Paula Xiberras
I recently chatted to Nicholas Falk, author, and clinical psychologist, who has been living in Tasmania for 7 years. The former Londoner was assigned to a Sydney based US consulting company before making the move to Tasmania which has been a great decision, with his first book, a children’s picture book ‘Troggle the Troll’ to be launched at Fullers this Saturday.
The name Falk originates from the word ‘falcon’ which means ‘exceptional powers of flight and vision’ and Nicholas certainly has these.
His vision on this book and future creations have taken flight from a very fertile mind flying in the open spaces without boundaries just like the falcon.
Nicholas has written some adult novels ‘a bit left of centre’, like some of the less conventional books he admires. These are yet to be published so expect surprises just as we get at a ’cuter’ level with Troggle the troll.
Nick tells me writing this book was initially prompted by his younger son’s love of being told original stories and Nick thought why not write them down and so he did.
The book with its gorgeous illustrations (Nick is yet to meet his illustrator) was at first not what Nick had envisaged. He hadn’t necessarily expected his trolls to look so cute and this witty and slightly wicked(in the nicest possible way) storyteller wanted a darker edge. However, he has now warmed (forgive the pun) to this culinary adventure.
The premise of the book does have a slightly reverse psychological bent to it with the young troll, our protagonist, being the one in the family that wants to eat vegetables and his parents being the ones who don’t encourage it unlike the real world of reluctant children.
In saying that, the book is ‘pure entertainment’ and Troggle abstains from eating humans not for any moral reasons but simply because he doesn’t like the taste of them, a lovely reverse of children not liking the taste of vegetables.
And the book could be the start of a very fang-tastic franchise with the cute creatures already being lined up in an animation model kind of way for a little movie which Nicholas’s wife Carmen is involved in the production of. Nicholas will narrate the story.
Nick is also working on his Saurus series and things are hotting up (pardon the pun) with his new creation of a weredragon!
Nick will appear at Fullers on 10.30am Saturday 1st December
Tickets $5.00 (available in store or over the phone).
