Welcome to the Warriors Hub

BY Vicky Holmes, the first of all the Erins

Welcome, Clanmates!

I hope you feel instantly at home in this exciting new space. We have had a tremendous amount of fun creating it, and it’s been a trip down memory lane for me in lots of ways. I’ve been asked to tell you the story of how Warriors began, and it goes something like this.

How it all began

Once upon a time, many years ago, a dog- and horse-loving children’s fiction editor was asked to come up with a single book about cats… That was me! (And I still much prefer dogs and horses to cats, sorry!) Because I was young and obedient and loved my job, I did create a storyline, but to make it interesting, I put in all the stuff I was interested in, like religion, death, war, emotional crises, social conflict, what it feels like to be an outsider. There was so much squeezed into that first storyline (it ended with Firestar becoming leader!) that the publishers, HarperCollins in the US, decided that it should be extended to six books. Which became 12, then 18, and so on.

I made up the four Clans, plus StarClan, and figured out how the cats would organise their tiny societies. I wanted romantic, lyrical names, hence the two-part formula, and I realised that I could change these names to reflect the particular stage of a cat’s life. I gave the cats human-like personalities so that they could feel love, jealousy, anger, disappointment just like us, but I also wanted them to behave in a way that was as close to their natural lives as possible. So no weapons or clothing, no communicating with other animals, just a constant battle to hunt and survive.

I gave the cats human-like personalities so that they could feel love, jealousy, anger, disappointment just like us, but I also wanted them to behave in a way that was as close to their natural lives as possible.

As I created the characters, locations (yes, I came up with the maps, although the versions in the books were drawn by a professional, you’ll be relieved to know) and background stories, I realised that I was having the most incredible amount of fun. And that I would never need to write my autobiography because everything that had happened to me, all the things I felt strongly about, all the ideas I wanted to explore, could be contained in this glorious, leafy, feline world. I am still heartbroken that I had to leave the Warriors team, and nothing I work on will ever mean as much to me, but I am proud of the stories that I have created, and I am thrilled that they live on without me. Working with Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry and Tui Sutherland is a gift for any editor, and I am pleased to say that we remain friends even though I no longer chivvy them through overly-complex storylines on very tight schedule.

Now for some fun facts!

Tigerclaw was originally called Hammerclaw. The first book was very nearly on its way to being printed when someone wondered out loud if cats would know what a hammer was…

I originally wanted Firestar to kill Tigerstar in the battle at the end of Series One. A colleague pointed out that it would be far more dramatic if Scourge killed him, and we were left mourning the death of a great warrior. They were 100% right!

I have quoted from three different movies in the books that I worked on: Rambo First Blood, Gladiator, and the first Marvel Avengers movie. Happy hunting!

Making mistakes

As well as being responsible for the good parts of Warriors, like the Clans, the names, the complicated storylines, I am also responsible for the mistakes. Yes, Rowanclaw is a she-cat before he turns up as the father of Tawnypelt’s kits. Yes, Heavystep dies three times (though I secretly want to do a Super Edition in which we discover he was given nine lives by StarClan for a very special reason!). Yes, eye colours aren’t always consistent – and I promise it annoys me as much as it annoys you because I try REALLY HARD to keep a record of physical characteristics. But with 451 cats (I counted), you can understand a few errors creeping in.

Happy endings bore me rigid. I was frequently chided by my editor at HarperCollins for putting forward stories that were “unremittingly gloomy”. Nothing is more tedious than a cheerful, uncomplicated romantic relationship. And that is why Dustpelt and Ferncloud lose so many children. They’d be far too boring if I didn’t hurl some grief and devastation into their lives!

It has been the greatest joy, the greatest honour, the greatest fun to be the first Erin Hunter. These books have taken me all over the world to meet fans, and I remain in awe of their popularity. As writers, we work alone in the dark, never knowing if anyone will read our silent words. I may have created Warriors, but you brought these cats to life by taking these stories into your hearts and making them real. And for that, there are not enough words to thank you.