❧ Important inquiry (because I’m in dire need to know). I grew up in Arkansas, the state itself very rarely gets any recognition. From what I gather, ‘Fiendish’ is set in the south/near Arkansas (which I adore, by the way). Is there a specific place there that inspired your magnificent ‘Fiendish’ setting? Is there a town you used for inspiration? Much love, Yelir
Yes! When I was little, I lived in northern Arkansas (Marion County, a little ways outside of a town called Yellville), on about a hundred acres, surrounded by creeks, at the base of a hill called Poison Point. The house had burned down a long time ago, so we lived in the barn.
So that’s where the setting for the Willows comes from, but for the in-town parts, I actually borrowed heavily from this really small town in Oklahoma where half the buildings on Main St. were condemned and covered in murals. They had the smallest post office I’ve ever seen and the best chicken-fried steak and okra and it was only six dollars, and once they were having this sort of founders’ day type celebration, and my friend got in a fight with the mayor over a pie.