Richard Spegal: Author & Storyteller on Forbidden Bonds, Immortality, and Mature Fantasy Fiction
- Richard explains how military life removes pretense and teaches teamwork.
- Connections between military experience and authentic action scenes.
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Overview
In this engaging episode of The Brand Called You, host Ashutosh Garg interviews Pennsylvania-based author Richard Spegal, known for his fantasy trilogies Eternal Nights and Wolves and Ravens. The conversation explores the influence of military service on storytelling, the need for adult fantasy, and the deep philosophical undertones behind immortality, forbidden bonds, and morality.
00:46 – Military Influence on Writing:
- Richard explains how military life removes pretense and teaches teamwork.
- Connections between military experience and authentic action scenes.
- Insights from balancing family life with military service inform character dynamics.
01:43 – Adult Fantasy and Missing Elements:
- Fantasy had been largely focused on young adult audiences.
- A lack of mature, realistic storytelling in supernatural genres after Anne Rice inspired his writing for adult readers.
02:29 – The Decision Not to Sugarcoat Stories:
- Military service revealed that sugarcoating narratives reduces authenticity.
- Commitment to portraying psychological and physical challenges honestly.
03:01 – Forbidden Bonds and Natural Connections:
- Wolves and Ravens centers on forbidden love and societal barriers.
- Eternal Nights explores relationships among ancient supernatural beings.
04:06 – Love as a Counterforce to Darkness:
- Love ultimately becomes the conquering force in both series.
- Eternal Nights shows love as resilient despite immortality and science fiction elements.
- Wolves and Ravens explores a will-they-won’t-they dynamic.
04:47 – Philosophical Questions About Immortality:
- Examines how living for centuries affects the mind and personality.
- Characters realistically suffer the burden of age and immortality.
- Immortality is depicted as complex and often negative.
06:18 – Emotional Depth of Supernatural Beings:
- Avoids simplistic monster tropes.
- Provides logical explanations for supernatural traits to enhance realism.
- Requires extensive research and imaginative world-building.
07:42 – The Inner Beast and Human Nature:
- Originally not intended as a metaphor but evolved into a daily internal struggle for characters.
- Good protagonists remain vigilant against darker instincts.
08:25 – Relatable Characters Across Centuries:
- Marriage and everyday couple dynamics ground the fantasy.
- Relatability comes from universal human relationships, not supernatural aspects.
09:19 – Moral Ambiguity in Storytelling:
- Reflects real-world complexity where most situations are shades of gray.
- Protagonists are flawed yet strive to do good.
10:03 – Societal Control and Fear in Wolves and Ravens:
- Explores flawed laws and the importance of questioning authority.
- Parallels with historical revolutions.
11:15 – Forgetting the Cause of Wars:
- Mirrors real-world conflicts and collective memory loss.
- Antagonist’s manipulation spreads ignorance about origins.
RESOURCES:
Learn more about Richard Spegal: LinkedIn
Enjoyed this podcast?
What happens to your mind if you live 2,000 years? Richard Spegal’s vampires unravel with age, becoming strange and unpredictable—the burden of eternity is real. Share your thoughts in the comments and help spread these insights within your network.
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- Richard explains how military life removes pretense and teaches teamwork.
- Connections between military experience and authentic action scenes.
- Insights from balancing family life with military service inform character dynamics.
