Why I Never Take Photos
Michelle Paver March Newsletter Hello… People sometimes ask me how I research my books. Well, apart from lots of reading in the British Library, I try as far as I can to experience what my characters do in the story. That’s why I went to Scandinavia so often for the Wolf Brother books, and Svalbard for Dark Matter. And I don’t really do this to get things right, I do it so that you, the reader, will feel that you’re inside the story, living it alongside the characters. The things I do for research… Licking a giant slug in...
What Do Books Give Us That Nothing Else Can?
Hello – I hope the beginning of 2026 has been kind to you, and that if you’re in the UK, you’re managing to stay warm and dry in this wet and rather gloomy weather. (At least it means that the ponds near my house are filling up again, which is good news for the moorhens and the ducks.) Thanks to everyone who’s been in touch to say how much they’ve enjoyed Rainforest, and special thanks to the many readers who read the Wolf Brother books as children and are now re-discovering them as adults – including Niklas, Kyle, Sebastian, Ahmed...
Good Wishes For The End Of 2025
Hello - I hope you’re not feeling too frazzled as we spiral towards the great holiday shutdown. For me it’s been a tiring year, and I’m hoping 2026 will be a bit less frenetic. As for Christmas itself, I haven’t really done it for the past few years, which has made it quite peaceful. No presents or cards, and I spend the afternoon with my mother, as I do every day. We skip the Christmas tree too; and as for decorations, my favourites are the green parakeets on Wimbledon Common. I used to worry that they’d chase off the other...
The Hauntings I Return To Every Year
Hello – It’s been great to meet so many of you at my book events over the past few weeks, and thanks to everyone who came. Thanks also to those of you who’ve said such nice things about Rainforest and my ghost story in The Witching Hour. Hallowe’en may be over, but I’m still deeply immersed in ghost stories. I don’t know about you, but I always get the urge to read them in the autumn; I think it has something to do with the clocks going back. Over the years I’ve amassed quite a big collection of rather battered volumes, which...
Autumn Thoughts from My Writing Desk
Hello - Autumn is here, and whatever’s going on in your life, I hope you’re managing to experience the changing trees in some way or other - whether it’s in your local woods or from a train, or simply a solitary tree in a car park. They’re all trees and they’re good for the spirit. (However I do wish we could have some rain. The ponds on the Common where I live are drying up fast, which means poor hunting for my local heron.) So Rainforest is finally published, and I’m looking forward to meeting some of you at the...
🌿 Win a Handmade South American Vase – Inspired by "Rainforest"
To celebrate the publication of my new ghost story Rainforest, Bookshop.org and my publishers Orion are offering readers the chance to win something truly special: a handmade South American vase. Objects like this have been made for millennia across Central and South America, from the ancient Nazca and Moche potters of Peru to Amazonian communities of today—each vessel telling stories of people, spirits, and the living world around them. It’s painted in gorgeous, deep earthen tones—black, ochre and red—evoking the fertile soil and clay of the rainforest itself. Along its sides, you’ll find stylised figures — a reminder of the myths...
Meet Michelle – events calendar live and online this autumn 🍂
Hello! I’m delighted to share details of my upcoming live events this autumn. There’s a wonderful mixture: from the free online Hay Festival Book Club with Danny Robins of Uncanny fame, to in-person appearances at festivals, bookshops, and special gothic gatherings across the UK. I hope to see many of you either on screen or in person! Event listing (chronological): 📌 Hay Festival Book Club – Dark Matter Tuesday 14 October, 7–8pm BST – Online, Free In conversation with Danny Robins about Dark Matter. Join us from anywhere in the world! 👉 Register here 📌 Wimbledon Book Festival Friday 17...
First chance to own a signed first edition of The Witching Hour
Over the past few days, I’ve had the great pleasure of signing 400 copies of THE WITCHING HOUR: Ghostly Tales for the Darkest Nights. With only 400 signed copies in existence, they won’t be around for long - and I wanted subscribers to my newsletter to have the first chance of getting their hands on one before supplies run out. And just so you know, as I was the first author to arrive for the signing, I was given my choice of signing pen - which is why my signature is in green! There’s something rather magical about pausing over...
Ghosts in the Arctic, Terrors in the Jungle: Dark Matter & Rainforest
Hello! Michelle Paver here... There's a lot to tell you about this month! The 15th Birthday edition of DARK MATTER is finally out! I’ve written a special Afterword for it, in which I talk about the truly astonishing breadth of readers’ responses to the story over the years, particularly to Jack, and go into detail about how I wrote the story - plus my views on ghosts. Also, the multi-talented Simon Pegg has generously written a fascinating piece in which he shares many thought-provoking insights into both Dark Matter and ghosts. Dark Matter The 15th Anniversary Special Edition - Including...
Rituals, Resilience & Rainforest: Michelle Paver's Newsletter
Hello! Michelle Paver here... In past newsletters I haven’t said much about the Wolf Brother books, and yet I get so many fascinating messages about them. Many are from children meeting Wolf, Torak and Renn for the first time; your searching questions send me delving back into my files for the answers. Lots are from readers who grew up with the books and are still enjoying them as adults. I love hearing how the stories have helped you, and inspired you to do all sorts of astonishing things: art, writing, archaeology, conservation, woodsmanship, wolf research; dealing with the complexities of...
Climbing Ancient Trees, New Stories & a Special Anniversary Surprise 🌳✨
Hello. It’s Michelle Paver again. Thank heavens the weather’s cooled down a bit! At least, it has where I am, although if you live elsewhere, you may still be enduring a heatwave. This morning I was out in the woods just after dawn, and I ended up climbing one of my favourite trees. It’s an enormous beech, and I only climb it a few times a year - last time was the summer solstice, and before then, Christmas Eve – but it’s worth the scramble to get about twenty feet up. I find it comforting to spend time with a...
News from Michelle Paver
Hello! Michelle Paver here... I thought it might be nice to get in touch every few weeks and tell you what’s happening with my books, and maybe expand on a few things readers have mentioned in their messages on my website. But first: the heat! Maybe, like me, you’re enduring a heatwave? I’ve been living like a vampire, creeping about in the gloom all day with my curtains and blinds down, then opening them at night. And for the past three mornings in a row I’ve been woken at four am by the outraged buzzing of a bumblebee who’s got...
News from Michelle Paver
ClanCasts Reborn The ClanCast Is Reborn Back in the mists of time – when the world was young and podcasts had barely been invented – Michelle and her readers created a series of live audio shows featuring contributors from all around the world. They called them – ClanCasts. Recently, a reader dropped Michelle a line (you can send her a note too – she loves hearing from readers) asking if the show she took part in is still available anywhere? The good news is – yes! We’ve just remastered all the old ClanCasts and turned them into videos on Michelle’s...
Please Join Me Live Tomorrow…
…for an end-of-year Ask-Me-Anything (“AMA”) on Twitter. Just bring yourself and any thoughts, questions… or hopes for the year ahead! It’s being facilitated by Ben Harris, who runs #ThePaverPack on Twitter. Ben writes about children's books and also regularly writes for Ghosts and Scholars journal. So he’s pretty much got all my writing genres covered! It’s going to a fun and relaxed session. If you’ve never taken part in an AMA before, I can guarantee you’re going enjoy it. Simply turn up on my Twitter page at 4pm UK tomorrow, Saturday 31st December. We’ll start a new thread there at...
Times for Tomorrow’s Show
MichellePaver.com The Official Michelle Paver site Some readers have asked for the correct local time for tomorrow’s (Monday) Michelle LIVE. One of the great things about this live YouTube event is that it brings people together from literally all over the world, so here is the correct time for several key time zones: Anchorage 9:00am Dublin 6:00pm Jerusalem 8:00pm Kuwait City 8:00pm Las Vegas 10:00am Mexico City 12:00 noon New York 1:00pm Sydney 3:00am Tuesday Wellington 5:00am Tuesday For places & time zones not mentioned, please click here. This will be an important Michelle LIVE, we do hope you can...
Join Michelle Live On Monday
MichellePaver.com The Official Michelle Paver site My event brief description Join Michelle Live On Monday RSVP Please join Michelle Paver and her fans and readers from all round the world for a live YouTube event on Monday! https://youtu.be/as-r8Xvmhjc We’re celebrating the conclusion of the epic, nine-book Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series. Looking back on what it’s meant to all of us. With contributions from readers… and – of course, LIVE chat direct with Michelle! This will be a truly unique event. Click below to receive a YouTube reminder. Remind Me Unsubscribe | Manage your subscription | View online...
“The Art of Wolf Brother” Premieres on YouTube Tomorrow!
MichellePaver.com The Official Michelle Paver site Please join Michelle and readers from all over the world for the official YouTube premiere of “The Art of Wolf Brother” – a fascinating 40-minute programme featuring Michelle and the renowned artist Geoff Taylor. For eighteen years, Michelle and Geoff have collaborated on more than 300 chapter illustrations and maps from Torak’s world. And yet – they have never met – nor even spoken on the phone! All their communications have been entirely by post. Tomorrow, you can witness the very first conversation ever between these two highly-creative individuals. And Michelle herself will be...
Please Join Me On Monday
MichellePaver.com The Official Michelle Paver site I do hope you can join me for tomorrow’s live show on YouTube: https://youtu.be/l4puKcY6eD8 With the launch of “Wolfbane” just days away, it’s going to be a genuinely epic show. I don’t want to reveal everything before we go live at 6pm UK tomorrow… but I can tell you that we’ll be announcing the most valuable give-away ever! And – oh yes – much more! And speaking of “Wolfbane”. Please do use this link to save £2.99 off the hardback price!Very much looking forward to seeing you in the live chat tomorrow! Michelle RSVP...
It Was Eighteen Years Ago...
It was nearly 18 years ago when “Wolf Brother” was first published... MichellePaver.com The Official Michelle Paver site Hello there... And happy April! This month is a very special one for me and readers of the Wolf Brother / Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series. I can’t believe that it was nearly 18 years ago – on the 27th May 2004 – that my book “Wolf Brother” was first published. Some of my more recent readers weren’t even alive at the time. I wonder whether you can remember what the world was like then? Facebook and Gmail were founded that year....
Please Join Michelle Live This Monday!
We’re delighted to announce the next Michelle LIVE will take place this Monday, 17th January MichellePaver.com The Official Michelle Paver site We’re delighted to announce the next Michelle LIVE will take place this Monday, 17th January, at 6pm UK on YouTube. Here’s the link: https://youtu.be/AvtDV6u01oc For the time in other parts of the world, click here. As always, there will be lots of live chat with Michelle and her readers from all round the world Hope to see you there! Set Reminder Unsubscribe | Manage your subscription | View online...
One More Thing...
MichellePaver.com The Official Michelle Paver site One more thing! Michelle will be announcing a great new competition on today’s LIVE show, run by the folk over at the Wolf Brother Discussion sub-reddit. The prizes are limited, anniversary-edition WOLF BROTHER paperbacks signed by Michelle. You’ve never seen a WOLF BROTHER cover design like this before! Join us live tonight to find out how to enter. Join Us Today! Unsubscribe | Manage your subscription | View online...
Join the Gathering of the Clans Tomorrow!
MichellePaver.com The Official Michelle Paver site Please join Michelle LIVE tomorrow! You are invited to Michelle LIVE! RSVP As we head into the dark season here in the northern hemisphere, what could be nicer than a gathering of the Clans? That’s what’s happening tomorrow, Monday 25th October, live on YouTube at 6pm UK time. And Michelle would love you to be there! So please join us for live chat, answers to tons of questions about WOLF BROTHER and Michelle’s other books (especially her adult ghost stories, DARK MATTER and THIN AIR). Come and share your love for the adventures of...
Please Join Michelle Paver and Abi Elphinstone on Wednesday!
Please Join Michelle Paver and Abi Elphinstone on Wednesday! Book Now Michelle is delighted to invite you to join her this Wednesday when she’s in conversation with acclaimed writer Abi Elphinstone, author of the Unmapped Chronicles series. This is a Waterstones online event via Zoom and it starts at 6pm UK – click here for times in other parts of the world. There are various ticket options – including a signed bookplate copy of Skin Taker, plus a Vipers Daughter tote bag & bookmark. You’ll also be able to get a signed bookplate copy of Abi’s latest book The Crackledawn...
An Historic Michelle Live This Monday
MichellePaver.com The Official Michelle Paver site Live On YouTube This Monday You are invited to join Michelle Live RSVP It will be an historic Michelle Live on Monday, and I do hope you can join us for it. For a start, Michelle will be revealing the winners of the “Design A Tattoo” contest that’s been running on the COAD Reddit, r/WolfBrotherDiscussion. If you’re a Wolf brother fan – of any age – and you haven’t yet discovered this fabulous discussion group, Michelle strongly urges you to drop in and take part! You’ll meet readers from all over the world. The...
Join Michelle Live Tomorrow…
MichellePaver.com The Official Michelle Paver site I’m delighted to invite you to join Michelle Paver and her readers on YouTube tomorrow for this month’s Michelle LIVE. If you’ve joined us before, you’ll know what to expect… lots of live chat with Michelle herself and readers from around the world… definitive answers to (even the most obscure!) questions that readers ask… and tomorrow, Michelle will be presenting you with her Top Five Films With A Terrific Sense Of Place! Coming from Michelle, they’ll be recommendations you know you’re going to enjoy! And if you haven’t joined us live before – now’s...
Please Join me Tomorrow…
MichellePaver.com The Official Michelle Paver site I am thrilled to invite you to join me tomorrow, Thursday 27th May, for a live event on YouTube that will be quite special and completely unique. “Gothic Live” will be a celebration – and exploration – of all things Gothic and in particular Gothic literature. To help me, I have invited three guests – the writers Karen Coles and Paul Maunder, and Gothic doyenne from Hillingdon Libraries, Lara Marshall. I’ve always adored Gothic fiction, as you may know if you’ve read my adult ghost stories, particular the most recent, “Wakenhyrst”. If you have...
Please Join Me on Monday…
MichellePaver.com The Official Michelle Paver site Please Join Me on Monday… Monday’s Michelle LIVE will be a unique event, and I do hope you will be able to join me. For the past few months, diploma students at the National Film and Television School have been working hard to produce a YouTube commercial to mark the publication of SKIN TAKER. The National Film and Television School is one of the world’s most respected schools for the visual arts. Past students include directors David Yates (“Harry Potter”), Terence Davies (“Distant Voices, Still Lives”), Sarah Gavron (“Rocks”) and Nick Park (“Wallace and...
Join Michelle Live This Monday…
I’m delighted to invite you to join Michelle live on YouTube this Monday. It’s been a few weeks since the last live stream: Michelle has been totally occupied with her writing. But on Monday, she’ll emerge to have a good long chat with her readers. So whether you have a question for her – or whether you simply want to drop in and say hi – you’ll be more than welcome. Here’s the YouTube link: https://youtu.be/_zp19SXRnRM We officially kick off at 6pm UK time, but the chat room will be open about 15 minutes beforehand. If you’re not in the...
Links From Last Night
Thank you so much for making last night’s Michelle LIVE such a great event! In these challenging times, we wanted to give Michelle’s readers something extra-special, and I hope you agree we’ve done that with these two wonderful free offers. If you weren’t able to join us, here are two important links that will allow you to take advantage of both offers... *** TEN FREE VIPER’S DAUGHTER AUDIOBOOKS TO BE WON! *** Really easy to enter! Simply send an email to the address given in Michelle's video and you’re in with a chance to win! Here’s a link that starts...
Please Join Us Live Tomorrow!
Please join Michelle Paver and her readers for a very special live event on YouTube tomorrow, Monday the 11th! It starts at 6:00pm UK time (click here for the time in other parts of the world) but live chat will be available about half an hour beforehand. This is a wonderful opportunity to chat in real time with Michelle, author of some of the most iconic and well-loved books of our time. We know from previous live events that they are especially appreciated by those currently living under lockdown. Michelle will, of course, be answering all the questions that readers...
Thank You – And A Giveaway!
MichellePaver.com I just wanted to express my deepest gratitude to those readers who joined me on YouTube on Monday for Michelle LIVE. It was so good to chat with readers from, quite literally, all over the world. You really made it a very special show, thank you so very much! If you weren’t able to join me, here’s the link for you to watch when convenient. To celebrate the launch of “Viper’s Daughter” in paperback on the 5th of November, we’re giving away three signed copies, drawn at random. It’s not a contest. Simply send an email containing your...
November Update
MichellePaver.com The Official Michelle Paver site Hello – I do hope you’re keeping happy and healthy in these strange times. There’s lots to tell you about this month... First of all, Many congratulations to Maya Wilson, Alex Crompton and Marianne Nield who were the lucky winners of last month’s giveaway – a signed copy of Sir Ian McKellen’s masterful reading of GHOST HUNTER! We have another giveaway coming up on Monday, so do join me live in the YouTube chat room. The paperback edition of VIPER’S DAUGHTER will be released on the 5th of November here in the UK,...
Can You Write A Subtitle For Viper’s Daughter?
MichellePaver.com The Official Michelle Paver site Hello - This is a rather unusual request. Normally as we draw closer to each month’s Michelle Live, we like to drop you a line reminding you to join us in the YouTube chatroom to chat with other readers and to ask anything (and we do mean anything!) of Michelle herself. It’s a great event, and if you haven’t yet taken part, please do join us tomorrow, Monday: https://youtu.be/ur9dQ_SQCRU And Michelle will be giving away three more signed first editions! No contest to enter, simply drop an email to the address she announces, and...
In Case You Missed It!
MichellePaver.com The Official Michelle Paver site Please let me say “thank you” to everyone who made last night’s live event so much fun! I do look forward to these monthly live chats we have on YouTube – in these strange times, it’s one of the few ways we have of staying in touch. In case you missed it, here’s a link to last night’s show, and do remember that you can still enter the competition for a signed first-edition copy of VIPER'S DAUGHTER! No questions to answer – just send an email to the address given in the show and...
Join Michelle LIVE Tonight For A 3-Book Giveaway!
MichellePaver.com The Official Michelle Paver site View this email online Just a brief note to tell you that Michelle will be going live on YouTube tonight (Monday 27th July) at 6pm UK. For the times in other parts of the world, click here. As always, she’ll be answering questions that readers have sent in… And – of course! – talking directly to everyone in the live YouTube chatroom. This is always a wonderful live event for everyone, so please do come along and take part! On the last Michelle LIVE she gave away three signed proof copies to readers… this...