E.R. Murray's Blog, page 8

Summer, New Neighbours & May 19th Caramel Hearts Party (online)!

Shiny, shiny books!

Summer is here. The swallows have returned and the cuckoos are calling – it’s a beautiful time of year. I have lettuces and cabbages thriving in the garden, the tomato plants are starting to flower in the tunnel, and I have an array of seeds – hairy basil, kale, sprouts, chillies and peppers – starting to poke their heads through.

And even better, copies of my second book, Caramel Hearts, have arrived. Actual. Physical. Copies. It feels really fast but very exciting, and I’m still convincing myself that it’s real. That this is all actually happening.

However, before I sound like I’m on top of everything, please note: I have completely lost the art of conversation. I’m way behind the usual vegetable planting and I’m struggling to find some time to catch up. I haven’t seen most of my friends in a long, long, time (sorry everyone). And our grass has got so out of control, we’ve had to move some cows in to fix it for us. They’re very gentle neighbours, and as well as fantastic gardeners (the vegetables are protected), they double as great alarm clocks!

My favourite thing about this time of year is that the days are long. It’s light until almost 10pm, and dawn breaks before 6am. When you live somewhere with no streetlights for miles, this means freedom! Lots of extra daylight hours for walking, gardening – and maybe, dare I say it, finally catching up with friends? – as well as all the usual writing and freelancing time. This morning, I even edited outside, in the sun, and then had a paddle in the bracing Atlantic. What more could I ask for?

Happy tomatoes[image error]

When you do these things during the day in winter, you lose most of your best working hours – I’m a person who thrives on light and finds it difficult to write when it’s dark – but if you don’t, you go stir crazy! And yet, despite the long winter, and my aversion to writing in the dark, I’ve managed to get this far.

This far meaning Caramel Hearts is completed and *almost* here (publication date May 19th) and The Book of Shadows – Nine Lives II is also completed; I’m just finishing up the proofs. My busiest months for festivals and events have passed (there are many more though, with Wexford next – check out my events page) and I’m about to start the final book in the Nine Lives Trilogy. Phew!

But first: I’m going to celebrate Caramel Hearts. I’m going to enjoy releasing it into the world (even though it’s a little bit terrifying)!

Publication day is a strange entity. It means that your books are officially ‘out there’ but other than that, it’s a bit of a damp squib. The buzz is all around the launch, which comes later. However, I’ve decided that I’m going to follow the advice of the lovely Mariam Kobras and make publication day more of a ‘thing’. It’s easy to get caught up in deadlines and forget to celebrate, but you only release your book once and so I’ve decided to ‘cop on’ as they say in these parts and enjoy it.

So, on May 19th I’m having an all day long virtual ‘publication day party’ on twitter, facebook and this blog – and you’re invited! It’ll start around 8am and I’d love you to stop by and join in. It’s a bit of fun, a way to get some conversation about the book started, and a chance to win some goodies!

Hope to see you there :) 

It’s Time to Talk & #CoverKidsBooks

Picture Colm Mahady / Fennells – Copyright 2016 Fennell Photography.

I’ve always loved children’s books and now, as a children’s author about to start writing my fourth book, I read more of it than ever. But I’m finding that even though I devour books at a phenomenal rate, the recommendations keep coming in and my TBR pile continues to grow. Every day I discover a new author or story I’ve yet to explore. I’m immersed in the world of children’s books and still I find it difficult to keep up; so how about the young readers out there?  What support are they getting when it comes to making reading choices? And is it enough?

The Importance of Children’s Books

Children’s literature – the entire range of books for young readers, from the youngest picture book to the oldest YA, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry – is growing every year. We’re living in a golden age for children’s books, with increasing demand. Reading is a vital part of a child’s development, impacting more than just the formative years; the books we read when young formulate future reading habits and lifelong attitudes.

I always talk to readers about books being magical doorways, and writer, Shane Hegarty’s description of the reading experience is one that truly resonates. He says, “Children’s books are time machines. Space ships. They are portals to other worlds. They transport readers into other lives, other perspectives. And they can make you feel part of something bigger, even if you are very much alone. There is something about the impact a story can have on young readers that is really something special. Just watch how they re-read and re-read the same books, over and over.”

There’s no denying that reading for pleasure has a lifelong impact and yet, despite our awareness of this, research conducted by Imogen Russell Williams reveals; ‘children’s books typically get 3% of newspaper review space, despite accounting for over 30% of sales.’ I asked Hegarty, experienced as both a journalist and a children’s author,  to share his opinion on why this current imbalance situation has arisen.

“I would guess that newspapers have been slow to catch up on the interest in children’s books because of inherent bias among editors, journalists, who generally believe that they and their readers want to read reviews of books they themselves might buy. Because children don’t read newspapers (and, let’s be honest, listen to each other rather than critics) they’re not targeted through content. Of course, adults read children’s books but I’m not sure it’s seen as anything other than a curious niche interest. A huge amount of children’s culture is overlooked by the mainstream press.”

As a result of this imbalance, a campaign called #CoverKidsBooks is now calling for answers and asking important questions.

What is #CoverKidsBooks?

“Book reviews and other media coverage should be guiding the public, helping them discover the riches of contemporary children’s books.  Are they?” – Middle Grade Strikes Back

Started in the UK but gathering recognition on a more global scale, #CoverKidsBooks is a campaign that looks at the discrepancy between the number of children’s books published and purchased, and the amount of coverage received in the national press. The campaign takes a positive approach, celebrating the coverage received and calling for more. It’s all about readers and ensuring that as many young people as possible can find the books out there for them; not just the top sellers.

As S.F. Said (@SFSaid), one of the founders of the #CoverKidsBooks campaign, stated during our #MGiechat on the topic (transcript here): “It’s about EVERY part of the beautiful jungle. Picture books, MG, YA, non-fiction, poetry: we love it all! Children’s books need their own space, but they also need to be part of the wider conversation, so all #CoverKidsBooks wants to do is enable the conversation and open a space for all those voices – the more the better!”

Why Do We Need to #CoverKidsBooks?

Writer Sinead O’Hart (@SJOHart) sums this up perfectly on her blog; “We need to #CoverKidsBooks on the radio, on social media, in traditional media, on the television, and get it going as a topic of conversation. An adult looking for a gift should know straight away where to find advice and recommendations. A child looking for their next read should have no problem finding just the right book for their needs, and should be able to access a library (with knowledgeable staff) and/or a bookshop (also with knowledgeable staff) without trouble.”

RTE2 Swipe Club – a great show in Ireland. More please!

With more than 8000 children’s book published every year, bookshelves can be crowded and prove intimidating to parents unfamiliar with what’s there. In addition, teachers, librarians, and anyone involved in the care of children need help locating a wider range of books that can suit all their young readers’ needs.

Hegarty explains how this can be done; “Through encouraging good journalists and critics to treat children’s culture seriously and to interrogate it as they might anything else. Through writing those pieces ourselves. Through talking about it with the passion and intelligence of the current campaign.” And yet, Hegarty also raises another important question.

“We’ve got to ask, in the age of the internet, how important newspaper reviews really are. I’ll play devil’s advocate here. Do we want newspaper reviews because we think it’s a service to readers, or because having grown up with print as a measure of validation they make us feel better about ourselves? Do we want children’s books properly critiqued, or do we just want them to be “promoted”?

To me, the answer is simple: the reason for seeking out coverage has to be about the reader. It has to be about giving children access to books and not seen as another marketing tool to boost book sales. It has to be honest, not bought. And the positive impact of #CoverKidsBooks so far shows that this can be done.

How Successfully is Ireland Covering Kids Books?

“In an Irish context, I think we have it better than in the UK,’ says Hegarty. “In general, you are far more likely to see an Irish writer (from any genre) on one of the big TV chat shows, or hear them on national radio. Eoin Colfer just did a Gay Byrne’s The Meaning of Life. Louise O’Neill and Derek Landy have both been on the Late Late recently. How many children’s authors other than David Walliams would could even dream of being on, say, Graham Norton? Much print media here also treats writers seriously, gives them space. And they regularly give a good slot to children’s writers as much as the more traditional “literary fiction” authors. It’s a smaller country, with a smaller pool of guests for radio/tv shows to scrap over. Frankly, that’s to our advantage.”

However, Hegarty also acknowledges that review space is an issue, with book review space “at a premium in Irish papers. There’s also the question of what sort of books are reviewed, with literary fiction and doorstopper non-fiction seeming to get preference. Children’s books tend to get the round-up treatment, although their nature means they sometimes offer editors useful colour illustrations to otherwise drab books pages. And they are good at reviewing homegrown books. I know from my past experience in The Irish Times that the experience and enthusiasm of a reviewer such as Robert Dunbar is seen as invaluable.”

There are certainly plenty of people in Ireland working hard to encourage reading for pleasure and make sure that children have the access they need to the widest possible range of children’s books. As writer, Sarah Webb (@sarahwebbishere), recipient of the2015 Children’s Books Ireland (CBI) Award for outstanding contribution to children’s books in Ireland, points out, “Irish schools use a wide range of children’s books in their classrooms and this is to be encouraged and nurtured. We are also building new libraries in Ireland which is so vital to building young readers.”

Hegarty highlights the important work done by “librarians, teachers, parents, readers of all ages, writers, booksellers, festival organisers. If we step away from media alone for a moment, children’s books have clearly never been in a better place. In Ireland, it’s especially so given how many writers there are now. A kid can go into a bookshop or library in Ireland now, sit in a big, colourful kids section and read a book on almost any topic – many utterly taboo only 10/20 years ago – for as long as they want to before someone turns the light out.”

I have experienced first hand the excellent initiatives in place thanks to Children’s Books Ireland (@KidsBooksIrel), including the innovative SwipeTV children’s book club on RTE2, our national station. I was lucky enough to have The Book of Learning featured on April 20th episode, with live reviews from young readers – and I received a flurry of emails from children from all over the country during the week after it aired – so there’s no doubt in my mind that media coverage has a positive impact. Write,r Niamh Garvey (@msniamhgarvey), also gives a nod to the CBI publications. She says, “I love, love, love the Inis guide to kids books, it is great for introducing you to titles, all teachers should have it.” High praise indeed and very much deserved.

So What Needs to Improve?

It’s clear that we have a decent foundation, but of course, this is just the beginning. The fact that so many people are sitting up and taking notice of the #CoverKidsBooks campaign is proof that there’s room for improvement. As Sarah Webb says “In 20 years time I hope I’m still around to report the coverage of children’s books has improved from the green shoots of 2016.

In a Middle Grade Strikes Back interview with librarians, the lack of diversity was highlighted as one major issue that needs urgent attention. “Coverage of children’s books is ridiculously limited and this is very damaging to literacy. Currently the lack of coverage of great and diverse books means that developing readers are mainly being guided towards mass marketed books.  That is not to say that there is not a place for mass marketed books, but it should not be the only choice.”

How you can get involved

As S.F. Said says, ‘every single person out there who cares about children’s books can make a difference to #CoverKidsBooks. The more voices that are heard, the more likely that media will listen & give kids’ books the attention they deserve!’

In short, writers, illustrators, publishers, agents, booksellers, librarians, teachers, families, bloggers, readers are all vital to the campaign’s success. This means everyone who cares about children’s books talking about them in a public forum, sharing knowledge and skills to help young readers gain access to the bigger, wider world of magical doorways/time machines/portals that are out there.

You can read more about the #CoverKidsBooks campaign/research and follow the updates/get involved here .

This article was originally written for writing.ie 

Pictures & Feedback from Readers :)

One of the best things about being an author is meeting readers. I love talking about books and writing, and I love to hear what readers think. My events are about books in general, not just my own, but I do love seeing how The Book of Learning has inspired people to create something else; a piece of art or work of their own.

Here’s a slideshow of some of the great work by St Patrick’s National School via Drumcondra library:

Click to view slideshow.

And some more feedback I’d like to share, this time from Jamie, Realtín, Juli, Jack and Jamie…

Today was a good day. Thank you very much.
Elizabeth Murray’s talk was very good. We learned a lot.
We listened to a chapter from the Book of Learning.
We thought it was interesting but a little scary!
We then made up a story about a lady called Matilda.
Elizabeth told us that she keeps  a notebook for her writing. We think

that this is a great idea. We met the author Rod Smith last week and he

keeps a notebook too.
We asked Elizabeth lots of questions and she answered them all.
We thought she was very interesting and funny.
She told us that she takes off her shoes and socks when she writes!
We liked her blue hair!

Thank you so much to everyone for your comments and great work! Happy reading! 

Some event updates…

I do have an event’s section, but here are a few updates to keep you posted so you can come & join in some writing fun, get your book signed, or just say hello! (I always like meeting people).

April 23rd: World Book Festival, Cork I’ll be part of this… (event for adults)

The Constant Reader: Agents, authors and publishers (FREE but booking essential)

10-11.30am – Agent Panel: Simon Trewin (WME) & Polly Nolan (The Greenhouse Literary Agency)  Chair, Vanessa O’Loughlin
12-1.00pm – Author panel: Hazel Gaynor, Alana Kirk & Elizabeth Murray, Chair M. Malone
2-4.30pm – Getting published: Vanessa O’Loughlin

Saturday, May 7th: Waterford Writers Weekend (a workshop for 8-12 year olds)

2.15-3.15pm The Magical World of Books & Storytelling

There are more events to announce soon – hope to see you there!

Some quiet storytelling

 

 

The Book of Learning House!

On Sunday, March 20th, my 2016 UNESCO Citywide Read events came to a close with 23 Mercury Lane from The Book of Learning recreated in real life! The wonderful St Patrick’s Festival team used the iconic RSAI building on Merrion Square as the setting and brought together a variety of people (and critters) to make the house in my book come to life. As well as my own readings, there was an actor, a magician, art and writing workshops, and real petting rats.

This was truly a one of a kind opportunity for me, as well as my readers, and it was great to see so many people turn up to share the experience. At times, there were queues down the street to get in! I was delighted to see some familiar faces, as well meet new readers, and I even got a few surprise gifts. So a huge thank you to everyone involved and everyone who came to enjoy the fun. Here are a few of my favourite photos from the day…

 

 

 

 

Winston Gallery!

Everyone has a different favourite character from The Book of Learning, but Winston is proving rather popular – especially during our illustration demonstrations. If you’ve drawn a character from my book, I’d love to see it! You can send me a photo or post your drawing (everyone likes happy post!) to:  ER Murray, c/o Mercier Press Ltd, Unit 3b Oak House, Bessboro Rd, Blackrock, Cork, T12 D6CH

I’ll be demonstrating how to draw Winston in The Book of Learning House on Merrion Square (March 20th, part of the Big Day Out, St Patrick’s Festival in Dublin) so come along and join in! There’ll be real rats, a magician, writing and art workshops and more… and I’ll be there. Stop by and say hello!

In the meantime, here’s some of my ‘Winston Gallery’ drawings so far…

  

 

(Photos taken during a Dublin UNESCO Citywide Read event in the National Library of Ireland)

Best Ever Reader Feedback!

Many people ask what it’s like to be an author, and I always say that the best bit is meeting the readers. Of course I adore the writing side; coming up with an idea, beating it into shape, then fine tuning it with the help on an editor or two. But once the book is in the public sphere, I also love the social side; literary festivals, interviews, radio, events in schools/libraries/bookshops.

Although it is also slightly terrifying, nothing beats getting feedback on your book. Whether it’s a review online (see goodreads and amazon) or it’s a person in front of you, telling you their thoughts about your book, meeting people that have enjoyed your work is an incredible feeling. And so, I thought I’d share some of the feedback… (keep going to see the video at the end!)

Huge thanks to Bronagh for adding me in her school magazine!

And huge thanks also to the girls and boys that filled out feedback sheets after the UNESCO Citywide Read events. Here are some of the comments I’ve received so far – they make me chuckle SO MUCH I had to share!

Question: Did you enjoy the event?

‘Yes, it was a very scary story and it was good to meet the author’.

‘Yes, it was very good. It was good to meet the author. Her book was awesome’.

‘Yes, it was funny’.

‘Yes, it was the best’.

‘Yes, it was a great book and I can’t wait to read the next one’.

‘Yes, I enjoyed today so much. We enjoyed it a lot and had fun. I hope we come again soon’.

‘Yes, it was fun. She was funny’.

‘Yes, she’s so kind and happy’.

‘Yes :)  She likes death’.

‘Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Amazing. I love it sooooooo much’.

‘Yes!!!! :) I think she’s funny because she likes death :-p . It was a great book!!’

‘Yep!! The Book of Learning is my favourite book! I can’t wait for the second one to come out!!!

‘Yes, for sure. I hope more will be coming from her soon’.

‘Yes, it was amazing. I can’t wait for the next books. It was so good, and it was spooky. She is really nice and funny’.

‘Yes I thought it was great, I learned a lot about writing. I am going to read the next one’.

‘Yes, I liked it, I’d say 10 out of 10’.

‘Yes, so much. It was good 10/10 and I hope that we do it again J’.

‘Yes, a lot. The ghost stories are creepy and really cool’.

‘Yeah it was great. I haven’t finished the book yet but it was great as far as I read. It was just so good and I’d say the next book will be even better’.

‘Yes!! I really liked the book and Elizabeth is really nice’.

‘Yes, I thought it was amazing and I was so sad when I heard that the second one isn’t out yet’.

‘Yes, I thought it was really good and interesting’.

‘Yes, I really enjoyed the book and the talk. She was nice’.

‘Yes, I liked it and mark it 10/10’.

‘Yes it was great. It was excellent to meet the author and her book was amazing’.

My favourite quote from a review:

“I loved this book so much that I made Lego figures of Zach and Ebony, and I don’t usually mix up my Lego figures! My mind was racing when I was reading this book, trying to piece together the clues, but I had to read to figure it out.” (Mia, aged 12)

And here’s a real treat – a surprise rat rap from Pied Piper of Hamlyn

 

 

 

Dublin UNESCO February Roundup

And so, the Citywide Read journey continues! There have been more amazing events, plenty of laughs, and a few surprises along the way…

Libraries visited in February were the National Library of Ireland, Ballyfermot, Inchicore, Coolock, Ballymun, Ringsend, Rathmines, and Pearse St. Author and illustrator Oisin McGann did an illustration workshop in the Hugh Lane Gallery based on The Book of Learning, and I heard that it was fabulous (not that I expected anything less). In addition, we had a lovely event in Waterways Ireland Visitor Centre where two groups of sodden children arrived through the doors on a wild, wet day, and listened to some readings of equally wild and windy sea scenes (thanks go to Ifty Finn for organising).

Our book trail and Illustration session in the National Library of Ireland also had a great turn out. Part of The Book of Learning is set in this iconic building, (they’d usually be too young). The idea worked; the tiny desks and vast, domed room created the perfect backdrop -so, huge thanks go to Brid O’Sullivan for making that happen! Amazingly, some of the attendees had been to a previous UNESCO Citywide Read event and wanted to come again! How lovely is that?

A few of the wonderful surprises I received this time include a massive group hug, a pitch perfect David Attenborough impression (I was asked what I’d like to be reincarnated as, and I chose Mr Attenborough, of course!) and some rat jokes.

Events you can still attend…

There are still a few events coming up in March, including an open event in Cabra Library (March 8th at 3.30pm) and a really special event as part of the Big Day Out St Patrick’s Festival on March 20th, when a Georgian building on Merrion Square will be transformed into 23 Mercury Lane from my book! Check out www.dublincityofliterature.ie for more details and I hope to see you there!

I’d like to leave you with a few extra photos… 

 

 

 

 

Dublin UNESCO January Roundup!

And so, the Dublin UNESCO Citywide Reading Campaign has begun! As an author, these past few weeks have proved to be a really exciting time, and as a debut author, I’m still pinching myself.

Up to now there has been a photo shoot in the National Library of Ireland, and events in seven Dublin City Public Libraries – Raheny, Donaghmede, Central Library, Charleville Mall, Walkinstown, Dolphins Barn, and Marino – as well as a visit to Scoil Chiarain Special Needs School in Glasnevin. The library staff have been warm, welcoming and supportive, and the response from both teachers and pupils has been incredibly positive. Jackie from UNESCO has been a godsend, making sure the packed schedule runs smoothly, and all in all, I’m feeling really grateful to everyone involved – especially the readers.

As The Book of Learning has only been out for a few months, usually when I do events, I’m introducing myself and hoping people might like my book as I read. Imagine how different it feels walking into a room with between 30 and 60 pupils at a time engrossed in the book and full of questions! That’s more than 400 readers up to now – and you should hear how smart their questions are! Here are some of my favourites so far:

Did you ever nearly have a nervous breakdown writing a book?
Who is your favourite baddie?
If you weren’t a writer, what would you like to be?
If you could write a book with any other author, who would it be?
If you could meet any author, living or dead, who would you meet?
If you had a Book of Learning, what do you think you would see?

Reading is so important to me, and being part of a campaign that encourages reading for fun is an absolute honour. So far, the atmosphere is exactly what I hoped for; a space where we can all celebrate books and reading. We talk about what the books and authors we love and why, and what reading means to us. We reveal a few secrets, explore ideas, share our passions and laugh plenty. There are quizzes, illustration demonstrations, and games thrown into the mix – it’s all about fun and looking at books and reading from a fresh perspective.

There are lots more events coming up over the next two months, including a book trail in the National Library of Ireland, an illustration workshop with the wonderful Oisin McGann in Hugh Lane Gallery, and a really special event as part of the Big Day Out St Patrick’s Festival in March. Check out www.dublincityofliterature.ie for more details!

I’d like to leave you with a couple of surprises that I wasn’t expecting. The first is the sighting of posters on Dublin Bus – don’t they look amazing?

And the second is the fantastic window display in Hodges Figgis Bookshop that blew me away. It’s every writer’s dream to see something like this!

I do hope to see you at some of the events over the coming months – remember to visit www.dublincityofliterature.ie for more details on what’s happening and how you can book your space. And don’t forget to come and say hi!

Dublin UNESCO Citywide Read Launch

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of launching the Dublin UNESCO Citywide Read at the gorgeous National Library in Dublin – one of the city’s landmarks that feature in The Book of Learning.

I was joined by six faithful readers; Erica, Lucy, Matthew, Mia, Maia, and Abby. There was a photo shoot, a reading, and an interview for News2Day on RTE2, followed by much tea and cake. Here are a few of my favourite shots from the day…