sallymurphy.com.au

Sally Murphy, Australian author

Moments

by

There are many exciting moments in the months ( or years) between writing a book and finally seeing it in print.

There’s the moment when you write (literally or otherwise) the words ‘The End’ (And, of course, it should be said that this may happen multiple times for the one book, as each new draft and set of edits is completed)

There’s the moment when you are offered a contract, the moment you sign it, and the lovely moment when the advance appears in your bank account.

For a picture book,  there’s the wonderful moment when an illustrator agrees to illustrate the story and ‘my’ book becomes ‘our’ book. And, later, the moemnt when you see the illustration roughs, and, of course, the final illustrations.

The special moment I had this morning was, I guess, two special moments.
The moment a Google alert first finds your new book, leading to…
the moment you see your book actually listed on your publsiher’s website and it actually starts to feel like the book is a real live thing that’s actually going to happen.

So, yes, here it is, my next picture book coming out in May:

And here’s where you can see it on the Random House website.

Thank you for sharing my moment.

April Update

by

A quick update for April – not because nothing happened during April, but because I’ve been so busy planning May that I’m hoping you’ll come back here tomorrow and read lots of what I have to say.

So quickly, here’s my April news.

The month started strongly, with author Katie Hines interviewing me on her blog on April 1. You can read the interview by clicking on the link.

Soon afterwards, I had an email from Walker Books advising me that they will be publishing my second verse novel, Toppling, in the first half of 2010. Walker have been so wonderful to work with during the publication process for my first verse novel, that I am just rapt that I’ll be working with them again.

During April I did the final proofread and tweaking on my picture book, Snowy’s Christmas, which will be published by Random House in November. This has been so much fun to work on, with the illustrator, David Murphy, being my brother in law. I can’t wait to see it in print – and has just, in fact, gone tot he printers.

Also in April, I managed to get some work done on my works in progress – a new novel for upper primary, a nonfiction book for adults, which is still in the planning stages but is getting closer, lots of poems and more.

But a large part of April was spent on planning May. Tomorrow, May 1, marks the release of Pearl Verses the World, and in lieu of a launch I am planning a whole month of celebrations here on this blog and around the internet. There’s a blog tour, a poetry challenge, guest bloggers and more. More will be revealed tomorrow – so stop by then and see what’s going on.

November/December Update

by

Happy New Year! I can’t believe another year is over, but am happy to look at the clean slate that a new year brings.
November and December were busy months for me, both personally and writing-wise, which is why there was no news posted in November. The biggest event in this time was my big road trip. With by beloved and the five younger Murphlets, a car and caravan, I crossed Australia’s famous Nullarbor Plain, travelling from our home in country Western Australia through South Australia, Victoria and into New South Wales. It was an awesome experience, seeing some of Australia’s most beautiful and diverse places, from the big city of Sydney, to the amazing natural wonder of the Great Australian Bight. We faced the challenges of some of the wettest weather of the year – it rained nearly every day, in places which were drought-ridden, and badly needed the rain, too. We considered applying for work as drought-breakers, given our record in taking the weather wherever we went. But, in spite of the rain, we had a wonderful time and arrived home still all speaking to each other – no mean feat after five weeks living seven of us in a space no bigger than my bedroom at home.
So, with the trip, my writing time was altered. I won’t say curtailed, as I actually did find time to write on most days – in the form of a diary. I wrote an average of a thousand words per day, which I was pleased with, though it fell down a little bit in the last week when I was getting pretty tired. I also drafted a new picture book, and jotted down ideas for several other stories which came to me inspired by what I saw or did.
Before I left, I worked on edits for Snowy, my new picture book with Random House (due out in November, 2009). ’m really pleased with how the text is shaping up and was lucky enough to see some of the roughs when I visited the illustrator in Canberra. David happens to also be my brother in law, so we stayed with him and his beautiful family, and they also came with us to the Snowy Mountains for a few nights.
I also made the final tweaks on my verse novel, Pearl Verses the World, due out from Walker Books in May. This has gone off to the printers now, so my part in the creative process is done, and I am really happy with the finished text, as well as with the beautiful illustrative work of Heather Potter, who has captured Pearl and her family so well.
I was also delighted before I left to receive my author copies of The Big Blowie (Aussie Schoolbooks), a new chapter book about a drought, blowflies and a big thing. The finished product is great, and available now from Blake Education. While we travelled, we saw lost of big things – including the Big Orange, Big Galah, Big Ned Kelly and the Big Lobster. I had to stop and get photos of them all, of course.
Travelling did limit my reviewing activities a little, but before I left I added 25 new reviews to Aussiereviews in November and since my return added 8 in December. There’ll be loads more reviews in 2009, with the pile seemingly never ending.
I’ve spent time the past few days thinking about my aims for 2009. Number one priority is to enjoy the release of my new titles. I’m really proud of the books I have coming out this year, and plan to enjoy seeing them in print. My next aim is to get a couple of projects I’ve started moving again now that I’m home, and get some manuscripts back out there finding homes for themselves. I’ve written myself a list of aims which I’ve shared with my online friends, and will check it regularly to see how I do. Mostly, though, I think the key thing I want to do writing-wise in 2009 is to keep writing – and to keep enjoying it as much as I did in 2008. If you’re a writer, I wish the same for you – a fun-filled year of writing!

Enjoy!

October News

by

October was another busy month for me, which is why my October news was not posted on time – but still, I’m only a few days late and have lots to share.

Much of the busyness came from working on edits and revisions for two of my books slated for 2008. My verse novel, Pearl Verses the World, is currently being illustrated by Heather Potter, and the text has been copyedited, meaning another round of small changes from my end. I am so delighted with how this book is shaping up and can’t way to see the finished product, which is due for release in May 2009, from Walker Books Australia.

The other round of edits was for a new picture book, Snowy, which has been accepted (drum roll please) by Random House Australia, and scheduled for release in November 2009. This one is moving quickly because of the quick turn around (12 months being a short timeframe for a picture book). I am loving working on this. We’re currently editing the text ready to send it off to the illustrator who is none other than my brother in law, David Murphy, a very talented emerging illustrator. It’s also fun to have the opportunity to work on this with a family member.

I finished the month with a wonderful parcel from my postie – containing author copies of my new chapter book The Big Blowie (published by Aussie Schoolbooks). Part of the Aussie Aussie series, this little book features lots of very Australian elements – a drought, the outback, and a big thing (in the same way as the Big Banana and Big Pineapple, among others). Check out the cover – I love it! It is eye catching.

Actually, I must admit that this cover pic is for an earlier version of the finished thing – the final cover has a much bigger blowfly on it. Anyway, I was lucky enough to share the book with year four to seven students at my local school on Friday and got a great reception, which was satisfying.. The Big Blowie is available from Blake Education.

So with one new book, and two others in the pipeline, you’d think I’d be satisfied – but wait, there’s more. Today I saw the roughs for another forthcoming picture book – Constantine and Aristotle, to be published by Koala Books. I’m in love! Ben Wood is a fabulous illustrator and I’m lucky to have him bringing my little hogs to life.

In between all this, I’m still writing, still reviewing (heaps of new reviews added to Aussiereviews in October), and am busily mastering the use of new red laptop (red ones go aster and look cooler).

What a wonderful life! Enjoy your November. I know I will.

Seven Answers to Seven Questions: Marianne Musgrove

by

Today we are lucky enough to have children’s author Marianne Musgrove drop by answer my seven questions. Welcome Marianne!

1. Tell us a little about your publication credits. If you have one, tell us about the genres you prefer to write, and your current projects.

The Worry Tree, Random House Australia, 2007
– Winner of the 2008 Australian Family Therapists’ Award for
Children’s Literature (younger readers)
– Short-listed for:
o 2007 National Children’s Peace Literature Award
o 2008 Queensland Premier’s Literary Award
o 2008 SA Festival Award for Children’s Literature.
Also, my mum thinks it’s very good!

Mini blurb (a blurbette, if you will):
Worrywart Juliet finds a old painting of a tree beneath the wallpaper in her new bedroom. It’s a Worry Tree she can hang her worries on at night.

Lucy the Good (written by me, illustrated by Cheryl Orsini), Random House Australia, 2008
Seven year old Lucy spends an inordinate amount of time on the Time Out chair, only she can’t figure out why. Lucy’s stern great aunt from Holland comes to visit, pronouncing her niece, Lucy the Bad.
Lucy is on a mission to prove she really is good, only things don’t quite go to plan.

Current project: Don’t Breathe a Word, about two young carers.

2. How long have you been writing for children?

I was published in 2007 but began writing in 2002.

3. How much time do you spend each week writing and/or revising? And how much time on other writing-related tasks such as promotion, researching markets and so on?

Writing/editing: zero and fifteen hours per week
Angsting about the plot: eighteen and thirty-four hours per week
Promotion: a couple of hours per week.

4. How much time do you spend reading children’s books? And what are you reading right now?

I’m always reading one children’s book or another. I just read Peter Carnavas’ Jessica’s Box, a picture book about a little girl who tries to buy friendship and learns to just be herself.

5. What advice would you give other would-be children’s writers, or share with other professional children’s writers?

a) Self doubt is normal. It will pass. Then it will come back. Then it will pass. Then it will come back …

b) Work out your angle. My books are funny, realistic stories that help children. I market myself as such, eg, to school counsellors, social workers and psychologists.

c) Come up with a quirky fact about yourself that will stick in people’s minds. I happen to be a descendant of King Henry VIII’s librarian. My publisher uses this fact to pitch my books at overseas book fairs.

d) Don’t just market your book, market yourself. Your titles will change but your name will stay the same. I thought about calling my website www.worrytree.com.au but changed it to www.mariannemusgrove.com.au to promote myself as a brand. It still irks me to think about branding myself (ouch!) but books are products that need buyers so it’s a necessary evil.

e) When you receive the first draft of the back cover blurb of your book, ask if you can have a crack at rewriting it. You know it best.

6. What is your favourite online resource for children’s writers?
Why?

The e-zine, Pass It On. It makes me feel connected to other children’s writers plus it has such useful information. It’s a bargain.

7. Do you have a website or blog? What else do you do to promote your published works and/or your writing skills?

You can check out my very funny (if I do say so myself) website at www.mariannemusgrove.com.au You can download the first chapter of my novels. Each of my books has something extra to make it stand out from the crowd. Readers can download their very own Worry Tree from the Random House website. Lucy the Good comes with its own sticker and recipe for Dutch spiced biscuits.

Think laterally. My local butcher and shoe shop agreed to display a poster of my book. The sky is the limit!

Thanks for dropping in Marianne. If YOU would like to answer seven questions and be featured here on this blog, drop me a line at sally @ sallymurphy.net (remove the spaces).

sallymurphy.com.au