From Carla

Gods & Warriors and Chronicles of Ancient Darkness: a love of Archaeology and a return to reading!

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Carla Writes…

Carla writes…

Hello!! I'm sorry for the lenght of this message, but I wanted to explain how important you've been to me ^^.

I just wanted to tell you that I read the Gods and Warriors saga when it released back in 2012/2013. I was a teenager, and I had a Greek mythology fever due to Percy Jackson haha. So when I saw your book I bought it, even if it didn't talk about the Greek gods I knew, because I would devour anything Greek. It turns out – I loved it! Like, really loved it. I was so eager for the second book to be published, I read it super fast. Then something sad happened, and it's that the publisher wasn't going to translate the remaining books (I'm from Spain!). During that time I had taken up English, so I said "why not" and bought the next books in the original language. Actually, all of them were already out in English except for the last one, and I got it the very same day it came out because I *needed* to know what happened next. I loved them so much, and the way you write, my parents got me the first two books of Chronicles of Ancient Darkness. Unfortunately, that was when I started university, and it was then that I stopped reading because it was painful for me; I was exhausted everyday, and I was struggling with OCD and anxiety, so I stopped reading at all, even though it was my favourite hobby ever. I would read two books per week, more or less, and now it was a miracle if I read just one a year.

The thing is, it's been 8 years since I started university, and 1 since I finished my Master's dregree. And I've recently (finally!!) felt the need to read again, as I used to. It was like an urge, sudden, and my gut told me to pick up "Wolf brother". And what a fantastic choice. I'm finishing it, and I'm so loving it. I'm almost 26, but your books are such a delight to read even if one's not a kid anymore. I wanted to thank you, actually. I'm an Art Historian, and I specialise in Ancient Art, mostly Celtic, but I fell in love with the Bronze Age thanks to your books, Michelle. That's why I also love Cycladic, Minoan and Mycenaean Art – it reminds me so much of Hylas and Pirra. Besides, my MD was in Archaeology, and my favourite subject was the Paleolithic period, so reading Wolf Brother is being such a pleasure, as I understand so much better the forage, the clan structure, the resources, etc.

Just… Thank you so much, for writing books that stuck with me even when I didn't feel like reading at all (I was always thinking about Gods and Warriors when I studied Greek Art), books that sparked the interest in Bronze Age and Prehistory in me. And, above all, books that managed what none other book could in these 9 years: make me the reader I once was again!!

Michelle Replies…

Dear Carla, thank you for such a heartfelt and  moving message. I have to applaud your dedication as a young adult all those years ago, in reading the next instalment of Gods and Warriors in English instead of Spanish – and I’m only sorry that the Spanish publishers didn’t publish the rest of the series.  I really sympathise with your troubles at university, when you lost your desire to read for pleasure.  That sounds so distressing, to lose something which had previously been an important part of your life.  I’m absolutely delighted that after all several years you’ve found your way back to reading, and I’m honoured that Wolf Brother was of help.  May I also offer huge congratulations on getting your Master’s degree; and again, what an honour that it was Gods and Warriors which helped instill a love of the Bronze Age. Thank you so much for getting in touch – and may your career as an Art Historian go from strength to strength!  With very best wishes, Michelle


Upcoming Live Events With Michelle

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Hay Festival Book Club – Dark Matter

October 14, 2025

Michelle in conversation with Danny Robins - this is a FREE online event!

Timeless titles to offer you a break from the day to day. Can't decide what to read next? Follow your curiosity and join Hay Festival on a journey to imagine the world anew through great literature. Unconstrained by genre or form these are our monthly picks of great books worth reading (or re-reading) right now.

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Tuesday 14 October, 7–8pm BST

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Wimbledon Book Festival

October 17, 2025
Festival patron and Sunday Times bestselling author Michelle Paver will talk about her latest supernatural fiction in this live recording with Always Take Notes, a podcast for and about writers and writing.

Michelle will discuss her incredible career, from finding inspiration for Wolf Brother on Wimbledon Common to her latest novel Rainforest, which weaves Mayan culture with themes of obsession, gender and rebirth.

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The Witching Hour with Bridget Collins, Michelle Paver and Laura Shepherd-Robinson – Waterstones Canterbury

October 20, 2025

Join Bridget Collins, Michelle Paver and Laura Sheperd-Robinson as they discuss their stories in a brand new collection of ghostly tales called The Witching Hour.

In this dazzling collection of original haunted tales, thirteen bestselling and much-loved authors bring the old superstition of the witching hour to new and vivid life.
Transporting you from the smog of London to the freezing mists of Svalbard, from an Irish town riddled with rumour to a sinister English boarding school, these thirteen stories will serve as your spine tingling companion to the long hours of winter.
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Yeovil Literary Festival

October 25, 2025

An experience like no other. From a writer like no other...

Successfully published as an adult author, the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness (“Wolf Brother”) were her first books for younger readers, followed by her brilliant 5-part series set in the bronze age, Gods and Warriors. On the adult side, her first ghost story, Dark Matter, was a UK bestseller and won massive praise from reviewers and readers alike, as did her second ghost story, Thin Air.

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Toppings Bookshop, Ely

October 29, 2025

It’s nearly Halloween! Where better to get in the Gothic mood than with Michelle’s spine-chilling world of the supernatural? Come along if you’re in the Ely area (book your place first) and enjoy a thrilling evening of shadows!

Venue: St Peter's Church
Broad Street,
Ely
Cambridgeshire CB7 4BB

Doors Open 6.40pm Start Time 7pm

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Shadows and Spirits: Writing the Unseen

October 30, 2025

Step into the shadows with three masters of modern Gothic and supernatural fiction - Michelle, Syd Moore and CJ Cooke - as they explore why dark stories continue to captivate us. From haunted coastlines to Arctic wastelands, and from age-old folklore to the secrets of the human psyche, these acclaimed authors weave tales that blur the boundaries between the real and the uncanny. In this compelling conversation, they’ll discuss the enduring appeal of the Gothic, the influence of myth and landscape, and why stories of ghosts, spirits, and things unseen still resonate in today’s world. Expect insights, chills, and a celebration of fiction that thrives in the shadows. Tickets are limited so get them while you can!

Goldsboro Books
23-27 Cecil Court
London WC2N 4EZ
Time: 6.30pm (doors from 6pm)

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Women in Horror Weekend

November 1, 2025

Come and celebrate Women in Horror Weekend with Waterstones Nottingham! Including author talks from the some of the best women writers in horror, a classic film screening and spooky goody bags and workshops from Lush Nottingham! Michelle will be in conversation with Julia Armfield on Saturday from 5;15pm onwards... See you there!

Waterstones Nottingham
1/5 Bridlesmith Gate
Nottingham NG1 2GR
Te. 0115 9470069

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WINTER HAUNTS 2025

November 15, 2025

Online event! Ghost story, gothic and supernatural fiction day 10:30am - 6:30pm GMT... Michelle with Lucy Rose, Jess Kidd, Emilia Hart, CJ Cooke, Hollie Starling, Emma Glass. Connect with fellow fans of the strange, the eerie, and the otherworldly!

Oxford Literary Festival 2026

March 29, 2026

The Oxford Literary Festival takes place in venues across central Oxford, such as Blackwell's bookshop, the Bodleian Library, the Sheldonian Theatre, the Weston Library, and Oxford colleges such as Christ Church and Worcester College. The festival includes international authors, journalists, intellectuals, historians, and poets.