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People
Lawyer by Day and Author by Night
Meet Jen Murphy, Local Corporate and Tax Attorney Publishes Debut Novel
Born in New York but moved to Bogota, Colombia at three years old, and then to Tampa when she was six years old, Jen Murphy grew up in Carrollwood, but now lives in South Tampa with her daughters, Lily and Kathleen, and their two rescue German Shepherds, Sam and Vincent. She is a corporate and tax attorney with the firm of Older Lundy Koch & Martino in Tampa. Murphy is the author of two mystery thriller novels, When She Runs, her debut novel, and When He Watches. METRO had a chance to catch up with Jen and discover her writing process and her favorite places in Tampa.
METRO: Have you always wanted to be a writer?
MURPHY: Yes. Growing up, my mother, stepfather, and older sister, all three of whom are lawyers, recommended that I follow in their footsteps. Believing I was going to be the next great American novelist, I rejected all such suggestions and enthusiasticaly pursued my undergraduate degree in English. Perhaps it was after my writing professor compared my short story to a “bad episode of Columbo” or after a federal prosecutor from Tampa’s organized crime division guest-lectured in one of my criminology classes, but in my final year, I decided to pursue my law degree after all. But in late 2020, thanks to social distancing, recently separating from my former husband, and my oldest daughter heading off to college, I found myself with a lot more free time on my hands. I spent that time writing.
METRO: How long did it take you to write the book? What was your process?
write my first book. We were mostly working remotely at that time so I would work all day as a lawyer and then move from my desk to my zen couch area where I would write throughout the evening, usually with a glass of red wine in hand. I don’t begin with an outline or know how the story is going to end when I start. I just have a general idea of the direction I want to go, and I start writing.
METRO: What inspired you to include Tampa Bay as the setting?
MURPHY: I love reading books where the setting is some place I’ve been before. For example, Carl Hiaasen and Tim Dorsey are both Florida authors who include Florida as the setting in a lot of their books, and I love when I recognize a place they include. I think the reader becomes more invested in the story and the characters because they have their own real-life experiences in those same places they are reading about.
METRO: What are your favorite places in Tampa Bay?
MURPHY: I love our restaurants because I love to eat good food, drink good red wine, and socialize with friends when I’m not writing. My favorite is Malio’s. I also love Ulele for its unique menu, excellent service, and beautiful location on the Hillsborough River. In Hyde Park, you can never go wrong with Forbici or Timpano’s. As far as places in the area to visit, I love our beautiful beaches, Seminole Heights, Tampa Heights, Ybor City, and downtown Tampa.
METRO: What is next for you?
MURPHY: My second novel, When He Watches, the second in the Hallie Miller series, is coming out this Fall. I am currently working on my third novel, also a Hallie Miller novel, but I don’t have a title for this one yet.
