sallymurphy.com.au

Sally Murphy, Australian author

Good News Week!

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Yesterday I celebrated the release of Fly-In Fly -Out Dad. Today, as I was getting ready to head out for a newspaper interview, I got word that Roses are Blue (which, coincidentally, was released one year ago yesterday, making my two books bookday buddies) has been shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards, in the  8-10 year old category.  Huzzah!

I am a huge fan of this award (not just because I won it in 2011 for Pearl Verses the World) because it  “aims to promote children’s books as literacy tools, as well as raising awareness of the role of speech pathologists play in helping children develop language and literacy skills. The awards:

  • promote quality Australian children’s literature;
  • enhance awareness of the role speech pathologists play in language and literacy development; and
  • encourage a love of reading.” (from the Award website)

The full shortlist for this year’s award is online here.

It’s a great week!

 

Five Cool Things About Being Shortlisted

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On Friday I was delighted when the school library officer at my dayjob showed me her newly-arrived copy of Toppling.  Yes, of course I’ve seen my book-baby before, and love it – but this is the first copy I’ve seen with the gorgeous bronze sticker which says it is a shortlisted book in the CBCA Children’s Book of the Year Awards.  I was so excited I had to snap a photo just to prove it was real and to show my family, my friends, complete strangers – and you.

Pretty, isn’t it?  Being shortlisted is pretty cool, and if you are here reading this blog there’s a pretty good chance you ‘get’ why I’m so excited about it. But I have to admit, some people seem a bit surprised that I’m so thrilled ‘just’ to be shortlisted. After all, I haven’t won anything – just been put on a list with five other books. So, here goes – five cool things about being shortlisted.
1.  Validation.  Making it to the shortlist says to me that people – judges, in fact, who are passionate about children’s books – like MY book. It’s not just me and my mum.

2.  Exposure. As an author, I am well aware of the name to make a name for myself. It sells books in stores, and manuscripts to publishers. Being on a shortlist means more people get to know my name – and my books.
3.  Sales. Being on a shortlist, especially this one, translates directly into sales. Because Children’s Bookweek and the CBCA Awards are well established and respected, schools tend to buy, display, read and discuss shortlisted books. And bookstores tend to stock them, knowing that they will sell.
4.  Kids reading my book. Because of number three above, more kids will have the opportunity to read my book which is, after all, why I wrote it in the first place. Nothing makes me happier than to think of a child reading one of my books. 
5. Stickers! Okay, so maybe I should have outgrown having stickers on my work back in primary school – but I didn’t. When I see a copy of one of my books with  a pretty sticker on it, I have to touch it (and photograph it, squeee about it, smile a  lot…)
So, yes, I’m pretty excited about my book baby being on that list. Thanks Chris for showing me the sticker!

Woweeeeeeeeee!

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The writing life is filled with highs and lows – and sometimes the lows are long and hard. There are rejections, the difficulties of getting a story right in the first place, and, when a book IS published, the challenges of struggling for sales.

But the highs are wonderful. Acceptances, holding a book baby in your hands for the first time, seeing your name on a book in a real life bookstore… And I must say, I can’t imagine wanting to be anything other than a children’s book author.

Still, none of those highs really prepared me for the wonderful rush I am feeling today. See, today, the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) announced the shortlist for the annual Children’s Book of the Year Awards, and much to my surprise and delight, I’m on it – or rather my book, Pearl Verses the World is on it, shortlisted for the Younger Reader’s category.

So, as you can maybe imagine, I am smiling and singing and laughing and even shedding the odd tear today. I am especially enjoying the way that those around me have joined in my celebrations. I’ve been truly touched by the phonecalls and emails and text messages and messages on twitter and facebook. The Australian publishing and book industries are fileld with such lovely people!

Congratulations to everyone else whose books are on the shortlist, and also on the CBCA’s Notables list.

And, as I said already today – wahoooooooo!

sallymurphy.com.au