sallymurphy.com.au

Sally Murphy, Australian author

Desperately Seeking Pemberthy

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Where oh where has Pemberthy gone?

It’s more than a year since Pemberthy Bear (pictured above)was launched at last year’s CBCA National conference, and I’ve been wondering about how far and wide Pemberthy might have spread his furry paws in that time

So, here’s what I’m wondering. If you are reading this, and you own a copy of Pemberthy Bear, could you post a comment here (or email me ) and tell me? Then I’ll mark the spot on this map and upload it here so we can see just where Pemberthy is.

Also, if you are walking past a bookshop, perhaps you might call in and look on the shelves and see if Pemberthy is there, and again, email me and let me know. If you want to ask the bookstore people if they have it in stock, you can quote the ISBN (1921042494), the author/illustrator (Sally Murphy – that’s me – and Jacqui Grantford) and the publisher (New Frontier).

Lastly, if you visit your local library and see Pemberthy on the shelf or in their catalogue, let me know and I’ll add a dot for that too.

Thanks in advance for indulging my fancy. I’m so keen to know where Pemberthy is and would love to see dozens (or even thousands) of little red dots on my map.

The spot on the map is to represent Corrigin, my home town. I have several copies of Pemberthy at my house, but guess I’ll stick with just the one dot.

Small Things

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The saying ‘small things amuse small minds’ comes to me even as I post this link. I don’t know why it tickles me so much, but if you need a laugh, have a look at this cat. Make sure you have the sound on.

It’s one of the funniest things I’ve come across for a while, and also amused the Murphlets when I showed them.

Enjoy.

Wahoos

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A writer friend from the US (though she’s really an Aussie), Margot Finke , has a page on her site devoted to wahoos. Every month she lists these wahoos, announcing the good news of fellow children’s writers. These wahoos are often celebrating the release of new books, but other times announce contract signings, awards being won and so on. I rarely know the authors listed, and as most of them are American, rarely even get to pick up the books mentioned, but it’s no nice to hear of other people’s successes. So wahoo to Margot for spreading the word about good things and making this writer on the other side of the world feel good.

On various e-lists I am on, fellow authors also regularly share their successes – from the biggie of a big overseas rights contract, to news of good reviews or new editions of books.

So why do we celebrate other writers’ successes? If I don’t know the writer and don’t read their book , does it matter a jot to me that it has been released? Yup! Too right it does. Writing for children is fun, rewarding and challenging but it is also hard work, and often downright demoralising. The reality is that it is hard to get published, hard to get good sales even when you are published and some days I wonder why I keep going, and I know there are many, many others who regularly feel the same way. But when I’m reminded, by Margot’s list, and by writer friends from around the world who share their successes, big and small, that publication does happen, that awards are won and contracts offered, I cheer for those people and I remember that it has happened for me (well the contract and publication bit – I’ve yet to win an award)and will happen again.

Sharing good news is not all about saying ‘look at me – aren’t I clever’ (though that is a valid feeling when you’ve just been offered a book contract). It is also about sharing that buzz of knowing that acceptances do come, that hard work does pay off, and that dreams can come true.

I’ll take the little buzz that other people’s wahoos give me and I’ll keep working. One day I’ll have some buzz of my own to share.

And Another Interesting blog

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No, my blog is NOT going to turn into an unending list of links to other people’s blogs, nor do I spend all of my time reading blogs, but there are so many good ones out there. Just came across this one, by an Australian agent – it’s called Call My Agent! and provides some useful insights into using agents, getting published, promoting and more.

Blogs aside, have had a fairly productive day today. Managed to get my assignments marked, wrote a review and did a little reading. Istill feel like an invalid, but I’m on the way to recovery. Yay!

Bookboy Blog

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Am trying today for a full day’s work, the first in a week. Have started, as I often do, with some reading and browsing. Came across another interesting blog, by a librarian who calls himself Bookboy. Cool moniker – ‘Is it a bird, is it a plane, no – it’s Bookboy! Able to leap big returns piles in a single bound, shelve books in the blink of an eye… anyway, Bookboy blogs about books, libraries and so on. I like his reviews and his style, which is chatty with a sprinkling of humour. Not book related, but the You-tube video he currently has featured (under his post of June 25) is pretty funny.

Now for some work. Today I have reviews to write, assignments to mark, and some work on my little chapter book stories to do. Onwards and upwards.

Great Blog

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Still sore this morning but determined to get some work done today. Have just been reading a wonderful blog post by Sophie Masson, in the Good Reading Magazine Blog, about why she writes for children. If you write for children or think you’d like to, read Sophie’s post, which has obviously struck a chord with many readers, because it has garnered more than 20 comments. Plenty of food for thought and comments which have me nodding in agreement.

Well worth the read.

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