sallymurphy.com.au

Sally Murphy, Australian author

A Story – and a Thankyou

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A couple of years ago I had a pretty disheartening experience. I had an hour to kill whilst I waited for my beloved to finish an appointment, so I walked along a busy Perth street, browsing in shops and enjoying myself. There were three bookshops in the street, so I thought I’d check and see if any were stocking my books. Pearl Verses the World had been out for several months, had great reviews, and had recently won the Indie Children’s Book Award. Snowy’s Christmas had been out only a few weeks, and Christmas was approaching. So, in spite of rarely having seen my books in bookshops, I was fairly optimistic of finding one or both displayed in at least one of the three stores.
I entered the first store – whilst I won’t name it, it was part of one of the big book chains in Australia. No sign of either book (or any of my others), no friendly staff looking like they wanted to serve me, so I left, feeling only slightly dispirited, and headed to store number two, across the road.
This store was, like the first, one of the big chains, and, like the first had neither of my books, nor any staff who seemed to want to meet my eye and chat with me. 
By this time I was feeling a bit low. But a block down the road was another bookstore. And this one, I was certain,  would stock my book because it was an independent bookshop and part of the buying group that sponsored the award Pearl Verses the World had won.  More than that, Pearl was in their new Summer reading guide. I was onto a sure thing.
Into the store I went, sure that my spirits would be revived. Huh. That confidence was soon diminished. No sign of Pearl, or of Snowy. Perhaps, I thought, they’d sold out of Pearl. 
I went to the counter. The owner was there, and although I hesitated to even ask, I did. “I’m just wondering if you have ever stocked my book, Pearl….”
I was cut off. A look of disdain was coupled with the terse reply “We can’t stock every book, you know.” It seemed this lady was accustomed to authors asking after thieir books and had her response prepared.
Shaking in my shoes, I nonetheless  held my ground and stayed polite. ‘I realise that. It’s just that it’s recently won the Indie Children’s Book  Award and –“
Again, I was cut off. “We only stock books we’ve heard of.”
Maybe the lady was having a bad day. Maybe I looked too cocky, or wasn’t dressed like an author, or something. I don’t know. But that response drew me close to tears. Determined not to show it though, I thanked her for her time, and told her that it was handy as an author to know which bookstores to send people to when they asked after my books. Then I left.
I got over that day, but ever since I have hated the thought of telling bookshops that I visit that I am an author. My ego is not high, and to be treated as though I need bringing down a peg or two is pretty damned upsetting.
But the reason I’m telling this story is to share the wonderful experience I had yesterday. I’ve  recently relocated to the South West of Western Australia. Although I have visited local bookstores as a customer, I have hesitated  to introduce myself for fear of rejection. But yesterday was a sunny morning, and I had an hour to spare while I waited for one of my sons. So, when I visited a bookstore to buy a book I wanted, I swallowed my pride and introduced myself to the girl serving me (Jacqui), and asked after my books. I already knew that Pearl Verses the World was in stock – and has been every time I’ve visited – so perhaps this made me a little braver. I asked about Toppling, my newest book.  Not only was Jacqui  very helpful, but the manager overheard our conversation and joined in. He was not only willing to stock the book, but knew of  Toppling’s recent shortlisting in the CBCA Awards, and was really congratulatory. He also offered to ring me when stock came in so that I could come in and sign it.
So, Jarrod and your staff at Angus & Robertson Bunbury, if you happen to be reading this (and even if you’re not) thank you from the bottom of my heart. You warmed my heart, and helped restore some of that confidence lost two years ago.  And to all the other wodnerful bookstores and bookstore staff who have neocuraged me, stcoked my books, or taken the time to chat over the years, thank you. 

What Warms Alison Ashley’s Heart

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I must confess to not being a winter person. I quite like rain, but can’t stand being cold. And I miss swimming and early morning walks, and late evening walks, and being warm, and… Anyway, it’s been a really cold few weeks in my part of the world, and most of Australia seems to be enjoying (??) the same cold cold weather, so I thought it might be nice to up the temperature a little, by inviting some of my friends to drop by this blog and tell us what warms their hearts.

So, first cab off the rank in this new series of posts is Alison Ashley. Alison just launched her new novel, Phoenix (Congratulations Alison), and has taken time out from celebrating to drop in and share. Welcome Ali! Over to you.

What Warms My Heart
What warms my heart is community spirit. It’s a reflex action, or at least it should be, to help people in times of calamity, but when a community rallies around simply to help an emerging author publicise the launch for her new paranormal book, it truly brings home that feeling of belonging.
             
Phoenix is not only my first novel, but the first in The Fifth Shadow series, so naturally I was a little anxious about how I could attract people to my launch. I realise now how wasted that nervous energy was! Shop keepers and business owners offered to display my posters; the local press jumped at the opportunity to feature an article; neighbours and friends helped with letterbox drops; local radio had no hesitation in plugging it on-air and the library distributed details to all its branches in the municipality.
             
On launch day itself I was thrilled that people arrived early and I eagerly began signing books. By the time the official opening came around and I had chance to take in my surrounds, the venue was already full! That was a really heart warming and very humbling moment to know so many people, and not just those I knew, had come out on a chilly winter’s afternoon just to support me.
Even more heart warming was the glowing praise bestowed upon me by the very talented author, Dee White who officially launched Phoenix for me. I know we shouldn’t be so egotistical but it is a good feeling when others like your work!
Of course, seeing the young boy stop and get off his bike to help an elderly lady who had dropped her purse in the street, was equally heart warming, but overall it’s just nice to know that people genuinely care. 
To find out more about Phoenix or to buy your copy visit www.thefifthshadow.com
Books can also be ordered from bookshops.

To find out more about Alison, visit her at her blog http://alisonashley.wordpress.com

Lovely Alison. Thanks for dropping by and, again, congratulations on your new book-baby. 
I’ll be sharing more heart-warming posts in the coming weeks, so drop back and see what other friends have to say. And if YOU would like to share what warms your heart, let me know.

 

5 Cool Things About Poetry

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Okay – as a poet and verse novelist, this topic might seem a bit of a no-brainer, because if I didn’t love poetry I probably wouldn’t write it. But in my teaching day job I am just starting on a poetry unit with my two year eight classes, and believe me, these kids need a little convincing that poetry is cool. So, having devoted yesterday’s lessons to sharing some of my poetry with them and (hopefully) showing them that poems can be cool, I thought it might be a good topic for a blog. So, here goes, with my list of cool things about poetry.
  
    1.    It’s quick to read. Generally speaking, prose takes much longer to read than poetry. A poem can be as short as a few lines, yet still say a lot. And verse novels, whilst a little longer than single poems, are generally quicker to read than prose – which is a real bonus for a reluctant reader.

2.   It can say a lot. In just a few words, or a line or two, a poem can capture an emotion, a look, a feeling. I read my classes the opening page of Pearl Verses the World yesterday – and the students could quickly connect with Pearl’s isolation. 

3.    It leaves you thinking. The best poems don’t tell you how to think or feel. They evoke feelings, certainly, and present ideas and images, but then leave you to form your own response.

4.   4.    It can be a lot of fun. I read Pemberthy Bear 
      to  my year eights as well – and whilst I could see them initially resistant to being read a pretty pink picture book, they liked it enough to ask me today if I’d read it again. They also laughed at my poems about spiders and baked beans. And, when I read on a little into Pearl, they realised that even such a sad story could have light moments, when we came across Pearl’s first limerick.
5.    
           5  It’s easy to write. Don’t get me wrong, poetry can be a lot of hard work. But for young writers I always find that they feel a real sense of accomplishment when they produce their first poems. Often kids who are really daunted at the thought of writing a story or an essay are much more willing to write when they realise they only need a few lines to make a poem. And with list poems and other structures their success levels are really high. 
I love poetry – and I’m hopeful of making a few converts.

THE GLAMOROUS LIFE OF THE WRITER

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It’s always fun to have visitors here on my blog, and today I am delighted to welcome Ian Irvine, who is currently touring the blogosphere talking about his new bookThe Calamitous Queen.

 
I thought it might be fun to ask Ian all about his glamorous (or otherwise) life as an author. Welcome, Ian.

1.       Congratulations on the release of The Calamitous Queen.  How does it feel to hold your new book in your hands?

Thanks, Sally.
Well, even though I’ve written 27 books, it still feels pretty good to be holding the final book of the quartet. As series go, this was a quick one to write. The Grim and Grimmers, which are humorous adventure fantasy for ages 9 to adult, are relatively small books, only about 45,000 words each.
Nonetheless, the series still occupied a significant slab of my life and work and dreams. I wrote the proposal nearly three years ago, and worked on each of the four books for intervals over the next couple of years, in between other larger books. It’s wonderful to see the first book in a series published, but it’s also great to receive the last book, know that it’s finally finished and I can’t tinker with it any more, and it’s off to make its own way in the world, for good or ill.
For details and sample chapters of these books, see here: http://www.ian-irvine.com/grimgrimmer.html. 

2.       Your series is called Grim and Grimmer. Does that title in any way reflect your real life?

Not in the least. I have nothing to complain about. I live in the country in a lovely green part of Australia with my wife of 35 years, Anne, who these days is a full-time etcher. Our children are grown up and doing interesting things with their own lives. I’ve pursued an interesting profession for the past 30 years (I’m a marine scientist specialising in the assessment of marine pollution), and I’ve also been a full-time writer for the past dozen years.
I’ve never had a major best seller but most of my books are still in print. My big 11-book epic fantasy series, the Three Worlds books for which I’m best known, have all been reprinting regularly in Australia and the UK for the past 10-12 years, and have been translated into many languages. I’m very fortunate.
Blurbs, covers and first chapters for these books can be found here: http://www.ian-irvine.com/threeworlds.html.
3.       Lots of people imagine authors locked away in an attic somewhere, bashing away on an old typewriter. Tell us about your workspace.
My office is upstairs, but it’s not an attic. I set up my little consulting company a quarter of a century ago and I’ve worked from home ever since. When we renovated our house 20 years ago I designed the perfect office for myself, a large, airy room on the eastern end of our house. The southern end is the literary side, where I do almost all of my writing, and the northern end is the scientific side. Despite writing full-time I still do some consulting, though latterly the writing side has steadily been encroaching into the scientific side. And a good thing, too!
In the early days (I began writing in 1987) I used to write the first draft in longhand then type it up on my trusty 512K Mac, because I found it difficult to compose at the keyboard. However, back around 2001 I gave that up because it was really annoying for an amateur typist like me to type up a 200,000 word manuscript. It was such a waste of time. Since 2001 I’ve composed on computer, and done most of the editing on screen too, though occasionally if I have the time I’ll print the draft out and edit on paper. Sometimes it’s easier that way; one sometimes sees things on the printout that aren’t obvious on screen.
4.       What some of the fun things you get to do because you’re an author? Cocktail parties, red carpets, elaborate awards ceremonies?
Ha! If anyone really believes that being an author is terrific fun, I recommend they track down Mortification: Writer’s Stories of their Public Shame (ed. Robyn Robertson, 2003) which you can get on Amazon. In 70 commissioned articles mostly by well-known authors, this book details the shame, humiliation and ignominy that most authors, even famous ones, suffer from time to time in their public appearances. You’ll love it. Well, perhaps not the disgusting (though hilarious) article by Irvine Welsh.
For instance, the book signings where no one comes, the launches where your embarrassed relatives are the only ones there, the moronic questions asked by bored interviewers who have probably never read a book in their lives and have no intention of reading yours, the locked, empty, unlighted halls you’ve just driven four hours through the rain to, to give that talk you spent all morning labouring over …
But hey, it’s not all highlights.
Yes, there are cocktail parties, though I’m not sure they’re the best way to meet people. You can never have a decent conversation, for starters. There may be red carpets, too, though if there are they’d be for celebrities, not ordinary working authors like me.
For me, the fun social things I do as an author are panel sessions where there’s a great rapport between the panellists and the audience, and socialising with other writers in the bar afterwards. Not very glamorous, but then I’m not a glamorous kind of guy.
But the best part of being an author is hearing from people who love my books, and occasionally, people who have been helped by my stories through difficult patches in their lives. That’s what really matters.
5.      
I’ve covered a lot of them above. However I don’t think I’m the only author in the world to find writing the first draft a challenge. Don’t get me wrong, I love being a writer and never want to stop, but the first draft, crafting something out of nothing, is always hard work and frustrating, no matter how much planning I’ve done beforehand. And when I’m reading the draft, I can’t but think that this is the biggest pile of rubbish ever put on paper.
But the difference between a professional and an amateur writer is that the pro knows how to turn a very ordinary first draft into a polished final draft that’s worthy of the hard cash readers shell out to get it. I do many drafts of each book, never less than seven or eight, and sometimes twice that many, just tweaking everything to get it right. That’s where the quality comes from, for me at least. I much prefer the editing to the original writing.
6.       Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about your life as an author?
Only that I’m a contented man. Well, that’s not entirely true. I’ve never written a book yet that I’ve been entirely happy with, and until I die I’ll never stop studying the art of storytelling and trying to become better at it.
For more information, please see my gigantic website: http://www.ian-irvine.com/. I also have a large and friendly Facebook author site with giveaways and competitions where there are about 10 of my books to be won every week, http://www.facebook.com/ianirvine.author.
Thanks for visiting, Ian. Enjoy the rest of your blog tour.

You can cee what else Ian has to say at the following blogs:

May 27, 2011  Gabrielle Wang How writers work

May 30, 2011 Onyabus, Omnibus Books

June 6, 2011    Ian Irvine        Introducing the Calamitous Queen blog tour
June 7, 2011 Nords Wharf Public School  Questions from students

June 8, 2011 Susan Stephenson, The Book Chook  Literacy and writing

June 9, 2011 Catriona Hoy Humour and writing

June 10, 2011 Kid’s Book Capers – Dee White    Review of book and interview

June 11, 2011 Sally Murphy The exciting (or otherwise) life of a writer

June 12, 2001 Claire Saxby   FFF(fun, fantasy, fiction): mix and stir (or how it all comes together)

June 13, 2011 Alison Reynolds   Why Ian wrote this book

June 14, 2011 Dee White (deescribewriting blog)Tuesday Writing Tips  Tips on how to finish a series

15 June 2011 St Joseph’s Primary School Questions from students

16 June 2011 Sheryl Gwyther  The 10 Best Things about writing ‘Grim and Grimmer’ + Things that Almost Drove You Nuts!

17 June 2011 Braemar College,Christine Wilson Questions from students

18 June, 2011 Writing Children’s Books with Robyn Opie The How-to’s of Writing a Series

19 June 2011 Angela Sunde Where Ian’s ideas for the series came from and how he knew there would be four books in it

Books of Influence

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Having talked yesterday about how cool it is to have guest bloggers visit, I’m excited to share that today I’m guest blogging over at Sophia Whitfield’s blog.

Sophia asked me to share five books which have influenced me. Whilst I found it really hard to focus on just five, it was a really fun trip down memory lane. You’ll find the post here. Drop by and leave a comment!

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