sallymurphy.com.au

Sally Murphy, Australian author

Poetry Friday: A Personal Poem

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It’s Poetry Friday and, here in Australia, tomorrow is ANZAC Day. I have just returned home after speaking about two of my ANZAC-related books, Do Not Forget Australia and 1915, to schools in Victoria and Perth, s  I thought it might be appropriate today to share a poem from 1915.

Stanley, the main character in my book, is a soldier serving in Gallipoli,and he finds writing poetry comforting during some very hard times. Although the book is written in prose, two of his poems are included. The one I am sharing today is quite sad, but also I hope shows the impact of war on those who fought.1915

Men Don’t Cry

Men don’t cry, or so I’ve heard

But here I sit and do

Because, dear friend this damned war

Has done its worst to you.

 

When we first met you made me laugh

You made me smile and more.

We became friends, we became mates

And together we marched to war.

 

Side by side we fought for months

And still you made me grin.

You were brave and tough, your mother’s son

Determined we would win.

 

When I was hurt you lifted me

And helped me toward aid.

That brave decision, sad to say

Was the last one that you made.

 

A shell blast took us both to ground

And you died a hero’s death.

Your only concern your mother dear

Her name on your last breath.

 

Men don’t cry, but if that’s so

Then no more man am I

As on your final resting place

I can only sit and cry.

 

(Sally Murphy, 2015)

 

A little girl in one of my sessions this week asked a heartbreaking question: Why do we have to have wars?  I gave her an answer that I’m not sure fully satisfied her, because the truth is – I don’t know.  I do hope that if we pause on days like ANZAC Day to remember those wars, and all that they mean, that it makes us aware of the need to strive for peace so that war will be a thing of the past.

Poetry Friday today is being hosted by Renee at No Water River.

 

Home and Away (not the soap opera)

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I am home. Before that I was away.  SO much to say about it all, but I’m going to try to limit myself to five amazing things about my time away – and one about being home.

1. Travel. How amazing to spend ten days on the road – in Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Townsville – doing my job. I spoke to hundreds of kids about my books, in amazing schools, as well as to teachers, librarians and other professionals.  What other job makes you feel like a rock star, unless of course, you ARE a rock star?

Sally Murphy

Feeling Like a Rock Star

Sally Murphy

It was THIS big!

2.  Feedback. Incredible feedback from kids (and adults) who’ve read my books, telling me why they’ve loved them and how keen they are for more.

Sally Murphy

It seems I talk with my hands a lot. Who knew?

3. Sharing. It is an absolute privilege to have kids sharing their stories with me. During and after sessions, so many children told me  how they can relate to what Pearl and Amber and John are going through, because they have had such hard things happen in their lives – and often, are still going through them. Many stories make me cry, but I feel very trusted that kids want to tell me their stories.

4. Workmates. In Sydney I was looked after my Steve from Walker Books, who did a wonderful job of ensuring I had coffee, and places to stay and food, and audiences. More than that, though, he was just fun to travel with. In Townsville Trish McEvey, and her fellow staff, from Kirwan Primary School looked after me, again ensuring audiences and shelter and stuff, along with just an awesome workspace. I was also honoured to work alongside Boori Monty Pryor, who was also visiting the school, and who is a real treasure.

Sally Murphy and Margaret Hamilton

With the delightful Margaret Hamilton in the Blue Mountains

5.  Inspiration. All this travelling, and talking and seeing stuff, and hearing stuff, makes me inspired to keep doing what I do – and to try new things.

If I spoke to you in Sydney or Townsville – please accept this as my thank you for listening and for being part of my first ever official book tour.

And the awesome thing about being home? It’s home. So nice to be back with my gorgeous family.

Moonrise

This awesome moonrise made me feel very welcome at home.

 

 

Thoughts on School Visits

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I have just had four of the busiest weeks of my life. In those four weeks I visited schools and libraries in Perth and around the South West, as well as flying to Gunnedah in New South Wales, and presented over 50 sessions talking about myself and my books. By the end of it I have to admit I was pretty tired. Very tired. Achingly tired. So tired that when I ran into a local friend last week she commented on how tired I look and told me I should just take a day off. I smiled, said I would do so, then the next day got in my car and drove to Mundaring for another session (you can see a photo from that session below).
This week I have a week free of  speaking commitments, and I have time to get some writing done – as well as more mundane things like housework, paying bills and so on. And I also have time to reflect on the past four weeks. Sure, they were really busy and more than once I wondered if I could really meet all my commitments. But meet them I did, and I had an absolute ball. 
But, in honour of the friend who suggested I needed a day off, and anyone else who is wondering, I thought I might explain WHY I do school and library visits.
1.      1.  It’s fun and inspirational. Standing in front of a room of kids and talking about myself and my books is so unlike work that I sometimes forget it IS work. For 45 minutes I talk, read, smile and, importantly listen, as I share with kids my stories, and my life as a writer. It’s an absolute blast.
2.      2.  It promotes my books. Getting published is hard, but getting the word out about your books can be even harder.  
3.       3. It pays well. Very few children’s authors can make a living from writing. Speaking engagements  pay well and allow us to continue writing.
4.    4.     It engages me with people. Writing can be a pretty solitary occupation, with most of my work taking place at home on my own. When I go out to schools and libraries I am socialising, meeting people and connecting with them.
5.     5.   It helps kids. I  have left this one to last because it is the most important. Meeting a ‘real’ author can be really engaging for readers of all abilities. Often a reluctant reader will be inspired to read, and an avid reader will feel validated. Kids are also inspired to write after listening to an author. 
There are other reasons, but these are the key ones, and, whilst the busyness of four weeks of author visits is tiring, it also leaves me feeling energised, ready to write more and speak more, too.  I look forward to speaking more, and am delighted that the bookings for next year have started to come in. If you’d like to book me to visit your school or library, you can contact me through my website.

Author Visits

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I just got hold of some photos from my latest school visit. It was a couple of weeks ago, and involved classes from preprimary to year eight at Corrigin District High School, my local school. I had an absolute ball, and think the kids enjoyed seeing another side of me – they usually know me as their music teacher. Let’s just say that as a music teacher I make a great author 🙂

Anyway, I can’t post any photos with identifying photos of kids in, so these shots are all of moi.
Here I am reading from Doggy Duo to a group of year eight students.

Here I am reading the author bio from the back of Bugged to the year four and fives. They liked hearing about my history with chocolate topping.

And, finally, reading from The Floatingest Frog to year one and two students.

Tomorrow I am off to do another school visit – this time at Hyden Primary School. I love getting out and talking to lots of different kids. I love sharing my stories and always come home feeling inspired and energised.

sallymurphy.com.au