Mary Averling
@maryaverling.bsky.social
Author of Bram Stoker Award finalist THE CURSE OF EELGRASS BOG and THE GHOSTS OF BITTERFLY BAY with Penguin Young Readers. Next: THE BURN BEAST (Putnam, Fall 2026)
Rep'd by Kelly Sonnack at ABLA
Rep'd by Kelly Sonnack at ABLA
Pinned
Mary Averling
@maryaverling.bsky.social
· Dec 16
🔥COVER REVEAL!!!🔥
Beyond excited to share the cover of my newest middle grade horror, THE BURN BEAST, which will publish with Putnam Young Readers (@penguinkids) in September 2026!!!
Art: James Firnhaber
Design: Kaitlin Yang
Beyond excited to share the cover of my newest middle grade horror, THE BURN BEAST, which will publish with Putnam Young Readers (@penguinkids) in September 2026!!!
Art: James Firnhaber
Design: Kaitlin Yang
sweating dying doubting but just hit 175 pages on my PhD thesis and ahhhhh come hell or high water we are FINISHING THIS THING SOON AND BECOMING A BOOK DOCTOR OR SO HELP ME
February 6, 2026 at 5:21 PM
sweating dying doubting but just hit 175 pages on my PhD thesis and ahhhhh come hell or high water we are FINISHING THIS THING SOON AND BECOMING A BOOK DOCTOR OR SO HELP ME
Happy 1st Birthday to THE GHOSTS OF BITTERFLY BAY 👻🌲🦋🖤 thank you to everyone who has supported my strange little ghost kids, and all the dreams & doorways of Bitterfly Bay!
February 4, 2026 at 5:11 PM
Happy 1st Birthday to THE GHOSTS OF BITTERFLY BAY 👻🌲🦋🖤 thank you to everyone who has supported my strange little ghost kids, and all the dreams & doorways of Bitterfly Bay!
THE BURN BEAST is now available for request on Edelweiss! Authors, librarians, educators, and booksellers can request an early copy here (community.edelweiss.plus/title/979821...)!
February 3, 2026 at 10:19 PM
THE BURN BEAST is now available for request on Edelweiss! Authors, librarians, educators, and booksellers can request an early copy here (community.edelweiss.plus/title/979821...)!
ngl I adore horror with my whole heart, but it's also been SO fun drafting something more cute & cozy & full of whimsy <3
January 30, 2026 at 6:24 PM
ngl I adore horror with my whole heart, but it's also been SO fun drafting something more cute & cozy & full of whimsy <3
THE GHOSTS OF BITTERFLY BAY is on the Bram Stoker Award preliminary ballot!!! Alongside so many other wonderful spooky friends!!!
Beyond honored to be in such incredible company. Thank you to the HWA for supporting my freaky little stories, and congratulations to all the others on this list <3
Beyond honored to be in such incredible company. Thank you to the HWA for supporting my freaky little stories, and congratulations to all the others on this list <3
January 26, 2026 at 6:23 PM
THE GHOSTS OF BITTERFLY BAY is on the Bram Stoker Award preliminary ballot!!! Alongside so many other wonderful spooky friends!!!
Beyond honored to be in such incredible company. Thank you to the HWA for supporting my freaky little stories, and congratulations to all the others on this list <3
Beyond honored to be in such incredible company. Thank you to the HWA for supporting my freaky little stories, and congratulations to all the others on this list <3
Introducing ... COBWEB!!! 🥰🕸 He is the fluffiest, gentlest, most curious little rescue kitten, and I am so very excited to welcome him into our lives!!!
Fair warning, this is now a Cobweb fan account. Forget books. He has become 99% of my personality.
Fair warning, this is now a Cobweb fan account. Forget books. He has become 99% of my personality.
January 15, 2026 at 5:40 PM
Introducing ... COBWEB!!! 🥰🕸 He is the fluffiest, gentlest, most curious little rescue kitten, and I am so very excited to welcome him into our lives!!!
Fair warning, this is now a Cobweb fan account. Forget books. He has become 99% of my personality.
Fair warning, this is now a Cobweb fan account. Forget books. He has become 99% of my personality.
UPDATE HE IS PERFECT AND LOVELY AND WE ARE GOING TO ADOPT HIM I AM SO HAPPY
cat adoption update!! we are going to visit this little guy tomorrow to see if he's a fit, and I'm BURSTING
January 15, 2026 at 3:47 AM
UPDATE HE IS PERFECT AND LOVELY AND WE ARE GOING TO ADOPT HIM I AM SO HAPPY
also the cover is fierce & angry & just BEHOLD
January 13, 2026 at 10:53 PM
also the cover is fierce & angry & just BEHOLD
heyyyyy my upcoming middle grade, THE BURN BEAST, is super queer! two moms! sapphic tween crushes! canonically bi MC! and you can preorder from your favourite bookstore to prove how much these stories are still needed & wanted!!
Depressing news reported at @lgbtqnation.com:
Publishers are “stepping back” from LGBTQ+ books amid bans & the current GOP president
www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/01/publ...
#kidlit #queerkidlit #lgbtq #booksky
Publishers are “stepping back” from LGBTQ+ books amid bans & the current GOP president
www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/01/publ...
#kidlit #queerkidlit #lgbtq #booksky
Publishers are “stepping back” from LGBTQ+ books amid bans & the current GOP president - LGBTQ Nation
"In the face of so many book bans and so much concern about decreasing school library sales of queer content" publishers are "passing" on LGBTQ+ books.
www.lgbtqnation.com
January 13, 2026 at 10:52 PM
heyyyyy my upcoming middle grade, THE BURN BEAST, is super queer! two moms! sapphic tween crushes! canonically bi MC! and you can preorder from your favourite bookstore to prove how much these stories are still needed & wanted!!
cat adoption update!! we are going to visit this little guy tomorrow to see if he's a fit, and I'm BURSTING
January 13, 2026 at 1:40 AM
cat adoption update!! we are going to visit this little guy tomorrow to see if he's a fit, and I'm BURSTING
Reposted by Mary Averling
Well…
This Appearing House and Broken Dolls by @allymalinenko.bsky.social
The Clackity by @lorasenf.bsky.social
The Curse of Eelgrass Bog by @maryaverling.bsky.social
The Many Hauntings of the Manning Family by @lorienlawrence.bsky.social
The Otherwoods by @justinepwinans.bsky.social
This Appearing House and Broken Dolls by @allymalinenko.bsky.social
The Clackity by @lorasenf.bsky.social
The Curse of Eelgrass Bog by @maryaverling.bsky.social
The Many Hauntings of the Manning Family by @lorienlawrence.bsky.social
The Otherwoods by @justinepwinans.bsky.social
January 10, 2026 at 6:06 PM
Well…
This Appearing House and Broken Dolls by @allymalinenko.bsky.social
The Clackity by @lorasenf.bsky.social
The Curse of Eelgrass Bog by @maryaverling.bsky.social
The Many Hauntings of the Manning Family by @lorienlawrence.bsky.social
The Otherwoods by @justinepwinans.bsky.social
This Appearing House and Broken Dolls by @allymalinenko.bsky.social
The Clackity by @lorasenf.bsky.social
The Curse of Eelgrass Bog by @maryaverling.bsky.social
The Many Hauntings of the Manning Family by @lorienlawrence.bsky.social
The Otherwoods by @justinepwinans.bsky.social
I spy THE BURN BEAST 🖤🔥
My favourite blog post is up!! Queer Middle Grade Books Coming out in 2026 (So Far)!
lainahastoomuchsparetime.wordpress.com/2026/01/09/q...
lainahastoomuchsparetime.wordpress.com/2026/01/09/q...
January 9, 2026 at 6:50 PM
I spy THE BURN BEAST 🖤🔥
Reposted by Mary Averling
My favourite blog post is up!! Queer Middle Grade Books Coming out in 2026 (So Far)!
lainahastoomuchsparetime.wordpress.com/2026/01/09/q...
lainahastoomuchsparetime.wordpress.com/2026/01/09/q...
January 9, 2026 at 6:41 PM
My favourite blog post is up!! Queer Middle Grade Books Coming out in 2026 (So Far)!
lainahastoomuchsparetime.wordpress.com/2026/01/09/q...
lainahastoomuchsparetime.wordpress.com/2026/01/09/q...
guys guys im half asleep but so excited because WE FINALLY PUT IN AN ADOPTION APPLICATION FOR A LITTLE KITTEN PLEASE CROSS YOUR FINGERS FOR US 🥹🙏🖤
January 8, 2026 at 3:28 PM
guys guys im half asleep but so excited because WE FINALLY PUT IN AN ADOPTION APPLICATION FOR A LITTLE KITTEN PLEASE CROSS YOUR FINGERS FOR US 🥹🙏🖤
Fun professional news!! I've been offered a second course, which means I'll also be a permanent instructor for 18th & 19th Century English Literature here at TRU 🥰🖤 Pinching myself that I get to teach some of my favourite classics as a grown-up job!!!
January 7, 2026 at 10:35 PM
Fun professional news!! I've been offered a second course, which means I'll also be a permanent instructor for 18th & 19th Century English Literature here at TRU 🥰🖤 Pinching myself that I get to teach some of my favourite classics as a grown-up job!!!
something cool—my first chapter in an academic book!! we are a real life vampire scholar!!
January 6, 2026 at 11:58 PM
something cool—my first chapter in an academic book!! we are a real life vampire scholar!!
Happy New Year!! I have a book coming out in 2026!!!!! Ahhh!!
January 2, 2026 at 12:52 AM
Happy New Year!! I have a book coming out in 2026!!!!! Ahhh!!
🔥COVER REVEAL!!!🔥
Beyond excited to share the cover of my newest middle grade horror, THE BURN BEAST, which will publish with Putnam Young Readers (@penguinkids) in September 2026!!!
Art: James Firnhaber
Design: Kaitlin Yang
Beyond excited to share the cover of my newest middle grade horror, THE BURN BEAST, which will publish with Putnam Young Readers (@penguinkids) in September 2026!!!
Art: James Firnhaber
Design: Kaitlin Yang
December 16, 2025 at 3:53 PM
🔥COVER REVEAL!!!🔥
Beyond excited to share the cover of my newest middle grade horror, THE BURN BEAST, which will publish with Putnam Young Readers (@penguinkids) in September 2026!!!
Art: James Firnhaber
Design: Kaitlin Yang
Beyond excited to share the cover of my newest middle grade horror, THE BURN BEAST, which will publish with Putnam Young Readers (@penguinkids) in September 2026!!!
Art: James Firnhaber
Design: Kaitlin Yang
also, you might want to watch this space tomorrow 👀
December 15, 2025 at 5:56 PM
also, you might want to watch this space tomorrow 👀
Behold!! It's the gorgeously dreamy Russian edition cover for THE GHOSTS OF BITTERFLY BAY, which will be publishing with Eksmo soon!! It's such an honour to see my work translated into another language, and I'm so excited for Maudie's strange little story to reach more readers.
December 15, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Behold!! It's the gorgeously dreamy Russian edition cover for THE GHOSTS OF BITTERFLY BAY, which will be publishing with Eksmo soon!! It's such an honour to see my work translated into another language, and I'm so excited for Maudie's strange little story to reach more readers.
RED ALERT THERE IS AN EMAIL FROM MY EDITOR WITH THE SUBJECT LINE "FINAL COVER" 👀👀👀👀👀
November 21, 2025 at 5:47 PM
RED ALERT THERE IS AN EMAIL FROM MY EDITOR WITH THE SUBJECT LINE "FINAL COVER" 👀👀👀👀👀
job interview today!!! it's cool it's fine we're good!! unless I forget everything I've ever known!!! 😱✨
November 18, 2025 at 3:42 PM
job interview today!!! it's cool it's fine we're good!! unless I forget everything I've ever known!!! 😱✨
First pass pages for THE BURN BEAST have arrived 🥳🔥🌲
November 15, 2025 at 8:55 PM
First pass pages for THE BURN BEAST have arrived 🥳🔥🌲
Reposted by Mary Averling
Finished @maryaverling.bsky.social The Curse of Eelgrass Bog last night. Thanks for letting me take the journey with Kess, Lilou, Oliver and Jim. Looking forward to more from you!
November 10, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Finished @maryaverling.bsky.social The Curse of Eelgrass Bog last night. Thanks for letting me take the journey with Kess, Lilou, Oliver and Jim. Looking forward to more from you!
Reposted by Mary Averling
I love first lines that make me curious! #FirstLineFriday #MiddleGrade #Paranormal @maryaverling.bsky.social
November 8, 2025 at 2:24 AM
I love first lines that make me curious! #FirstLineFriday #MiddleGrade #Paranormal @maryaverling.bsky.social