Cath Mayo facts for kids

Cath Mayo is a talented writer from Auckland, New Zealand. She writes exciting stories for children, young adults, and grown-ups. Cath loves Greek myths and ancient history, especially the time of the Late Bronze Age. She is also a musician!

About Cath Mayo

Her Early Life and Studies

Cath (Catherine) Mayo grew up in Auckland, New Zealand. Books were a huge part of her childhood. She especially loved Barbara Leonie Picard’s version of The Odyssey of Homer. She even acted out parts of the story herself! Two other favorite authors who wrote historical stories were Rosemary Sutcliff and Mary Renault.

She studied many different subjects at the University of Auckland. These included history, art history, philosophy, and music. She also learned to play the violin. Later, she went back to university to study Ancient Greek. This helped her read and understand Homer's poetry even better. She still loves learning about the history of Late Bronze Age Greece.

Music and Violin Making

In 1977, Cath started learning how to make and fix violins. She trained with famous violin makers, called luthiers, overseas. Today, she works as a luthier under her maiden name, Cath Newhook. She helps make and restore stringed instruments.

In the 1980s, Cath was part of a band called Gentle Annie. The band toured in places like Oregon and Alaska. They also performed with a dance company in Los Angeles. In 1988, they played at the World Expo in Brisbane. Cath won the Australian national bluegrass fiddle championship in 1983. She also helped write music for the opening ceremony of the Auckland Commonwealth Games in 1990.

Becoming a Writer

When Cath started writing, she combined her love for history and legends. She began writing fictional stories set in Late Bronze Age Greece. This was around the time of the famous Trojan War. Her stories often feature the Greek hero Odysseus.

Cath has visited Greece three times. She has written about her travels there. She is still fascinated by the many layers of history you can see at ancient sites. She has won awards in short story competitions. A New Zealand author named William Taylor helped her when she wrote her first book. Some of her work has also appeared in the New Zealand School Journal.

In 2016, Cath spoke at a conference in Auckland. She talked about how Homer's ancient world was similar to traditional Maori and Polynesian culture. She also co-wrote a novel called Athena's Champion with David Hair. This is the first book in a series for adults. It is set in Ancient Greece, and Odysseus is the main character again.

Awards and Prizes

Cath Mayo has received several awards for her writing.

• In 2008, she was a finalist for the Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award.
• Her first book, Murder at Mykenai, won a Storylines Notable Book Award in 2014. This book is about Odysseus and Menelaos when they were teenagers. It was recognized in the Young Adult Fiction category.