Ask Michelle
Here are Michelle’s most recent answers to the questions and messages readers have submitted.
(lack of) Hungarian translations
Noemi writes...
Hi Michelle,
When I was younger I have started to read the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness in Hungarian. I really liked it, my sister and my mother did so, but as it turned out, we only have the first two books translated. I didn't speak any English at the time, so I had to give up on reading it. I completely forgot that the sequel even existed, but a few days ago somehow I remembered the story.
It would be really nice to have the rest of the books of the sequel translated as well, because, I think, Hungarian children would also love it.
I'd even volunteer to make a fan-made translation (though I don't have the texts yet, but I guess I can buy them online in English).
Do you think there could be a legal way for me to be able to translate the books and share them with others? I am a university student, so I don't have a degree in translation or in English yet, but I already have experience in literary translation.
All the best,
Noémi
Michelle Replies...
Dear Noemi, Many thanks for your message, and it's great to know that you, your mother and sister enjoyed the first two books in the series so much. It's a lovely idea to do a Hungarian translation of the later books, but I'm afraid that as my publishers own the rights, there isn't a legal way for you to do this; and I don't think the Hungarian publishers intend to do so themselves (although you could always ask them, if you like.) I'm sorry about this, as it's a great idea. And I want to thank you, too, for taking the trouble to check first. I have to say, though, that your English is so brilliant that maybe you'll now be able to enjoy the later books in English - should you wish to, of course. Thanks again for getting in touch, and I wish you the best of luck with your university studies. May the guardian run with you! Michelle
I am a Japanese reader of the Japanese translation of Viper’s daughter.
Yuzu writes...
Dear Michelle.
I am Japanese. I love your novels!
I use a translation app because my English is not good enough.
I first read your novels 12 years ago.
For me, the world in which Torak, Ren and Wolf live is very far away, and yet very familiar. The world you write about them is clear, beautiful and palpable.
I grew up thinking of them as friends all my life.
So when the story ended and Torak, Ren and Wolf began their new journey, I was very sad that I could no longer follow their journey.
When I heard you had written 'Viper's daughter' I was delighted.
The Japanese translation has finally been released and just the other day I had the pleasure of meeting them again.
In truth, I was a little anxious. Would they stay who they are? What would I think of them as an adult? Would I be able to enjoy the journey with them as I did when I was a child?
All these fears were unfounded.
I enjoyed travelling with them.
Torak has become a little more honest and better at expressing his love for Renn. Renn was a bit timid because she loves Torak. But she was still smart and brave. She was still the wonderful girl I had always wanted to be.
I hope you know how happy that makes me!
I am so grateful that you gave me the opportunity to travel with them again.
Take care of yourself.
Michelle Replies...
Dear Yuzu Shirosaki, Konichiwa! And what a lovely message to receive when I switched on my computer this morning. You put it so beautifully when you say that you felt as if Torak, Renn and Wolf were your friends; they felt like that to me too, when I was writing the stories. And like you, I felt a bit anxious when I sat down to write Viper's Daughter. I'm really delighted that you enjoyed being back in the Forest with them - and I hope that in due course, you will be able to return with them for the final two books in the series, if they are also translated into Japanese. Thank you so much for getting in touch. With very best wishes, Michelle
Thank you
Hazel writes...
You and your Ancient Chronicles of Darkness series is the reason I fell in love with reading and writing. They are also the reason my English improved so quickly. I was ten when I found your books, a few years after my family and I moved to the States from S. Korea, and I distinctively remember reading Wolf Brother and my mom being surprised how quickly I finished the book. Then my parents bought me the next installment and then the next, and I’d be sad because I finished it too fast and would have to wait for the next book. The original Wolf Brother, along with Spirit Walker, is still on my bookshelf with its wrinkled spine and dog-eared pages. Thankfully after Spirit Walker, I realized that hard covers are sturdier and better for long-term keeping, even if they're heavier.
I work an office job now, studying to transition into UX writing (which is much closer to the writing field than the job I have now). But I will always have stories in my head that I hope to one day muster enough courage to prioritize and publish.
Anyway, thank you Michelle, for deciding to write your books and taking the brave step to do what you wanted to do.
P.S. Wolves are still, to this very second, my favorite animals.
Michelle Replies...
Dear Hazel, thank you so much for your wonderful message, and I'm truly glad that my stories have meant so much to you. (As an aside, I know what you mean about dog-eared pages; my copy of Soul Eater has bite marks in the top right-hand corner, where Torak the wolf chewed it when he was a cub, about the same age as Wolf in Wolf Brother. Naturally, that volume is very precious to me!) I'd also like to wish you the best of luck with your own writing. It's hard work, but worth it. Thanks again for getting in touch. With very best wishes, Michelle
Wolf Brother translations
Kit writes...
Hello Miss Paver,
I've been a fan of your Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series for 16/17 years and am recently revisiting them. Wolf Brother is the first and only book I remember reading where I was immediately sucked in by the first sentence, and Spirit Walker is the only book in recent years I've read all the way through in 1 day. I absolutely love this series and I can't wait to read the sequel 3 for the first time.
Some lead up info for my Q: I'm in the process of learning Dutch and had the thought that it'd be fun to have the goal of being able to read the Dutch translation of Wolf Brother and the other books, and I was able to find in the Wikipedia article that a Dutch translation of the series was made, but I can't find the name of it or the printing house for the life of me.
So, my question is, would you happen to know the name of either the series or publisher, or what the best way to get a translation of your books would be?
Even if you don't, I appreciate your reading this and am sending well wishes to you and yours.
Thank you,
Kit(he/they)
Michelle Replies...
Dear Kit, Thanks for your question - and I'm so pleased that you enjoyed the books as a child, and it's great that you still are! The first six books were originally published in Holland and Belgium by the house of books: sometimes abbreviated to thb, www.thehouseofbooks.nl. Wolf Brother was called "Torak en Wolf", its ISBN ws 9044312235, and the series title was "avonturen uit een magisch verleden". It was translated by Ellis Post Uiterweer, who translated the other five books as well. I've got all this from my copy of the Dutch volumes, but I have a hazy recollection that the house of books may have been taken over by another publishing house, I can't recall which. I hope the information I've given you will help you track down a copy. Maybe abe.com or similar could help? Anyway, good luck - and good luck with your Dutch studies, too! With best wishes, Michelle
Ghost Hunter
Sam writes...
When exactly is souls night is it around the winter solstice or Christmas Eve
Michelle Replies...
Dear Sam, Many thanks for your question. Souls' Night occurs in the dark of the Blackthorn Moon. This means that it corresponds roughly to our Hallowe'en, ie the end of October - although of course Torak's people reckoned by the phases of the moon, rather than sticking to a rigid calendar, as we do. I hope this helps! Best wishes, Michelle
Thank You
Karolina and Iza writes...
Dear Michelle Paver,
We (together with my sister) would like to thank you for the series of books which you have written ‘Chronicles of Ancient Darkness’. We read this series when we were children and it is like the ‘Harry Potter’ series for us - we grew up with it and it had a big influence on us.
Especially the advice that Torak heard from Fin-Kedinn, when he was overthinking about his problems, to focus only on one mesh at a time, during the process of making a fishing net. This advice we still apply now in our own lives and advise it to others.
We hope that you will read this message.
Thank you.
Karolina and Iza from Poland
Michelle Replies...
Dear Karolina and Iza, Thank you so much for your lovely message, and I'm absolutely delighted that you've enjoyed my Chronicles of Ancient Darkness stories! I'm particularly pleased that you liked and have been helped by Fin-Kedinn's advice to Torak. Fin-Kedinn has always been one of my favourite characters, and I often think about the various things he has told Torak, Renn and Dark, over the course of the series. (That might sound a bit weird, given that I created him; but it's true.) Thank you both again so much for getting in touch - and may the guardian run with you!
With very best wishes, Michelle
Growing up with your books
Rosie writes...
The first time I read one of your books was when I bought Wolf Brother in a waterstones at the age of about 10. I was completely infatuated and bought the rest of the series which I can safely say for the last 9 years i’ve read religiously and was prepared whenever a new one was published. I’m 19 now and off to University in 2 weeks. For the most recent christmas, My family bought your whole book set for me again in a less beaten and overly read form and I’m pleased to say it’s one of the first things I packed to take. I grew up reading the Wolf Brother series and genuinely it helped me in ways I can’t even explain. They inspired me and even now i’m going into a Creative Writing degree to write for people the way you wrote for so many. So from the heart of my inner child whom your books basically raised, thank you so much.
Michelle Replies...
Dear Rosie,
Thank you for such a wonderful and moving message. I can't tell you how pleased I am that the Wolf Brother stories have helped you, and been part of your life. And I'm honoured that you'll be taking them with you when you start at University - particularly as you'll be studying Creative Writing. May the guardian run with you - and may your own writing go from strength to strength! With very best wishes, Michelle
The art of building suspense in words
Daniel writes...
Hi Michelle
I first read Dark Matter sometime ago (maybe 6/7 years ago) and I remember not only at the time what an unbelievable chilling read it was, but how it haunted me with my own imagination and imagery thereafter. I've not been able to read it since yet it remains in my top 10 books of all time.
I have now just finished Wakenhyrst. Long overdue I'll admit as life gets in the way but a week away and you've drawn me in again. Your writing is fantastic and eloquently broken down in its structure of prose and diary entries.
I guess part of this is praise, a hope one day I can get the time in to get a signed copy from you, but really the question is how do you build suspense on pages?
In other media forms, music, acting, lighting, words (or the absence of) do so well, but you seem to do this phenomenally well I'm sure many of your readers agree.
I have read many many books across a broad spectrum and I liken your story telling to the Eddings fantasy tales and the twists and turns of Dean Koontz ,but neither and beyond have captured the chilling imagery you seem to put into my brain, and the satisfaction having not read cover to cover in a while that you have delivered.
Whilst I haven't read your teenage fantasy I encourage my girls to read them and I hope they see the same art that I do.
Bravo. I hope I can maybe catch you in the lake district or Lancaster once upon a time. I look forward to your next tale.
Michelle Replies...
Dear David,
What a wonderful message to receive! I'm delighted that you've enjoyed not only Dark Matter, but Wakenhyrst, too; and I'm particularly pleased that my imagery has proved memorable. Your question about how I build suspense is an excellent one, but I find it very hard to answer. For me, building suspense is partly objective, that is, planning what the reader should be told and when, as well as what questions to raise in the reader's mind, and when. But then the subjective bit comes in. By that I mean the imagery and the other details and events which just seem to well up from the unconscious, particularly as one gets deeper and deeper into writing the story, and identifies more strongly with the characters. You can't plan for that, and it's my favourite part of writing; but it's also the most mysterious.
There you go, I've had a stab at answering you. Thank you so much for getting in touch - and I really hope that you continue to enjoy my stories. With very best wishes, Michelle
More books please
Kathy writes...
Hi we love your books I’ve read all of them could u pls consider making a book thank you, Kathy and isobelle
Michelle Replies...
Dear Kathy and Isobelle, I'm delighted that you've read and enjoyed all my books! I am indeed still writing, but it's a ghost story for adults, which may not be what you're after. If - and I'm only guessing here - what you want are more stories about Torak, Renn and Wolf - then I'm afraid that the ninth book, Wolf Bane, really is the last (I explain why in answers to previous readers). Again, I'm so pleased that enjoy my stories - and thanks for getting in touch! With best wishes, Michelle
Is there anymore content on Chronicles of Ancient Darkness planned at all?
August writes...
I have recently finished Ghost Hunter and I am loving every book, I finished outcast in 3 days and it will be my favorite book forever. I thank you for the amazing journey you have given and are still giving me, your creativity is unmatched. Now I was wondering if there will be more content on this series, I am aware at the attempts of the TV series and we can all hope it works out. I also know Wolf Bane is the final book, I have yet to reach it but I will get there pretty soon I am sure. But will there be anything else? Anything like a board game or some additional art (Just examples)? I and probably many other people never want it to end ha! Thank you for reading and have a great day!
Michelle Replies...
Dear August, it's brilliant to know that you're loving the books so much! You are quite right that Wolf Bane is the final book - and I'm afraid that I don't have any plans to write more Wolf Brother stories . I explained why in a previous answer to a reader (Josiah, back in February), but briefly, I feel that I've reached a natural end, and that in Wolf Bane I've given Torak, Renn and Wolf a good send-off. As for the proposed tv series, sadly, that isn't going to happen (for more on that, see my answer to Tereza, back in May), and there are currently no plans for adaptations. If that changes, I'll post on my website. Nor are there any board games or additional content - although there's lots of fan art online (see my website wolfbrother.com for some amazing stuff). I think the thing to celebrate, though, is your response to these stories, which is clearly heartfelt and intense. Relish that. Not everyone has the ability to get so involved in a story. And remember, you can always experience it again by re-reading the books. They'll always be with you. Thank you so much for getting in touch. With very best wishes, Michelle