sallymurphy.com.au

Sally Murphy, Australian author

What I Read in January

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The first month of  2018 has been and gone (gosh, that was quick!), and it’s time to check in with what I read for January.  I only managed one picture book – but it was my favourite read for the month. The Great Rabbit Chase is a delightful offering about, as the title suggests, the quest to capture an escaped rabbit. But perhaps it is the rabbit who is capturing the people – showing them a good time!  Other highlights this month were Clan of Wolves, the second on the Tarin of the Mammoths series and, although it made me cry,  and The Choke, by Sofie Laguna.

As always, if I have reviewed the book, I have linked to the review so you can see what I thought.

Picture Books

The Great Rabbit Chase, by Freya Blackwood   

Younger Readers

Northern Lights, by Phillip Pullman

500 Minutes of Danger, by Jack Heath

The Cursed First Term of  Zelda Stitch, by Nicki Greenberg

Jehan and the Quest of the Lost Dog, by Rosanne Hawke

Clan of Wolves, by Jo Sandhu

Young Adult Readers

A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares, by Krystal Sutherland

The Fifth Room, by A. J. Rushby

Fiction for Adults

The Twentieth Man, by Tony Jones

We That Are Left, by Lisa Bigelow

The Choke, by Sofie Laguna

Non Fiction

The Hate Race, by Maxine Beneba Clarke

The Prosperous Coach, by Steve Chandler & Rich Litvin

 

I’d love to hear what you thought of any of these books – or else, what it is you’ve been reading so far this year.

What I Read in August

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Although August was a super busy month I managed to read 21 books. Actually, it was the busyness which helped reach this total, as several of this months reads were audio books – including The 10PM Question by Kate De Goldi, which had me sobbing as I drove. I love to listen to books as I drive, and with many hours spent travelling for Bookweek gigs, it was a perfect time to read some treasures I hadn’t previously read. I also managed to read three books in airports and on planes as I travelled to Brisbane and Townsville.

So, here’s my list for August. Would love to hear what you’ve been reading, or if you’ve read any of these. As always, if I’ve reviewed them, the link is to the review.

Picture Books

Through the Gate, by Sally Fawcett

I’m Australian Too, by Mem Fox and Ronojoy Ghosh

Say Yes, by Jennifer Castles & Paul Seden

Younger Readers

The 10PM Question, by Kate De Goldi

The Year My Life Broke, by John Marsden

Our Race for Reconciliation, by Anita Heiss

Super Con-Nerd, by Oliver Phommavanh

Young Adult

The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl, by Melissa Keil

So Much to Tell You, by John Marsden

Finding Nevo, by Nevo Zisin

The Underdog, by Markus Zusak

More Than This, by Patrick Ness

Hold My Hand – Or Else, by Margaret Clark

Adult

The Engagement, by Chloe Hooper

The Merry-Go-Round In the Sea, by Randolph Stow

Troubadour, by Isolde Martyn

Girl In Between, by Anna Daniels

The Scent of You, by Maggie Alderson

The Happiness Advantage, by Shawn Achor

Ache, by Eliza Henry Jones

Forgotten, by Nicole Trope

 

 

Book Love: Spreading the Word About Your Latest Read

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Robyn's beautiful book, Wildlight.

Robyn’s beautiful book, Wildlight.

Recently my dear friend, Robyn Mundy, who is also a brilliant author and all-round lovely person wrote a brilliant blog post about why you should support authors, publishers and readers (that’s you – in fact, that’s all of us) by buying a book rather than borrowing it from someone else (pause here and go and read her post, if you haven’t already).

When I read this post I thought ‘Bravo young Robyn! I agree totally!’ (Which is pretty common because when Robyn says something it is well considered and very  clever)

But then I had a thought. What if you can’t afford to buy the book and don’t have access to a library? Or what if you find a book left behind as part of Bookcrossing? Or what if you are holiday with your bestest friend and s/he says, drying her eye as she finishes the last page: “You have got to read this book, NOW.” Or what if…well, you get the picture. There are times when borrowing or passing on a book might  be a good idea.

So then  I thought ‘well, what can the reader who has borrowed (or found) the book do to show the author some love (which is lovey) or some support (ie sales, which equals money which equals being able to pay the bills and write some more)’? SO, as I sat on an airplane yesterday, I brainstormed some ways that you  (and me – cos I’m a reader too) could show support for the author of that free book you’ve read.

  1. Blog. Write a blog post about it! Could be a lengthy review, could be a short review, could just be a ravey post (which is really a review anyway). Include the cover image so people knows what the book is about, and a link to the author’s website and even figure out where it can be purchased.
  2. Tweet. Haven’t got time to blog? Use Twitter. You can say a lot in 140 characters. Say something ravey, tag the author or publisher and watch it get retweeted very enthusiastically.
  3. Instagram. Take a photo of the book and pop in on Instagram. Even less words required. Could be just a photo of the book, or a selfie of yourself showing it some love, or a styled shot of book and relevant props.
  4. Goodreads. Pop over to Goodreads and give the book a good rating. If you’ve got time, add a review (could be one you’ve written elsewhere). Chat with other fans if they’re there.
  5. Amazon (and other Bookstores). Head to Amazon, find  the book’s listing and, again, rate and review it. Other bookstores that have rating systems include Fishpond
    With author friends loving each others' books.

    With author friends loving each others’ books.

  6. Tell a Friend. Haven’t got a blog, social media account? Just tell a friend about the book next time you see them – or ring them up to tell them. This is just another way of reviewing the book – but what a wonderful way! And a great conversation starter.
  7. Tell a stranger. Kind of the same as 6 (except I don’t recommend ringing a stranger to recommend a book). Strike up a conversation in the supermarket queue or at a party or while you’re browsing in a bookstore. Seriously, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship.
  8. Respond creatively. If you’re a fellow writer, write a poem/story/whatever responding to the book or its issues or one of the characters viewpoints, or whatever. If you’re a visual artist, respond with a piece of art. If you’re a photographer, or musician or installation artist or whatever – be inspired by the book. Then, when people stop to admire your work, or read it on your blog or whatever, tell them about the book that inspired you.

    These youngsters responded creatively

  9. Pinterest. Create a Pinterest page dedicated to the book and pin the cover, pictures of the author, photos of places mentioned in the book, links to reviews etc. Or just have one pinterest page called ‘Great Books I Have Read’.
  10. Give It as  gift. Not the copy you scored for free – a brand new copy. We all have trouble thinking up gifts for friends/frenemies, Great Aunt Ethel/Bob next door/whoever. If you have loved a book, buy it for someone who you love. They will thank you for it.

The Australian book community is facing massive challenges at the moment, and is in the midst of a battle for survival. If you love a book (especially an Australian book, and whether or not you bought it or borrowed it), show it (and its creator) some love. Today.

Contributor Copies: Heartfelt Moments in the AFL

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I write for children. It’s what I do and it’s what I love to do. So imagine my surprise when I was asked to write a chapter for a book for adults. Then imagine my amazement when told that the subject was Australian Rules Football. Sure, I love my team (the Dockers) but can’t even name every player. Sure I love to watch footy – especially if the Dockers are playing – but my knowledge of the game is general at best.

But I was asked, and I have a rule that when I’m asked to write or speak (the two things I do to make my living) I say yes whenever possible. So before I could stop and think too hard I say yes to contributing a chapter about heartfelt moments in AFL from the perspective of a Fremantle Dockers supporter.

It took a while to figure out what to say, but then I realised that I’m always talking about the Dockers – even at school visits, and that it was my passion the editors were after, not my knowledge. So I sat down and wrote my chapter (and rewrote it) and sent it off, wondering if it would make the final cut.

Then, today, a parcel arrived in the mail, with contributor copies of Heartfelt Moments in Australian Rules Football. I’ve seen my name on books before, but seeing it on the front of a footy book made me smile. And looking at the list of fellow contributors – many of whom know much, much more about footy than I do – made me smile even more.

So what’s my chapter about? In a nutshell, it’s about how being a Dockers supporter is about living in hope. Which isn’t too bad a way to live at all.

sallymurphy.com.au