Hi Michelle,

Firstly, last night I finished your book and wow! Amazing! I have to admit this was my first book of yours. It was an impulse buy from Goldsboro while visiting London. I also read half of it on the night boat back to Guernsey from Portsmouth (I never sleep when travelling). I bought it simply because remote or ancient locations with mystery are my cup of tea. I found Lucy Clarke's The Hike the same way. I fell in love with the way you described the rainforest, wildlife & bugs. The details felt so pitch-perfect to my own experience as a photographer exploring the Amazon two years ago. The horror aspects and the sense of dread were pitch-perfect. I have ordered copies of Thin Air & Dark Matter.

I wanted to ask spoiler-free about certain themes in the book that gave me the ick (for lack of a better word). You explained really well in the author's notes that this is the truth of Maya tribes & attitudes of the time. I also noted that Simon's backstory gave me the ick to a lesser degree. I wondered if there was meant to be a parallel between Simon and Yachikel's Kayun. Yes, Simon did this, but he's not Kayun nor Birkenshaw. Was this a planned parallel, or something that just happened? It reminded me of Temple of Doom: Indiana Jones puts Short Round in danger and that's a shady part of him; however, he's not as dark as the cult enslaving the village children. (Hopefully the example explains what I am referring to without spoilers — apologies for being vague.)

The main question is: did this give you the ick, and did you have concerns about how readers would react to this subject matter? These themes gave me the ick at first, but I quickly felt there is a reason for it — it does not glorify things that are wrong.

Many thanks,
John

Dear John, I’m delighted that you enjoyed Rainforest, and that your impulse buy was rewarded (as they so often are).  I’m also glad that my account of the rainforest chimed with your own experiences in the Amazon.  Thanks for avoiding spoilers in your message; and as regards possible parallels between Kayun and Simon, this was actually unintentional to begin with, and arose naturally from my research, although obviously once I was writing the story, I realised it.  (Birkenshaw was more deliberate.)  And to answer your second question, of course I did and do find much in the characters’ behaviour that’s reprehensible and distasteful, or just plain wrong, and I’m sure readers will too.  That’s part of writing a ghost story, and I hope it adds to the general sense of discomfort!  Anyway, I’m really glad that you enjoyed the story – and I hope that you like my other books, too.  With very best wishes, Michelle