About
The short version
C. M. Murray writes fantasy stories that focus on the human amidst the magic. She's passionate about writing gritty female characters overcoming society’s misplaced values while learning compassion for themselves and others. She strives to write works that could be compared to those of Sabaa Tahir, Kerri Maniscalco, Kristen Ciccarelli, Rebecca Ross, Alix E. Harrow, V. E. Schwab, and Isabel Ibañez.
The longer version
I grew up in South Jersey, splitting my time between Mom’s house and Dad’s homebuilt sailboat. When I wasn’t in school or reading, I could probably be found on horseback. I spent most of my childhood dragging my parents to every 4-H and Pony Club activity possible. I also have a love for Shakespeare and poetry, and acted in school plays from 4th grade through my undergraduate years. In the summers, Dad either sailed his boat to Maine or flew to Ireland to visit family, giving me plenty of inspiration for the atmospheres I work to bring to life in my writing.
People advised me to major in something that could get me a “real” job, so I studied science at university. I have a B.S. in Biology with minors in Chemistry and English, a M.S. in Marine Biogeochemistry, and a Ph.D. in Sustainability. I now split my time between my job in academia and my passion for creative writing.
I currently live near the Delaware beaches and love to travel. Some of my favorite places to visit are: South Korea, Scotland, Romania, Cambodia, Japan, and Norway. While traveling, I love learning about cultures that are different from my own, tasting new foods, learning languages, and finding the deserted places, especially mountains and seasides. When I’m not writing or traveling, I’m playing with my four cats or spending time outside in my garden.
As a reader, I love fantasy, sci-fi, horror, xiānxiá, historical fiction, and the occasional cozy mystery or rom-com. Some of my literary heroes include: Mary Shelley, Jules Verne, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, Octavia Butler, Patricia A. McKillip, Robert Jordan, Christopher Paolini, Brandon Sanderson, Sabaa Tahir, and V. E. Schwab. I write both novels and short stories, mostly in the fantasy genre, with an occasional foray into sci-fi or horror. I’m always excited to read anything with dragons or witches.