Murphy’s Autobio Sketch.

My name is Steven Francis Murphy (most folks call me Murph, students call me Mister Murphy).

I’m the author of two published science fiction stories to date. They are The Limb Knitter and Tearing Down Tuesday. Both received honorable mentions in Gardner Dozois’ The Year’s Best Science Fiction. At some point maybe I’ll sell another story and get my writing career going again.

I am also the research assistant to John Birmingham, author of the Axis of Time trilogy and the Without Warning trilogy. My main emphasis is on military and historical accuracy. As John said in the intro to Final Impact, I try to keep him from shooting RPGs off in tight spaces.

For my day job these days I serve as an adjunct instructor of history at a local community college. I’ve been at this since August 2007 so long as you overlook breaks during the summer. Turns out I’m actually pretty good at the whole teaching thing. I love it and look forward to a long career.

In the Summer of 2011 I started a second career of sorts as a Lifeguard, a long deferred dream of mine. I’ve learned a great deal during my first summer, enough to know that I still have much more to learn and master. That said, I like the job and I suspect I’ll continue in this line of employment for sometime to come.

For the 2012 Season I was promoted to Apprentice Lifeguard Instructor, spending the spring of 2012 instructing and certifying new and returning lifeguards for my summer employer’s respective facilities. I was also promoted to Head Lifeguard at my assigned facility for the 2012 season. Both promotions promise to bring new challenges, opportunities and experiences my way, which I am eagerly looking forward to.

Finally, I am also an unrepentant veteran of the US Army as well as a veteran of the Persian Gulf War. My father was a Vietnam veteran who was exposed to Agent Orange and then hostile anti-military types when he got home. He passed away as a result of the illnesses generated by his military service during the Summer of 2011.

Needless to say, I refuse to stuff my military past into a closet. On the other hand, I am not necessarily what one would cal a, “warmonger.” Wars continue to cost long after the shooting has stopped. It is useful to remind people that we are not just faceless, nameless numbers in some obscure textbook. We’re real people, not the monsters popular culture frequently make us out to be.

Thus, I still consider myself to be a soldier.

So I am five things really, all of equal precedence.

I am a writer.
I am an historian.
I am a college instructor.
I am a soldier.
I am a lifeguard.

Welcome to the Pondering Tree.

Respects,
Steven Francis Murphy
Author of The Limb Knitter and Tearing Down Tuesday
North Kansas City, Missouri