Murphy’s life and work experience fuels his imagination and seeps through into his stories. He survived twelve years of education in the hands (and under the rulers) of some very strict Catholic nuns.
His work experience includes midnight shifts in an Oscar Meyer packing plant, daytime work in a Walgreens drugstore, and social work for the Iowa Department of Social Welfare. For several years he traveled throughout the United States doing management and supervision seminars. For nine years he taught people skills in a family practice residency program, and finally, for ten years he taught in high schools on the U.S./Mexican border.
And now Murphy does as he pleases, writes, takes pictures, plays in his wood shop, builds canoes, travels and plays grandfather to a large crew of grandkids ranging from one year to 21 years old.