For almost a decade writer Whiti Hereaka has been fleshing out the mythical story of a monster bird woman. The novel is called Kurangaituku - a name and story Whiti's known since childhood. But that story has traditionally been told from the perspective of Hatupatu, the man she loved desperately but who ultimately betrayed her. Whiti tells Kurangaituku's story in the first person - from when birds called her into existence to her love for Hatupatu, the upheaval that ravaged her world, and her time roaming the underworlds of Raohenga. Whiti reads from the novel and talks to Lynn Freeman about her memories of then story and why it inspired her so much. Kurangaituku is published by Huia. Whiti will be talking at the upcoming LitCrawl festival in Wellington.