oath baker Imaginative Response
Noah writes…
Hay Michelle Paver
I hope you're doing well. I'm in S1 at High School and I'm working on an Imaginative Response based on your book "Oath Breaker." I'm thinking of adding another soul-eater or reincarnating one. If I were to reincarnate a soul-eater, which one do you think I should choose? Also, if I decide to add a soul-eater, what should I call them and what kind of mage should they be? I'd love to share my Imaginative Response with you, but it contains spoilers. Wishing you all the best, and may the guardian swim with you.
From Noah
Hello, Noah. I like your idea of inventing or re-incarnating a Soul-Eater. I’m not going to suggest which to choose, as that’s best left to you; but what I can do is suggest some questions you could ask yourself, which will help you create your character. Was your Soul-Eater born bad, or did they become that way – and if so, what turned them evil? What clan are they from? Are they typical of that clan? For instance, if they’re Red Deer, were they originally against fighting, and something turned them aggressive? Or were they just different from the other members of the clan, so that they didn’t fit in? In what way are they evil? For instance, Seshru is cunning and uses trickery, while Thiazzi relies on his brute strength, and Eostra scares everyone rigid. How would your Soul-Eater’s magecraft work? If you spend a little time thinking about these things, it should help you create your character (it’s how I did it when I wrote the books). I hope this helps, and that you have fun with what sounds like a really interesting project. And by all means share the results with me (though I won’t post it if it contains spoilers). May the guardian swim with you! Michelle
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Hay Festival Book Club – Dark Matter
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
Wimbledon Book Festival
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.
The Witching Hour with Bridget Collins, Michelle Paver and Laura Shepherd-Robinson – Waterstones Canterbury
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.
Yeovil Literary Festival
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.
Toppings Bookshop, Ely
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
Shadows and Spirits: Writing the Unseen
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)
Women in Horror Weekend
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
WINTER HAUNTS 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
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.