Karen writes...

Dear Michelle Paver,

Forty years ago, I read Frazer's "Golden Bough" and sat in on a year's archaeology lectures at Sydney University. I have had a fascination with archaeology, mythology and anthropology ever since. I have been most interested in prehistoric sites of early agricultural civilizations particularly those of ancient Greece. I have an interest in theories about Atlantis. When I came across your Gods and Warriors series, I fell in love with your lyrical writing. You are a gifted author. I am sure I would have loved your children’s books if I had been born in the late 1990’s not 1960.

Like you I am fascinated by shamanic practices and admire your courage writing from the point of view of a spirit animal. I began writing in earnest about twenty years ago, about a matriarchal society coming into contact with patriarchal tribes. My first two books of a trilogy are set a little earlier than yours, in the Mediterranean region.

I have learned a lot from you. For example, how to create well-drawn characters, with their many strengths and flaws, making them realistic and appealing. I also like that your novels are well researched and dive straight in with compelling stories, vivid scenes, and meaningful themes. I love your descriptive prose which allows me to imagine myself as one of your characters.

I would be moved if you would permit me to share a galley of my book with you when it's published--if it’s published. Any comment would be appreciated, and I wouldn’t assume you’d provide a blurb. I have connected with, and benefitted from, your work very much so it would be an honour to share.

Thank you for reading this email, and I look forward to hearing from you, even if your reply must be brief. I can only imagine how busy you are.

Kind regards,

Karen McFarlane

Michelle Replies...

Dear Karen, I too first read the Gold Bough about forty years ago, and it made a huge impression on me.  I'm delighted that you've enjoyed Gods and Warriors, and that it has helped you with your own writing.  Your stories certainly sound intriguing, and are clearly something you feel strongly about.  As for reading your work, I'm afraid that I shall have to pass that up, as I simply don't have the time.  You won't be surprised to learn that I often get similar requests, which I also have to decline - particularly now, when looking after a 92-year-old mother means that I'm barely getting time for my own writing.  But thank you for getting in touch - and may your writing go from strength to strength!  With very best wishes, Michelle

Kai writes...

Hello Michelle,

I am a huge fan of your books from Sweden. I started reading your books when they first appeared on the shelves here in Sweden and practically grew up with them. I remember how fascinated I was by every little detail and the way you described it as if you'd been there yourself. Maybe you were actually there somehow.

I am now grown up and came back to your books in audio form as a way to survive my daily commute. I am still just as astonished by them as I was almost 20 years ago.

It came to me in a dream as I was recently watching some shows on popular streaming sites that this is something that they truly don't have there. There is no show that does what your books did for me. I was questioning why they are making a show of Harry Potter which has already seen the theaters in film form and not your fantastic book series Wolf Brother.

I both hope that a great producer sees your books in a similar light as I do but I also hope not, I would hate to see someone not make your books justice, astonishing work.

I am sorry for the long text, but I do in fact also have a question. What was the process of putting yourself into the character's shoes
that enabled you to describe them as if you truly had experienced it yourself? Like the main protagonist, it almost seemed as if your souls had wandered into them and experienced the saga through their eyes.

Huge thanks for all of what you have given me,
best Regards,

Kai

Michelle Replies...

Dear Kai, What a lovely message, thank you!  And I'm really pleased that re-experiencing my stories as audiobooks has helped you survive your journey to work.  Concerning film or tv adaptations of the Wolf Brother stories, as you may know, we've done several deals with production companies over the years, but they have always come to nothing in the end.  Perhaps this is because the stories would be so difficult and expensive to film, particularly as Wolf would probably need to be computer-generated. Like you, I am in two minds about whether or not this is a good thing.  On the one hand it would be great to see a really good adaptation which captures the spirit of the books. On the other hand, it would be dreadful to see a bad one.

Now for your question. The short answer is, I simply use my imagination - although it doesn't all come at once, and it takes a great deal of time really to be in Torak's world, so that I can experience what's happening as if it were happening to me.  (That's probably why I live alone, and don't even have a cat: no distractions!)  Again, you put it very well when you liken the process of writing to spirit walking. Without wishing to self-aggrandize, that's sometimes how it feels; although I suppose in psychological terms, it's more a question of accessing my unconscious.

Again, thanks so much for getting in touch - and I hope you continue to enjoy the stories.  With very best wishes, Michelle

Felix writes...

Dear Ms Paver,
My name is Felix and I'm writing from Sweden. I don't really have a question, I just want to say thank you for your fantastic Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series. I've just finished the amazing Audiobook of the last book, Wolfbane, in English, and got the idea to write a little note of appreciation after hearing the nice discussion between you and Sir Ian McKellen at the end. What incredible luck to have such an amazing actor read the entire series and to be present while he did so. I still count it one of the highlights of my life so far when I went to see his one man act in London in 2019 and got to shake his hand as he did a lap around the audience in the intermission.

But back to the books themselves, I remember getting the first book for my birthday when I turned 8, and I was immediately hooked. I actually got the first two books that same birthday, from two different people, though I never did find out if they'd coordinated to get me one each, or if it was by lucky coincidence. I've always loved reading and have read a lot, but even so I finished Wold Brother unusually quick. I went straight to Spirit Walker, which in Sweden has a title that would translate to "Prisoners of the sea". Not to say that Spirit Walker isn't an amazing title, but Prisoners of the sea sounded so awesome to an 8 year old, especially as another popular children's series at the time also had a book with "prisoner" in the title. I can still remember miss-reading "soul eater" as "seal eater" (the Swedish word for soul (själ) only being one letter off from the Swedish word for seal (säl). Took me a while to understand why it was such a big deal that the bad guy was eating seals, since the sea clans seamed to do the same as long as it wasn't their clan animal.

By the time Outcast was published in Swedish I was all caught up, and so were some of my closest friends. We were 10 and for the first time I had friends who read as much as I did because they were so hooked on the adventures of Torak and Renn. We had an unofficial competition of who could finish Outcast first and I had one friend who skived off school to get a head start. I did go to school that day, but still finished first by being a stronger reader.

By the time Ghost Hunter came out I was 12, and my English was getting good enough to start trying some proper books, not just easy reader or learning material, and I just couldn't wait to read the end of the adventure, so I saved up my allowance for a whole month to buy the book in English. I had previously read excerpts of the Narnia books in English and had struggled my way through the first chapter of Lord of the Rings in English, but Ghost Hunter was the first book I actually finished all the way in English. I loved it, even if I didn't understand it 100%, and re-read it when it was released in Swedish a while later.

What I always loved about The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, apart from it being an excellent adventure story, was how much I related. Of course your version of fictional Scandinavia 6000 years ago looks a lot different than 21st century Stockholm, but I still felt like this story could have taken place out in the woods where we went on weekend hikes. When my mom brought me to Scout Jamborees I felt like I could have been in the Ravens' camp and when I took up archery at age 10 and started going to competitions out in the woods I felt like I were an hunter tracking alongside Torak. Even before reading Wolf Brother, my favorite mammals were wolves (my favorite over-all animal being Ospreys), which was of course also a big plus for my enjoyment of the series. I am very sad that two Swedish Zoos in my area has now gotten rid of their wolves, Kolmården after an accident with fatal outcome for a carer 10 or os years ago, and Skansen, who euthanized all their wolves 2 years ago. Whenever visiting I could stand for hours just watching the wolves, even though I'm more of a cat person than a dog person as far as pets are concerned.

When Viper's Daughter was released I was a bit worried that almost 10 years later I would have grown too old to enjoy this primarily children/youth's series, but I did find it very easy to get back into the series, finishing the book in a couple of days and following it up with a re-listen of all the audiobooks. I have enjoyed Skin Taker and Wolfbane as well, not without something bittersweet in my chest when I closed Wolfbane on the last page when I first read it upon release, but I have since made it through the books again in audiobook form both in Swedish and English. Ian McKellen is as I've already said amazing, but our Swedish Narrator Tomas Bolme, as well as our incredible Swedish covers by Alvaro Tapia, will always have a special nostalgic place in my heart.

Sorry for a long message, and not really any questions, just almost 20 years of appreciation and fond memories of this series that I've finally put to words. It has been an amazing journey, and truly inspiring to get out more in nature for my self and learn more about early life in my home area. If I were to close on a question though, it would be if you would ever do an appearance or signing somewhere in Sweden/Scandinavia, or even in any major city in England/Great Britain. I understand that that's a hard question to answer, I guess your agent/publisher mostly handles questions like that and that it's based on if some book store or venue are interested in inviting you, but just in general, do you think there is such a possibility?

Wishing you all the best
Felix

Michelle Replies...

Dear Felix, I must thank you for such a marvellous, heartfelt message, which I have just read after returning from a walk in the woods. I loved reading your account of how you experienced each of the books (that Soul Eater/Seal Eater mistake made me laugh out loud!) - and I'm delighted that you enjoyed the last three books too, even though you are now an adult.  I too felt some misgivings when I sat down to write Viper's Daughter, but that swiftly went away as I found myself back in Torak's world.

I'm also glad that you've enjoyed Ian McKellen's readings; and you're right, I am indeed lucky that he has somehow made the time to read each book, despite his incredibly busy schedule.  I remember that as I finished each book, and heard about what Ian was doing - such as filming The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit films, or playing King Lear and Hamlet - I would worry that he wouldn't be able to fit in my book.  But somehow he always made the time.  But I would add that I can also understand your allegiance to Tomas Bolme's readings.  Years ago when I was in Stockholm to promote one of the books, my wonderful Swedish publishers arranged for him to give a reading of an excerpt from one of them, and I was lucky enough to be there. Even though I don't speak Swedish, he sounded terrific.

As for my doing public events and/or signings in Sweden or the UK, I'm afraid that for the moment I've no plans to do so.  You see, most of my time is currently taken up looking after my 92-year-old mother; I'm not getting much time even to write.  However, as and when things change, I can assure you that details will be posted on my website. And I always love coming to Sweden, so that would be at the top of my list for overseas trips - although you're right, it's up to the publishers and/or bookshops to issue the invitation.

I've got to go now, but again, thank you so much for getting in touch.  It's really special to know how much the books have meant to you.

With very best wishes, Michelle

Juan Carlos writes...

Hola Michelle!!!

He leído que era posible que se produjera una serie de animación sobre la saga "Crónicas de la prehistoria".
Es cierto el comentario??
Porque sería genial!!!
Muchas gracias por esta maravillosa historia!!!

Saludos!!!

Michelle Replies...

Hola, Juan Carlos!  I'm afraid I don't speak Spanish, but if I've understood your email, you really like the Chronicles of Ancient  Darkness, and are grateful that I wrote it.  I'm delighted that you've enjoyed it, - and thank you very much indeed for getting in touch!

Saludos, Michelle

Salla writes...

Hi!

This seems awfully informal, but it was the only way I thought I could get an inkling of reach. I just wanted to say your books meant a great deal to me as someone who thought words were very important to them. I still think they’re important and your books are still helping. For a finnish kid who found wolf brother as a very young, aspiring “author”, it meant the world to me to read something so descriptive, something that had so much respect for nature, tradition and other things. I was wondering, as comes my question, is there any chancer the latter books in the series might get translated to finnish? I understand it’s a tough market, but I remember how important this series was… I know it can be that to so many other readers who just can’t manage English yet.

In any case, thank you for the words. Thank you for this wonderful world. You’ve helped me a lot.

Michelle Replies...

Dear Salla, Thank you so much for your heartfelt and thoughtful message. I'm glad that when you found Wolf Brother as a young would-be author, it helped confirm your belief that words matter.  They do, of course, but these days their importance is so easily overlooked.  Clearly you had the authorial instinct from a very young age.  As for your question, I'm afraid that there are no current plans for the later books to be translated into Finnish.  That decision is up to the publishers, not me.  Of course, you could always contact them and ask.  But I fear that for now, Finnish readers will have to make do with the English versions - although I do appreciate that that's far from ideal.

But back to the your own response to the stories.  I love the way you signed off: "Thank you for the words."  It says so much, so simply.  I'm glad that I've helped you - and the best of luck with your own writing.  Regards, Michelle