metaphor in your story. It’s really cool to see such passion in someone’s writing. Where does that come from? How do you find the words, and apply them so effectively to the scenarios that you create? Talo Segura: – I’m a little embarrassed by your praise. What can I say? Before ever trying to write I have been (still am) an avid reader. I love the English language (all variations) and I love books that not only tell a great story, but do so in a way that makes you enjoy reading the words. A story, for me, has three important aspects, the plot and storylines, the characters that people it, and the places where it takes place. The author has to try to bring alive those characters and evoke the imagination of the reader who conjures up the images in their head. It isn’t easy to do and I had lots of trying to get it right, I’m not sure I can match it in another book. Comicality: – Hehehe, well you’ve got to at least try, right? Now that you’ve gotten the writing bug, and a loyal fanbase reading your work, I would assume that you might try to follow up with a sophomore story some time in the near future. Do you have any ideas floating around as to what your next story might be about? Or is that on the back burner for now? Talo Segura: – They say that the second book is the hardest to write, I do have ideas floating around. Actually, more concrete than ideas, I have started writing, however it is probably best not to say too much. I am currently getting feedback to get another point of view, a second opinion. My dilemma is around the type of story, let me explain: Milo falls within a certain genre, would I disappoint readers with something different? I will let you in on a secret, which may be something a number of would be authors share, I am insecure. The hardest step to take is to publish what you have written and wait to see if it is read. Comicality: – “Milo” has many moments of sensual tension in the story, some a bit awkward, and some very arousing. How do you go about creating moments like these, enticing the reader, all while keeping your big secrets until later chapters? Talo Segura: – An interesting question and one which touches on how the author writes a book. Do you have an idea, sit down and start writing, see where it takes you, or do you plan it all out? I have an idea and an outline of where the story is going, then I plan out the detail before writing. Not all the way to the end, but enough to see the road ahead. Then I pause to consider one very important aspect, how do I bring it all together and end it. I may not have the ending in detail, but I do work it out before I get there. Writing in this way allows scenes that hint, mis-direct, and little things that get slipped in. It’s like a jigsaw, you have to create all the pieces and fit them together, you get to choose which parts you build in what order, but they all come together at the end to reveal the whole picture, or almost, you are allowed a few loose ends! Comicality: – Sweet! Well, would you like to give your audience any links to this story, any of your other projects, or to your social media? How can new fans of your work contact you if they want to send you feedback or ask any questions? Talo Segura: – Like any writer who publishes a story for free, the only recompense is a word from a reader. I always reply and am very happy to answer questions. I love feedback (even if it’s to say you didn’t like it). I count this as my first book, I don’t have anything else to really show you. It took me two years to get this together, which is a long time for a little book, but I had failures as well as help along the way. You can write me at: talo.segura.x@gmail.com Comicality: – One last question. What advice would you give to any other writers who may be just starting out, or are looking for a reason to create a story of their own? Maybe you inspired them to give it a shot. Talo Segura: – From my own experience you have to be a reader who loves reading before you attempt to be an author. You have to accept (not easy) that your first efforts might be – not that good. You have to try and get some help and feedback that you can use to develop your skill. And try to keep in mind that simply because most people are literate and know how to write does not mean everyone is an instant author. Everyone (most) know how to talk, can even sing along with music, but that doesn’t make you a singer! It takes effort, practice, perseverance, and a little help. But don’t be discouraged, try your hand, you got to try it to see if it works, same with everything. And remember this: everyone of you is good at something, it’s waiting there for you to discover. Comicality: – Thank you so much for the interview and your insight on how you put this series together and for giving us hope for another entertaining tale in the future. All of you guys can check out Talo Segura’s story right here in Imagine Magazine, chapter by chapter! And feel free to write in and give him your thoughts at the email above! K? Enjoy! And welcome to the asylum, Talo! >:)

I've been reading the newest serials by Douglas and Cole Parker with great joy and relish. It struck me that while both are extremely well written, the reading experience each offers is different. To use an art metaphor, the poetic quality of Douglas' prose highlights literary negative space. On the other hand, Cole's characters fully inhabit their space. I hope this belongs under Readers Rule :)!

A friend and fellow author that I have a great deal of respect and admiration for is having a crisis of confidence. I will not name him but I too have suffered from this type of criticism. Some people can not tell a plot element from an endorsement. When a murder occurs in a story, is the author endorsing murder? When drug use happens in a story, is the author glorifying it? Silly questions? As authors, I believe that the interesting stories are told on the edge. Somewhere on the border of normalcy and madness there is a place where drama comes from. That place can be mundane or high brow. It can be common or rare. It is about people in conflict facing adversity and without it our stories are just so much soggy granola. I have read stories that glorify drug use. I know what they are when I see 'em. Yawn. I have read stories that are nothing more than a common masturbation fantasy typed with one hand. Snore. You know what they have in common? They are simply not interesting. Touchy subjects can be addressed if the author handles it right. If you start reading a story and stop four chapters in because a character smokes a joint, then you don't know what happens in the other umpteen chapters. You miss the character suffering negative consequences like failed relationships and hanging out with a lower class of people. You miss him getting busted and asking himself what's wrong with me. You miss out on that characters chance at redemption or his fall into jails, institutions or death. So you see something about a story that makes you uncomfortable. GET OVER IT. Here's YOUR chance to look at situations that you would never chose to face without getting your hands dirty. Here's your chance to experience things vicariously that would cost you body, soul or life to experience and maybe... avoid, identify with or recover from or perhaps have empathy for people who have actually been there. An author is NOT his work. At his best an author is a catalyst to help the reader see and understand with different eyes. At his worst he is a propagandist or a pornographer. It is up to the reader to make this determination for himself. If there is truth in his work and an author has applied his craft with heart, then the work will stand or fall on its own merit. As an author all that I ask is that you think for yourself. -JS

Having spent a couple of months desolate and bereft of the urge to write anything, other than shopping lists, it appears that my flighty friend, confident, and all-round blithering idiot, Muse, has returned. W00T I say, and W00T some more.

I'm talking about revision. You get back what you thought was a tightly polished story, and damn me it's suddenly got a plethora of 'things' that need fixing. I have one paragraph - a description of two people sitting on a bench overlooking a meadow - which it seems I've spent a decade on ... and it still isn't quite right. Oh, it was fine before, ;) but now, no. English is a very silly language. There are so many ways of couching the same thing, and each has something to recommend it. Then there is tense. I normally write in the first person, so it's a doddle (hmm), but third is so, sooooo much harder. On the one hand it's great, because you can have multiple points of view. But when you're trying to deal with different time lines, it's brain ache. And, and, and .... Pshaw! Anyway, if I finish my paragraph in time it will be posted this weekend. And the rest of the story as well. Camy: the brain addled Emu.

It's gorgeous weather. It makes such a difference to my frame of mind. I'm feeling quite perky, which is good for many reasons, not the least of which is, I hope, my writing. I now have so many part written stories it's not funny. Just to finish one would be a wondrous delight, yet I'm beginning to wonder if I've 'shot my bolt'. Virtually everything I've written has been written during 'bad' times. I wrote to escape the stress. Now I'm not so stressed I'm finding it really difficult to write anything. Dunno. Perhaps worrying about writing is going to stress me out to the degree I come up with a peach (I like peaches). Or perhaps I need to change my perspective, somehow .... Or stop whining and just get on with it. ;) Rehearsals are okay, but not brilliant. The problem is we're getting so damn fed up with the damn set. I saw Bob Dylan an age ago and never understood why he'd start playing a song - then stop eight bars in and start another one. Now I do. He's probably banished beds made of brass on pain of death. Still, a gig is a gig, and I'm much looking forward to it. I hope it doesn't rain.

This is one weird week. I've received both an awful bit of news - in that The Hub is closing, and a great bit of news - in that I've made Dude's pick for July with my short story: 'JJ and The Boys.' First, The Hub. Rob and Kitty followed a dream, and built a small, but vibrant community. They went through awful trials, worthy of Greek myth, and finally won through. Then ... stuff happened, and Kitty left. Rob carried on for a while, but he has a life to lead and rightly decided that enough was enough. They were my friends, and Kitty my mentor and editor. Now they've gone, and I'm saddened. Truly saddened. The only upside is that Rob will have some space, and hopefully, he can start writing again. As Richard Attenborough said in Jurassic Park "Life will find a way." And to get a Dude's Pick has ... erm ... Picked me up. :) Thanks Dude! Camy

Seraph, chapter 13, will be up this weekend. Apologies for the delay Camy

hood, airhead, applesauce, baby, bad egg, baloney, besotted, big bucks, big money, bilgewater, bitch, bite, blind drunk, blotto, boffin, boloney, bolshy, bosh, built, bumph, bun-fight, bundle, bunfight, bunk off, burnup, buy it, caff, can-do, cert, chuck, clean, cockeyed, codswallop, corker, crocked, deck, ditch, dreck, drool, drop-dead, feel, folderol, freaky, fuddled, gat, give, good egg, grotty, guvnor, heebie-jeebies, heist, hooey, hoof, humbug, jitters, juice, key, legs, loaded, mean, megabucks, niff, nosh-up, old man, out-and-outer, pie-eyed, pile, pint-size, pint-sized, pip out, pissed, pixilated, plastered, play hooky, plum, plumb, pong, poppycock, potty, rip-off, rod, rubbish, runty, sawed-off, sawn-off, screaming meemies, shakedown, shlock, shlockmeister, sister, slam-bang, slopped, sloshed, smashed, soaked, some, soused, sozzled, square, square-bashing, squeeze, squiffy, stacked, stiff, straight, stroppy, stuff, stuff and nonsense, taradiddle, , tiddley, tiddly, tight, tipsy, tommyrot, tosh, trash, tripe, trumpery, twaddle, uncool, well-stacked, wet, wish-wash, Pixy, Coal, Cole, Sour-Apple-Squirts.

I love 'Duck Duck Goose' and I hate it, too. As a story it's had me in all states of emotion, yet as a writer I know I could never write anything similar. That kind of length would get me twisted up in knots so fast I'd have to admit myself to the loony bin. But why? That's what's bothering me. Why can I only seem to write short stories? I have a couple of nearly finished novels, and yet every time I think of finishing them, I get into a cold sweat. Know thyself is good advice. I obviously don't. Yours, miffed. Camy --- I've finished 'Bathtime', a short (how did you guess?).

I'm not very good with inventing unique character names. Appalling actually, no idea why, just one of those things. So, as no matter what I do I get a lot of spam, I came up with the idea of using the senders names. Now, some of these really are unique, otherwise they'd get caught by my good friend and colleague: 'Spammy', the spam filter. I keep them in a file called ... erm *shuffles about looking embarrassed* 'good names.txt' Here are today's: Carson Richmond Jarek Looman Jaramillo Camille Isabella Russell Luella Conn Stuller Schlund Allie Jorgensen Vonfeldt Merriam Guillermo Scruggs Colville Carrigan Gullace Riback Hordei Africanthropus Expect to see them in a story, sooner or later. Word. If the cat would get off the desk I might be able to post this in a timely fashion. "Timely," she says, meowling. "There's nothing you've ever done that's timely." "Yeah, right," I reply. "Grub? Litter refilling duties? Opening and closing the back door a thousand times a day?" "Yes, but you love me, don't you?" She says, looking like butter wouldn't melt. "And whose fault is it you don't fit a Cat flap. Purrrr?" "You're a tart, you know that don't you?" I say. But she's fallen fast asleep .... Cats. Who'd have one? Emus are another matter entirely! The last chapter of Seraph is not making me happy. It's not making me happy, because it won't ... work. *sighs* 'Bathtime', on the other hand, is nearly finished. As are 'Tiatrather', 'Probisher', and 'Berkeley Tales'. Enough. Ave. Camy

I'm marginally happier now since I finished www.camysgaff.com, and Codey's 'Broken Heart'. It's kind of strange that I worked harder on that song than I ever work on my own stuff. I know I'm genuinely lazy, but that - that recording - has shown me I can achieve more if I want to. Now all I need is a month in a proper studio and a band. Fat chance. My new short 'Gin' was almost finished when I showed it to a mate. Now: I'm ripping it apart and re-writing. I wanted to post it soon, but there it is. One day it'll see the light of day. I've had two shorts accepted for 'www.iomfats.org', which I'm chuffed about ... and the weather seems to be getting better, too. I don't know what it is about the weather that affects my moods, but Lord do I get depressed during the winter. Yes, yes, I know it's raining outside. I'm not that stupid. Ave. *shuffles off to write another line or two before tea*

'Harvest Time' - the novel I was writing for NaNoWriMo - is still unfinished. That's not say I'm not continuing it, it's just that the 'gotta get to 50,000 words or look like a pranny' impetus has gone. Such is life. I've also got other stories to finish too - including 'Bathtime' which I promised Cole an age ago. I've sent a short story off to a magazine, and am waiting patiently for the rejection slip. At least this time I didn't send a 'Dark Drama' to a SciFi mag. Duh. Cole Parker's 'Bleat Bleat Quack' is quite trying my patience. This bi-weekly posting malarkey is causing no end of angst to my digestion, and until I get to the end I don't think life is going to get back to normal. It also seems that the Raccoon is going to be visiting our fair shores. I've decided to avoid the capital for the duration, and have told my sister to padlock her bins. The Hub's new Anthology is now on-line. The theme was 'Voyeur' and there are seven great stories there. Well, six and mine. And that's it for now. Hmm. Camy