Ask Michelle
Here are Michelle’s most recent answers to the questions and messages readers have submitted.
Multiple questions
Sam writes...
Hiya hope your having a good day/week/month
1. Are you and sir Ian maklen friends?
2. Is the wolf torak still around?
3. What COAD villain would you rather fight?
4. Was Hord mentally ok in wolf brother?
5. Are there any characters you would have wanted to written more of?
6. Dose Torak have a favourite food?
Thank you and have a good day
Michelle Replies...
Hello, Sam. It sounds as if you've rather enjoyed the Wolf Brother books. To answer your questions (briefly): I got on very well with Ian McKellen when he made all his magnificent recordings of my stories, and we had fun visiting the wolves at the UKWCT many years ago. Torak the Wolf died peacefully a few years ago, aged well over fifteen - which is a very good age for a wolf. I'd rather not fight any of the COAD villains, as I'm not good at fighting! Hord was definitely disturbed. When I finished Ghost Hunter, I wished I'd had a chance to write more about Dark - and I got my wish when I had the idea for the final three books. And as for Torak's favourite food - I think I'll leave that to you to imagine! May the guardian run with you. With best wishes, Michelle
Future book events?
Amy Noon writes...
Hi Michelle!! i have loved ur books since i was in year 3, i was one of the videos you watched in the live stream in 2022 on youtube. I live in england and was wondering if you are planning to have a book event similar to the one you had a couple years ago but this time in Milton Keynes possibly? i would LOVE to meet you and show you my support. I also wanted to ask if you ever thought about making merch!! You had a chronicles of ancient darkness tote bag on a giveaway a couple of years ago and i would definitely buy stuff like that normally 🙂
Have a great day,
Amy
Michelle Replies...
Dear Amy, it's great that you've been enjoying my books, and what a long time ago that live stream seems now! I'm afraid there isn't any merchandise available at the moment, and I've currenly no plans to do book events or signings this year, as I'm horribly busy writing and looking after my elderly mother. I hope that's not too disappointing - and if things change, I'll post it immediately on my website. In the meantime, enjoy being in the Forest with Torak, Renn and Wolf! With very best wishes, Michelle
Happy 20th anniversary!!
Elin writes...
Hi Michelle!
I’ve been thinking about the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness a lot this past week since the 20th anniversary of Wolf Brother was yesterday, May 27th.
I just wanted to write you a message to thank you for this series. I was 9 when Wolf Brother was published in Sweden, my mom bought the book and read it aloud to my younger siblings and I after dinner in the evenings. We continued doing this with the rest of the original series despite me getting a bit too old to have my mom read to me by the end. I grew up with this series and I hold it close to my heart, and getting to return to it in my 20’s was emotional in the best way. Thank you for nine books of adventure and love <3
Elin
Michelle Replies...
Dear Elin, Thank you so much for your delightful message! Here in the UK we'll be celebrating Wolf Brother's 20th birthday a little later in the year, but it's wonderful to be reminded of the great welcome it received from Swedish readers; and I love the picture you paint of your mother reading the whole of the original series to you and your younger siblings in the evenings. I'm also really pleased that as an adult you've caught up with the three sequels which I wrote later. Thank you again for getting in touch - and may the guardian run with you! With very best wishes, Michelle
Your most well-written villain?
Stella writes...
Dear Michelle.
I've written to you before, asking you whether there will be a tv show or not, but now I wanna ask you about something else. This may be an odd question, but I'm curious: Who would you say is the most well-written villain you've made?
Personally, I find the main villain from Gods and Warriors very well-written. I don't write his name since these comments are official and I don't wanna spoil anything for those who want to read that series but haven't had time to do so.
I love that we got to follow him sometimes and get a little understanding for how he became the way he became. Still, you made it impossible to root for him due to his despicable qualities. It takes a very talented author to do that. I wonder if there are any other villain you've made who you think you wrote really well and why? Don't be modest. Just be honest.
Michelle Replies...
Dear Stella, what a great question - and thank you for avoiding spoilers about Gods and Warriors! I'm rather proud of the Soul-Eaters in the Wolf Brother books, although I'm not naming names for obvious reasons; but perhaps top of my list would be the father in Wakenhyrst. I think that's because in a book of that length, I had a chance to get under his skin and show in some depth what made him the way he is. I should add that in general, I enjoy creating unpleasant characters. It can be strangely liberating to explore all sorts of unlikeable traits and take them to extremes, albeit on the (relative) safety of the page. Thanks for getting in touch again. Best wishes, Michelle
merch
ossian writes...
Do you have any cronicalls of ancient darkness merch?If so where can you buy it
Michelle Replies...
Dear Ossian, Thanks for your question, but I'm afraid the answer is no, there isn't any merchandise available, as the books haven't been turned into films. So the only things you can currently buy that are associated with the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness are the books! With best wishes, Michelle
cronicalls of ancient darkness Torak in more books
ossian writes...
i like the cronicalls of ancient darkness could you make more or put Torak in another book please signed Ossian.D aged 9years and 4months
Michelle Replies...
Dear Ossian, I'm really pleased that you like the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness so much! You may not know it, but in addition to the first six books, I have written three more - Viper's Daughter, Skinbane and Wolfbane - which means there are nine books in all. I don't have plans to write any more, I'm afraid, but I hope that with nine books, you'll be able to spend lots of time with Torak, Renn and Wolf in the Forest! With best wishes, Michelle
Thank you for these wonderful books!
Seren writes...
Hi Michelle!
I'm Seren (it's not my real name - I don't like sharing my real name online. Another pseudonym I use is 'limoncats'.) and I was born and raised in the UK by Turkish parents!
Ever since my class collectively read Wolf Brother together I fell in love with this series! I don't read that much, but the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness is so good I couldn't resist! I've only just finished Oath Breaker by the time I'm writing this and it was so good, your books never fail to make me emotional or excited at times...
This series has also helped me get closer to my classmates that also continued reading the series, because it's an interest we all share and it leads to lots of fun!
My personal favourite book was Spirit Walker, Bale is a really cool character!
Thank you so much for making this amazing book series, and I can't wait to see what Torak goes through in Ghost Hunter!
-Seren
Michelle Replies...
Dear Seren/Limoncats, thank you so much for getting in touch, and I'm delighted that you (and some of your classmates) have been enjoying the series. Just so you know, although when I finished Ghost Hunter I thought that was the end of the series, a few years later I had an idea, so I wrote three more - Viper's Daughter, Skintaker, and Wolfbane - all featuring Torak, Renn, Wolf, and many of the other characters from the original series. So when you finish Ghost Hunter, it's not the end. I hope you and your friends have many more happy times in Torak's world - and may the guardian run with you! With very best wishes, Michelle
Dutch translation
Esmee writes...
Hello Michelle,
I’ve first read the wolf brother series when I was about 11 years old at school and now years later at 18 I bought the books myself. I just figured out you wrote 3 more books after ghost hunter and now I am wondering if they will translated to dutch like the first 6 books. I would very much read them even if they will never be translated, but I would like to complete my collection in dutch.
Thank you in advance
Esmee
Michelle Replies...
Dear Esmee, it's great that you enjoyed the books when you were younger, and would now like to catch up with the final three - which I wrote a few years after Ghost Hunter, having said that I'd never write another! I'm afraid that to my knowledge there are no plans to translate the final three into Dutch (that's up the the publishers, not me) - so if you'd like to read them, you'll need to read the English editions. I hope that's not too much of a problem - and that you do enjoy being back in Torak's world, as and when you get the chance. With very best wishes, Michelle
An invaluable gift
Nisma writes...
(I also sent this message via instagram message - sorry for the duplicate)
Hi,
My partner is a HUGE fan of your books and says they are his favourite collection. He remembers reading them growing up and it was where his passion for reading came from!
His 30th birthday is approaching and I would love to gift him a signed copy of his favourite books.
Would it be possible to send a book with a return envelope and have you sign the copy?
It would be an invaluable gift
Thank you so much for your time and writing such amazing novels
Michelle Replies...
Hello, Nisma. It's a lovely thought of yours and it does you great credit, but I'm afraid that I can't sign a book for him. You see, I get lots of requests for signed books from all over the world, and if I gave in to you I'd have to sign the others' too, which would mean lots of trips to the post office and not enough time to write! I'm so sorry to disappoint you. I hope that even without my signature, your partner will continue to enjoy the stories - and I wish him every happiness for his thirtieth birthday. With best wishes, Michelle
A Love that started long ago
Garrett writes...
Heya Michelle!
My name is Garrett, I'm from Canada, and boy what a fan I am! I remember it like it was yesterday, ten years old at a parent teacher interview in grade 5 (2012), and I was eagerly scanning the book report options on the desk in front of me. What catches my gaze in that moment? None other than wolf brother! I read the first few pages and was hooked instantly. I read it, wrote my book report, and picked up all of the sequels from the library a few weeks later!
I can say without a doubt it is my favourite book series of all time. Not only is it incredibly written but also teaches the reader so much about the ways of life back then. I was so impressed to learn that you actually went out and did hands on research to make sure the book was an accurate portrayal of the time period and place.
Here I am reading the series again at 22, and when I google you so I can send you this message, I learn that you've written three more additions to the series recently?!?!? Something I never would have expected, and I'm so glad you decided to re-visit this beautiful world you created.
I feel like I grew up with the characters, and grew alongside them as their stories continued. The way you incorporated supernatural elements to the world always intrigued me and makes me believe there is always more magic than we think out there.
This series is one of the main reasons I love nature so much, which has inspired many important parts of my life, from being a treeplanter to working at nature centres and being highly interested in wildlife biology and educating others about the natural worlds and environments around them!
I guess what I'm trying to say is thank you. With your words you made nature breath, you gave every tree a soul, every river a voice, giving every mountain, bog, island, and snow covered tundra their own personality. From the hidden people, to the groaning of injured trees, and the silence of a forest with a predator near, you made accessible to myself, and I'm sure other children and adults alike, the emotions and spirit of everything in nature.
I hope you are doing well, and I would love to hear some of your craziest stories from your adventures, your favourite things you learned in the process of doing research for the books, or any behind-the-scenes info of writing them.
Sincerely,
Garrett C.
Michelle Replies...
Dear Garrett, What a beautiful message: thank you! What makes me particularly pleased is that my stories have encouraged your love of nature, which has taken shape in such positive and active forms: tree-planting, working at nature centres, and much more, by the sound of it. And your response to the books has been everything I hoped for when I wrote them, as I struggled (and it did feel like a struggle at times!) to recreate Torak's world from the point of view of the hunter-gatherers of the past. I'm afraid I don't have time to talk further about my research, as my life is rather full at the moment, caring for the needs of my elderly mother (as well as trying to write); but in the past, as and when the books were published, I talked a good deal about my experiences in writing them, so you should be able to find quite a lot of stuff on my website and in the Author's Notes at the back of each book. (There are also several live-stream video chats on YouTube which I did a few years ago, called MPLive; in many of those I talk about the writing at various times, too.) I really hope that you enjoy the final three books, as and when you can get hold of them - and that you enjoy being back in the Forest (and beyond) with Torak, Renn and Wolf! Thank you again so much for getting in touch - and may the guardian run with you. With very best wishes, Michelle