Jasmyn writes...

Hi my names jasmyn and I have loved reading the chronicles of ancient darkness. I would like to ask you about clan guardians. Can your clan guardian be an animal that you are deeply connected too? Thanks, Jasmyn

Michelle Replies...

Hello again, Jasmyn, and thanks for this.  You're quite right, your clan guardian can indeed be an animal to whom you feel deeply connected.  In my previous answer about clans, I explained what a clan-creature is.  Well, the clan guardian is like the special, spirit version of a clan-creature, which watches over members of that clan.  You may never actually see it (although that's not impossible, and you might think you have, if your clan creature does something out of the ordinary) but that won't stop you asking it for help, or thanking it if good things happen.  And you might dream about it, which might make you believe it had visited you in your sleep.  The Raven Clan's clan guardian is of course a raven.  But it's not one of the ravens which hang about camp, or tease wolf cubs; and when Renn sometimes refers to individual ravens as "little guardian", that's just a form of speech.  She doesn't mean that they're actually the clan guardian.  But she's always respectful to ravens, because they are her clan creature.  If this all sounds rather vague and mysterious, that's because it is.  Beliefs often are.  But I hope it's helped you understand.  And may your guardian hunt, run, swim or fly with you!  With best wishes, Michelle

Isabelle writes...

Hello, Michelle! Hope you’re doing well!

I fell in love with the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness books as a pre-teen and has since re-read them in about every stage of my life and each re-read gives new perspectives on the books as my own life experiences grow. For example, while as a kid, I despised Hord, as an adult, I can also feel empathy for him. Sure, he is vain, prideful and a bully but as someone who has gone through the teen years, I can also see how he is insecure, desperate to prove that he’s capable, perhaps even trying to gain the approval of his uncle who seems to be emotionally closer to Hord’s younger sister while navigating the complicated passage from being an adolescent to becoming a man. It also makes me wonder if Renn perhaps sees her brother differently as she gets older.

In the last three books Renn and Torak are practically adults (while in our times they would still be considered teenagers). How did you approach writing them as older and more mature while still maintaining the same target age group and rating? I think you balanced it really well without alienating neither the younger readers nor the older. Were there any themes you had to leave out to maintain that balance?

Michelle Replies...

Thanks so much for this, Isabelle.  I'm delighted that you've found different things in the books at different stages of your life, and I love your insights into Hord; I think that shows great empathy on your part.  As for the last three books (Viper's Daughter, Skintaker & Wolf Bane), it was hard to find the right balance between showing that Torak and Renn are (in Stone Age terms) adults, albeit young ones, without alienating younger readers.  But as with all writing, that was largely a matter of trial and error, and endless re-writing!  I'm glad you think that I struck the right balance.  I don't recall deliberately avoiding any themes, becaue I don't believe in doing that.  It was more a question of dealing sensitively with those that arose.  Thanks so much for such great questions!  With very best wishes, Michelle

Joshua writes...

As a fan of both your esteemed historical fantasy series:- the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, & having recently discovered Jean M. Auel’s own intriguing prehistorical fictional series:- Earth's Children—I would like to ask if you have been influenced by her preceding work. Is this so? Also, I would like to know if you have ever considered writing a series of books set amid the Late Pleistocene epoch—that combines themes from both the aforementioned series. Has the idea crossed your mind? I think a series prehistoric fantasy series with a similar story arc and characters to the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness—but set at a time when anatomically modern humans coexisted and interbreed with other species of Homo—like the Neanderthals and Denisovans, along with other unidentified archaic hominins—would be a fascinating premise. This would be especially so—given the recent advancements in our unfolding understanding of the complex political & personal interrelationships between ourselves and other archaic human species. Would you be so kind as to shed some light on my questions?

Michelle Replies...

Hello, Joshua, thanks for such interesting questions - and I'm so glad you've enjoyed my books!  I wasn't influenced by Jean Auel's stories, because I haven't read them.  I dimly remember taking a look at the start of her first book around the time I was writing Spirit Walker, but I soon decided that it wasn't for me, and that given the difference in period and in her approach, it was best left alone.  (And to be clear, by that I mean no disparagement to Ms Auel, for whom I have great respect!)

As for setting a story in the late Pleistocene, you're right, it is a fascinating period, particularly given the potential for interaction between modern humans and other hominids such as Neanderthals.  However for some reason, it never appealed to me.  For me, it was always the Mesolithic - and probably always will be.  I don't know why this should be; but there's always an element of mystery about these things, probably because stories come from deep within the unconscious.  So that late Pleistocene epic which you mention will have to wait for another author to come along.  Who knows, perhaps it will be you!  Thanks for getting in touch.  With very best wishes, Michelle

Anton writes...

Hi Michelle!

First of all I would like to thank you for creating such a captivating story and world with Wolf Brother! I’ve been an avid reader of the books since 2006 when I started out at 8 years old, and now at almost 27 I read it in class for my own students. As a member of the lgbtq+ community I must also thank you for including a storyline featuring queer characters in the final book, it filled my heart with such joy and warmth! I know that you don’t want to continue the story, since you wrapped it in such a perfect way. But is there a part of you who feels like there might still be more stories to tell within that world? With entirely new characters, or perhaps geared towards a different age demographic?

Best regards,
Anton from Sweden

Michelle Replies...

Dear Anton, it's terrific that you've enjoyed these books since you were a boy, and that you're now reading them to your students!  I'm also delighted that you liked that story arc in the final book.  I'd had it in mind way back when I was planning the original series, but it turned out that there wasn't enough room in the first six books to do it justice, so I reluctantly had to leave it out.  It was immensely satisfying when I realised that the further three books would give me the space to amplify Dark's story, in what I hope is a sensitive and age-appropriate way.

As for your question, I don't currently have an urge to return to Torak's world; probably because for me, it really is all about the characters of Torak, Renn and Wolf, and I feel that I've already given them a good send-off.  However when it comes to writing, one can truly never say never; so who knows how I'll feel in a few years' time?  Thank you so much for getting in touch.  I hope you and your students enjoy many more happy hours in the Forest!  Michelle