The chronicles of ancient darkness was my saviour

Ask Michelle Anything

Max writes…

Hey! My name is Max, and The Chronicles Of Ancient Darkness became my saviour. I first came across the first book in the series Wolf Brother when I was in primary school year 5 I was 10 years old. And once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down! And basically never did. I’d read it, finish it, and then start again. I have Autism, and a few other diagnoses, and I felt like an alien most of the time, I didn’t fit in, I wasn’t interested in what other kids my age were interested in, and I become very withdrawn. But once I came across Wolf Brother, I didn’t feel alone, I felt as though Torak, Wolf, Renn and the others were my friends! Every time I read the book it was like I was in the book experiencing what they were, feeling what they felt, and it helped me open up, how to express how I felt and helped me to empathise with others, among other things. When I got to year 6 I must of read Wolf Brother 100s of times! And my head teacher at the time was the most caring and understanding woman I’ve ever met! And one day called me into her office and said she had a surprise for me… it was the entire book series in hardback form! I saw them and I actually cried! And to this day I still have them all, with their original sleeves 13 years later! They are my greatest treasure! I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read the series, and each time it’s just as good as the first time! They’ve helped through some of the toughest times of my life! It’s one of the very few things that have been a consistent safe place in my chaotic life! They will forever be my favourite books and they’ve been my savour over the years! I’ve got them in every form I think! From the physical copies, to the audio books, and the kindle versions, so I know that wherever I go, no matter what situation I’m in, if I need that safe place to go to then it’s there ready! Thank you so so much Michelle! You are a truly amazing writer, and I hope one day I can tell you in person how great you truly are, and how this series has saved me and become a beacon of light in my dark world!

Yours truly
Max

Michelle Replies…

Dear Max,

Thank you so much for your wonderful, articulate, heartfelt message.  It moved me almost to tears; and I’m not someone who cries easily!  What you have described is, to me, the best thing about reading: if we find the right book, it makes us feel that we are not alone.  That is an immensely powerful feeling, and one can only get it when one has the ability really to immerse oneself in a book: an ability which you clearly had from an early age.  I am so delighted and proud that my stories helped you when you were at school, and continue to do so.  And I”m glad that you had a wonderful, caring head teacher, who took the time to see what the stories meant to you.  Thank you again for so much for getting in touch.  If you haven’t already done so, you might enjoy the finall three stories of Torak, Renn and Wolf, which I wrote recently.

In  the meantime, may the guardian run with you!

With very best wishes, Michelle


Upcoming Live Events With Michelle

Incredible… Inspiring… In Person!

Only 28 days to grab your ticket!

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.

Register to watch free online
Tuesday 14 October, 7–8pm BST

Only 31 days to grab your ticket!

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.

Only 34 days to grab your ticket!

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.
So curl up, light a candle, and wait for the clock to strike . . .
Only 39 days to grab your ticket!

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.

Only 43 days to grab your ticket!

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

Only 44 days to grab your ticket!

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)