by Tessa Duder
It is to do with the difference Edmond, Murray, op. cit.
absolutely swept away MM/TD
The pleasure of being awarded ‘1984 Carnegie Medal, The Changeover Margaret Mahy (Dent)’, acceptance speech published in Youth Library Review, No. 1, Spring, 1986.
One day when I was working MM, ‘The Bubble’.
on the same level as The Haunting MM/TD
At this time Bridget MM, ‘Cinderella Transformed’.
I was told as one so MM, ‘A New Zealand Writer Speaks’.
Goodness for the life van Dongen, Yvonne. ‘Wit and work in the fey world of Margaret Mahy’, Sunday profile, New Zealand Times, 18 November 1984. (NF)
here was an author who insisted University Chronicle (Canterbury). ‘Writer in residence: Margaret Mahy’s Plans’, Vol. 9, No. 4, March 1984. (NF)
Who would’ve expected such MM, ‘Authorgraph No. 24,’ Books for Keeps.
Well, any admirer of Margaret ibid.
about the whole human condition Margery Fisher, Growing Point.
The Changeover goes well beyond English Journal, 4/87. (CCL/MMA)
selected as an ALA Hearne, Betsy. Booklist, November, 1985.
Again as in The Haunting Kirkus Review, Vol. 52, 1 September 1984.
The double aspect of things Hayes, Sarah. Times Literary Supplement, 13 July 1984.
heady stuff then and Margaret Hoffman, Mary. ‘The Fabulous in the Ordinary — an Interview with Margaret Mahy’, The School Librarian, 1987.
a considerable difference Rees, David. What Do Draculas Do?— essays on contemporary writers of fiction for children and young adults, Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1990.
to reveal a unique place ibid.
make their own particular patch ibid.
But with Margaret Mahy ibid.
think it was The Changeover MM/TD
this was the first story MM, ‘Postscript’ to The Changeover, Collins Modern Classic, 2003.
And yet as I wrote the story ibid.
her habit of walking muttering MM, ‘Authorgraph No. 24,’ Books for Keeps.
Many of my books ibid.
It was a very transforming moment Sarti, Antonella, op. cit.
a love story of Angela Fitzgibbon, Tom with Barbara Spiers, op. cit.
have piled cliché upon cliché Laski, Audrey, ‘Test of Fire’, Times Educational Supplement, 15 November 1985.
Margaret Mahy is now McVitty, Walter. ‘Upside down look at the Young world’, The Age, Melbourne, 2 February 1986.
I couldn’t work out MM, ‘On writing a longer book’, with reference to The Tricksters, one page, typewritten fragment. (CCL/MMA)
One day some years MM, Surprising Moments.
romantically involved with a ghost Jones, Nicolette. ‘Phantoms of teenage desire,’ Books & Bookmen, Dec/Jan 1986/7.
it would take very little Madrigal, Alix, ‘Ghostly Tale of Sexual Awakening’, The San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle, 28 June 1987.
both credible and incredible Hebley, Diane, NZ Listener, 5 September 1987.
Ms Mahy has proved she can McKinley, Robin, ‘Falling in Love With a Ghost’, New York Times Book Review, 17 May 1987.
The Haunting, The Changeover and The Tricksters aren’t Hoffman, Mary. ‘The Fabulous in the Ordinary — an Interview with Margaret Mahy’, The School Librarian, 1987.
We like to test ourselves ibid.
Reading a manuscript all through again MM, ‘on writing a longer book’. (CCL/MMA, 429/6/5)
I mean to answer MM, van Dongen, Yvonne, op. cit.
Even with a word processor MM, ‘Trouble in the Supermarket’.
do you make of this one van Dongen, Yvonne, op. cit.
almost never turned down Edmond, Murray, op. cit.
despite a terrible temptation to MM/TD
There are books I have written ‘The theme of this conference, that of building bridges of understanding …’ (unpublished speech), c. 1995. (MM Files)
When I was first approached ‘Dissolving edges — Jokes and Passion in reading acquisition’ (unpublished speech), c. 1991. (MM Files)
We need to remember ‘Stories at home, stories at school — reading in the family and at school’ (unpublished speech), c. 1989. (MM Files)
So I begin my stories usually MM, ‘The Bubble’.
who never ever doubted MM/TD
I’m very fond Swain, Pauline. ‘Taking inspiration from the odd’, Dominion, 8 September 1987.
very satisfying ibid.
most of which are MM, ‘Dissolving edges — Jokes and Passion in reading acquisition’ (unpublished speech), c. 1991. (MM Files)
I think I have made a lot of money MM, Trouble in the Supermarket.
The room where I write ibid.
Lately I’ve taken to thinking O’Brien, Greg, Moments of Invention.
She writes for long hours Steven Brownlee, Catherine Towers (students, West Denton High). ‘Margaret Mahy Reads the World’, In brief, September 1992.
If any story I have told MM, ‘A Dissolving Ghost: Possible Operations of Truth in Children’s Books and the Lives of Children’, Journal of Youth Services in Libraries, 2.4 1989. Arbuthnot Lecture, 1989, published in The Arbuthnot Lectures 1980–1989 (Chicago: ALA, 1990), reprinted in Only Connect, ed. Sheila Egoff, 1996, A Dissolving Ghost, 2000.
The support services were good ibid.
There’s very little written van Dongen, Yvonne, op. cit.
When Bridget was working Brophy, Cynthia. ‘Nonsense, physics same to Margaret Mahy’, Panache — New Zealanders in the Visual and Performing Arts, 1(1). November 1987.
As long as she had her bankbook Sarti, Antonella, op. cit.
turned around and her mouth Arthur, Garry. ‘Memory of one who lost hers,’ Features, The Press, Christchurch, May 4, 1988.
if the story lacks the nastiness MM, ‘A Dissolving Ghost’.
I don’t wish to suggest that she MM, ‘A Place in the World’.
the compressed ending MM, ‘Seeing the Lion’.
magical encounter between MM, ‘A Dissolving Ghost’.
I had an imaginary picture Stirling, Pamela, op. cit.
seen when I was driving home MM, ‘A Place in the World’.
so close-grained and Moss, Elaine, ‘Rich pickings’, Observer, 20 December 1987.
strikes me as one of those few Tomalin, Claire, ‘The Judge’s Tale’, New Society, 18 December 1987.
on the novel’s overtly New Zealand Anderson, Doug, ‘A good anger’, Times Literary Supplement, November 1987.
only a churl surely Mark, Jan. ‘Children’s Literature’, Times Educational Supplement, July 1987.
More recently, especially in Eccleshare, Julia. ‘Real and fantastic’, The Times Educational Supplement, 6 June 1986.
as a writer and as a person MM, ‘Authorgraph No. 24,’ Books for Keeps.
indefatigable and supremely Edmond, Murray, op. cit.
it appeals to the whims Berkin, Adam. ‘I Woke Myself’: The Changeover as a modern adaptation of Sleeping Beauty’. Children’s Literature in Education, Vol. 21, No. 4, 1990.
exceptional intelligence which O’Brien, Greg. Moments of Invention.
Nabokov’s notion that writing ibid.
now one of the oldest writers MM, ‘The Bubble’.
an embarrassing daftness Sullivan, Mary ‘Tales of the Oppressed’, The Guardian, 8 October 1988.
all people should be dappled Hoffman, Mary. ‘Children’s Literature’, Times Educational Supplement, 30 September 1988.
The bridge-builder’s son Dalley, Jan, ‘Fantastical flights’, Times Literary Supplement, 25 November 1988.
a great deal of anxiety MM, in ‘The Margaret Mahy Pages’, Christchurch City Libraries website.
Some people have said MM, Trouble in the Supermarket.
Walter McVitty MM/TD
which makes me look like some sort New Zealand Woman’s Weekly, 1 August 1988.
overall the young adult genre Goedhart, Bernie. ‘Serendipity builds soli
darity among lovers of children’s literature’, Children’s Corner, The Gazette, Montreal, 23 June 1990.
I don’t think I’m a born Oomen, Monique. ‘Watching the words’, Onfilm 3(5), August 1986.
the story’s never your own MM/TD
Yes I probably have MM/TD
Cuckooland was YM/TD, 2004.
weird wacky loud Linley Boniface, Gibson Group files.
I remember Ned Beatty YM/TD
not a merry prank Variety, 8 April 1987.
The Haunting of Barney Palmer wasn’t weird ‘The Haunting makes great TV’, Children’s Express, Evening Post, 26 November 1987.
After the Haunting we YM/TD
spying, chases Ford, Graham. ‘New Season TV: Children: a Mahy mystery: Strangers’, NZ Listener, 23 July 1988.
Margaret’s got a beaut ibid.
wonderful story Reilly, Colleen, ‘Strangers typical of our best’, ‘Television’, Dominion Sunday-Times.
about how an isolated O’Hare, Noel. ‘A question of breeding’, NZ Listener 145(2838), 3 September 1994.
was a rather Gothic tale ibid.
it’s thought that cloning ibid.
We shot it into four YM/TD
It’s a very complicated O’Hare, Noel, op. cit.
in an answer which ibid.
quite a lot of violent ibid.
Two years ago it happened MM, ‘A Dissolving Ghost’.
is not so much the final MM, ‘Taking humour seriously’, in Reading Forum NZ 2, N.Z. Reading Association, 1996. Paper presented to 22 NZ Reading Association Conference on Reading, New Plymouth, 1996.
were among the finest Goedhart, Bernie, op. cit.
I make my stories ‘Our Living Treasures: Margaret Mahy’, North & South, January 1990.
This certainly is different MM/TD
the New Zealand children’s book MM, ‘A New Zealand Writer Speaks’.
Will and good intentions ibid.
It is increasingly expected Brophy, Cynthia, op. cit.
Even the fact that the chuckling Chamberlain, Jenny, op. cit.
not the most profound MM, Surprising Moments.
story and fantasy ibid.
to write a story built The Illustrated Traveller’s Tale, in Soho Square, ed. Bill Manhire, Bloomsbury, 1991 and A Dissolving Ghost, Wellington: Victoria University Press, 2000.
Part Five
underlying optimism about Espiner, Colin. The Press, 1993. (NF)
while she was happy ibid.
one year of intense frustration Chamberlain, Jenny, op. cit.
I had been with Dent ibid.
Simple decisions seem to have ibid.
At times I think she becomes ibid.
sympathetic, unsentimental Mark, Jan, Times Educational Supplement, 1992.
In my story there is a child Hugo, Giles. ‘Proving that there is strife after Grimm’, Weekend Books, The Saturday Mercury (Hobart), 4 May 1991.
as an imaginative act MM/TD
it seemed to be a heck MM/TD
There’s not a lot of water Steven Brownlee, Catherine Towers, op. cit.
it was judged a high Wakefield, Philip. ‘Partners draw finny business’, Onfilm 9(1), February 1992.
It’s similar to directing Martin, Tamara. ‘Moving tales’, Pacific Way 79, December 1994/January 1995.
perhaps by now it is hard Lovell-Smith, Rose. ‘A noisy life’s work’, review of The Other Side of Silence in New Zealand Books, March 1998.
In a brilliant series Neil, Philip, ‘The other side of invention’, The Times Educational Supplement, 10 November 1995.
she’d reached a plateau Sarti, Antonella, op. cit.
encouraged to bring MM/TD
absolutely ferocious Neil, Philip, ‘The other side of invention’, The Times Educational Supplement, 10 November 1995.
she had actually seen MM, ‘Seeing the Lion’.
she had had an unimaginable Sarti, Antonella, op. cit.
a movement forward ibid.
a dangerous thing ibid.
story whose time had come MM, ‘Seeing the Lion’.
with my own beginnings ibid.
that Mahy had run out Lovell-Smith, Rose, op. cit.
the reader is invited ibid.
partly from watching ibid.
may be less compelling ibid.
I myself want to be an active part MM, Else, Barbara, op. cit.
I saw the oldest child ibid.
Literature tends to dwell ibid.
astonishing and baroquely DH/TD, 2004.
I am 59 and I feel Sarti, Antonella, op. cit.
It’s certainly true that if ibid.
though published in the USA MM, ‘I tell this story [‘Down the Back of the Chair’]’ UK speech with Steven Kellogg present (unpublished), c. 1996. (MM Files)
be able to sit down beside MM, ‘I tell this story’. 263 The Escape from Volcano Mountain ibid.
The Booksellers’ Conference ibid.
I joke with language Sarti, Antonella, op. cit. 1998.
On one occasion MM, ‘Taking humour seriously’.
Do you know the game Sarti, Antonella, op. cit.
It was the most mysterious Greeks, Polly. ‘Tattoos and skiddoos’, Evening Post magazine, 8 December 2001.
is a book written in the tall Turton, Rayma. ‘Talking with Margaret Mahy’, Magpies: talking about books for children 17(1), March 2002.
There is no way I can MM, ‘Cinderella Transformed’.
in which two dogs MM, ‘From the time I was a small child …’ speech to teachers (unpublished), c. 2002. (MM Files)
In choosing to develop our MM, ‘Cinderella Transformed’.
the old witch who lives MM, ‘Dissolving Millennium’, Sunday Star-Times, supplement, 2 January 2000.
quite different sort of book MM/TD
Every so-called key event MM, ‘Bookmarking the Century’, Landfall 199, 2000.
Walk into any bookshop MM, ‘Just Wild about Harry’, NZ Listener, 15 July 2000.
There is nothing directly autobiographical www.teenreads.com, Author Profile: MM, 2003.
some research into the work an undertaker ibid.
It’s just a small tasteful Sharp, Iain. ‘Tattooed lady’, Sunday Star Times, 29 October 2000.
I’ve never been in a car chase ibid.
There’s a romantic notion ibid.
Has anyone summarised Hill, David. NZ Listener, 8 April 2000.
a book in which Mahy’s intelligence O’Brien, Gregory. ‘Imagine the imagination’.
There is something both necessary MM, ‘Accounts and Meditations: A Judge’s Report on the 2002 Landfall Essay Competition’, Landfall 203, May 2002.
who spends a lot of his time MM, Tragedy’s Wild Twin: the mixed nature of humour, Sylvia Ashton-Warner Fellowship Lecture, Auckland: Auckland College of Education, 2003.
“Good dog”, it would say Tragedy’s Wild Twin: the mixed nature of humour, Sylvia Ashton-Warner Fellowship Lecture, Auckland: Auckland College of Education, 2003.
The voice of the poem MM, ‘Cinderella Transformed’.
it was what I was trying ibid.
This story is a joke MM, ‘Fantasy: Flights of the Mind’, The Inside Story.
I started writing about someone who MM/TD
I could easily have been an alcoholic MM, Notes of a Bag Lady.
The shortest book I have ever MM, ‘The Bubble’.
about four years ago MM, ‘Cinderella Transformed’.
a heck of a lot of work MM/TD
quite often work all night Edmond, Murray, op. cit.
a sort of pre-industrial ibid.
The hero is a young man MM/TD
has transposed all the supernatural Edmond, Murray, op. cit.
got older and tireder MM/TD
for children edging MM/TD
one of the other kaitangata MM/TD
I don’t think that’s true MM/TD
I think that people should Sarti, Antonella, op. cit.
a natural part of history
MM/TD
came across as MM/TD
a bit less attractive MM/TD
quite a disconcerting experience MM/TD
it would be a good thing MM/TD
the basic human condition is Sarti, Antonella, op. cit.
Reading gives you a subtle Waldren, Murray. ‘Margaret’s magical Mahyhem’, Features, Review, The Weekend Australian, 6–9 June 1991.
the asthmatic hay fever MM/TD
She can’t envisage a time Sharp, Iain, op. cit.
I think the world is alarming MM/TD
I’ve read lots and lots of horror MM/TD
People say to me Edmond, Murray, op. cit.
because I think I’d be doing a superior MM/TD
Well, if that’s true I suppose MM/TD
If it was some sort of gift MM/TD
Yesterday for instance Turton, Rayma, op. cit.
Writers are very treacherous Sarti, Antonella, op. cit.
but we can’t pretend that only good ibid.
some more professional than others MM, ‘From the time I was a small child …’
I suppose I have some main themes Sarti, Antonella, op. cit.
so much thought is directed towards Waldren, Murray, op. cit.
a time of receiving extremely ibid.
I always start writing a story with a lot ‘Authorgraph No. 24, Books for Keeps.
As both read and writer I MM, ‘The Bubble’.
whose work belies the old critical Hunt, Peter. Children’s Literature, Blackwell Guides to Literature, Oxford: 2001.
with all the force and precision Ward, Elizabeth, ‘Space to Dream’, Washington Post Book World, 12 October 1986.
full of linguistic pyrotechnics ‘Sidelights’, Something about the Author, Vol. 119, Gale, 2001.
uses fantasy as a light Twentieth-century Young Adult Writers, ed. Laura Standley Berger (MM essay: Bill Buchanan), Detroit: St James Press, 1994.
continually pushes at the boundaries Dalley, Jan, ‘Fantastical flights’, Times Literary Supplement, 25 November 1988.
in the power of love Watson, Victor, ed. Cambridge Guide to Children’s Books in English, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001.
The double aspect of things Hayes, Sarah. Times Literary Supplement, 13 July 1984.
for the basic human fear Rees, David. What Do Draculas Do?— essays on contemporary writers of fiction for children and young adults, Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1990.
