Sally Murphy's Blog, page 29
January 4, 2018
Poetry Friday: Things to Do in 2018
Things to Do in 2018
Flourish
Nourish
Thrive
Strive
Know
Grow
See
Be.
(Copyright Sally Murphy 2018)
As I mentioned earlier in the week, my focus word (or is it a guidance word?) for 2018, is Flourish. I want to flourish this year, and I want to help others flourish, and I want to do things with a flourish. So, what better way to start my Poetry Friday posts, than with a poem and a post about flourishing.
Interestingly, my first every Poetry Friday Post, three years ago was a New Year post. Since I wrote that , I have been a regular part of Poetry Friday but not always consistent. Like many members, I have come and gone. Life has got in the way sometimes – so some of those periods of absence, I was busy flourishing, busy with career stuff. Other times, life was hard, and finding time for blogging took a back seat. But every time I got back to Friday posts, there were people there welcoming me back – commenting on my posts, or sharing wonderful things on their own blogs. And each time I’ve realised that I’m part of something big, a flourishing community of poets from around the world.
One special thing that the Poetry Friday community does is to organise poetry swaps. In these, participants are given a name (or two) and asked to send a poem to that person, via snail mail. My comings and goings have meant that I’ve never participated – I always seem to have missed the call outs.
Until the most recent two. At last, at the end of last year, I took part in the Winter Poem Swap. Of course, it isn’t winter in my part of the world, but that didn’t worry me. I duly sent a Christmas themed package off to my recipient, Keri, with a poem about the very fact that she was in cold and snow and I wasn’t, and some other goodies. And then – hooray! – I received a package of my own, from the wonderful Irene Latham.
Here’s a picture of what was in the package:
The thought Irene had put into the package made me teary. She used my new profile picture as an inspiration for the poem:
Kaleidoscope Poem
(for Sally)
with a simple twist
of syllables
a new world
twirls into focus,
sets hearts a-whirl
in a blur
of ever-changing
light.
(Copyright Irene Latham)
Isn’t that awesome? The significance of the pouch is also special. Irene had read my posts about ‘old’ poems and poem-hoarding (which so many in the poetry Friday community related to), so she sent me a pocket in which to hard my poems. I plan to fill it with tiny poems, starting with the poem-stone. I also plan to fill the notebook with poems, of course!
Thanks so much Irene. This is why I am part of the Poetry Friday community – not for the gifts, but for the friendships which flourish! I have the gift on my desk and every time I see it, I am reminded of the magic way that poetry brings us together.
The second exchange which I’m participating in is the New Year Postcard exchange. This time, it’s a poetry postcard. I wrote my ten cards on New Year’s Day, and they’ve been sent off across the seas (or the skies, really, since that’s how they’ll travel), connecting me with ten other Poetry Friday members again through poetry. And, as cards start to arrive in my mail box (I’m watching it eagerly!), I’ll be reminded again that friendships flourish through poetry.
So, I look forward to being a more regular contributor to Poetry Friday this year (I’ll even be hosting the round up for the first time in February). It’s become an important part of my identity as a children’s poet – and, though I’ve only ever met two of the other members in person (yes, there are two other Aussies!) – it’s the friendships that make it so special.
I hope you’ll flourish with me in 2018. Happy New Year! For more Poetry goodness, check out the other Poetry Friday posts. This week’s round-up is at Reading to the Core, where, coincidentally, Irene’s new book is also featured.
December 31, 2017
Happy New Year!
A new year
Is an unopened gift
A letter in the mail
A crisp new notebook
A story yet to be written.
(Copyright Sally Murphy)
Happy new Year! Although I have mixed feelings about New Year’s resolutions (see my post about that here) I DO feel that there is something magical about a whole new year starting, with promise of new opportunities, new beginnings and crisp, clean pages.
Because I’m wanting to start as I mean to continue, I have registered for Anastasia Suen’s 30 for 30 Challenge, which challenges participants to write for 30 minutes every day for 30 days. Although the challenge starts tomorrow, I decided that the first of January was great time to get started (I guess that means I’m aiming for 30 for 31). So, the first thing I did this mronign was to sit down at my desk with my brand new journal and write for 30 minutes. Then I put a cross through the date on my desk planner. I look forward to doing that 30 more times, and to really get some work done on the exciting stories which I want to write in 2018.
After my writing session, I headed off to the beach for my first walk of the year. Aaaaaah. I am so lucky to live where I do.
So, my year has started with a flourish, which is great, because that is the word I have chosen to use to guide my year. Flourish works both as a verb (to grow and thrive in healthy, vigorous ways) and as a noun (a bold or successful act). And of course, if you are arty at all, you’ll also know that you can spice things up with a little flourish. So, I plan to flourish this year, and, hopefully, to help those around me (including YOU) to flourish, too.
Happy 2018!
PS. Do you like the picture? This is a photo of a sign at Yokine Reserve, a playground in Perth. The blue sky behind it hasn’t been edited.
What I Read in December
December was a busy month, but I still managed to get through 25 books, thanks especially to audio books. I do love a real, physical book that I can cuddle up to on a couch, or in bed, or wherever, but for the car, or as company during housework or chores, audiobooks are wonderful – and the discovery of Borrowbox, which lets me borrow audiobooks straight to my phone for free, has enriched my life this year. (If you want to know more about BorrowBox, which is probably available to you, too, at your local library, there’s a good article here).
My favourite book for the month was, incidentally, one I discovered through Borrowbox, and which I am so in awe of! Artichoke Hearts,by Sita Brahmachari, made me cry and smile and feel all of the feels – and wish that I could write like that!
So, here’s the list of 25 with links to my reviews (or, where I haven’t reviewed them, to the book in a bookstore or elsewhere online). I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading.
Picture Books
Once Upon a Small Rhinoceros, by Meg McKinlay & Leila Rudge
Paddy O’Melon The Irish Kangaroo, by Julia Cooper & Daryl Dickson
A Bag and a Bird, by Pamela Allen
Reena’s Rainbow, by Dee White & Tracie Grimwood
A Perfectly Posh Pink Afternoon Tea, by Coral Vass & Gabriel Evans
Feathers, by Phil Cummings & Phil Lesnie
A Thousand Hugs from Daddy, by Anna Pignataro
Younger Readers
Game Day: Patty Hits the Court, by Patty Mills & Jared Thomas
Game Day: Patty and the Shadows, by Patty Mills and Jared Thomas
I Don’t Like Poetry, by Joshua Seigal
It’s OK to Feel the Way You Do, by Josh Langley
Artichoke Hearts,by Sita Brahmachari
Ruben, by Bruce Whatley
Young Adult Books
Sparrow, by Scot Gardner
In the Dark Spaces, by Cally Black
For Adults
Some Kind of Wonderful, by Giovanna Fletcher
The Way Back, by Kylie Ladd
Believe and Achieve, by Paul Hanna
The Mini Motivator, by Paul Hanna
The Sales Motivator, by Paul Hanna
The Money Motivator, by Paul Hanna
An Almost Perfect Christmas, by Nina Stibbe
How to Be Thin in a World of Chocolate, by Michele Connolly
The Kindness Pact, by Domonique Bertolucci
Playing the Matrix, by Mike Dooley
Having got this post ready to go, I realised that, of course, this was my last list for 2017, which lead me to go back and add up my total for the year. Pleasing to see that I managed 197 books in the midst of a busy year. But, of course, there are still thousands and thousands of books that I WANT to read. Maybe in 2018 I’ll figure out how to read in my sleep 
December 14, 2017
Poetry Friday: The Jetty Three Ways
Taking a break from my Christmassy poetry to revisit as place which seems to be growing ever more a part of my life: the Busselton Jetty, a mile long jetty about half an hour from where I live.
Anyway, I have lost count of the number of times I have walked on the jetty – either part way or the whole way, and last year I did it several times, and wrote this poem, which I’ve shared here before:
Earlier this year I met a long-term goal and, rather than walking along the jetty, I swam the whole way around it, in the annual Jetty Swim. And, yes, I posted about the experience here, too, with this poem:
The weather was grey
The ocean was choppy
It rolled and it swayed
But I’d planned for so long
For this one special day
When the starter said ‘go’
I was off and away.
AND
I did it I did it
I swam all the way
I did it I did it
So hip hip hooray!
I’m currently in training to do the swim again in February – though I am hoping it will be a slightly flatter sea.
Speaking of training, there is a third way to traverse the jetty: a little train which runs the length of the
jetty. It’s slow, and although it looks fun, I’ve never done it before. But yesterday, I righted that wrong and finally travelled on the little red train, taking my mother with me As well as the train ride I had another new experience: under the jetty, at the end, is an observatory. It’s one of only a few underwater observatories in the world and is unique because it there are no captive or introduced fish. All the sea life you can see is there because it lives there.
SO, the thing is, although I’d walked along the jetty and I’d swum around the jetty, not only had I never ridden the train along the jetty, but I’d also never visited the observatory. I’d always intended to, but hadn’t got there – in part because I am a bit claustrophobic and wasn’t sure how I would feel. But my mum, who lives nearby , and had visited once before when it was new, really wanted to go again. So we had a mother-daughter date, and we went and it was amazing. See – mums really do know best!
And, of course, there’s a poem:
Under the Sea
I’m under the sea
And I can see
Schools of fishes swimming by me.
I’m under the sea
And I can see
A lone diver waving at me!
I’m under the sea
And I can see
Both fish and diver are wetter than me!
(Poem Copyright Sally Murphy)
The diver was a bit of a surprise. And, when he realised we could see him, he put on a bit of a show for us.
I couldn’t figure out how to work the lovely coral and algae growing on the jetty pylons into the poem, but here’s a little peek. 
Have a great poetry Friday. The round up today is being hosted over at Random Noodling. Head over there for more poetry goodies.
December 7, 2017
Poetry Friday: An Aussie Christmas Song
Another Aussie Christmas offering this week. There’s a few very Aussie words in this one, so it will be interesting to see if it’s understandable to my Northern hemisphere poetry friends. Let me know if there’s anything you don’t get!
A Christmas Song
We sing of jingle bells and snow,
of warm red suits and ho ho ho;
but none of this is quite the way
when it is Christmas here below.
Downunder in good old Aussieland
it’s time for sun and surf and sand.
It’s hot, not cold, it’s summertime
and summer treats are in demand.
Hard work for reindeer in this heat.
Hot roofs would burn their tender feet
and racing through the summer skies
would surely leave them feeling beat.
And as for Santa in fur and such:
he’d soon feel overdressed a touch.
Being snug and warm in blistering heat
is not going to impress him much.
He also needs roos for the job
of sleigh-pulling – an Aussie mob
to get him moving all around
from Sydney town to Iron Knob.
His suit, too, needs an overthrow:
a new outfit, from head to toe.
Some boardies, singlet and some thongs
would seem to be the way to go.
So let’s not sing of snow and ice,
instead I’ll give you this advice:
roos, utes and summer are the go
for Christmas songs that sound real nice.
So ripper, bonza, beudy, strewth!
Though you might think my song uncouth
it’s true blue and it’s ridgy didge
to sing a song that tells the truth.
(Poem copyright Sally Murphy)
This week’s Poetry Friday roundup is being hosted by Steps and Staircases. Head over there to see what other poetry goodness is on offer this week.
Also, if you are looking for a quick Christmas craft activity, you can help your children make a a pair of Christmas antlers just like those Sage Cookson wears on the copy of my latest book. You can find printable pages, and instructions here.
December 6, 2017
Tis the Season for Rejections
Tis the season for rejections
Dammit dammit dam, dam gosh darn dam
Coming in from all directions
Dammit dammit dam, dam gosh darn dam
Gird your loins and grab your chocky
Dammit dammit dam, dam gosh darn dam
The writing life is getting rocky.
Dammit dammit dam, dam gosh darn dam!
Sing it with me! Or not. Either way, it seems that December is bringing with it the usual flurry of rejections to my writerly friends. I’m not sure, but I suspect that there are two reasons for what seems like an extra high level of these harbingers of doom at this time of year: firstly, because it’s the end of the year and the number of new releases drops, there is a bit more time to appraise the slush pile; and secondly, because it’s summer, and a good time to take summer holidays (because duh, when else would you take summer holidays?), there is a need for publishing staff to do some desk clearing before they head to the beach.
Whatever the reason, every year around this time I notice lots of rejections appearing in the mailboxes of my friends – or myself. As I write this, I have yet to receive one this festive season, but there’s still time, and I’ve probably just jinxed myself.
So, what to do if you get one? Here are five tips.
See the song above. Grab some chocolate, or other comfort food/drink/activity and indulge. You’re allowed to feel sorry for yourself. You’ve been working at this game for years/months and rejection hurts.
Vent. It’s fine to vent. Everyone vents sometime. Vent to a friend, a loved one, your writers group, your mum, your mirror. A rider though: I recommend venting in closed circles. The friends I have seen venting online have done so in private groups. This is highly recommended. Much better than venting on a public page, or your blog. Why? Here’s a quick illustration. Imagine that I am blogging about my submissions
ME: Woe is me. My magnum opus has just been rejected by Bippity Boppity Publishers. Don’t they realise what a true genius I am? Did they even read it?
BIPPITY BOPPITY PUBLISHER (in a quiet moment): I think I’ll look at my Google Alerts and see what wonderful things are being said about my books online (GOOGLES MADLY). Oh. Sally Murphy thinks I’m a bad judge of quality, does she? She is saying mean things online. I don’t care what she submits to me in future, I won’t be publishing it.
ME (Blissfully unaware of Bippity’s attitude and posting again on my blog): I don’t care about that rejection I had last week. Today I am sending my magnum opus to Hippity Hoppity Publications. Wish me luck everyone. Fingers crossed that I succeed this time!
HIPPITY HOPPITY PUBLISHER (considering my manuscript): This isn’t bad. I wonder what Sally’s online presence is like. It’s important we know she can market herself. (GOOGLES MADLY). Oh. This manuscript has been rejected by Bippity Boppity. Scrolls. And four other publishers. Hmm. Maybe it isn’t as good as I thought. Reads some more. And she said mean things about other publishers. That’s not nice. I don’t think it’s worth the trouble. (Reaches for another offering from teetering slush pile).
You probably get my point.
Consider what the rejection says. There’s a good chance that your rejection letter/email is a standard rejection. This one goes something like: We have considered your manuscript carefully but regret to inform you… If you get one of these, you know that someone has at least looked at your manuscript. But, if you get one that has been personalised, even the tiniest bit, read that tiny bit. I once had a publisher who sent me standard rejection after standard rejection but, after a while, she started adding a little handwritten note to the lettersr: “This one is getting close” she might say. Or “Cute. But we have enough animal manuscripts at the moment”. Eventually, she accepted a manuscript, because I had listened to those notes and adapted my writing and what I subbed to her I’ve had longer rejections which have told me what is wrong with the manuscript. And I’ve read them. What these messages tell you is that someone has looked closely at your work and seen enough promise to encourage you. So if it’s there, it is worth your while to closely consider the advice given – even if your initial thought is that it’s wrong. A publisher/publishing assistant/editor has seen something in your work worth commenting on. Smile and listen. After all, they work in the very business you are trying to break into.
Get your manuscript ready to send back out. This DOES NOT mean you should send it straight back out to the next one on your list. It actually means closely study what the next publisher publishes, what their submission guidelines say, even whether they are open to submissions. Taking the time to do this can save you months of waiting for the next rejection letter – and, of course, increase your chances of acceptance. Another important consideration here is how many times your manuscript has been rejected. If it has been multiple times and you’ve received standard rejections, now is the time to seriously consider whether your manuscript needs reworking. Getting some critiquing advice and revising before you resubmit could be what’s needed.
Be glad you’re not this guy. I’m pretty sure this is the worst rejection letter I’ve ever seen (is it bad that it made me laugh?). After you’ve finished laughing, use your own rejection note for something festive: rip it up and make streamers for your Christmas tree. Or cut it into the shape of a star and hang in on the wall. Or, if you’re in colder climes, use it to start a warming Christmas fire. I don’t keep my rejection letters, or even keep count of them. Why keep a record of failures? Reycle and do something good for the planet!
Lastly, I’m sure you’ve all heard the stories of how many times people like JK Rowling were rejected. I’m not repeating those, because, to be honest, when I hear those figures I think ‘hah! I can top those numbers!’ Which probably isn’t the point. But the point IS that every writer gets rejected. And most of us continue to get rejected throughout our careers, even after we’ve had some successes. The rare few who don’t are exceptions, and probably celebrities writing about bodily functions. Or married to someone in publishing. (Hmmmm: I think this is a good point to refer you to my friend Sue Whiting’s awesome post about professional jealousy).
Got a good tip about handling rejection, or a question to ask? Leave me a comment. Otherwise, sing with me:
Dammit dammit dam, dam gosh darn daaaaaaaaam!
December 5, 2017
Happenings at the Backyard Bookfair
It’s always fun to get out and meet – and speak to – young readers. It’s an ad
ded bonus when I get to do with other authors and illustrators, which is just what happened on Saturday when I was part of the Backyard Bookfair at the State Library of WA. Have a look at the program to see just how deep the talent pool was:
The theater was home to a series of shenanigans presentations, where we each had ten minutes to talk, present an activity, read, or whatever else took our fancy.
I had promised a craft activity, a promise that was made some time ago. And, although I did indeed deliver on this (see right for evidence of the wonderful threading of stars which took place), I also decided that what I do best is words. SO, as well as the star activity, I wrote and performed a Christmas rap. I had the audience participate in the chorus and it was a lot of fun.
So, if you’ve never heard me speak, or if you’ve ever wondered what I might sound like trying to rap, here’s the snippet my friend James Foley captured for me.
As well as rapping, I got to hang out with friends like Teena Raffa-Mulligan
and Frane Lessac:
I also met lots of young people and their parents, signed copies of Looking Up, and, of course, watched the other presenters.
Oh, and there were cupcakes!
What a wonderful day. 
PS
There are still 19 sleeps till Christmas. Plenty of time if you’d like to buy a book for the young reader in your life. If you’d like one of mine, signed and posted to you, contact me here.
December 4, 2017
Teacher Tuesday: Write a Christmas Tree Poem
It;s Teacher Tuesday, but with the end of the school year rapidly approaching, I thought I might offer something different this week. Instead of offering teaching activities for one of my books,I am offering a quick poetry writing idea.
Write a Christmas Tree Poem
Challenge your students to write a poem in the shape of a Christmas tree, like this one here:
.
For older students they can use my attempt as a mentor text. For younger students you might provide a printed worksheet with a tree outline and lines drawn. Older children can be challenged to write other Christmas shape poems – for example, in the shape of baubles, stockings or presents.
If you’d like a quick craft activity for your classroom, over on the Sage Cookson website, you’ll find a printable template for an antler headband.
This is the last Teacher Tuesday post for this year, but it will return in January in time for the new school year. In the meantime, if you missed earlier posts, you can still find suggestions for each of the following books by clicking on the titles:
and Sage Cookson.
Thanks for visiting, and if there is a topic you’d like covered in Teacher Tuesday during 2018, let me know.
November 30, 2017
Poetry Friday: Christmas is Coming
It’s Poetry Friday and it’s also December 1, which is both the first day of Advent, and the first day of summer here in Australia.
So, although I keep thinking it’s ages till Christmas, I guess it is now officially close. It’s also a sign that the school year (which runs from February to December) is coming to a close, and in classrooms across the country, kids and teachers alike are looking forward to school finishing. With all that in mind, here’s a little poem about December – and Christmas – in Australia.
Christmas is Coming
Christmas is coming.
We’ve stopped learning stuff at school
except how to sing Jingle Bells
whilst standing straight and tall
so the folks can get good piccies
at speech night;
and how to get glitter to stick
to a polystyrene ball
to hang on the Chrissie tree;
and how to make a gazillion cards
one for Mum
one for Dad
and two for the grandmas;
and how to carry home
all those scrapbooks
and artworks
and dead textas
and how to concentrate
on all this
even though it’s 40 degrees
and our classroom isn’t airconditioned
and all we really think about
as that Christmas is coming.
(Poem copyright Sally Murphy)
Today’s Poetry Friday roundup is at A Reading Year. Head over there for lots more poetry goodness.
November 29, 2017
What I Read in November – and Confessions About My To-Be-Read Pile(s)
December tomorrow? How did that happen? When I started recording my monthly readings back in January, it seemed like a year of reading was spread out ahead of me in an endless array of possibilities. Now, there is only one month until it is no longer 2017. How did that happen? That means it’s almost time to tally up how I went for the year. As I look at my bulging to-read pile, I wonder if I can go without sleep for the rest of the year,just to whittle that down to something manageable. But who am I kidding? First, I like sleep almost as much as I like reading. And second, my to-read pile is never-ending. And, in fact, it isn’t a pile at all.
There’s the review pile, which is two shelves in my office,currently home to perhaps books (and, I suspect, likely to grow int he next few days as is wont to happen at the start of a new month). There’s my Borrowbox App on my phone, which has just three unread audio books on it, only because I have a limit of five and I returned two this morning. (if you don’t know about Borrowbox, ask your local librarian. Or ask me.) there’s the pile next to my lounge chair which has perhaps ten books I’ve bought and promised myself don’t need shelving until i have read them. And, in the back bedroom (which I once envisioned becoming my office – ohh how naive is a mother of young adults and a revolving front door), there is a special bookshelf of unread books which I simply must read, and which used to be a pile until it threatened to reach the ceiling and so was designated a bookcase. And that is just my to-be-read pile of books I’ve actually acquired, because I also have lists (several) of books which I MUST borrow/buy and read as soon as possible.
I guess what all this means is that my to-be-read pile is NEVER going to be something manageable. But, you know what? I don’t really mind. because that means that I live in a world filled with wonderful books. And that’s a wonderful thing. But, one of my goals for December IS to tackle the review pile, because there are some titles int here that I cannot wait to read – and share with the world. So, hopefully, my December list, which you’ll have to wait a month for, will be longer than this one. In the meantime, here’s what I read in November.
If you want me, I’ll be curled up with a book, in between all the December madness.
Picture Books
I Just ate My Friend, by Heidi McKinnon
Koala, by Claire Saxby and Julie Vivas
Do not Open This Book Again, by Andy Lee & Heath McKenzie
Rodney Loses It, by Michael Gerard Bauer & Chrissie Krebs
Scarface Claw Hold Tight, by Lynley Dodd
A is for Australian Animals, by Frane Lessac
The Sloth Who Came to Stay, by Margaret Wild & Vivienne To
Children’s Books
The Pink Snowman, by Alan Horsfield
How to be Good(ish), by Karen McCombie
Ivan the Terrible, by Anne Fine
Young Adult Books
Gap Year in Ghost Town, by Michael Pryor
Books for Adults
Abundance Now, by Lisa Nichols
The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs, by Carmine Gallo
Hello, Goodbye, by Emily Brewin
The Next Big Thing, by Anita Brookner
The Gifts of Imperfection, by Brene Brown
Succeed With Me, by Selwa Anthony
