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Sally Murphy, Australian author

The Riding Gallery: Out Today

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Tadaaaaa!

Here it is: The Riding Gallery, written by me, illustrated by Martina Heiduczek and published by Walker Books – and it’s out today!

Ever since I read a tiny mention of Anton Weniger, and the troubles he faced during World War 1, I have wanted to share his story with the world. Anton was a showman – he travelled rural Victoria with his rides and amusements and, every summer, was stationed in St Kilda, where children – and adults – came to rid and play near the sea.

But Anton had a German name, and a German accent, and was, in fact, a German immigrant. And, at the same time as his new, beautiful, spectacular riding gallery (you might also call it a merry-go-round) was opened, the world was at war – and Australia was at war with Germany. This meant that, while people loved the new ride, many did not love, or even trust, Anton.

While the ride remained in St Kilda for many years, Anton did not, and that makes me sad for a man who wanted to bring joy tot he world through a children’s ride.  He didn’t get to witness all the joy it brings, and nor could he have foreseen that, 110 years later, that ride is still turning, in Canberra, our nation’s capital.

The Riding Gallery is my attempt to share Anton’s story with the world. While it is a story of prejudice and bigotry and the hardships of World War 1, I also think that it also offers hope.

Welcome to the world, The Riding Gallery – and thank you, Anton Weniger, for building a ride that continues to make people smile.  Now available in all good bookshops – or ask them to get it in for you.

 

 

A Book Birthday!

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Happy first day of July and also happy book birthday to Roses are Blue, which is 10 years old today.

It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since this little darling made its first appearance. I still get a tingle every time I look at the cover!

If you haven’t encountered the story of Amber and her mum, the book is still available from good bookstores and online. And, if you come back in two days time, you can also help me celebrate the release of my newest verse novel The Riding Gallery, out on July 3.

The Riding Gallery: One Week to Go

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Five years ago I peered through the shutters of a merry go round in the centre of Canberra and took this photo:

Even closed, the ride intrigued me, not the least because I wondered how it came to be there. A nearby sign indicated that the ride had been in Canberra since 1974, but that it dated back to 1914, when it opened in St Kilda.  I felt sure there was a story just waiting to be uncovered.

And I was right. That night I found, through some online research that the ride had in fact operated on the foreshore in St Kilda for many years – but that the first owner of the ride, a man named Anton Weniger, had not owned it for long – forced to give up ownership because he was born German, and his ride was operating in Australia, during World War 1.

This surprised me. How could a man who lives in Australia, and operates a business aimed at providing fun and entertainment for children, end up driven away?  Although he was indeed born in Germany, he had lived in Australia for more than 20 years, and been naturalised. Still, I discovered, his German origins drew unwanted attention in wartime and, after a riot, he was forced to leave.

It didn’t take me long to decide that I wanted to find out more – and to share this story. What took longer was piecing together just what had happened to Anton both before and after the war, and finding a way to weave this information into a story.

Two years ago I visited Canberra again and, while there, visited the ride with my publisher, Clare Hallifax, who had just read the story I’d written and loved it. We visited the ride together – and even took a spin on it.

Since then that manuscript has become, under Clare’s expert leadership, and with illustrations by Martina Heiduczek, a verse novel and, just a week from today, will be released into the world. I can’t wait!

The Riding Gallery is available to preorder from a local bookshop near you, or online. 

 

And, while you wait for its release you might also like to read this interview about my last verse novel by Queen Narelle, which has been published today on the Alphabet Soup blog.

Poetry Friday: Mail

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I’ve been thinking about mail, inspired by sending off my first poem card in the Poetry Friday Summer Poem Swap, where friends send poems to other friends via snail mail (and yes, while I’m deep in winter, it’s a summer swap, because most of the participants are in the Northern Hemisphere).

I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t fascinated by the idea of people I couldn’t see writing and sending letters to me. As a child it was mostly things like birthday cards from relatives, but once I could write, it moved on to pen pals, and letters to and from my siblings and boarding school.  The pen pals were a part of my life for many years, and I miss the regularity of those letters.

These days I rarely get letters in the mail – occasional fan mail, from a young reader, a very occasional invitation or card and, perhaps mostly of all, unexpected postcards or notes from friends. As for sending them – I too am sporadic. I try to send postcards to my grandchildren when I travel, and last year when I was away for a month, sent postcards to friends and family, which garnered some replies when I got home.

While we live in an age when we can message and receive replies within seconds or, of course, pick up the phone and talk, and social media lets us see our friends’ every move (if they choose to share), I don’t think I’ll ever outgrow the excitement of receiving a real life letter in the mail. So, while I wait for the Summer Poem Swap to work its magic, I thought I’d share a poem I wrote some time ago.

Mail

When Mum was little

people wrote letters

to each other

to say hello

or share their news

Or say happy birthday.

Letters were delivered

by the postman

days or even weeks

after they were written.

Nowadays

people send

texts or emails

that come straight away

and the postie

mostly just brings bills.

(Sally Murphy, 2015)

When was the last time you wrote a letter? I think I might send another one today – after I’ve checked out the Poetry Friday roundup, which is hosted this week by Tabatha who, coincidentally, is the hard working organiser of the poem swap.

You’re Invited

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If you are in or around Perth (or just feel like a trip to Perth!) I would love to see at the launch of The Riding Gallery, on July 18 at Curtin University. It’s free, of course, but we’d love you to register here.

The Riding Gallery by Sally Murphy

To be launched by my colleagues (and friends), Dr Sally Lamping and Tamara Reads, and with a door prize for one lucky school, of a free author visit later in 2024.

See you there!

 

The Riding Gallery: Two Weeks to Go!

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There is nothing quite like the feeling of counting down to a book’s release. The feeling of excitement, anticipation and, yes, a healthy dash of nerves all mean that I can’t think of much else.

Luckily, there’s just two weeks until The Riding Gallery hits the shelves of a bookstore near you or, if there isn’t one handy to you, a virtual shelf.

 

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A post shared by Sally Murphy (@sallymurphyauthor)

I can’t wait to share the story of Anton Weniger, his much loved merry-go-round, and the two children I created to help tell the story, set in St Kilda during World War 1.

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