Release Day: Bushfires

February 1, 2019 by Sally 4 Comments

It’s release day for My Australian Story: Bushfires today. As always, I am delighted to have a new book out in the world. This time, however, my excitement is tempered somewhat by events happening in Tasmania.

Bushfires, while fictional, is set amidst the very real events of the Black Saturday fires which ravaged Victoria in 2009. Sad then, that on the day the book is released, another bushfire tragedy is unfolding in Tasmania. This time, fortunately, the impact in terms of human life is not as severe, but it is still heartbreaking to see the natural heritage of Tasmania’s ancient forest being destroyed, and to consider the impact on the wildlife, both in the immediate and long term.

So, while I raise a toast to my new book, I am also thinking this week about the people, animals and gorgeous forests of Tasmania.

Happy Bookday Bushfires.

My Australian Story : Bushfire - Sally Murphy

In the Mail: Advance Copies of Bushfire

January 21, 2019 by Sally 2 Comments

My parcel lady was a little surprised when I raced out the door on Friday as soon as she pulled into the driveway. And even more surprised that I was delighted when she handed my the parcel I had hoped she would be carrying. After all, as a book reviewer, I receive lots of parcels of books, a lot like this one:

But I knew what the postie did not: that these were not review copies, but my complimentary author copies of my newest book-baby. Here is what was nestled safe inside:

Twelve copies of Bushfire – part of Scholastic’s My Australia Story series. Although I had seen the cover before, I got a brand new thrill seeing it on real life copies of the books. And, over the weekend, I sat down and reread the book and may have even got a little teary as I reacquainted myself with the tale. I can’t wait to share it with the world.

Bushfire is due for release on February 1, 2019, and is available for preorder from Booktopia and other good bookstores.

Poetry Friday: A Lucky Home

January 18, 2019 by Sally 23 Comments

I am so lucky to be part of the Poetry Friday community – poets and poetry lovers from all around the world who post poetry goodness especially on Fridays. I am especially lucky that there are not rules in this community about the regularity of postings. Every week since my return from Hanoi I promised myself this would be the week I finally posted something. But life has been busy – a wedding (my son’s), a new baby (different son), Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, swimming training. And that’s just the personal stuff. Professionally, I have been busy teaching online, and preparing for a return to oncampus teaching in February, as well as preparing for a new book baby out February 1, running picturebook workshops, and trying to work on the things I drafted in Hanoi. Phew.

This week, however, I have been espousing the wonders of poetry to my students (future teachers), so it seemed to be the week that I HAD to make the extra effort to get on here and post for Poetry Friday. Then Friday rolled around and I still hadn’t written anything new and really didn’t know what I would post. Lucky for me, when I went out to water my plants this morning, I found the very inspiration I needed. There, nestled in the branches of my jade plant, was a wasp nest. I grabbed my camera, and took some snaps, and almost instantly had an idea – based on the very reason the jade bush is on my front verandah. It’s supposed to be lucky!

So, here you have it – a little bit rough , because it’s hot off the press – my first Poetry Friday poem for 2019.

And, because the orange font is a little hard to read, here is the text version:

A Lucky Home

Ancient wisdom says

If you plant jade bushes

at your front door

and your back door

good luck will come your way.

But if you are a wasp

and you fix your home

right in the midst

of jadey treasure

all your doors

and all your windows

even your attic

and basement

have lucky views.

And if that jade bush

is on my front porch

you are doubly in luck

as I will let you stay.

(Poem and Image Copyright Sally Murphy 2019)

Now, lucky for me, I get to go and see what my fellow Poetry Fridayers have been up to. You can too, by starting at the round up on Tricia’s Blog, The Miss Rumphius Effect. Trica’s post is a lovely tribute to Mary Oliver, who will be sadly missed by poetry lovers everywhere.

Cover Reveal: Bushfire

December 19, 2018 by Sally Leave a Comment

I am always super excited to see the cover of a new book, but even more excited to get to share that cover with the rest of the world. So, with the release of next book-baby getting scarily close, it is with great delight that I reveal the cover of My Australian Story: Bushfire:

I hope you’ll agree it is a stunning cover. I love it: I feel that it manages to capture the sheer ferocity and frightening reality of the fire.

Bushfire, part of the My Australian Story imprint from Scholastic, is a fictional story but is set amidst the very real, terrible fires of February 2009. It was an honour to be asked to write about these events for the series, and I hope I’ve done them justice.

Bushfire is due for release on February 1, 2019, and is available for preorder from Booktopia and other good bookstores.

Sage is Back (And I am Too)

December 6, 2018 by Sally Leave a Comment

I am home home homity home. I had a wonderful time in Hanoi, writing, exploring, meeting people, writing, walking, writing… but all good things must come to an end, and coming home is always fabulous. It is wonderful to be back with my wonderful family, to walk on my beach, to see my friends and to sleep in my own bed.

It is taking me a little while to get back into the swing of daily life – with the wedding of one of my sons happening soon after my arrival and, of course, three months worth of things to catch up on. It’s a good kind of busy, though, and I am happy and content.

One of the things I had to do when I got home was open three months worth of mail, a task which took a few days. It was a specially lovely surprise to find not one but two parcels containing author copies of new books – installments seven and eight of my Sage Cookson series.

First, there was Stormy Weather, which sees Sage visit Townsville and experience a cyclone first hand.

This book is dedicated to my friends at Kirwan Primary in Townsville, a school which holds a very special place in my heart. My annual visit there is a highlight of my touring calendar. I have signed a copy and posted it off to Kirwan – a tiny token of my very great love for the school and every one there.

And then there was a second parcel containing copies of Snow Day, in which Sage (and her parents) head off to the snow for a relaxing weekend – with Sage promising to stay away from danger.

Both books are out now.

As for me, I am busy, among other things, finishing off the two new books I started work on in Hanoi, among many other things.

Stay tuned.

Poetry Friday: Reflections

November 9, 2018 by Sally 18 Comments

I am in the last two weeks of my Hanoi adventure. Some days it feels like I’ve just arrived; others like I’ve been here forever. Since I last posted I have travelled further afield, seeing a little more of Vietnam including glorious Sa Pa, and three trips to different parts of Ninh Binh Province. I have had a few scary moments and some moments of sheer joy. Luckily more joy than scare, but it’s the blend that keeps life interesting. Anyway, I have tried to capture some of this in poetry, so rather than rabbiting on, here is what I’ve come up with – firstly on the scary bits:

Moments of fear:

The only photo I have of the scary cave was too busy keeping my head down – this is a snap just as we exited. the ceiling was slightly higher here.

Crossing a Hanoi road;

Too-fast bus swinging around blind corners

On a narrow mountain road;

Scam taxi driver

Late at night;

Power outage

In a building

Needing electricity to exit;

A boat ride

Through a flooded cave

Where the roof brushes the back of bent head.

After each I laugh and say

I’ll write about it.

(Sally Murphy, 2018)

Secondly, on the blissful stuff:

What Am I Of?

Beautiful Sa Pa.

I am of the sea.

I like to walk

And breathe the fresh fresh air

Feel the sand beneath my feet

Hear the waves lap on the shore

And feel close to creation.

But in the mountains

Of a foreign land

I feel my heart swell

And suddenly

I am of the mountain.

I like to walk

And breathe the fresh fresh air

Feel the mud beneath my boots

Hear the waves of rustling green foliage

And feel close to creation

And I know

That I am of nature.

(Sally Murphy 2018)

And thirdly, because these hands, framed snapped in a second, deserve a few lines. Thanks to my new Canadian friend, Dave, who these hands belong to.

This time in two weeks I will be on a plane making my way home. I know I will be sad to end this amazing experience – but, of course, can’t wait to get home to my amazing family.

Today’s Poetry Friday roundup is hosted by Michelle at Today’s Little Ditty.

PS. This post, and my visit to Hanoi, are made possible by the amazing Asialink Arts Program, and with the funding support of the the Western Australian Government through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.

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Sally Murphy, Australian author

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