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
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 🥳🔥🌲
guess who just passed 10k words on a new project 👀🖤✨
October 29, 2025 at 5:41 PM
guess who just passed 10k words on a new project 👀🖤✨
On the topic of moving, would any teachers/librarians or book club organizers be interested in class sets of EELGRASS BOG or BITTERFLY BAY? I have many spare hardcovers of both, and I'd love them to go to a loving home. I'd just ask for some help with shipping costs :)
Boosts appreciated!
Boosts appreciated!
October 28, 2025 at 4:47 PM
On the topic of moving, would any teachers/librarians or book club organizers be interested in class sets of EELGRASS BOG or BITTERFLY BAY? I have many spare hardcovers of both, and I'd love them to go to a loving home. I'd just ask for some help with shipping costs :)
Boosts appreciated!
Boosts appreciated!
One week until Canada’s largest Children’s Book Festival!!!! I’ll be at the Telling Tales Festival on October 4 and 5, and presenting in the preteen tent on Saturday from 4-4:45!! Come hear me chat about THE GHOSTS OF BITTERFLY BAY, and join in on some spooky crafts 🖤🍂
September 27, 2025 at 2:55 PM
One week until Canada’s largest Children’s Book Festival!!!! I’ll be at the Telling Tales Festival on October 4 and 5, and presenting in the preteen tent on Saturday from 4-4:45!! Come hear me chat about THE GHOSTS OF BITTERFLY BAY, and join in on some spooky crafts 🖤🍂
autumn is here! time for ghosts and ghouls! and your semi-regular reminder that I have two creepy, magical little middle grade books perfect for when there's a fresh chill in the air <3
September 24, 2025 at 2:54 PM
autumn is here! time for ghosts and ghouls! and your semi-regular reminder that I have two creepy, magical little middle grade books perfect for when there's a fresh chill in the air <3
so exciting to see both Eelgrass Bog AND Bitterfly Bay on the back cover of The Week Jr magazine!! alongside some other fabulous Penguin Young Readers titles!!!
September 22, 2025 at 11:37 AM
so exciting to see both Eelgrass Bog AND Bitterfly Bay on the back cover of The Week Jr magazine!! alongside some other fabulous Penguin Young Readers titles!!!
Spooktastic <3
September 14, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Spooktastic <3
Happening next Saturday!!! I'll be in Framingham MA for Spooktastic, alongside many many other wonderful horror authors!! Hope to see you there!!
September 8, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Happening next Saturday!!! I'll be in Framingham MA for Spooktastic, alongside many many other wonderful horror authors!! Hope to see you there!!
lol why didn't anyone tell me??
September 2, 2025 at 1:41 AM
lol why didn't anyone tell me??
someone needs to adopt this earless cat or so help me
August 31, 2025 at 11:08 PM
someone needs to adopt this earless cat or so help me
Promo is a weird thing in the in-between. Months/years after release, I'm never sure what to say aside from PLEASE BUY MY BOOKS ♡ so ... yes. As spooky season approaches, please consider supporting my strange, dark little middle grade stories!!
August 28, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Promo is a weird thing in the in-between. Months/years after release, I'm never sure what to say aside from PLEASE BUY MY BOOKS ♡ so ... yes. As spooky season approaches, please consider supporting my strange, dark little middle grade stories!!
One week til classes start, and I just moved into my new office 🥰 Still pinching myself that I get to teach creative writing at a university!!
August 27, 2025 at 3:37 PM
One week til classes start, and I just moved into my new office 🥰 Still pinching myself that I get to teach creative writing at a university!!
Yesterday I had the immense delight of seeing my name on a friend's *stunning* cover reveal and it made me realize how lucky I've been to blurb so many excellent books over the past year. Getting to scream about books before they've been released is one of the coolest parts of being an author <3
August 22, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Yesterday I had the immense delight of seeing my name on a friend's *stunning* cover reveal and it made me realize how lucky I've been to blurb so many excellent books over the past year. Getting to scream about books before they've been released is one of the coolest parts of being an author <3
THE BURN BEAST line edits sent back to my editor!! And yes this book still makes me cry!!! Let's get angsty and fight demons in 2026!!!
August 6, 2025 at 6:02 PM
THE BURN BEAST line edits sent back to my editor!! And yes this book still makes me cry!!! Let's get angsty and fight demons in 2026!!!
Bluesky!! Help me choose my new author headshot???
July 14, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Bluesky!! Help me choose my new author headshot???
plus EELGRASS BOG has a really pretty cover! so y'know please consider picking up a copy from your local indie or requesting from a library? queer MG needs your support <3 (and also this book has Shrunken Jim. Shrunken Jim is cool.)
June 27, 2025 at 7:50 PM
plus EELGRASS BOG has a really pretty cover! so y'know please consider picking up a copy from your local indie or requesting from a library? queer MG needs your support <3 (and also this book has Shrunken Jim. Shrunken Jim is cool.)
two years ago I got to hold a bound copy of my book for the first time, and how far we've come since then 💚💚
June 18, 2025 at 1:45 PM
two years ago I got to hold a bound copy of my book for the first time, and how far we've come since then 💚💚
hey all! I donated a query + first 5 pages critique for the LAOC (Literary Auction For Change)!! if you're interested, my item (and a whole boatload of other awesome stuff) is available here: www.32auctions.com/organization...
June 17, 2025 at 3:22 PM
hey all! I donated a query + first 5 pages critique for the LAOC (Literary Auction For Change)!! if you're interested, my item (and a whole boatload of other awesome stuff) is available here: www.32auctions.com/organization...
Tomorrow is the big day!! I'm running away to camp in the woods this weekend so I'll be offline till Monday, but sending all the love and excitement to my fellow Stoker nominees!! Whatever happens, it truly has been the biggest honor to appear on this list 🥰
June 13, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Tomorrow is the big day!! I'm running away to camp in the woods this weekend so I'll be offline till Monday, but sending all the love and excitement to my fellow Stoker nominees!! Whatever happens, it truly has been the biggest honor to appear on this list 🥰
happy 6 month birthday (a whole half a year!!!) to THE GHOSTS OF BITTERFLY BAY, my strange and summery middle grade horror <3
June 4, 2025 at 1:15 PM
happy 6 month birthday (a whole half a year!!!) to THE GHOSTS OF BITTERFLY BAY, my strange and summery middle grade horror <3
Look who's getting read across elementary schools in Hong Kong!!! 🥰
June 2, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Look who's getting read across elementary schools in Hong Kong!!! 🥰
Happy pride to everyone, including my girl Kess 🏳️🌈🖤 support queer middle grade always!!
June 2, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Happy pride to everyone, including my girl Kess 🏳️🌈🖤 support queer middle grade always!!
I'm gonna need to stop checking my BITTERFLY BAY sales numbers because OOOF 😬 (something something talking about sales is taboo but ... we've gotta be real sometimes)
Anyway apropos of nothing, if you're looking for summertime middle grade horror, maybe give my ghost kids a chance? 👉👈
Anyway apropos of nothing, if you're looking for summertime middle grade horror, maybe give my ghost kids a chance? 👉👈
May 30, 2025 at 1:09 PM
I'm gonna need to stop checking my BITTERFLY BAY sales numbers because OOOF 😬 (something something talking about sales is taboo but ... we've gotta be real sometimes)
Anyway apropos of nothing, if you're looking for summertime middle grade horror, maybe give my ghost kids a chance? 👉👈
Anyway apropos of nothing, if you're looking for summertime middle grade horror, maybe give my ghost kids a chance? 👉👈
It's Publishers Marketplace official!!! ICYMI, my third middle grade horror, THE BURN BEAST, is coming from Putnam Children's in Fall 2026!!!
This is a book that's very dear to my heart, about climate anxiety and rage and freaky folklore and small-town secrets 🖤
This is a book that's very dear to my heart, about climate anxiety and rage and freaky folklore and small-town secrets 🖤
May 24, 2025 at 11:11 PM
It's Publishers Marketplace official!!! ICYMI, my third middle grade horror, THE BURN BEAST, is coming from Putnam Children's in Fall 2026!!!
This is a book that's very dear to my heart, about climate anxiety and rage and freaky folklore and small-town secrets 🖤
This is a book that's very dear to my heart, about climate anxiety and rage and freaky folklore and small-town secrets 🖤