Dolcy D’Cruz
‘The Twisted Child’ marks Goan author Mario Coelho’s return to short fiction two years after ‘Moonlight And Shadow’, his first collection of unsettling tales for adults. His new book comprises 12 short stories that move into the terrain of mystery and the supernatural, dark, but not quite horror. Set in Goa, the stories are populated by recognisable characters and everyday situations, drawing readers in through familiarity before leading them towards the unexpected. The stories are dark but not frightening, each with a twist as Mario strikes that balance as a writer. “Some of the stories are a little frightening, but not so much that they’ll keep you awake at night. I myself don’t mind reading stories that are a little scary, but I shy away from downright horror. I don’t want to have nightmares when I sleep,” says Mario. Each story can be read on its own, but all are closely tied to Goa and its surroundings with characters that most readers would relate to, whether a village drunkard, a hardworking toddy tapper or the elderly woman living alone in her heritage home. Published by Goa 1556, several stories in ‘The Twisted Child’ are inspired by experiences shared with Mario by friends, acquaintances and even strangers. Once a sceptic, he admits these encounters forced him to reconsider his disbelief in the supernatural. “I never used to believe in ghosts, but after listening to people, both friends and strangers, who’ve spoken of their supernatural experiences, I’ve had to do a rethink. And many of the stories were so fascinating that I had to weave them into a story of my own. It would have been such a waste if I hadn’t. Usually, I take the basic experience that the person has had, and weave a completely different story from that experience, as I did with the title story ‘The Twisted Child’. Imagination has a lot to do with this process, and that is simply a gift; I don’t take any credit for it.” Known for his children’s books ‘Daksh, the Dancing Dragon’ and ‘The Cats Who Loved to Dance’, this is Mario’s second collection of stories after ‘Moonlight and Shadow.’ Speaking about why mystery and the supernatural as genres remain underexplored locally, Mario explains, “I’ve been reading the works of Goan writers like Tino D’Sa, José Lourenço, Sheela Jaywant and Kaustubh Naik, to name a few. These are all immensely talented and entertaining writers. From Mangalore, Dr Geralyn Pinto’s writing, is extraordinary. Much of Goan writing, including the works of Damodar Mauzo (Bhai) is what I would call ‘slice of life’ or vignettes of Goan culture and society. You can smell the earth in their stories, taste the tang of curry and spice, and inhale the fragrance of the soil after the first rains. But as to why mystery and the supernatural are largely unexplored genres in Goan writing, the honest answer to that is: I don’t know. Maybe I alone have a dark soul, who knows?” Mario began writing seriously at the age of 46. Despite the challenges of publishing, he says “It is easier to know the mind of the Almighty than that of a top publishing house.” Looking ahead, Mario has no shortage of plans. “Tentatively titled ‘Avigail – Tales of a Darker Night’ is another book of tales with a twist. In April or May this year, HarperCollins will be bringing out a book, written by me, on the Vikram & Betaal mythological series. We are thinking of calling it ‘Betaal Pachchisi’. These will comprise 25 stories, written almost entirely in verse, and profusely illustrated,” he informs. What keeps him going is simple and honest. “First, the fact that I’m putting my talent to good use. Secondly, that I’m entertaining people. Thirdly, the fact that someday I’ll be widely read and well known; fame and recognition are important to me. And lastly, that I am weaving or crafting narratives, whether children’s stories or dark tales, which are of a certain quality. That is the most important thing to me, above everything else,” concludes Mario. (Mario Coelho will launch his latest book, ‘The Twisted Child: Tales of the Unexpected’, at Broadway Book Centre, Panjim, on Thursday, January 29 at 5 pm. The event will also feature a session titled The Art and Craft of the Short Story, with speakers Tino de Sa, Sheela Jaywant, Bina Nayak, José Lourenço and Mario Coelho.)
