New Verse Novel

As you know, this blog is all about verse novels, but today I am inviting you not just to celebrate the release of a new verse novel - but to celebrate the release of MY new verse novel.

As you may or may not be aware, today is a special day for me as it marks the release of my much cherished, much awaited children’s verse novel, Pearl Verses the World.

To celebrate, I am having a month long virtual party, starting today on my blog - www.sallymurphy.blogspot.com.

From there I am heading off on a blog tour, visiting ten blogs in ten days. I am also having several chidlren’s poet visit my blog as guets bloggers and also hosting a special poetry writing challenge on my blog and my friend Kathyrn Apel’s blog, too.

I’d love it if you would consider dropping by my blog today and read all about Pearl and about my celebrations. While you’re there, feel free to leave me a comment so I know you came by.

Have a wonderful May. I know I will!

First Review

The first review for my verse novel, Pearl Verses the World is online, here. Among other things the reviewer describes the story as "a wonderfully told story with heart".

I'm ecstatic.

Pearl will be released on May 1 - watch this space for a more information. In the meantime, Pearl can be ordered online at Fishpond

Author Copies and Other News

In my mailbox this week was a lovely surprise - the balance of my advance copies of Pearl Verses the World, my verse novel to be released May 1.

I've been dancing around with one copy for a month or so, but it was nice to get the rest and know that this brings us another step closer to release - six weeks away now.

Pearl was featured in Walker Books' media mail out this week, so hopefully requests for review copies will come in.

In preparation for May 1 (and beyond) I am planning a blog tour to promote the book and talk about verse novels, writing for children and more. My tour kicks off on launch day, so watch this space.

I've long had a fascination with the verse novel form, in particular verse novels for children and young adults. Since I read one for the first time, I have sought them out, read them, loved them, and shared them with others. I also dreamt that I would one day write one, though I imagined myself first studying the form in more depth - reading treatises on the form, studying how-to books and articles and then, perhaps, finally being brave enough to tackle a project of my own.

I did eventually write my first verse novel, though the process was very different than that which I'd imagined. One night I was getting into bed and some lines of poetry popped into my head. I wrote them down, then a few more. Over the following weeks little bits of poetry came to me at odd times, and finally I realised these poems were connected and that a little girl wanted me to write her story. There was some wrestling as I tried to figure out just what her story was, but really the story just flowed. That story, Pearl Verses the World, will be published in May this year by Walker Books Australia.

Here on this blog I'll not only share news about Pearl, but also my thoughts and responses to other verse novels, and also news and opinions from across the blogiverse about verse novels.

Enjoy.