31. Patricia Colleen Murphy
Patricia Colleen Murphy teaches creative writing at Arizona State University at the Polytechnic campus where she is the managing editor of the online literary magazine Superstition Review.
In 2009, her poem "Why I Burned Down Namdaemun Gate" received the Gulf Coast Prize. As a travel enthusiast, Murphy has found herself in Hungary, China, Thailand, Korea, Venezuela, and Argentina. She can also run -- we're talking marathons, duathlons and triathalons -- and has participated in more than 60 races. Murphy currently lives near South Mountain Park with her partner John Hetrick and their cat and two dogs.
1.List five things on your Inspiration Wall (real or imagined):
- A marble candy dish that rests on two brass paws and a brass tail. It looks just like my kitty cat.
- Lots of photographs of friends and loved ones.
- Three porcelain snuff bottles I bought at a market in Beijing.
- A large collection of poetry books. I read one before I write a poem.
- Thank-You notes and graduation announcements from students.
2.What was your last big project?
Issue 5 of Superstition Review took most of my energy this spring. I'm the editor, but I run the magazine as a 3 credit hour class with 20 undergraduate students. IF all I had to do was edit the magazine, it would be a straight-forward process, but instead it's me training students to do the work--which turns everything into 2 or 3 steps. It's very time consuming. I'm always so proud of how hard my students work. With each task that they tackle, I picture the bullet item on their resume that might make them stand out in a job search or grad school application.
In my own writing, I feel pretty close to finished with my poetry manuscript The Beggar's Table. It has been a bridesmaid with several publishers, and I'm hoping that in fall 2010 someone will put a ring on it.
3.What's your next big project?
We'll be working on Issue 6 of Superstition Review from August-November. Once that work starts, I won't have a lot of time for my own writing, but if I'm disciplined enough I hope to finish a draft of my memoir. In 2008 I was about 20 pages away from being finished, thanks to an Arizona Commission on the Arts Project Grant. But then both of my parents died unexpectedly and suddenly. I am still not emotionally able to write about family, plus I have a lot of re-writing to do because the story has changed. But I do hope to launch back into that project and find a publisher for it too.
4. What do you think the Phoenix creative scene needs more of?
As a writer, I'm impressed by the Phoenix creative scene, in the sense that we draw a lot of authors to the area for readings and workshops. I do wish that more Valley residents showed an interest in and made an investment in the arts. Wouldn't it be lovely if Phoenix had as many "arts" followers as it has "sports" followers?
5. What's something you want Phoenix to know about you? (And, if you're game, what's something you really don't want Phoenix to know about you?)
I want Phoenix to know: I really enjoy teaching, and I get to teach some great classes at ASU. Right now I am teaching a class on Blogging, and in the fall I'm teaching Travel Writing. I've been able to build classes that combine my interests in technology and creative writing.
I don't want Phoenix to know: Everyone collects something, right? Okay. Well, I collect dresses. I have, um, a lot. One of my current favorites is from Bunky Boutique.
The Creatives, so far:
99. Brian Boner
98. Carol Panaro-Smith
97. Jane Reddin
96. Adam Dumper
95. Mayme Kratz
94. Daniel Tantalean
93. Yuri Artibise
92. Lisa Starry
91. Paul Hoeprich
90. Betsy Schneider
89. Mary Shindell
88: Gabriel Utasi
87: Tiffany Egbert
86. Angela Cazel Jahn
85. Dayvid LeMmon
84. Beatrice Moore
83. Michelle J. Martinez
82. Carrie Bloomston
81. Paul Porter
80. Rachel Bess
79. Karolina Sussland
78. Aaron Abbott
77. Mary Lucking
76. Erin Sotak
75. Greg Esser
74. Matthew Mosher
73. Mark Klett
72. Tony Carrillo
71. Paul Morris
70. Joe Pagac
69. Alison King
68. JJ Horner
67. Kim Porter
66. Marco Rosichelli
65. Heather Hales
64. Amy Lamp
63. Kevin Vaughan-Brubaker
62. Lindy Drew
61. Robbie Pfeffer
60. Neil Borowicz
59. Lynn Fisher
58. Tanner Woodford
57. David Tinapple
56. Casebeer
55. Tom Leveen
54. Patti Parsons
53. Tedd McDonah
52. Mike Maas
51. Chris Todd
50. Monica Aissa Martinez
49. Stefan Shepherd
48. Jenny Poon
47. Matt Moore
46. Andrea Hanley
45. Julie Hampton
44. Ted Decker
43. Saskia Jorda
42. Michael Bergfalk
41. Scott Baxter
40. Carrie Marill
39. Kobina Banning
38. Suzanne Falk
37. Jon Haddock
36. Kade Twist
35. Cindy Dach
34. John Wagner
33. Roy Wasson Valle
32. Sue Chenoweth
