Naginn writes…

Hiya Michelle, I’ve written 4 times before and your unfortunately not rid of me yet
I hope your having a good day week and month (Torak’s birthday soon)
I have multiple short questions which I’m putting together

APOLOGIES FOR SPELLING

1. How long did it take you to write your first book
2. Have you seen the Disney movie brother bear? (The uncanny Native American version of Wolf Brother)
3. What helps you write?
4. (From a friend) what does eoastra look like under her mask ?
5. Can torak read?
6. Does Fin kedinn consider Renn, Hord, Torak and Dark his children?
7. (In outcast Renn said her mother identity was hers to share and only Finn and Saunn knew)
So did Hord think Renn was only his half sister or did he also know?

Thank you in advance for this reply
Hope you have a great month!
From Sam

Michelle Replies…

Hello, Sam, thanks for your enthusiasm. Here are the answers to your questions:

1. It took me about a year to write Wolf Brother: about three months’ research, then 4-5 months writing the first draft, and the rest re-writing it.  That sounds a lot, and I’m sure it doesn’t take you a year to read it, but writing is very hard work!  (Also Wolf Brother wasn’t actually my first book, but it’s the one I thought you’d be most interested in, as it’s the first in the series.)

2) No, I haven’t seen Brother Bear.

3) Writing is all about concentration, so I write in a room where there’s no access to the internet, my phone is on silent, and I’m in silence, with a view of trees.  And if I get stuck, a short walk in the woods near my house always helps.

4) It’s up to the reader to imagine what Eostra looks like under her mask; all I will tell you is that it isn’t good!

5) No, Torak can’t read, because (as far as we know) alphabets hadn’t been invented 6,000 years ago in his part of the world, which is northern Scandinavia.  However his people do use certain signs – marked on stones or trees – to communicate.  Although this isn’t writing.

6) Yes, in a way, Fin-Kedinn does feel for Renn, Hord, Torak and Dark as his children.

7) Hord and Renn are brother and sister, not half-siblings.  As to whether he also knew about their mother’s identity, I leave that to the reader’s imagination; although if Saeunn told Renn, she would probably have told Hord too, don’t you think?  (And thank you for NOT including a spoiler about Renn’s mother in your question.)

Well that’s all I’ve got time for, as I have to go and do some writing. And please don’t be disappointed if you don’t get a reply to any further questions you might send, as I need time to reply to other readers too.  May the guardian run with you!  With best wishes, Michelle

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