james writes...

Hello Ms Paver. sorry i'm being nosey but wondering if you are going to continue onto a fourth gothic novel. I've brought copies for a few youngsters who have been a bit slow in picking up the reading habit and they have all been devoured - especially "Thin Air" - honestly the only recent book in the genre that comes close is "The Little Stranger" but too long for godchildren. If you're writing i shan't expect a reply but will be keeping a lookout for reviews. Thanks for the very good reads, i listened to the first two cycling to work and frequently took a longer route to Shoreditch to squeeze another 10 minutes in....V Best.....James

Michelle Replies...

Dear James,

No need to apologise and you're not being nosey at all!  It's always lovely to hear from readers who have enjoyed my books, and I'm delighted that my gothic stories,  particularly THIN AIR, have gone down well.

As it happens, I am indeed working on another gothic story.  It will be  shorter than WAKENHYRST, ie of a similar length to DARK MATTER and THIN AIR; and it is set in a rainforest.  I'm afraid that's all I can tell you at the moment, as I never like to talk about a book while I'm writing it.  And I don't know when it will be published, because I still have lots of work to do on it.  However I hope that has given you something to go on;  and thanks  again for getting in touch.

With very best wishes, Michelle

Dean writes...

Hi Michelle, I'm a 38 year old, in my 20's I'd never read a book, I have always had a wondering imagination and love fantasy stories.

Your book were the first thing I read and started my reading journey.

They taught me how to read and how to enjoy stories.

Since that I've read hundreds including all the game of thrones, all David gemmels books.

Thank you.

Regards

Dean

Michelle Replies...

Dear Dean,

What a lovely message.  I'm delighted that my books helped you to understand how marvellous reading is, and it sounds as if you've never looked back!  Thanks so much for getting in touch - and happy reading.

With very best wishes, Michelle

Evaluce writes...

Hi Michelle!
I’m Evaluce, from Italy, and I’m nineteen.
I want you to know that I love your books in a way that can't be expressed in words (especially the series Wolf Brother❤️). They are my favourite books among all the ones I've read, and I've read more than five hundred books in my life!
Is there a possibility that you will take an autograph session in Italy? Because seeing you and having your autograph would be a dream for me!
With so much love and respect,
Evaluce

Michelle Replies...

Dear Evaluce,

Thank you so much for such a lovely email  - and in perfect English, too!  I'm really delighted that you like my books, it means a lot to me.  As regards doing signings, I'm afraid that at the moment I have no plans for any international travel this year or next.  This is partly due to family concerns (elderly relatives), and partly as I'm hard at work on a new book.   I'm so sorry to disappoint you.  However if things change, I will be sure to put details on my website.

Once again, thank you so much for getting in touch!

With very best wishes, Michelle

Alessia Wilimowski writes...

Hello Michelle Paver, I would like to ask how do you do sufficient research? I know you go to different parts of the world, but how do you do it when you can’t travel? Well, I guess what I am asking is how did you do research when you first started?
Thank you, your books are inspirational.

P.s I saw you at the Y.A.L.C books signing. I still have the signed book. You are amazing.

Michelle Replies...

Dear Alessia,

I'm so glad you enjoyed YALC.  As for how much research is enough, that's kind of a "how long is a piece of string?" question, but I'll do my best to answer.

If I'm new to a subject, I'll start at a broad-brush level: maybe (because I'm old-fashioned) looking it up in an encyclopaedia, and/or a few reference books at the local library.  Just to get a sense of things, and of what I might use in the story I'm thinking about writing.  If it's a region that I need to explore, I'll refer to the relevant Lonely Planet guide for idea on places to travel to.  And you might of course use the internet -  but again, at this stage, head for an authoritative source. ( The internet is also great for quickly answering a specific question, such as how does a particular birdcall sound, or something. )

If the subject isn't central to what I'm writing about, a general reference might be enough.  But often it's only the start, because a general account can't give me the interesting little details that might make a story come alive - or, crucially,  which spark ideas for the story.  For that I often resort to secondhand books (a great source is abe.co.uk, provided you know what you're looking for). For instance, when I was writing my Gothic novel WAKENHYRST, set in the Suffolk fens, I found a 1930s poacher's memoir in a secondhand bookshop; it described "eel-babbing", a way of catching eels.  I'd never heard of that, but it sparked all sorts of ideas for the story and ended up featuring in a key scene.  That's what I love about research.  You never know what you'll find, or where it will take you.

Of course if funds are limited, you don't need to buy the books.  I've used my local library for years.  And the British Library is brilliant for "deep fishing" into a subject.  Once you have a reader's ticket, you can call up all sorts of weird and wonderful things from the stacks.  In my time I've called up court-martial transcripts, 1930s Army & Navy catalogues (for DARK MATTER), obscure booklets on folklore (for WAKENHYRST) and any number of anthropological publications for the WOLF BROTHER books.

Also, a word about location research.  You don't have to travel to the jungle to experience,for example, tropical plants; a visit to the glasshouse at Kew Gardens will bring you face to face with quite a few, and although the experience wouldn't be the same, you'll probably get something out of it that you wouldn't get by looking at a book or website on the subject.  I've had lots of ideas which I've ended up using in the WOLF BROTHER books from observing urban wildlife in Wimbledon, where I live.  It only takes imagination to transport a squirrel up a tree in a Sainsbury's car park, to Torak's world.

Finally, it's worth saying that I never really know how much research is sufficient research.  Often while I'm writing, something will crop up which, despite all my months of research, I haven't covered.  And very often, I'll end up with pages and pages of notes on something that never finds its way into the story.  That's just the way it goes.  But reading into a subject is, I think, part of what gives one assurance in the writing.  So it isn't really wasted.

I'm sorry I can't be more precise, but as you can see, this isn't a very precise topic!  However I do hope that you'll find the above pointers helpful - and the best of luck with your writing.

Regards, Michelle

Ziyaad writes...

Dear Michelle Paver,

My name is Ziyaad and I started reading Wolf Brother when I was around 12 years old (incidentally the same age as Torak). I recalled it fondly and always held it in high esteem amongst other childhood stories that I loved.

Around 2020, the pandemic had begun. It was an incredibly difficult time for everyone. I started my second year of university in September. On account of living close by, I decided to take the train for the few classes that remained in person. And each time I walked past a massive poster of Viper’s daughter. A part of me wondered what had become of my old friends Torak and Renn in the last 8/9 years. However, I put it to the back of my head as we went into December lockdown.

This year I finished my third year of medicine. I decided to take a year out to pursue global health before continuing with the last two years of my degree. It still leaves me feeling abit lost, thinking there’s a need to start in a new city with new people. Yet, ultimately this decision was for me to have some more time to myself. I started reflecting on how our modern day stories don’t have happy endings and my mind thought back to that poster I walked past on my train journeys. I purchased all 3 books. And wow.

I slipped back effortlessly into a world my heart had never left. The noise in my mind was softened by the quiet snowfalls. My feeling of being alone was lessened when I saw the fierce bonds of loyalty Torak, Renn and Wolf share. All of these universal themes of loyalty and love were infused in characters that had grown up with me. I felt incredibly emotional to see how events unravelled. For example, the arc of Torak losing then finding himself again. His intention was to protect those he loved but he needed Renn to ground him.

It’s not often one gets to grow up with a character, but it has been an absolute pleasure. These books returned to me at a difficult time when I needed to be reminded of what was the right way of looking at things.

So all I can humbly offer is a thank you. Perhaps you will read this and perhaps not. However, my message comes from the heart. These characters never left and returned to guide myself (and many others) through the difficulties of the pandemic and the trials of entering adulthood. If Torak, Renn and Wolf can withstand Naiginn, I can withstand life’s challenges.

I don’t know if you’ll ever return to these stories. I do hope so (perhaps vainly to see Torak and Renn have a family and grow up more). However, I’m glad you returned when the world was in a dire need of being reminded what good overcoming evil looked like.

Thank you very much for your writing. I remain a humble fan.

Yours faithfully,
Ziyaad Surtee

Michelle Replies...

Dear Ziyaad,

What a marvellous, evocative message .  Thank you for taking the trouble  to decribe what you have gone through over the past few years.  I can understand your need to take a year out from medical school before continuing with your degree.  It's a courageous thing to do; but time to reflect is invaluable, and I don't think you'll regret it.

I can't tell you how glad I am that my books have helped you at a difficult time in your life.  Someone once said that "We read to feel that we're not alone".  I think that's true for many of us.  I'm delighted that you found it steadying to return to your old friends Torak, Renn and Wolf.  You put it so beautifully, when you said that the noise in your mind was "softened by the quiet snowfalls".  That will stay with me.  Indeed,  I had to smile when you wrote: "Perhaps you will read this and perhaps not".  Ziyaad, I've read it, printed it, and will keep it.  (We writers also have our dark times, and messages like yours are a great help!)

Again, thank you so much for getting in touch.  I'd like to wish you all possible good luck with your medical studies - and with whatever else you choose to do with your life.

Best wishes, Michelle