Claire Heywood

Feeling so good about the manuscript I'm working on. What a privilege to write about things that excite and challenge me. That's when you know you've chosen the right project!

Same! I have the Merlin bird audio identification app, so I can find out who's chatting to who 🐦 Enjoy the sunshine!

I'm sitting and working in the garden. OUTSIDE. And it's not raining? Those in the UK will understand how amazing and strange this feels after the past few months. Bring on Spring! 🙌

A close up of an open purple crocus with golden stamen, amid green grass with another crocus in the background

Beautiful crocuses in my garden

The Wandering Queen by Claire Heywood sits on a bookshop shelf, with cover facing out toward the viewer. The cover is purple with white title text, and imagery of a woman's face above crashing waves.

My third novel, The Wandering Queen, is a historical fiction retelling of the legendary Queen Dido - founder of Carthage and tragic heroine of Virgil's Aeneid.
Out now in the UK and US! 📚

I'm very grateful to Dr Alicia Matz for her academic review of my new novel, The Wandering Queen. If you're interested in Dido or the issue of reinterpreting the classics for modern audiences, this is a great read!

The Wandering Queen: A Novel of Dido - Historical Novel Society The story of Queen Dido, legendary founder of the city of Carthage, is retold in surprising and inspiring ways in Claire Heywood’s rapturous novel, The Wandering Queen. Before she was Dido of Carthage...

So thrilled with this review from the Historical Novel Society, for my new novel The Wandering Queen. The book is out next week, in the UK and the US! 🏺📚

historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-...

Thank you Anke!!

Behold this lovely thread, which ranges from an artist who has definitely seen a zebra, to an artist who has definitely not seen a zebra. 🏺

That's wonderful. My retellings are quite grounded in archaeology so yes sounds like they might appeal! Love the sketch too!

Thanks for sharing! Hope the kiddo enjoys it 😊

My new novel is out next week! Here's a cool little promo. Just absolutely in love with this cover for the US edition.

The History of Greek Mythology with Dr Shelby Judge From Mount Olympus to Medusa, discover the fascinating history of Greek mythology and its echoes through the ages. Followed by Q&A.

I'm starting a new series with Seed Talks! "The History of Greek Mythology", opening in Brixton & online on 18th February 🏺 More dates to come 🏺
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-histor...

Amazing! You'll be able to visit when it re-opens! My sister sent me the link and I had to pass it on 😁

Near Liverpool, a One-of-a-Kind Art Environment by Ron Gittins Is Saved Ron Gittins' creativity shone through in every facet of his life, and his unique Birkenhead flat is no exception.

Look at this flat. You will not regret it.
www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/01/ron-...

Just finished drafting 'Part 2' (/4) of my latest manuscript, and feeling pretty chuffed about that! I almost didn't take on this project because I was intimidated by it, but it's coming together one paragraph at a time. Happy Friday everyone!

I don't think we talk enough about how smoked mackerel is the tastiest food in the world

Have a feeling Medea would have really vibed with Lily Allen's West End Girl album

The USA hardback cover for THE WANDERING QUEEN by Claire Heywood, on a warm orange background with mosaic borders at the top and bottom. Around the cover are annotations reading: 'Inspired by Virgil's poem The Aeneid', 'Untold story of Queen Dido', 'An impossible choice between power and love', 'For readers of feminist mythological retellings', 'From national bestselling author of Daughters of Sparta'.

Starting to see some really lovely early reviews for my upcoming novel, THE WANDERING QUEEN - out next February. Always a relief when you're putting new work out into the world! It's available for preorder if you'd like to treat your future self.

Around half way through The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley and finding it enjoyable, original, and highly impressive - especially for a debut. Just brilliant, thoughtful fiction.

Going back through my photos from Athens, and thought I would share this beautiful Mycenaean object from the National Archaeological Museum 🏺

Label: 'Bronze dagger with inlaid decoration. A Nilotic landscape with felines chasing aquatic birds among papyrus flowers is depicted on the blade.'

Waterstones 25% off 2026 new titles. Preorder now with code: OCTOBER25. 14-17 October, online only. Selected titles only.

My new novel, THE WANDERING QUEEN, is one of the chosen titles in the Waterstones 25% off preorder sale. Preorder using code OCTOBER25 between now and Friday, and get a juicy 25% off!
#WPreorder

THE WANDERING QUEEN is a Dido retelling, out in February 2026

Was prehistory a feminist paradise? Visions of matriarchal utopia may be wishful thinking, but there’s growing evidence of women wielding power

Was prehistory a feminist paradise?

Friends in UK/ those with friends in UK, please share widely! 🤗 @corabeth.bsky.social @lucianixon.bsky.social @armanddangour.bsky.social @gregwoolf.bsky.social @lejenksbrown.bsky.social @emilylhauser.bsky.social

A detail of a stone relief depicting a barrel on cart, on top of which a dog is lying.

The image depicts a stone relief carving showing an ox-drawn cart. The cart has large wooden wheels and carries a barrel, on top of which a dog is lying. A person sits on the cart holding the reins and guiding the ox.

A marvellous scene of daily life for #ReliefWednesday: A #Roman funerary relief depicting the transport of two (wine?) barrels on a four wheeled cart pulled by two oxen. A #dog, probably the driver's beloved companion, is sitting on the barrels. 🧵1/2

🏺 #archaeology

Today I'm researching Ancient Greek riddles, but can you solve the riddle that, according to one account, caused Homer to die from vexation?

Posed to him by some boys on the island of Cos:
'What we caught, we threw away. What we did not catch, we kept.'

Cover for THE WANDERING QUEEN by Claire Heywood, a novel of Dido, with a sticker reading 'Goodreads GIVEAWAY!' The background is an inky swirl of blue, purple and pink.

There's a giveaway running over on Goodreads for advance copies of my new novel, THE WANDERING QUEEN! If you're based in the US you can enter for a chance to win 1 of 10 copies. Open until 29th September. Good luck! 🤞

www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...

Working on a new Greek myth retelling where sooo many of the the characters have names beginning with A. And I just know this is going to be confusing for readers but also... those are their names? Sorry in advance, I guess! #amwriting

Two wooden whisks, each with a central handle and multiple short, evenly spaced prongs radiating outward from one end. The prongs appear to be natural offshoots of the wood.

There are so many amazing finds from prehistoric pile dwellings settlements: 3,500-year-old wooden whisks found in settlements at the Lake Carera/Italy.
By rotating the shaft, it’s possible to whip cream until it turns into butter. Larger whisks were presumably used for.... 🧵 1/2

#archaeology 🏺

Aw thank you Baily! 🥰