sallymurphy.com.au

Sally Murphy, Australian author

And the Party Goes On

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Thanks for dropping by! One of the hard things about a party is always the clean up the next day. But, in case you missed it, yesterday I had a big party right here on this blog, a cyber-launch to celebrate the release of my new verse novel, Toppling. And the great thing about a cyber-party is that there is no mess. Well, no REAL mess, anyway. The cyber streamers ar elooking a little limp today, and tehre are several half cups of cyber bubbly littering the virtual coffee tables – but I can live with that.
(If you did miss the party yesterday and think I’m perhaps losing the plot, please scroll down to yesterday’s post to get up to date).
I just want to say thanks so much to everyone who dropped in here yeterday, as well as the many people who left messages on Facebook, Tiwtter, and via email. You made me feel so special, and gave Toppling such a lovely send-off into the big wide world.
Now the launch party may be over, but the celebrations continue. There will be things happening here on the blog throughout March, as well as real world events including a ‘real’ launch at the All Saints festival later in March. So check back here often for details.
In the meantime, I was really excited to find the first online review for Toppling at the Our Patch site. Check it out here.

Toppling Launch

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Welcome! Come right in. Mind you don’t bump your head on the ballons and streamers. Aren’t they pretty?

You’ve arrived at the virtual launch for Toppling, my new verse novel, which is released today. Let the festivities begin.

First, while you wait for the speeches, please help yourself to some refreshment. My gorgeous waiters are circulating with trays of canapes, or chips and dips if you’d prefer, and plenty of cyber bubbly (you can choose between alchoholic or nonalchoholic, and for the kids cyber softdrink). And, of coruse, feel free to chat with the other guests.

Right, can I have your attention please? We’ll move in to the formal part of the party.


For those who don’t know me, I’m Sally Murphy, the author of the book we’re about to launch. I’m just delighted to see so many of you have made the trip across cyber space to be with me today as we launch Toppling.

If you haven’t had a chance to look at Toppling, here it is:

Toppling is the story of John (his mum calls him Johnboy) whose twin passions are domino toppling and hanging out with his friends, especially his best friend, Dominic. But when Dominic falls ill, John feels as if his world is toppling. How is a kid supposed to cope with knowing his friend could be dying? And how can he support that friend?

Tough subject matter, I know, but I’m hoping you’ll find Toppling an uplifting read. It is my fervent belief that kids need books about tough subjects as much as they need books that are funny, or silly, or anything else.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank some people – my family, the team at Walker Books for believing in me (and my books), my editor Virginia who is always right (almost always, anyway), my good writer buddies Sue and Claire who over the years have listened to my talk of giving up, kept me going and celebrated my successes, and my cyber buddy Sandy who momentarily will take centre stage to launch the book (and who I am looking forward to meeting in person in a couple of weeks at the All Saints Festival in Perth). It’s an honour to have Sandy here, and I’d like to mention that her own book, Jaguar Warrior, is also being released today.

Congratulations, Sandy And, of course, I’d like to thank you all for dropping me to join in today’s celebration. Writing can sometimes be a very solitary pursuit, but to be surrounded by such supportive people on a day like today is a real joy.

And now, over to Sandy Fussell, who has agreed to give up part of her day to laucnchToppling. welcome, Sandy.

When Sally asked me to launch Toppling I was thrilled to bits. Her previous verse novel, Pearl Verses the World, was one of my favourite books of 2009. I find verse novels have a unique way of making the reader feel emotionally involved. But despite that, I was totally unprepared for the impact Toppling had on me. This book hits hard. It goes straight to the heart.

Toppling is a beautiful illustrated story, dealing sensitively with childhood cancer and the way cancer in general reaches into the lives of all the children who come into contact with it. There is sadness in the pages but those same pages will help children understand and cope. No magic cure is promised and while the story offers hope, it doesn’t avoid the important fact that cancer is a killer.

Rhian Nest-James’ drawings bring the children to life and the emotion on their faces is vivid and real. The hospital, the playground, the classroom – the setting illustrations are both familiar and universal.

This book is for every child (and their adults) – for those struggling to live with a cancer sufferer, for those who have lost someone they love and those who need to understand how others feel. It’s a heavy message told with a perfectly light touch. Readers will find different meaning and experiences in the words. And that’s Toppling’s greatest strength.

I am very proud to launch Toppling into cyberspace.

Gosh, thanks Sandy. I’m so glad I brought the cyber-tissues because you’ve brought tears to my eyes. Thanks so much.


And that concludes the formalities of today’s launch. Fee; free to hang around a bit longer – the cyber-bubbles will be flowing all day, and I’d love for you to leave a comment below so I know you’ve been here. Thanks so, so much for coming and joining in the fun.



You can buy Toppling online from Booktopia, Dymocks, The Children’s Bookshop (NZ), or Abbeys, or in a good brick and mortar store near you. If they don’t have it in stock, ask them to get it in.
And, come back here often during March as the celebrations continue. Have a lovely day. I know I will.

Writing Quote of the Week

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I’m cheating a little and posting this week’s writing quote a day early, because tomorrow is a special day for me – the release date of my new verse novel, Toppling. Anyway, today’s quote made me laugh out loud, as the mother of six chidlren:

Sure, it’s simple, writing for kids . . .

Just as simple as bringing them up.
(Ursula K. LeGuin )

Nuff said. Have a nice week.

Writing Quote of the Week

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In my discussion of last week’s Writing Quote of the Week I touched on  the fact that writing is not often a lucrative career, financially. So, when searching for a quote for this week, this one spoke to me as following on well:

If you have other things in your life – family, friends, good productive day work – these can interact with your writing and the sum will be all the richer.
(David Brin)

So, how does this relate to what I said last week? Well, I know that I am not alone in needing to have a day job (albeit part time) to supplement my writing income, and, like a lot of my writer friends, I sometimes resent that time away from my desk as lost writing time. But David Brin’s point is a good one. That work time (and the other non-writing parts of one’s life) can sometimes be the very thing which makes your writing richer. In my own case, I do know that because I work part time, those days when I’m at home are more productive. I have less time to write, so I try harder to make the most of it. I also know that its through interacting with people, facing challenges and so on, that I gain life experience which can sometimes either inspire a story, or at the very least, help to make it more authentic.

This week I am going to try to appreciate more those other parts of my life, and how they help make me a better writer.

Have a great week.

Writing Quote of the Week

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Happy Monday! Time for another writing quote to inspire you as you start your week. Today’s quote  is simple:

The only reason for being a professional writer is that you just can’t help it.

(Leo Rosten)

Too true! If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard or read someone saying they want to become a writer to make some money, or add to their family income,  I’d be richer than my books are making me. Yes, there are rich authors, yes there are famous authors – but, for the most part, writing is not a wealth-generating strategy.

For me, I write because I have stories to tell and, in the tough times, when I’ve struggled to be published, I’ve sometimes thought about giving up. But the truth is – I can’t. I have kept coming back to writing because writing calls me, pulls me, and the stories insist on being written. I can’t help it.

Lucky for me, I also just love writing.

How about you?

No Names Needed

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On every writer’s networking list I am on, or have ever been part of, one of the recurring subjects is that of the names of editors at particular publishing houses. “Does anyone know the name of the editor at XYZ?” someone will ask, or “Is Josephine Bloggs still the submissions editor at ZXY?”

Nine times out of ten someone on the list will know the answer and it is duly proferred and the askee can then send thier submission addressed to that person.

The first time I came across one of these queries, I  had no idea why it was being asked. I had always just sent my manuscripts to the address in the company’s submission guidelines, and they’d mostly been considered and returned, or (occassionally) considered and accepted.  Was this a problem?

I checked this out and found that many websites, chatlists, articles and even books recommend that when you submit a manuscrirpt you should make sure your envelope and letter are addressed to the right person.

Then I checked some more and found that others (though fewer) said it wasn’t necessary – since if it is addressed according to the submission guidelines, which usually state the recipent as ‘Submissions Editor’ or ‘Children’s Publisher’ or similar, then it will get to the right person.

So, I kept doing what I’d always done, submitting in that way without stressing about the correct name. The exception was where I personally knew the person who would be reading my submission – eiethr directly, through having met them, or indirectly through having ‘met’ them online or via correspondence. If I have some semblance of a relationship with someone, I figure, then it is polite to use their name rather than calling them Dear Sir/Madam.

Anyway, that’s how I do it, and when I see requests onlist for names, I generally don’t respond, since I figure it just isn’t necessary. But I must admit to a teensy feeling of being ineffeicient when I see others going to such lengths to get a name. So I was heartened, when reading yesterday’s Pass It On networking newsletter, to find a link to a piece by the amazing Harold Underdown, discussing the topic in detail. You can read Underdown’s opinion here.  I was heartened especially because he agrees with me (or, I suppose I should say I agree with him).

So, if you don’t know the name of the person who’s going to open your manuscript, why not save yourself some time, and simply address it in the way outlined in the publisher’s submission guidelines? After all, if the editor doesn’t know you, and hasn’t reqeusted your manuscript, the reality is it will be treated in just the same way, whoever it is addressed to.

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