Claire Mabey
@clairemabey.bsky.social
Writer. Founder of Verb Wellington. Books editor at The Spinoff. Sylvia Townsend Warner fan. Mum. Author of The Raven’s Eye Runaways, an MG adventure (2024) 🍃Substack at clairemabey@substack.com | clairemabey.com
The books I’ve read on travels (not pictured: The Witch in tte Wood by TH White). The Fitzgerald - spacious while conveying restriction; Carrie’s War - a brilliant exploration of the way things gather otherworldly power though it’s always human mechanisms that drive them; and Cunning Folk - GOLD ☀️🍃📚
September 2, 2025 at 8:19 PM
The books I’ve read on travels (not pictured: The Witch in tte Wood by TH White). The Fitzgerald - spacious while conveying restriction; Carrie’s War - a brilliant exploration of the way things gather otherworldly power though it’s always human mechanisms that drive them; and Cunning Folk - GOLD ☀️🍃📚
Really great time with trees lately
September 2, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Really great time with trees lately
Last week my book won best first book at the NZ book awards for children and young adults and it was very surprising and lovely 💚 I am gazing at Witi Ihimaera in the groups winners photo - how did I get here?!
August 17, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Last week my book won best first book at the NZ book awards for children and young adults and it was very surprising and lovely 💚 I am gazing at Witi Ihimaera in the groups winners photo - how did I get here?!
First time reading this at the ripe old age of forty - am totally enchanted! I want Merlyn to turn me into a wild goose so I can see the salt marshes and join the great migrations. But I love the badger most of all. 💚🪿🦡🦉
August 9, 2025 at 7:06 AM
First time reading this at the ripe old age of forty - am totally enchanted! I want Merlyn to turn me into a wild goose so I can see the salt marshes and join the great migrations. But I love the badger most of all. 💚🪿🦡🦉
My book got the sweetest medal! www.thesapling.co.nz/nzcya-2025-n...
July 18, 2025 at 1:25 AM
My book got the sweetest medal! www.thesapling.co.nz/nzcya-2025-n...
If you’re looking for something beautifully grounding and gentle while at the same time expansive surprising then this book of prose poetry will do it for you - gorgeous 🐓
July 8, 2025 at 10:52 PM
If you’re looking for something beautifully grounding and gentle while at the same time expansive surprising then this book of prose poetry will do it for you - gorgeous 🐓
Hello friends - if you or your kids enjoyed reading my novel The Raven’s Eye Runaways I would love a vote in this! www.whitcoulls.co.nz/kids-top50
July 3, 2025 at 4:15 AM
Hello friends - if you or your kids enjoyed reading my novel The Raven’s Eye Runaways I would love a vote in this! www.whitcoulls.co.nz/kids-top50
Always a treasured and hugely impactful part of my bookshelf. So grateful for you Maurice Gee ❤️🩹
June 15, 2025 at 3:48 AM
Always a treasured and hugely impactful part of my bookshelf. So grateful for you Maurice Gee ❤️🩹
Such a worthy winner of the Women’s Prize for fiction - so beautifully written, such a superb story both profoundly sad and heart fuelling and life affirming at the same time ❤️
June 14, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Such a worthy winner of the Women’s Prize for fiction - so beautifully written, such a superb story both profoundly sad and heart fuelling and life affirming at the same time ❤️
Delighted o be a finalist in the NZ book awards for children and young adults! www.nzbookawards.nz/new-zealand-...
June 4, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Delighted o be a finalist in the NZ book awards for children and young adults! www.nzbookawards.nz/new-zealand-...
That’s my attempt from Island Bay at 7.30 😅
June 1, 2025 at 8:13 AM
That’s my attempt from Island Bay at 7.30 😅
I adored this time slip novel about a great old house with connections to Mary Queen of Scots - loved the descriptions of the farm and the gardens, the work and the Medieval books, food, songs and stresses ❤️
May 28, 2025 at 9:40 AM
I adored this time slip novel about a great old house with connections to Mary Queen of Scots - loved the descriptions of the farm and the gardens, the work and the Medieval books, food, songs and stresses ❤️
Magical morning on the south coast
May 23, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Magical morning on the south coast
A quartet of images from a totally transformative Storylines tour to Tairāwhiti - 13 schools talks in 4.5 days - utterly magical! @allenandunwinnz.bsky.social
May 23, 2025 at 2:33 AM
A quartet of images from a totally transformative Storylines tour to Tairāwhiti - 13 schools talks in 4.5 days - utterly magical! @allenandunwinnz.bsky.social
Smattering of pics from the wonderful Auckland Writers Festival where I fulfilled a dream of talking with Jessica Townsend and snuggling up to Margaret Mahy and witnessing Sacha and Josh’s last book come to life - and get a pressie from a tiny fan! So many lovely memories 🌂❤️🔥🐈⬛
May 18, 2025 at 4:16 AM
Smattering of pics from the wonderful Auckland Writers Festival where I fulfilled a dream of talking with Jessica Townsend and snuggling up to Margaret Mahy and witnessing Sacha and Josh’s last book come to life - and get a pressie from a tiny fan! So many lovely memories 🌂❤️🔥🐈⬛
Easter reread - I think this might be my favourite Mahy which is a huge call because I adore so many. But the astonishing movements of The Tricksters takes my breath away every time. It’s a novel about the complications of family - the skeletons, the personalities, the myth making.
April 18, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Easter reread - I think this might be my favourite Mahy which is a huge call because I adore so many. But the astonishing movements of The Tricksters takes my breath away every time. It’s a novel about the complications of family - the skeletons, the personalities, the myth making.
A soft thin mist over the land today - so soothing in comparison to hectic times inside the houses (or at least inside mine)
April 2, 2025 at 3:37 AM
A soft thin mist over the land today - so soothing in comparison to hectic times inside the houses (or at least inside mine)
Rainy studio days 🐟
March 18, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Rainy studio days 🐟
Excellent new sign. No notes.
March 10, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Excellent new sign. No notes.
Last Friday swim as a 30 something 🐟
March 7, 2025 at 3:52 AM
Last Friday swim as a 30 something 🐟
Last of the wild pinks
March 6, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Last of the wild pinks
If you’re in Adelaide come see me and @liliwilkinson.bsky.social on Sunday 2 March, 12noon; then at 4pm I’m talking about my novel (magic trees, magic scribes, bookbinders!) #adelaidewritersweek
March 1, 2025 at 9:51 AM
If you’re in Adelaide come see me and @liliwilkinson.bsky.social on Sunday 2 March, 12noon; then at 4pm I’m talking about my novel (magic trees, magic scribes, bookbinders!) #adelaidewritersweek
Good morning from Adelaide! ☀️
February 28, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Good morning from Adelaide! ☀️