On Friday 28thSeptember year 8 set out to Dover Grammar School for Boys. We were going to see Michelle Paver the author of the ‘Chronicles of Ancient Darkness’. She was there to promote her latest book ‘Outcast’. We had been warned that it would be raining that day and took coats and umbrellas. However we thought that raining meant light showers. We were terribly wrong. We had to endure a 20-minute walk in the pouring rain, becoming drenched and fighting the wind.
We finally arrived at the foot of the enormous hill that DGSB is situated on. Umbrellas frequently turned inside out as we trudged up the hill that had by this time turned into a cascading waterfall. We were all relieved and glad to arrive at the entrance. Our school were guided into the hall and sat down to brush our hair. We waited for about 10 to 15 minutes for the other schools to arrive. There were children from schools located all over Dover and Deal, primary and secondary. There was a buzz of talking, laughter and constant questions of “how do I look?” and “is my hair ok?”. The noise dimmed to silence though when the head of DGSB Mrs Lees stood up to introduce Michelle Paver.
Michelle stood up in front of a table laden with a very impressive flower display and other objects such as a seal skin, reindeer gloves and antlers. She gave an excellent talk telling us about the things that she did when she was writing the books, for example she traveled to Greenland and stayed with the Inuit clans for some research for her second book Spirit Walker. She fascinated the audience which stories of what they did with a seal once it was killed. No part of it is wasted. Every single bit is used. For example, the bones can be turned into needles or hairpins. She also explained that ever since she was very small she has a passion for the cavemen era and for wolves. Michelle had a spaniel when she was growing up and often imagined it to be her wolf that she went hunting with and lived with, this inspired her as well.
After her speech we were allowed to buy books or collect them if we had pre-ordered any. She signed them and stamped them with a wolf paw stamper. I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to interview Michelle later on in the day after the event.
Here is a copy of my interview.
Question 1: When did you write your first ever book?
I wrote a book about a boy and a wolf when I was 5 years old on my mother’s typewriter.
Question 2: Why did you become an author when there are so many other careers fit for a person who has a passion for wolves and the time of the cavemen?
Well I thought that too when I was younger but I decided that writing was my favourite as being an archaeologist would need patience and I have a very low patience level. With writing it can go at any speed that I want it to.
Question 3: What are you going to call your next book?
The 5th book is going to be called Ghost Hunter. There will be another book after that.
Question 4: When you wrote the first book, did you ever imagine that it would turn into a six-part series?
No I didn’t. I never imagined it. I knew that after the first book Wolf Brother I would have to write a sequel though and the chronicles of ancient darkness developed.
Question 5: Who is your favorite author?
I like the authors like Jane Austen and her era. I find them very intriguing.
Overall it was a very good day out. We all enjoyed the experience of meeting a real author and we would like to thank the librarian and the English department for taking us.
