The Original Nightmare Tree

My inspiration for the Nightmare Tree itself comes from the Baobab, which can't actually be found in the Seychelles (the setting of the story), being a native of Africa. Its appearance suggested lust, greed, gluttony and every form of excess embodied in a single image. In addition, a myth concerning the origins of the Baobab tells of how "Nkulu-Nkulu" (the great Lord), when he was planting the first trees on earth, accidentally planted the Baobab upside down, so that its roots grew into the air. What a perfect symbol of the nature of evil!

With a bit of Googling, I found other images of baobab trees that contain gaps and even spaces within them, just as was depicted in the novel. At the time of writing, I wasn't actually aware that these trees could be hollow; that's just the beautiful coincidence (providence?) of this strange craft or art...