sallymurphy.com.au

Sally Murphy, Australian author

Poetry Friday: An Aussie Christmas Song

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Another Aussie Christmas offering this week. There’s a few very Aussie words in this one, so it will be interesting to see if it’s understandable to my Northern hemisphere poetry friends. Let me know if there’s anything you don’t get!

A Christmas Song

We sing of jingle bells and snow,

of warm red suits and ho ho ho;

but none of this is quite the way

when it is Christmas here below.

Downunder in good old Aussieland

it’s time for sun and surf and sand.

It’s hot, not cold, it’s summertime

and summer treats are in demand.

Hard work for reindeer in this heat.

Hot roofs would burn their tender feet

and racing through the summer skies

would surely leave them feeling beat.

And as for Santa in fur and such:

he’d soon feel overdressed a touch.

Being snug and warm in blistering heat

is not going to impress him much.

He also needs roos for the job

of sleigh-pulling – an Aussie mob

to get him moving all around

from Sydney town to Iron Knob.

His suit, too, needs an overthrow:

a new outfit, from head to toe.

Some boardies, singlet and some thongs

would seem to be the way to go.

So let’s not sing of snow and ice,

instead I’ll give you this advice:

roos, utes and summer are the go

for Christmas songs that sound real nice.

So ripper, bonza, beudy, strewth!

Though you might think my song uncouth

it’s true blue and it’s ridgy didge

to sing a song that tells the truth.

(Poem copyright Sally Murphy)

This week’s Poetry Friday roundup is being hosted by Steps and Staircases. Head over there to see what other poetry goodness is on offer this week.

Also, if you are looking for a quick Christmas craft activity, you can help your children make a a pair of Christmas antlers just like those Sage Cookson wears on the copy of my latest book. You can find printable pages, and instructions here.

Tis the Season for Rejections

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Tis the season for rejections

Dammit dammit dam, dam gosh darn dam

Coming in from all directions

Dammit dammit dam, dam gosh darn dam

Gird your loins and grab your chocky

Dammit dammit dam, dam gosh darn dam

The writing life is getting rocky.

Dammit dammit dam, dam gosh darn dam!

 

Sing it with me! Or not. Either way, it seems that December is bringing with it the usual flurry of rejections to my writerly friends.  I’m not sure, but I suspect that there are two reasons for what seems like an extra high level of these harbingers of doom at this time of year: firstly,  because it’s the end of the year and the number of new releases drops, there is a bit more time to appraise the slush pile; and secondly, because it’s summer, and a good time to take summer holidays (because duh, when else would you take summer holidays?), there is a need for publishing staff to  do some desk clearing before they head to the beach.

Whatever the reason, every year around this time I notice lots of rejections appearing in the mailboxes of my friends – or myself. As I write this, I have yet to receive one this festive season, but there’s still time, and I’ve probably just jinxed myself.

So, what to do if you get one? Here are five tips.

  1. See the song above. Grab some chocolate, or other comfort food/drink/activity and indulge. You’re allowed to feel sorry for yourself. You’ve been working at this game for years/months and rejection hurts.
  2. Vent. It’s fine to vent. Everyone vents sometime. Vent to a friend, a loved one, your writers group, your mum, your mirror. A rider though: I recommend venting in closed circles. The friends I have seen venting online have done so in private groups. This is highly recommended. Much better than venting on a public page, or your blog. Why? Here’s a quick illustration. Imagine that I am blogging about my submissions

ME: Woe is me. My magnum opus has just been rejected by Bippity Boppity Publishers. Don’t they realise what a true genius I am? Did they even read it?

BIPPITY BOPPITY PUBLISHER (in a quiet moment): I think I’ll look at my Google Alerts and see what wonderful things are being said about my books online (GOOGLES MADLY). Oh. Sally Murphy thinks I’m a bad judge of quality, does she? She is saying mean things online. I don’t care what she submits to me in future, I won’t be publishing it.

ME (Blissfully unaware of Bippity’s attitude and posting again on my blog): I don’t care about that rejection I had last week. Today I am sending my magnum opus to Hippity Hoppity Publications. Wish me luck everyone. Fingers crossed that I succeed this time!

HIPPITY HOPPITY PUBLISHER (considering my manuscript): This isn’t bad. I wonder what Sally’s online presence is like. It’s important we know she can market herself. (GOOGLES MADLY). Oh. This manuscript has been rejected by Bippity Boppity. Scrolls. And four other publishers. Hmm. Maybe it isn’t as good as I thought. Reads some more. And she said mean things about other publishers. That’s not nice. I don’t think it’s worth the trouble. (Reaches for another offering from teetering slush pile).

You probably get my point.

  1. Consider what the rejection says. There’s a good chance that your rejection letter/email is a standard rejection. This one goes something like: We have considered your manuscript carefully but regret to inform you… If you get one of these, you know that someone has at least looked at your manuscript.   But, if you get one that has been personalised, even the tiniest bit, read that tiny bit. I once had a publisher who sent me standard rejection after standard rejection but, after a while, she started adding a little handwritten note to the lettersr: “This one is getting close” she might say. Or “Cute. But we have enough animal manuscripts at the moment”.  Eventually, she accepted a manuscript, because I had listened to those notes and adapted my writing and what I subbed to her  I’ve had longer rejections which have told me what is wrong with the manuscript. And I’ve read them. What these messages tell you is that someone has looked closely at your work and seen enough promise to encourage you. So if it’s there, it is worth your while to closely consider the advice given – even if your initial thought is that it’s wrong. A publisher/publishing assistant/editor has seen something in your work worth commenting on. Smile and listen. After all, they work in the very business you are trying to break into.
  2. Get your manuscript ready to send back out. This DOES NOT mean you should send it straight back out to the next one on your list. It actually means closely study what the next publisher publishes, what their submission guidelines say, even whether they are open to submissions. Taking the time to do this can save you months of waiting for the next rejection letter – and, of course, increase your chances of acceptance. Another important consideration here is how many times your manuscript has been rejected. If it has been multiple times and you’ve received standard rejections, now is the time to seriously consider whether your manuscript needs reworking. Getting some critiquing advice and revising before you resubmit could be what’s needed.
  3. Be glad you’re not this guy. I’m pretty sure this is the worst rejection letter I’ve ever seen (is it bad that it made me laugh?). After you’ve finished laughing, use your own rejection note for something festive: rip it up and make streamers for your Christmas tree. Or cut it into the shape of a star and hang in on the wall. Or, if you’re in colder climes, use it to start a warming Christmas fire. I don’t keep my rejection letters, or even keep count of them. Why keep a record of failures?  Reycle and do something good for the planet!

Lastly, I’m sure you’ve all heard the stories of how many times people like JK Rowling were rejected. I’m not repeating those, because, to be honest, when I hear those figures I think ‘hah! I can top those numbers!’ Which probably isn’t the point. But the point IS that every writer gets rejected. And most of us continue to get rejected throughout our careers, even after we’ve had some successes. The rare few who don’t are exceptions, and probably celebrities writing about bodily functions. Or married to someone in publishing. (Hmmmm: I think this is a good point to refer you to my friend Sue Whiting’s awesome post about professional jealousy).

Got a good tip about handling rejection, or a question to ask? Leave me a comment. Otherwise, sing with me:

Dammit dammit dam, dam gosh darn daaaaaaaaam!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teacher Tuesday: Write a Christmas Tree Poem

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It;s Teacher Tuesday, but with the end of the school year rapidly approaching, I thought I might offer something different this week. Instead of offering teaching activities for one of my books,I am offering a quick poetry writing idea.

 

Write a Christmas Tree Poem

Challenge your students to write  a poem in the shape of a Christmas tree, like this one here:

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For older students they can use my attempt as a mentor text. For younger students you might provide a printed worksheet with a tree outline and lines drawn. Older children can be challenged to write other Christmas shape poems – for example, in the shape of baubles, stockings or presents.

If you’d like a quick craft activity for your classroom, over on the Sage Cookson website, you’ll find a printable template for an antler headband.

This is the last Teacher Tuesday post for this year, but it will return in January in time for the new school year. In the meantime, if you missed earlier posts, you can still find suggestions for each of the following books by clicking on the titles:

Pearl Verses the World

Looking Up,

Toppling,

Roses are Blue,

Do Not Forget Australia,

Meet Mary MacKillop,

Snowy’s Christmas

The Floatingest Frog

and Sage Cookson.

Thanks for visiting, and if there is a topic you’d like covered in Teacher Tuesday during 2018, let me know.

 

Poetry Friday: Christmas is Coming

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It’s Poetry Friday and it’s also December 1, which is both the first day of Advent, and the first day of summer here in Australia.

So, although I keep thinking it’s ages till Christmas, I guess it is now officially close. It’s also a sign that the school year (which runs from February to December) is coming to a close, and in classrooms across the country, kids and teachers alike are looking forward to school finishing. With all that in mind, here’s a little poem about December – and Christmas – in Australia.

Christmas is Coming

Christmas is coming.Aussie Christmas

We’ve stopped learning stuff at school

except how to sing Jingle Bells

whilst standing straight and tall

so the folks can get good piccies

at speech night;

and how to get glitter to stick

to a polystyrene ball

to hang on the Chrissie tree;

and how to make a gazillion cards

one for Mum

one for Dad

and two for the grandmas;

and how to carry home

all those scrapbooks

and artworks

and dead textas

and how to concentrate

on all this

even though it’s 40 degrees

and our classroom isn’t airconditioned

and all we really think about

as that Christmas is coming.

 

(Poem copyright Sally Murphy)

 

Today’s Poetry Friday roundup is at A Reading Year. Head over there for lots more poetry goodness.

Teacher Tuesday: Using Snowy’s Christmas in a Year 2 Classroom

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Welcome to the fourth edition of Teacher Tuesday, where I match one of my books to a year level, and offer some activities for sharing the book in the classroom. In previous weeks I shared activities for Looking Up, Do Not Forget Australia and The Floatingest Frog.

This week, with Christmas getting ever closer, I’m focusing on a Christmas book: Snowy’s Christmas. And, because this book can be a little hard to get hold of, I am also offering signed copies, posted anywhere in Australia, for $15. You can contact me directly.

Using Snowy’s Christmas in a Year Two ClassroomSnowy's Christmas

Snowy’s Christmas, text by Sally Murphy, illustrations by David Murphy

Published by Random House, 2011
ISBN: 9781921042546 (Paperback)
Format 24 page Picturebook, RRP $14.99

Available directly from me. Contact me HERE.

Blurb: ‘Snowy hopped to the billabong. The face reflected in the water was not rugged and red like the other roos, but soft and white.’  Snowy is feeling left out and doesn’t want to celebrate Christmas with his friends. But then a mysterious stranger arrives by the billabong and suddenly Snowy’s Christmas is looking up.
Sally’s Recommended Grade Levels: Year K-3, but these suggestions focus on Year 2.

Themes/Topics:

  • Christmas
  • Kangaroos
  • Australian animals
  • Mothers
  • Diversity
  • Acceptance

Curriculum Links:

Year 2 English

  1. Identify visual representations of characters’ actions, reactions, speech and thought processes in narratives, and consider how these images add to or contradict or multiply the meaning of accompanying words (ACELA1469)
  2. Identify aspects of different types of literary texts that entertain, and give reasons for personal preferences (ACELT159)
  • Before reading: Look at the front cover. Explain that Sally Murphy is the author and David Murphy is the illustrator (As an aside, because students may ask, David is Sally’s brother-in-law). Discuss: What does an author do? What does an illustrator do? Prompt students to look closely at the illustrations while the story is read, looking for anything that ways the words and pictures show the same things, and ways that the pictures  show something different or extra.
  • During reading: First read-through – read whole story without asking questions. Let students enjoy the story.
  • After first read through: ask students to name any differences/similarities they saw.
  • Re-read, prompting students to look especially at the kangaroo characters and what their various facial and body expressions show about how they are feeling. As students contribute, discuss which expressions reflect the words, and which add to or even contradict what the words are saying.
  • After Reading: Have students divide a sheet of blank paper into four. In each square students draw a picture of Snowy feeling a different emotion: sad/surprised/excited/happy.
  • Reread story, or simply view the pictures, asking students to identify anything happening in the pictures which is NOT part of the story of the kangaroos and Santa. As you read, build a list of the various animal characters shown in the book – koala, wombat, echidna etc. If you have multiple copies of the book, this could be down in groups. If only one copy is available, it can be a whole-class activity.
  • Discuss: Why do illustrators – and in this case, David Murphy – include details in the pictures which are not in the words? Does it add interest? Does it make the story easier to understand?
  • Art: Have students draw/paint animal characters. Alternatively, provide preprinted animal stencils (there are a good range on this site HERE). These could be cut out as classroom decorations.

 

  1. Create events and characters using different media that develop key events and characters from literary texts (ACELT 1593)
  2. Innovate on familiar texts by experimenting with character, setting or plot (ACELT1833)
  3. Discuss different texts on a similar topic, identifying similarities and differences between the texts (ACELY1665)
  • For the following activities, a picture book version of the story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is needed.
  • After reading Snowy’s Christmas, share the book of Rudolph
  • Before reading: Ask students to listen carefully to the story, prompting them to consider whether it is similar to another book they have recently heard.
  • After Reading: Discuss – are there similarities between Snowy’s Christmas and  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? Explain: Sally Murphy wrote Snowy’s Christmas as an attempt to tell an Australian version of  the Rudolph story.
  • In Groups/Pairs: Students to complete a table noting how the two books are similar or different in areas including: Plot – Beginning, Middle, End/Characters/Setting/Illustration Style/Other. Groups to discuss which book they prefer, giving reasons.
  • Report back to class and discuss.
  • Writing: As a class, or in groups, work to rewrite another Christmas story or song into an Australian version. For example, the story of Frosty the Snowman.

Other suggestions for using Snowy’s Christmas your classroom include:

  • Writing:  What happens next? Students write a story about what happens to Snowy after Christmas. Does he go back to live with his mother? How do the other kanagaroos react? Does he have any more adventures?
  • Art: There are many ideas for Christmas and Kangaroo activities available online. For example, make this kangaroo planter as a pre-christmas craft activity.
  • Email the author (that’s me!) Your students can write to me through this website, and share their responses or ask questions.

Related Books

Mostly, I’d love to remind you that while I love to see my books used in classrooms, I also love to see kids just enjoying them. Reading a book should be pleasurable – whether it’s being used in the classroom or not.  So allow your students to enjoy reading Snowy’s Christmas. And, if you do want a copy of Snowy’s Christmas I am offering signed copies, posted anywhere in Australia, for $15. You can contact me directly.

If you find this useful, or have any suggestions or comments, do leave a comment. And, if there is a particular book or year level or topic that you would like covered in a future edition of Teacher Tuesday, let me know.

 

The Importance of Hope: 100 Years Ago – and Today

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On this day, 100 years ago, the evacuation of ANZAC soldiers from the Gallipoli peninsula was completed. After eight months locked in an unwinnable struggle with Turkish forces, the remaining men left, in an early morning evacuation which was carefully planned in an attempt to minimise casualties.

1915When I was planning and writing my own story of these events (1915), I always knew that, since the story was to cover the calendar year, this evacuation would form a suitable end point for the book. But I found it harder to write than I expected.

I really believe that every book should end with the offer of some kind of hope, but  (without wanting to give any spoilers) I wasn’t sure where my characters were going to find hope in this evacuation. Yes, those who left were leaving behind months of turmoil and suffering, but they were also leaving behind any chance for a victory, and, importantly, they were leaving the bodies of so many of their mates who were buried there and would never leave. They also didn’t know what lay ahead – while the campaign was over, the war most definitely wasn’t.

I had to dig deep to find hope for my character, Stanley, and for his family and friends. I thought about the fact that those survivors were still alive, and were leaving behind what were likely their worst life experiences to date. I thought about the knowledge for those at home that their loved ones were safe for now. I also thought about little things: the chance for a Christmas parcel from home, looking forward to a shower or a rest, contributing to the ANZAC Book in the last weeks of the campaign and so on.

Why am I so keen to offer hope to my characters? Simple, because I want to offer hope to my readers. Not happy ever after, not artificially fixing everything that goes wrong, but the feeling that even in dark times hope, no matter if it’s the tiniest spark, can be found.

For my character Stanley, and for those soldiers 100 years ago, I hope that they were able to find those moments of hope. And, as Christmas looms for us now as it did for the ANZACS then, I hope you, too, have a sense of hope.DSCN1970

sallymurphy.com.au