Ask Michelle
Here are Michelle’s most recent answers to the questions and messages readers have submitted.
New Books
Darin writes...
Hi Michelle
I felt compelled to write after finishing your three ‘adult’ books. I absolutely loved each of them and couldn’t put them down until they were finished. The atmosphere you created in each was fantastic and spellbinding.
I’m a voracious reader and look forward to reading your next book.
So the question is - do you have anything in plan or on the literary horizon?
Kind regards
Darin
Michelle Replies...
Dear Darin, I'm delighted that you've enjoyed my "adult" books! I do have another one on the way; it's set in a rainforest and will be published next year - but I'm afraid that at the moment that's all I can tell you! Thanks so much for getting in touch. With best wishes, Michelle
deciphered
Walt writes...
One last thing, or as Columbo always says one more thing .
I know why reading DARK MATTER, was hard for me on a first time reading. It hit me to close to home.
My wife and I and two daughters built a small log cabin, within twenty-five miles of the Canadian border in Washington State, thirty-five miles from the nearest town.
First one daughter left to attend a University, then my second daughter left to attend the same University. Then my Wife secured a large hospital position as a RN, to help pay for the University.
I stayed at the cabin to finish the roof and had to endure several Winters in isolation and freezing cold with frost on the inside of the walls.
My companions, two dogs.
Wolfie, a blond blue eyed ,Siberian Husky, who saved me from a bear at basecamp, what I called the place.
His companion Lady, a mixed hound/doberman , who we quickly named LadyBug, because she bugged us so much.
My experiences on my land were much like DARK MATTER.
A pack of wild coyotes howling outside chasing down prey, the Bear raising up on his hind legs, who suddenly came upon me and Wolfie, who was ready to fight saved me.
Then there is the famous Bigfoot stories abounding in the American Pacific Northwest .
One last thing on my Siberian Husky, Wolfie. If he got loose and he did, he naturally ran away. The secret was to follow him slowly for a bit, then turn around and go in the opposite direction. He would dart past me and race up ahead . You the turn again and steer him in this way back to basecamp, and let him see you enter a vehicle. With the knowledge of trip to town time and good food, you leave the vehicle door open and he would voluntarily jump inside. It was impossible to catch him any other way.
Know I live with my Wife in civilization once again. Also both daughters graduated from University and are now happily married. So ends the tale.
Michelle Replies...
New Book and TV Series
Samuel writes...
Hello, I just want to say I love your book series the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness. Will there ever be a new book and have you got any update in a potential TV series
Michelle Replies...
Dear Samuel, I'm delighted that you like the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness! As regards film and/or tv, I'm afraid that's all gone quiet, so don't hold your breath (if there's anything to report, I'll post it on my website). But as regards a new book, I'm not sure whether you know that after I finished the sixth book in the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness (Ghost Hunter), I took a few years away from Torak's world, and then began to miss it - so a few years ago I wrote three more: Viper's Daughter, Skin Taker, and Wolf Bane. If you haven't yet caught up with them, I don't think you'll be disappointed! With very best wishes, Michelle
Torak
Michael writes...
Dear Michelle, I am now 29 years old, but I grew up with your amazing series about Torak. I was the same age as Torak when I was reading the book 2006. I noticed that your newest Torak books aren‘t translated into german, so I would like to offer to translate them for you for free. I really think that everybody who started reading Chronicles of Ancient Darkness should be able to finish it, not everybody can speak english though. So I would like to translate the last three books so everybody can enjoy them. Thank you very much in advance for your reply. Your sincerly Michael
Michelle Replies...
Dear Michael, I'm delighted that you enjoyed the first six books so much, and your offer is extremely generous - but I'm afraid it won't be possible. You see, the rights are owned by my publishers, and it's up to them to arrange translation. At the moment they've decided against publishing German editions of the last three books, so there's nothing we can do. But thank you very much for getting in touch. With best wishes, Michelle
Simply, a thank you!
Otto writes...
Hi,
just wanted to reach out to say that the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness were a pretty transformative part of my childhood. I remember reading the Finnish translation of Wolf Brother in just about a day. Having grown up running around the forests of rural Finland, it all just clicked immediately. Outcast ended up being the first full novel I ever read in English too — the translations were great, but I simply could not wait. Now that I think of it, I'd be surprised if your series didn't contribute to the fact that I ended up working in research, with a focus on wolves to boot.
What made me want to send this message was picking up Dark Matter last year. I'd just spent a spring in Svalbard, and what can I say: it was the same thing all over again as with Wolf Brother. Couldn't put it down. Being so familiar with environments that Torak and Renn inhabited always drew me in as a kid. And now, to experience that again as an adult who'd fallen in love with the desolate wastes of the High Arctic, was one of the highlights of an otherwise rough year.
Thank you,
Otto
Michelle Replies...
Dear Otto, What a great message; thank you! I love the picture you evoke of your childhood self wolfing down Wolf Brother in about a day, not to mention running around in the Finnish forests (I envy you that). I'm also delighted that you enjoyed Dark Matter, and that it reminded you of the High Arctic, which we both know and love. But I'm sorry you had a rough year. Here's hoping that 2024 will be better. With very best wishes, Michelle
fan mail
Darren writes...
Hi Michelle
I am a Year 5 teacher in Cambridgeshire. One of my favourite writing activities is the children writing to their favourite author. This year, I have 2 boys who have written to you! Is there a preferred address we can send them to?
Best wishes
Darren Smith
English Lead
Middlefield Primary Academy
Michelle Replies...
Dear Darren, That's great to know. The best address to write to me is at either of my publishers, Head of Zeus or Hachette Children's Books (the addresses are given in the books) - although please tell the boys that it'll take a while for me to reply, as publishers often take weeks to send them on to me! Thanks for getting in touch. Best wishes, Michelle
My Own Expedition to Svalbard
Ján writes...
Dear Mrs. Paver:
In December 2023 I bought the Slovak translation of your book, Dark Matter, which intrigued me.
In August 1988 we carried out a small expedition to Svalbard lasting about 20 days. We were five rock climbers from Nitra, Slovakia, and two scientists – parasitologists – from the Comenius University in Bratislava.
We took a train to Moscow and then another train to Murmansk. There we boarded a Russian cargo ship and after two days we got to Barentsburg, where we took two helicopters to the Atomfjella mountains in Svalbard.
We set up a base camp by the sea near an abandoned log-cabin that used to belong to a fur hunter. The Russians gave us two rifles against the bears and a walkie-talkie. Further up we set up another camp on an iceberg, where we did some rock-climbing. While climbing on a small hill we found a stone pyramid, in which there was a tin can containing a paper record of an expedition. The expedition had been done by Cambridge University on the 18th of August 1932. I have a photograph of this document, which I would love to send to you.
Going back we also took a helicopter to Murmansk, this time during big waves at sea.
I have been on many backpacking adventures in my life, including to Finland and Norway (North Cape), a boat trip to Helsinki, and a 20 days long expedition to Peru up to 5000 meters above sea level. Nowadays I bike, about 800-1000 km a year.
With kind regards and best wishes,
Ján Ahlers
Born in 1943
Translated into English by my granddaughter, Tamara
Michelle Replies...
Dear Jan, I was fascinated to read about your 1988 expedition to Svalbard (as well as your other trips) - and what a coincidence that, as in Dark Matter, you set up base camp near an abandoned cabin. Two rifles and a walkie-talkie in the middle of nowhere sounds intrepid indeed; and I envy you for having had that experience. In my research for the book, I don't remember coming across that record left in a tin can by the 1932 expedition, and when I read your message I briefly thought, Hmm, maybe I could have used that in the story. But it's a bit late now! I'd love to see the photo, and I'll get my agent to contact you about that. I hope you enjoyed the book - and thank you (and Tamara) for getting in touch. With very best wishes, Michelle
New Book
Jennifer writes...
Morning, will there be a new book release soon?
Michelle Replies...
Hello, Jennifer. I do have a new book in the making, but I'm afraid it won't be out this year, as there's still lots of work choosing the cover, and so on. Any further news on this will of course be posted on my website. I hope this helps a bit. Best wishes, Michelle
My experience
Daniel writes...
I don't have a question but I wanted to message and tell you about my experience with your books. I've never been a huge reader, my mom read all the Harry Potter books to my sister and I when we were kids and there were some others but it wasn't really "my thing". I think I was in middle school and my mom got me a book called Wolf Brother. And I loved it. I had her get me all the others that had been published buy that point and for future releases I was literally lined up at our local book store waiting for copies to be available.
I still have the original 6 books. I was telling some friends about it the other day and I remember hearing about a possible live action adaptation so I wanted to check if there was any news. Low and behold you've written 3 more books! I'll be getting those asap. I'm excited for my son to be a little older so I can read them with him. Thanks for the best book series ever! I appreciate the ride.
Michelle Replies...
Dear Daniel, Thank you so much for your message. I'm absolutely delighted that Wolf Brother got you reading, and I think we both owe your mother a heartfelt thank-you for getting the book for you in the first place! I love the image of you waiting at your local book store for the next installment; and it's very moving to know that you might read the stories with your own son, when he's old enough. Thanks again for getting in touch - and here's hoping that when you get your paws on the final three books, you'll enjoy being back in the Forest with Torak, Renn and Wolf! May the guardian run with you. Michelle
Short Stories
Adrian writes...
Hello,
Have you written any short stories and do you have any plans for writing a book of ghost or on other subjects, short stories at some point in the future? Thank you. Adrian Banfield.
Michelle Replies...
Hello, Adrian. I haven't written any short stories, whether supernatural or not - and that's not because I dislike them. Far from it, I love reading the short stories of other writers, including the classic ghost stories of course, as well as Chekov, de Maupassant and others; but I've no aptitude for writing them myself. It's a very special skill, which I don't seem to have - and at the start of my writing career I did try, so I speak from experience! As to your second question, if you mean do I intend to write a non-fiction book about ghosts, I don't have any plans for that either. I think I'm best suited to writing ghost full-length supernatural stories - at least, for now. Although as writing depends so much on the unconscious, who can say what I'll be writing in a few years' time? Thanks for asking such interesting questions. With best wishes, Michelle