Sally Murphy is an author, poet, speaker and educator based in the South West of Western Australia. Sally has published more than 40 books, and we’re thrilled to be chatting to Sally about her verse novel: Queen Narelle, with illustrations by Simon O’Carrigan.
From the publisher:
Narelle is the queen of her household, ruler of the family and, most importantly, Maddie’s wisest and best friend. So when things are not going right for Maddie, and school feels like a lonely and sad place, it is Queen Narelle who regally watches, waits and listens to her favourite human in her time of need.
You have a dog (hi George!) … how did you come to write a book about a regal cat?
When I wrote the book I had not owned a cat for a very long time, but when I was a kid my only pets were cats, and I adore them. Narelle came to me as a cat-character and insisted I write her story. George is very much not amused. And, since the book came out, I once again have a cat – a gorgeous tortoiseshell kitten who I have had to name Narelle. The good news is that George and Narelle get along very well – except when they are busily play fighting.
Queen Narelle is your fifth verse novel and you’re also a multi-published poet. Do you find there’s a difference when writing a standalone poem compared to a poem that’s part of a verse novel?
Yes. Verse novels are poetry, but while they use many of the same techniques as standalone poems, they must also work as narratives. So it is important to include narrative elements such as plot, characterisation and dialogue in ways that aren’t always needed in standalone poems. So, when writing a verse novel I am trying to keep the narrative moving with each poem, while also drawing on the poet’s toolbox – things like line length, white space, imagery, repetition and more.
When you sat down to write Queen Narelle did you know it would be a verse novel (rather than a prose novel)?
Yes, this was always going to be a verse novel. I had written others before I wrote this one, and had decided that this cat needed a story. I started by writing from the cat’s perspective and, as I wrote, a story started to emerge. Later I realised that Narelle’s human, Maddie, would also need to tell her story, and so alternated their voices.
Do you have a tip for young writers who would like to write from the point of view of an animal?
I think its important to write about animals that you are able to closely observe or have had close contact with. Not every cat will be the same, and nor will each dog, or rat, or elephant. It’s only by observation that you can see the habits and mannerisms of an animal, and use those to develop a personality which will in turn lead to the way the animal speaks or thinks. Using first person helps to take you inside those thoughts of the animal so that you are not describing, but showing.
What’s next for Sally Murphy?
I have another verse novel, The Riding Gallery (with illustrations by Martina Heiduczek) on its way. It’s quite different from Queen Narelle, because it is based on some real events that happened in St Kilda during World War I. A man named Anton Weniger, who was born in Germany, opened a new merry-go-round on the St Kilda foreshore but, unfortunately, because he was German, some people did not want him there. I took this real event and added some fictional characters, two children who befriend him. I have also had some fun playing with poetic form – including some poems written using words from newspaper articles from 1915, and other poems that are designed to be read by two people at the same time (Poems for Two Voices), so that we get both characters’ viewpoint at the same time. The Riding Gallery will be released in July this year.
Queen Narelle was released in 2023. Ask for it at your favourite bookstore or local library.
AWESOME EXTRAS:
Hear Sally read some of her poetry (scroll down to find the videos)
Visit Sally Murphy’s website for more about her and her books.
For grown-ups: Come to the launch of Sally’s next verse novel (July 18th 2024). Hear about the book, get teaching ideas, and network with fellow educators and children’s book enthusiasts.
Download the Teachers’ Notes for Queen Narelle.
alphabetsoup.net.au 