Word Count
Amanda writes…
Hi Michelle!
My Year 6 son is an avid reader and is currently enjoying your Chronicles of Ancient Darkness books. We have recently started keeping track of his word count (he's at 800k so far this school year!). Would it be possible to have the word count of all the books in the Wolf Brother series? I've looked everywhere but can't find them. Thank you so much for creating such engaging books.
All the best,
Amanda
Dear Amanda, I’m delighted that your son is enjoying the books – and thanks for asking a question I’ve never been asked before! As far as I know, publishers don’t do a final word-count before publication, but I can give you mine, as measured after the final edit but before the proof-reading stage; so it’s accurate to about the nearest 500 words or so.
The six books in the CHRONICLES OF ANCIENT DARKNESS add up to 359,000, and the three subsequent books which I wrote more recently (VIPER’S DAUGHTER, SKIN TAKER & WOLF BANE) weigh in at 160,000. Thus the grand total for all nine books is 519,000 words. Which almost makes me feel faint; that’s an awful lot of writing!
Anyway, I really hope that your son isn’t put off by that, and that he enjoys the rest of the series.
With best wishes, Michelle
Upcoming Live Events With Michelle
Incredible… Inspiring… In Person!
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.
Register to watch free online
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)