Sally Murphy's Blog, page 6

Poetry Friday: Bonjour!

Bonjour! As I write this I am in France, though by the time you read it I will have landed in London.

How lucky am I?

I am here in Europe as part of my six months Academic Study Leave (also known as a sabbatical)  from my role at Curtin University. Although some days it feels like a holiday, I have been working:

First, I attended the Child and the Book Conference in Rouen where I presented a paper about juvenilia, and listened to  many other wonderful speakers talk about children’s books, and creativity and so much more.  I also made new friends from around the world.

Then, after a few days in Paris where, among other things, I went to the top floor of the Eiffel Tower, I headed south to a small village near Carcassonne, where I stayed in a French farmhouse for a writing retreat, curated and hosted by The French House Party and guided by amazing tutor, poet and all round nice person, Anne Caldwell. We wrote, talked, walked, were fed (so much wonderful food) and laughed. And, as with the conference,  I made new friends from around the world.

I have two notebooks overflowing with notes, drafts and ideas from these two events, and still two weeks of travel left. In the meantime, a poem. If you have never been to France before you might be surprised at my obsession with cheese over these past weeks. I’ve always liked cheese, but when you are in a country where cheese (good cheese!) is part of every meal, it can become a bit of a focus. In fact, at one meal I skipped the main course and happily ate bread and cheese because it was just so good.

So, in the midst of a session where I was writing some pretty heavy stuff, I found myself pausing to jot down a little ditty about my obsession.

Simple Pleasures

Stinky stilton

bonkers blue-vein

holey-moley swiss.

Oozy camembert

crumbling cheddar

easy-cheesy bliss!

(Sally Murphy, 2024)

Oddly, for all my obsession, I do not have a single photo of cheese amongst the seventy billion I have taken on my trip. So, instead, here is one of the poppy field next to the farm house taken at sunset one evening.

Here’s to cheese, and travel, and learning new things and meeting new people. And, of ceruse, here’s to poetry! Patricia is hosting Poetry Friday today, and you can see the Round Up on her blog.

What I Read in April, 2024

It’s May 1, and so time for an update on my reading last month. I finished 11 books in April, with, as is my wont, a mixed bag, although there was a delightful amount of poetry. Here is what I got through.

Books for Children Shape Me a Rhyme: Nature’s Forms in Poetry, by Jane Yolen with photographs by Jason Stemple (Wordsong, 2007).  This is not the first collection I’ve read from this mother/son pairing and, like the others I’ve read, I adored the combination of stunning nature photography by Stemple and poetry by Yolen. This one focusses on the shapes found in nature. Beetle Soup, edited by Robin Morrow, illustrated by Stephen Michael King (Scholastic, 1996). I picked this up in a second hand bookshop in Adelaide last year, forgetting that it was actually rereleased later under another title (And the Roo Jumped over the Moon) which I already owned, and reviewed when it was released in 2004. But that isn’t a problem, as it’s an excellent anthology of stories and poems for children and I enjoyed rereading it, not for the first time. In and Out the Window, by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Cathrin Peterslund (Philomel, 2024). More poetry, more Jane Yolen, whose poetry I adore. This is her largest single collection of poetry, and a treasure to own, filled with poetry for children on themes including home, school, sport, pets and more. The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart, by Samera Kamaleddine (Harper Collins, 2023). Shortlisted in the Younger Readers category of the CBCA Book of the Year Awards, this is a heartfelt story about anxiety, family and friendship.Books for Young Adults Scar Town, by Tristan Bancks (Puffin Books, 2023). One of the books recently shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year, which made me realise I  hadn’t yet read it. Mystery and action, as Will and his friends explore a house which has emerged from the receding waters of  a failing dam, and find a stash of cash and human bones in the walls. The Quiet and the Loud, by Helena Fox (Pan, 2023). Another shortlisted title, and I am glad I sought it out. George is dealing with a lot – problems with her best friend, Tess, fear about the climate emergency which sees smoke smothering the city, and pressure from her estranged father to visit before he dies. But int he midst of this there is also the presence of Calliope, the girl who literally cartwheels into her life. Finding Baba Yaga: A Short Novel in Verse, by Jane Yolen (Tor, 2018). As you might know, I adore verse novels, so was delighted to come across this one by one of my favourite poets for young people. This is a modern day reimagining of the Baba Yaga story, blending the story of Natasha, who is on the run from a controlling father and is taken in by Baba Yaga. Those Girls, by Pamela Rushby (Walker Books, 2024). An excellent book from one of the best writers of historical fiction for this age group. The focus is on the work of the Women’s Land Army, women and girls who volunteered during World War !! to work on famrs and in agricultural industries to ensure that food production continued, and to make a vital contribution to the war effort. Let’s Never Speak of This Again, by Megan Williams (Text, 2023). Continuing my reading of the CBCA Shortlist, this debut novel explores friendship, family and loyalty, with dashes of humour and lots of poignant moments.

 

 

Books for Adults Butter, by Asako Yuzuki, translated by Polly Barton (4th Estate, 2024). I chose this one on a whim, because the title , and matching butter-yellow cover caught my eye, and found it absorbing. It’s about a series of murders, cooking, food, and, most importantly, women.The Bordeaux Bookclub, by Gillian Harvey (Boldwood, 2024). It seemed appropriate to read this book on a flight to France – and I read the whole thing on the flight. The story of a mixed group of English-speakers who come together to form a  book club, and end up supporting each other through their various tough times.

This brings my total for the year so far to 46. What have you been reading?

It’s a Birthday, or two, or three…

Happy day to you! I’m especially happy because it is the birthday of not one, not two, but three of my books, still in print and celebrating that fact.

First up, Pearl Verses the World (Walker Books, 2009) turns an amazing FIFTEEN years old. Hard to believe she’s a teenager, and wonderful that she is still in print and available at a good bookstore near you, or online.

Secondly, Looking Up(Fremantle Press, 2017) turns seven today and, again, is still in print and available wherever you buy good books, including online.

And last, but never least, Worse Things (Walker Books, 2020) turns four years old today and, again, is still in print and available to purchase.

If you are not in the publishing industry you may not know this, but lots of books only stay in print for a few years, because there are so many wonderful new books coming out every year (every day!). So, I am super proud that this trio all remain available for new readers to enjoy.

Happy book birthdays, my babies. And, while I’m at it, the most special birthday today is a human one. Happy birthday to my beautiful mum, far more special to me than all my books combined. What an auspicious day.

Bushfire and some big thank yous

How wonderful are teachers? And how awesome are young readers when they come together in a reading community lead by those teachers?

This display, at the brand new library at Clyde Primary in Victoria,  is the result of a term’s work reading Bushfire, and diving deeply into the story, the events it portrays, and the topic of natural disasters.

When teacher Nikki Elston  emailed to ask if the students could write to me, I said yes, but when I received those letters I was blown away by the enthusiasm of the students and their thoughtful questions and responses.

This is the kind of thing that makes an author’s heart sing – knowing that their book, in the hands of passionate educators, can really make a difference.

Thanks Nikki,  thanks to your colleagues and, of course, a massive thank you tot he year six students who wrote to me. I will treasure those letters for a very long time.

At the Park

I just love it when one of my poems makes its mark on the world, so I was really excited this morning to see that a previously unpublished poem, At the Park, had been made (with my permission)  into this video:

This excellent project came about through my Poetry Friday friend Jone, who teaches a children’s literature class and asked fellow poets for poems her students could choose from to make videos. You can read Jone’s explanation of the project, and link to other examples here.

Enjoy – I am!

Poetry Friday: Daisies

It’s Poetry Friday.  Last week I was away from home – I visited Sydney on the other side of Australia, to do some research. While there I also visited four bookshops and was delighted to find Right Way Down not just in stock, but prominently displayed, face out, with multiple copies in stock. And, yesterday, one of the lovely booksellers I chatted to, Rachel from Gleebooks, posted a really lovely review of Right Way Down with mention of my visit, which you can see here on Instagram:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Children’s events at Gleebooks (@gleebooks_kids)

Having the book selling so well right across Australia is just wonderful. With so few poetry collections published in Australia, it is a delight to see that the dream Rebecca and I had of producing a quality anthology was not only achievable but important in offering more poetry to young readers.

Speaking of Rebecca, way before we came together to work on Right Way Down, we used to have a blog called Poetry Tag where we enjoyed challenging each other to write a poem incorporating a set of words that the other provided.  Rebecca would give me words, for example, and I would then write a poem on any topic and in any form – as long as it included the words she gave me.

Yesterday, as I was looking through the many poems in my files, I came across the Poetry Tag folder and opened the first ever poem I wrote for the blog.

Rebecca had given me  four words: wilt, what, light and almost. I don’t remember what inspired me to choose to write about daisies – but they’ve always been a favourite flower, and probably  the word ‘wilt’ made me  think of flowers.  Anyway, here is the poem I wrote using the words (which I’ve put in pink):

Daisies

Daisies!

Pink ones, white ones,

yellow ones too

dancing in morning light

caressed by bees

buzzily collecting pollen.

Yesterday I picked a bunch

took them inside

and gave them to Mum.

Now, in their vase,

they are starting to wilt

while here outside

their sisters are still

dancing .

I almost wish

I’d left them here,

though Mum’s smile

when she saw what  I had for her

was almost as beautiful

as these millions of dancing daisies.

(Sally Murphy, 2013)

I love how writing prompts can take my writing in surprising directions. Not having written any poetry in the last week or two, sharing this one has made me itch to go and find my magnet words and challenge myself.  First though, I am off to visit my fellow Poetry Fridayers and see what they’ve been up to.  Jone  is hosting this week’s roundup and sharing a glimpse of Carols’ new anthology Picture Perfect Poetry which I can’t wait to read (and may even have a poem or three included).

Here’s to poetry!

PS

Sharp eyed viewers might note that the image I’ve used above is actually a gerbera, not a daisy. It surprised me that I could not find in all my photos, a single one of daisies.

What I Read in March 2024

It’s the end of another month, so time for my reading roundup for March. After a slowish start to my reading year, this month I surprised myself by reading 16 books, largely the result of attending some excellent industry events and buying more books than I expected that I just HAD to make time for. A good problem to have. Here’s what I got through:

Books for Kids Another Day as Emily, by Eileen Spinelli, with illustrations by Joanne Lew-Vreithoff (Random House, 2014). It’s a verse novel which means I loved it before I even opened it – have yet to find a verse novel I don’t like. This one is about a girl who’s having a tough summer, and, when she reads about Emily Dickinson, decides to try the life of a recluse. Dream Within a Dream, by Patricia MacLachlan (Margaret McElderry Books, 2019). I’m a sucker for a gorgeous cover, and this one is not just visually gorgeous but the cover has a finish which makes it lovely to stroke (I think it’s got a vinyl finish?). The story inside is similarly lovely, about a girl who holidays with her much-loved grandparents every summer, and finds everything changing. Pearly and Pig and the Island of Secrets (Walker Books, 2024) Not only is this book dedicate to me (and our friend Claire Saxby, too), but I once dressed up as Pig to help  Sue Whiting speak about the book. I do a pretty mean Oink, let me tell you!  This is the third in the series, but stands alone – still, why wouldn’t you read them all. Pearly is an Adventurologist who, with her friend Pig gets into all kinds of scrapes, this time involving a remote island, puffins, a volcano and more.Books for Young Adults The Sidekicks, by Will Kostakis (Penguin, 2016). I spent time with Will at the Between the Lines Festival  recently and, although I’d read two of his later books, realised I’d not read this one. So, of course, I decided it was time. Great read – about three boys who all shared a mutual best friend, but don’t particularly like each other. But his death has repercussions for all of them. I really enjoyed the viewpoint here – each character has roughly one third of the book, with their stories overlapping, but gradually revealed. A Hunger of Thorns, by Lili Wilkinson (Allen & Unwin, 2023).Lili was also at the Between the Lines festival, inspiring me to buy a copy of this book which I then, coincidentally, started reading on the day the CBCA Shortlist was announced. Easy to see why this one is on the shortlist – I was drawn in to this alternative world where witches and magic exits in a contemporary world and Maude, the daughter of witches, tries to find her missing friend. Birdy, by Sharon Kernot (Text Publishing, 2024). Great to see a new verse novel from Sharon Kernot, some time after her first one. This one is the story of Maddy, who is selectively mute following an incident that has left her feeling ashamed and alone, and of Alice, whose daughter, Birdy, disappeared long ago. The pair form an unlikely bond, and move towards mutual healing.  One Song, by A.J. Betts (Pan, 2023). Not sure why it took me so long to get to this one, as I was eagerly awaiting its release last year. Anyway, glad I finally picked it up. Betts is a genius at the young adult novel.Books for Adults Womxn: Sticks and Stones: Acrostics and Poems to Reclaim the Words That Have Hurt Us, by Lexy Wren-Sillevis (Octopus Books, 2021). I love this! It’s easy to think of Acrostic poems as a simple exercise in matching words to letters, but this little volume is anything but simple. Using the acrostic form, the poet takes word commonly used to insult and hurt womxn (her spelling) and rewrites or redefines them in thought provoking and insightful ways. Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens, by Shankari Chandran (Ultiom Press, 2022). I was fortunate enough to listen to the author on a panel at the recent Perth Writer Festival, inspiring me to take this out of the to-read pile. And, while I found it a really challenging read, that’s the whole point. Telling the story of the people who live at and love a nursing home in suburban Sydney and the events which escalate to not only threaten its existence, but also to divide a country, this is also a story of family, belonging, colonialism and racism.  Hard to do justice in just a few lines, but not only do I recommend this book, I am grateful to it for  challenging my knowledge and my privilege. Greater City Shadows, by Laurie Steed (UWA Press, 2024). Another purchase at the Writers Festival, though I had planned to go to the launch the week before. Accessible, thought-provoking stories of humanity, connection, relationships and more.On the Homefront: Western Australia and World War 11, edited by Jenny Gregory (UWA Press, 1996). Read in my continuing research for a historical fiction I am writing, I found this really interesting. The Book of Tree Poems, compiled by Ana Sampson, illustrated by Sarah Maycock (Laurence King Publishing, 2023). This one was a gift, and will be long treasured. A beautiful collection, both visually and in its content, with poems about all kinds of trees, in all seasons, and by poets both well known to me, and those who are new. I read it cover to cover over a couple of evenings, but know that I will dip in and out of it many more times. ADHD For Smart Ass Women: How to fall in love with your neurodivergent brain, by Tracy Otsuka (Headline, 2024). The author has a podcast of the same name and it’s excellent, so I knew I needed to also read the book. I listened to the audio version as it isn’t yet out in print in Australia (coming in May, I think), but will likely get the print version when it comes out as there is a lot of useful information which my ADHD brain might not retain but wants to revisit. Lots of practical advice and explanations. Goldenrod: Poems, by Maggie Smith (One Signal, 2021). This one was given to me along with Tree A Poems (above). What a thoughtful gift  from a fellow poet. I savoured this two or three poems each day, mainly over breakfast, and really enjoyed it. One poem that particularly spoke to me was Wife for Scale, which is reprinted online (with permission)  here. Bitter & Sweet, by Amal Awad (Panterra Press, 2023). I listened to this author on a panel at the Perth Writers’ festival last month, and just had to buy a book afterwards. An excellent read, although it left me hungry, with lots of food scenes

 

 

That brings my total for the year so far to 35 books, which is more than I expected, but a sign of a satisfying month of reading. What have you been reading?   

A Poetry Workshop and a Poem

I was lucky enough today to pop into Bunbury Grammar School, one of my local schools, to talk to year 3 and 4 Challenge students about one of my favourite topics: poetry.

The students have been writing poetry, including nonsense poetry, apology poems and limericks, and we had fun talking about poetic forms. The students wrote hay(na)ku, I read from and talked about Queen Narelle and Right Way Down and then shared the ‘My Beach is a Poem’ that I shared here on my blog in February.

We finished up by using that poem as a mentor text to co-construct a poem about George (my dog). This is what we came up with:

My Dog

by Sally Murphy AND Year 3/4 Challenge Students from BCGS

George and Narelle

My dog is a poem:

every morning

he says

‘It’s beach time, Mum!’

 

My dog is a poem:

a megalodon

snapping at

microscopic flies.

 

My dog is a poem:

like Godzilla

he reaches skywards

for his favourite ball.

 

My dog is a poem:

roaring, barking, sirening

as he prances

along the beach.

 

My dog is a poem.

 

Can you spot the poetic techniques we were focussing on in each stanza? I love the way that co-constructing a poem can lead to very creative results – I never would have thought to compare George to a megalodon or Godzilla, and the word sirening is a great way to describe his strident barks.

This is why I love visiting schools: I am asked to come to inspire students, but actually it is ME who is inspired.

Poetry Friday: Sand Beneath my Feet

It’s Poetry Friday and I am glad to be here, after missing a couple of weeks because of being SUPER busy.  While I wasn’t here, I was chiefly busy on poetry-business, speaking at schools across the South West as part of the Between the Lines Literature Festival, sharing my love of poetry and, hopefully, inspiring students to read and write more.

Then last week I had not one, but two opportunities to celebrate the release of Right  Way Down, speaking with my co-editor at the Children’s Book Council of WA’s annual Night With Our Stars and then, the next day, a big launch for the book at the State Library. I blogged about this yesterday., sharing a highlights reel.

By the time this week dawned I was happy, but also fairly weary, and I knew that this week I needed to pause and stay close to home. Lots of beautiful beach walking was required to refill my reserves, as well as chances to get some writing done, sleep in my own bed, and spend time with my beautiful pets, who I know miss me when I am off wandering.

It was on the beach that a line of poetry came to me and kept repeating itself. Not surprising really – the beach is definitely my happy place. So I came home and wrote this:

Busy week

I’m almost beat

Time for a dose

Of sand beneath my feet.

 

Friday morning

Smells so sweet

Thanks to feeling

The sand beneath my feet

 

Weekend looming

What a treat

To pause and savour

The sand beneath my feet

 

Smiling broadly

At the people I meet

Also loving

The sand beneath their feet

 

Leave with a feeling

That’s pretty neat

Knowing I’ve had

The sand beneath my feet

 

Already planning

a prompt repeat

Of an hour  with lovely

Sand beneath my feet.

(Sally Murphy, 2024)

By the time you read this, I’ll have had my Friday morning walk, with George frolicking along with his own very happy feet. But when I return, I’ll be checking out the other Poetry Friday goodness, courtesy of the roundup hosted this week by Rose.

Right Way Down is launched – with Aplomb

Happy World Poetry Day to you! I love that there is a day dedicated to celebrating poetry, though of course I think we should celebrate poetry every day.

Speaking of which, last weekend I had a glorious time celebrating the launch of Right Way Down.

First, at the CBCA WA’s annual Night With Our Stars event, Rebecca and I had three minutes to talk about the book to a room full of teachers, librarians and industry peers. This annual night sees twenty creators  given the opportunity to share their latest works, sign books and generally have a wonderful time.

Then, taking advantage of the fact that so many of the poets would be in Perth for that event, the following day we held the launch for Right Way Down at the State Library.

I’ve been to a lot of book launches over the years, some for my own books, lots for other people’s, but I can’t think of any other launch which has been so joyful. The room was buzzing!

This was because it wasn’t just a book by Rebecca, myself and illustrator Briony. It was a book full of poems by West Australian poets, most of whom were there for the launch, with family and friends. For many of the poets this was their very first publication and, for others, their first poem, or first time in an anthology.

You can see some highlights from the two events here:

What a fabulous weekend. I am still smiling.

If you haven’t seen Right Way Down yet, it is available for sale now from good brick and mortar bookstores across Australia, or online.