wb Murph
Author Interview - wb Murph
Author of Molly's Miracle (A Chosen Dog, Not a Broken One)
Molly the Beagle is broken. She knows it, and soon everyone else will too. Molly has been abandoned by a cruel owner, left alone to fend for herself in the streets. She is hurt, she is hungry, and most of all Molly is unloved. She tries to make friends but everywhere she goes, she is turned away, treated harshly, told to leave. When all hope is lost, Molly meets her miracle… a woman whose very special gift is just what Molly needs to see the value in herself. Molly’s Miracle deals with the sensitive subject of animal abuse and neglect in a careful but realistic way. It is ultimately a story of love, acceptance and triumph in overcoming adversity. Molly’s Miracle teaches children about the light that shines in all of us!
Author Interview - w.b. Murph
Author I draw inspiration from:
For Molly's Miracle, my main inspiration actually came from a Newport Film Festival short animated film "The Present" from 2014, by Jacob Frey. It is an animated short about the magic dogs can work in the lives of their humans. It is an absolute must see for anyone who loves dogs or children.
Favorite place to read a book:
I like to sit in my office, on my window seat, with a cup of tea. However, I am a voracious reader and often cannot wait for my office, my seat and my tea!
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
I would love to be stuck in an elevator with the Cat in the Hat (Dr. Seuss of course!). I imagine that the elevator would stop in between floors and open up to worlds filled with MC Escher style staircases, fish that fly and dogs riding umbrellas down a river. I love the Cat because he is chaos personified. My life is ordered, disciplined, and rigid. I cannot imagine a better character to make a life change for me than the Cat in the Hat.
Author Interview - w.b. Murph | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
I write stories, but I don't necessarily think of myself as an author. I write down things that I think may be worthwhile to others, without regard to whether they will be well-received, whether they will sell, or whether, indeed, they will even be purchased at all. I imagine that an author must also make a living at their craft, so I tend not to think of myself in those terms. I am a storyteller.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
Hardcover books are substantial; when you hold one you KNOW you are holding it. The bad part about that is they can also be weaponized by angry wives and husbands with an axe to grind. Paperbacks are pliable, slick, and smooth; they invite you into their world however, they may also give you a papercut with the invitation, so there is a definite downside there. Ebooks are like magazines to me. Even if they are 900 pages long, you dive right in because you THINK they are insubstantial. 300 pages later, the husband is screaming for dinner because 3 hours have gone by since you picked it up. Audiobooks are excellent for passing time. Your brain can be turned off and you can simply let the story roll over you in waves. Of course, you could end up with Bobcat Goldthwait narrating so that might be a significant interruption of your peace.
The last book I read:
The very last book I read was Double Trouble by McKinley Nickell. She is a 12 year old local author in Colorado Springs who tackled the difficult subject of Parvovirus in her story of two Golden Retriever puppies. I found it charming and energetic like puppies themselves. I was impressed with this young lady's desire to tell what must have been an incredibly emotional tale about the two puppies she and her Grandmother had gotten (one of which lived through Parvo, the other of which did not). I give her a great deal of credit for her courage.
Author Interview - w.b. Murph | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I write a full story in my head before I ever type anything at all. I need to make sure I know where my story is going so that I can be reminded that I should not be writing anything that doesn't further the story. In children's books it is particularly important that each word have value; there are so few words available to us to tell the story. Everything I do is on computer, mostly because my handwriting is atrocious. Once completed, I send it off to my editor for full grammar and punctuation changes because I have never been terribly concerned with those things when trying to get a story out.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
I would be good friends with the rabbit from "Bad Habit Rabbit" by Carli Valentine. He eats the chocolate eggs he is tasked with delivering to children for Easter. A rabbit after my own heart. Actually, now that I think of it, maybe he wouldn't like me so much because he would rather keep the eggs for himself?
Author Interview - w.b. Murph | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
I would be a full time dog rescue volunteer. If I were given my way, I would just spend every day walking, cleaning up after, and playing with shelter dogs. Every dog, no matter their past or their future, deserves to have a present that is filled with joy, love, fun, and excitement. I would love to do nothing but provide that.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
The eighties were fun, lots of bright colors.
Place I’d most like to travel:
I would go to Greece. Not to the Parthenon, nor to any of the tourist traps, but to meet the Greek people face to face. They are a welcoming people with so much love for life, the sea, and their families. I would adore spending a day or two in several families homes, talking with them of food, culture, thought, and ideas. What a joy to be able to spend time in the cradle of civilized thought, medicine, and art!
My signature drink:
I love a very good cup of tea. Strong chai with a lot of steamed cream or Earl Grey with lemon. If I am drinking alcohol, a whiskey sour.
Favorite artist:
Robert Wyland. I adore the ocean, everything about it, and Wyland makes the ocean come alive in his paintings. He has so much passion for it as well and that shows in his work. Walfrido Garcia would be a close second.
Number one on my bucket list:
Retiring to the English countryside would be my lifelong dream.
Find more from the author:
About w.b. Murph:
w.b. Murph is a 5 year old Beagle living his best life in Colorado. He whispers stories to his ever-faithful human, who writes them down, as Beagles are not so very good at holding a pencil. Murph's stories focus on children and dogs from all circumstances, with all abilities. Murph tells tales of love, acceptance and equality for all because when we learn to love our differences, we start to live our best lives - just like Murph!
