Clamour and Mischief author Geneve Flynn joins our quick corvids Q&A (try saying that four feathery times fast), talking about her story "The Past is Not a Present," and reading from her tale, too!
What is the most unexpected tidbit you learned while researching your story?
According to Chinese folklore, the five noxious animals – snake, scorpion, centipede, toad, and spider – protect against poison. They were carved into amulets or woven into patterns on clothing.
What was your favourite thing about writing a story for Clamour & Mischief?
Getting to pay homage to a movie that made a big impression on me as a child – 7 Faces of Dr. Lao. The adaptation of Charles G. Finney’s novel The Circus of Dr. Lao isn’t without its issues but there was something deeply fascinating and unsettling about a travelling show filled with mythical creatures that revealed the truth to whomever stepped within its shadowy walls.
Which is your favourite corvid and why?
I don’t know about favourite, but I’ve written about crows in two stories now. I wrote a much darker story called ‘The Fledgling’, which appears on episode 329 on the Tales to Terrify podcast. There’s something intimidating about their size and intelligence; and their rattle is very much like the clicking sound the Predator makes when it’s watching from the jungle canopy.
Here's a link to my website www.geneveflynn.com.au, too.
Read all the Q&As with our Clamour and Mischief authors.