Emily Bain Murphy

If you had asked me a year ago whether I liked epistolary novels, I would have said no. Isn’t it lovely when we can still surprise ourselves? 🌱

I am loving both The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by (I’m on number 5) and The Correspondent by Virgins Evans. Epistolary novels can only work if their authors are masters of voice, and if any writers struggle with identifying what that difficult-to-define concept is, I’d point them straight to these.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries is another lovely example of this genre (this time in fantasy). Three very different main characters, each bursting with personality, complexities, and charm, and completely carrying the narrative with their compelling use of voice.

How about you—do you like epistolary novels? Have you enjoyed any of these?

“There’s so much beauty in the world and in our lives if we have the eyes to see it.” -Emily Bain Murphy

I absolutely LOVED this interview with Emily Bain Murphy, author of the Lightseekers series and I was pleasantly surprised by how deep and how meaningful the conversation became. I hope you take time to listen! Emily is such a wonderful person and I'm really enjoying her latest book.

This is episode 23 of "A LITERAL JOURNEY," a show where I interview authors about their stories AND the stories they write. The link I've posted is for the YouTube video, but it's available wherever you listen to podcasts.

Check it out (I dare ya)!

Who Are We Becoming? 🕯️ Emily Bain Murphy on Lightseekers, Writing, and Finding Hope and Beauty “There’s so much beauty in the world and in our lives if we have the eyes to see it.” -Emily Bain MurphyIn this meaning-FILLED episode of A LITERAL JOURNEY, ...

I adore this new blurb for LIGHTSEEKERS: A KINGDOM OF SHADOWS from :

“LIGHTSEEKERS gleams with great Truth within its beautifully-wrought pages. Each word blooms with imagination and care.”
- Catherine Bakewell, bestselling author of FLOWERHEART

If you know Cat, you know how beautifully generous, talented, and creative she is—which is why I love that she also included a fan art sketch of a magical creature in the book called a neftis (a half owl-bunny hybrid).

You’re invited to join the adventure for a journey across Wildfel with nefti, auerflies (butterflies with golden, stained glass wings), spiders that weave glass webs, and waterfalls that catch the silver light of stars. Available everywhere now. 🦋✨

There have been several seasons in my life when I have leaned *hard* into remembering that on the original Holy Saturday, the disciples believed that everything—everything—was lost. Their hope was shattered, and they could not imagine what God was doing or that anything good could come from what they had just experienced.

But with God, the most traumatic, despairing things are not the end of anyone’s story. It’s simply not possible in His kind of kingdom—not when even the worst thing that ever happened in human history could be redeemed into an abundant blessing of life and joy beyond imagination.

“On the Day of the Lord - the day that God makes everything right, the day that everything sad comes untrue - on that day the same thing will happen to your hurts and sadness. You will find that the worst things that have ever happened to you will in the end only enhance your eternal delight. On that day, all of it will be turned inside out and you will know joy beyond the walls of the world. The joy of your glory will be that much greater for every scar you bear.”
Tim Keller, King’s Cross

I hope you experience the deep joy and hope of resurrection in every part of you that needs it.