Industry Insights with The Big Idea and Auckland Writers Festival: Author Edition

In the first of three events, The Big Idea Editor Gabi will talk with two writers about their road to getting published in order to gain insights into the process.

Claire Mabey is writer, founder of Verb Wellington, LitCrawl Wellington and books editor at The Spinoff. Her first novel, The Raven's Eye Runaways, published by Allen & Unwin, is a middle grade adventure novel about the magic of books, the importance of friendship and the secrets buried deep in families. The sequel, The Raven's Eye Rebellion is out in April 2026. Claire is also a book reviewer on RNZ and on The Bookshelf podcast on the ABC; when she has a spare few minutes she writes a sporadic Substack newsletter called Domestic Animals. Claire is mum to Charlie and lives by the wild South Coast in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Her first picture book, Cass and the Beast, is out in September 2026.

Kaarina Parker was born in Aotearoa, New Zealand. She has a BA Hons from the University of Melbourne in history and gender studies, and a Master of Creative Writing from Auckland University of Technology. She is passionate about telling the stories of those silenced by history. She has a particular love for the extraordinary, largely uncredited, women of Ancient Rome. Kaarina also has an established career as a fashion model, and is a voice for diversity in the fashion industry in Australia and New Zealand. Fulvia is her first novel, with the sequel To Rule A Ruler to follow in 2026.

The relaxed panel will run from 11:00am – 11:30am at the Kōrero Corner on level 5 and is free to attend.