Ask Michelle Anything!
Here are Michelle’s most recent answers to the questions and messages readers have submitted.
chronicles of ancient darkness: outcast is amazing
nabatanzi writes...
My book to read was outcast but I felt like entering the book. I don't know how you do it but your books are very amazing.
Michelle Replies...
Dear Cynthia, I'm really glad that you like my books so much, and thank you for taking the time to get in touch! I hope that once you've finished Outcast, you'll go on to enjoy the further adventures of Torak, Renn and Wolf. And just so you know, a few years after I finished the sixth book (Ghost Hunter), I wrote three more books: Viper's Daughter, Skin Taker, and Wolf Bane. May the guardian run with you! With very best wishes, Michelle
Freud, Jung, and the forest
Richard writes...
Dear Michelle,
Thank you for answering my question about analysis. To me, Freud's idea of the unconscious is like a spoiled brat who causes trouble, whereas for Jung it's the source of wisdom. The forest in COAD is like that, the source of life -- but you can't control it. No need to reply, I just couldn't help wanting to share this. I've always loved the forest in these stories and this realisation helped me see why.
With best wishes,
Richard
Michelle Replies...
I know you said I didn't need to reply, Richard, but I wanted to, because I love what you say about the Forest in COAD! I also agree in general with your distinction between the way Freud and Jung saw the unconscious. And to me, Freud's insistence on delving into an individual's past has always seemed to place a bit too much emphasis on it, whereas what I'm drawn to in Jung's writing is his view that we are all continually developing, right through our lives: something with which Fin-Kedinn would probably agree. Thanks for your messages, and for your insight into the Forest. With best wishes, Michelle
Wakenhyrst Book – signed copy
Lisa writes...
Good afternoon, my mum has lost her signed copy of her favourite book. Would it be possible to pay for another copy at all please. Many thanks
Michelle Replies...
Dear Lisa, I'm so sorry to hear that about your mum's book, but I'm afraid I can't send you another signed copy, as if I did it for you I'd have to do it for everyone, and that wouldn't really be feasible. I hope you understand. I can tell you, though, that I'll be doing a few book events in the autumn, and as soon as details are finalised, we'll post the venues on my website - so if there's one near you, I'd be happy to sign another copy if you bring it along. I hope that helps a bit. And I'm chuffed to know that your mum likes Wakenhyrst so much! With very best wishes to you both, Michelle
Ghosts of Summer
Lucan writes...
Having just read your latest article I feel compelled to lambast your publisher, we want ghost stories the whole year round! The summer is when the ghosts don't just skulk in the shadows but they ride forth. I have just spent the night of the summer solstice in meditation on top of the Longman of Wilmington and the barrow that sits atop it. The ghosts are very active when the earth is heated by the sun and a cool wind turns a skin's caress into goosebumps. Your Dark Matter is one of my favourite books and the environment plays a big factor in it's sense of isolation, but I think a wildness can be summoned in a summer haunting.
I look forward to your next book immensely!
Michelle Replies...
Dear Lucan, I absolutely loved your message! What a fantastic idea to spend the summer solstice like that. I do applaud your imagination in doing so - not to mention your courage - and I'm envious of the experience. And I totally agree about summer hauntings - as you will see, if you read the ghost story I've written for this October's anthology, The Witching Hour... (And, now I come to think of it, my forthcoming full-length novel, Rainforest.) Anyway, thanks again. It's so encouraging to know that there are people like you who really love ghost stories! With very best wishes, Michelle
analysis – what type of therapy did you have?
Richard writes...
fascinated by your account of your 'block' dream, and its resolution with analysis; do you mind me asking what kind of analysis you had? I know analysis and therapy quite often doesn't help so anything you'd share as to what made it work would be great, though I'm asking a lot! perhaps just -- was it the type of therapy or the rapport with the therapist?
Michelle Replies...
I'm glad you asked that, Richard. During my writer's block I had done a lot of reading about the psychology and science of dreaming, and I'd also read the writings of CG Jung. These really resonated with me, because of his emphasis on the importance of folklore, myth and fairytales. So when I realised that I needed help, I did some googling and found myself a Jungian analyst (or therapist, if you prefer). And you're right, one does of course also have to have a rapport with the therapist in question, which happily I did. But I also found - and still find - that the Jungian approach works for me. I hope this helps a bit, and thanks for asking. With very best wishes, Michelle
Source of the Spell in Spirit Walker – and the Ian McKellen connection
Tim writes...
Dear Michelle,
We have met before (and I've asked you questions before), and this time I would like to ask you yet another very specific question about a scene in COAD. At the start of Spirit Walker, when the sickness is spreading through the Forest and the first members of the Raven Clan fall ill, Saeunn and Renn perform a ritual over Oslak's body to try to get rid of the disease (he's been dead for quite some years now so I feel I'm allowed to say Oslak's name out loud...). I've read the books in Dutch, so I'm not exactly sure how the spell goes in English, but it's something like this:
'Come, disease. Out of the marrow, into the bone. Out of the bone, into the flesh. Out of the flesh, into the skin. Out of the skin, into the arrow. Out of the arrow, into the fire.' After which Saeunn does indeed throw the arrow into the fire.
I have just read a book on the history of the Dutch language, which contains a chapter with - among other things - charms written around the 9th century that were later used by Jacob Grimm to formulate his theory on sound changes in the Germanic languages around that time. The charms are supposed to be remedies against worms, and one of them goes:
'Out, worm, with nine little worms, out of the marrow, into the bone...' and then it goes on exactly like the spell you put in Spirit Walker, right up until the end with the arrow. I'm assuming that can't be a coincidence.
I realise this was a very long time ago, but I wanted to ask if you remember how you came to this. Was it something on which you accidentally stumbled across and decided would fit into the story, or were you actively looking for ancient spells and such in books more often? Are there any other such charms that you took from old sources?
Best wishes,
Tim
Michelle Replies...
Hello again, Tim! You're absolutely right, that spell is based on a real source (though I'd not heard of the Jacob Grimm connection till now). It's an Old High German charm called Contra Vermes, probably dating to about the early 1oth century, but with pre-Christian roots that may go back to the Rig Veda, the ancient Sanskrit text. I came across it years before I began Wolf Brother in a translation of an Icelandic grimoire or collection of spells (The Galdrabok, transl. Stephen Flowers, pub'd Samuel Weisner Inc, 1989) - but when researching Torak's world, I re-read my collection of such books and found it. Have I used others like it? Definitely. In creating Torak's world I drew on the folklore of many cultures such as the Ainu, Native Americans, Indigenous Australians, Inuit, and of course Norse and Germanic. Mostly I can't recall the sources, but I do recall that Seshru's summoning charm in Outcast -"When reed quakes, etc, remember me.." derives from a Malaysian charm that I think I found in The Golden Bough. (Incidentally, when Ian McKellen read that for the audiobook, it put him in mind of what the ghost says in Hamlet!) Thanks for asking such a great question, which had me leafing through my old continuity notes... With very best wishes, Michelle
Any update on a Wolf Brother series?!
Richard writes...
Hey Michelle, just wondered if there had been any movements in a potential wolf brother series? I know the idea what discussed a while ago but wondered if there had been any movements? Just to add I adored the wolf brother series so much but never finished the last book. I cannot go further because I don’t want wolf to die and I have no idea if he does or not but can’t go further. I’ve just let me imagine think of different endings! The book has been sat half finished my sideboard for years!
Michelle Replies...
Dear Richard, I'm afraid there are currently no plans to adapt the stories; but it's terrific to hear how much you loved them! I found your reluctance to finish the final book out of concern for Wolf very touching. But as I'm not sure whether you meant Book 6, Ghost Hunter - I thought I should mention that a few years ago I wrote three more sequels. So if it's Ghost Hunter that's sat on half-finished on your sideboard, you can now read the rest of it in perfect confidence, because Wolf features in all the sequels - Viper's Daughter, Skin Taker, and Wolf Bane. With very best wishes, Michelle
Torak’s world on screen: how would you change things?
Rebecca writes...
Hi Michelle.
Would you consider writing any prequels or spinoffs in Torak's world?
Will there be any film or TV apaptations of the original 6 book series in the future? - I hope so!
What changes would you make? And what same ideas would you insist of using?
Do you have any actors in mind already that you'd like for the character's parts?
Thanks again.
Michelle Replies...
Dear Rebecca, thanks for all this! At present there are no plans to adapt the Wolf Brother books, but if that changes, readers visiting my website will be the first to know. Concerning spinoffs or prequels, I've never felt the urge to write them. I think that's because I'm so close to Torak, Renn and Wolf (not to mention Dark) that I just couldn't imagine that world without them. You also asked whether - if there were an adaptation in the future - I'd want any changes made. That prompted a hollow laugh, because it wouldn't be up to me. Any studio which did a film or tv deal would want the right to change anything it liked about the stories, and I'd just have to put up with it. I think I'd be happy, provided they kept to the spirit of the stories, and didn't try to make Torak into a cartoonish super-hero, and Wolf into a sort of Stone Age Lassie. As for actors: personally, I'd prefer unknown actors to play most of the characters; and Wolf would of course have to be CGI'd. That's because you can't train real wolves to do anything, not even fetch a stick. They simply don't see the point. Thanks for asking such interesting questions - and may the guardian run with you! With best wishes, Michelle
chronicles of ancient darkness series: the books of my childhood
faye writes...
Hi Michelle! I grew up reading your books from the age of eight to now eighteen and the wolf brother series is hands down one of the best i have ever read. I've always loved the idea of toraks world being adapted to a TV show, and I know there was a cancellation a couple years ago, but do you ever think an adaptation would be possible in the future? These books were my childhood, and I would love for the magic to carry to non book readers as well - they should all know Torak, Renn and Wolf!!
Michelle Replies...
Dear Faye, it's marvellous to hear that the stories saw you all the way into adulthood, and I love your phrase "the books of my childhood". As for any tv adaptation, I'm afraid your information is up to date: at the moment, it's not on the cards. If that chances, of course I'll post the news on my website. In the meantime, thanks for getting in touch - and may the guardian hunt with you! Best wishes, Michelle
Revisiting Gruhuken
Valda writes...
I love this book and always enjoy recommending it to other people, so as it’s hot and steamy in Suffolk, what could be better than (re) visiting Gruhuken with Jack and spending some time in the Arctic.
Michelle Replies...
Dear Valda, it must indeed be hot in Suffolk - it's getting pretty tropical where I am in south London - so what a great idea to tunnel down into some Arctic chill with Dark Matter! I love the picture, too. And for those who may not be familiar with that cover, it's one of the original book proofs (ie advance copies) from before the book was first published, fifteen years go. Thanks for reminding me of that, I must hunt out my copy. Enjoy your return to Gruhuken! With best wishes, Michelle