Sean Murphy has been publishing fiction, poetry, reviews (of
music, movie, book, food), and essays on the technology industry for over
twenty years. He has appeared on NPR’s “All Things Considered” (check it out HERE)
and been
quoted in USA Today, The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Forbes and
AdAge. He writes regularly for PopMatters, and his work has also
appeared in Salon, The Village Voice, The New York Post, The Good Men
Project, All About Jazz, AlterNet, Memoir Magazine, Elephant Journal,
FIVE:2:ONE, 805 Lit + Art, Northern Virginia Magazine, and many other
publications. His poems have been
widely anthologized, including the collections Revisiting the Elegy in the Black Lives Matter Era, This Is What
America Looks Like, Lo-Fi Poetry Series: Poet Sounds, and Written in Arlington: Poems for Arlington,
VA.
He was previously the writer-in-residence at Noepe
Center for Literary Arts at Martha’s Vineyard, and in 2017 founded the arts
non-profit 1455. His memoir PLEASE TALK ABOUT ME WHEN I’M GONE was released in 2013.
His novel NOT TO MENTION A NICE LIFE (2015) was followed by his first two
collections of non-fiction, MURPHY’S LAW, VOL. ONE and VOL. TWO (2016, 2017).
His chapbooks THE BLACKENED BLUES (Finishing Line Press) and RHAPSODIES IN BLUE
(Kelsay Books) were published in 2021 and 2023. His next poetry collection,
KINDS OF BLUE (Kelsay Books) and his collection of short fiction THIS KIND OF
MAN (Unsolicited Press) are forthcoming in 2024. He has been nominated four
times for the Pushcart Prize, twice for Best of Net, and PLEASE TALK ABOUT ME
WHEN I'M GONE was winner of the 2022 Memoir Prize.
As a former analyst for the technology industry, Sean spent a
great deal of time discussing—and at times, lamenting—the ways an increasingly
digital reality is changing lives, not always for the better. Over several
years and after speaking to myriad experts from the business, artistic, and
entertainment fields, Sean developed a thesis that technology has undeniably
helped democratize content and creativity. These
essays and articles inspired his podcast The
Intersection of Innovation and Culture, which focused on the ways
technology, despite its inherent contradictions it has also established otherwise
unimaginable connections amongst diverse networks. To keep the discourse going,
he established the 14:55 Interview series,
which features writers and artists discussing
their work, their influences, and what inspires them. All of 1455’s
programming seeks to explore the ways artists can foster inclusivity and
inspiration.
Sean
believes deeply in the importance of building and nurturing communities. The
primary impetus of 1455 is showcasing the work of creatives and support the
micro communities spanning multiple artistic genres. In a time where industries
are consolidating and info-overload makes it increasingly challenging to engage
with a sustained audience, Sean is dedicated to forming creative alliances and
promoting collaboration between artists, entrepreneurs, and businesses. In addition
to the free programs 1455 provides, Sean has initiated a formal workshop series
that allows acclaimed authors to work with aspiring writers and retain all the
profits. In addition, he created MOVABLE TYPE, a free digital magazine
featuring both celebrated and emerging writers.
Sean studied English at George Mason University and has an
MA in Literature. One of his thesis papers dealt with the utopian impulse in
’70s rock which, depending upon one’s perspective, at least partially explains
why he opted not to purse that PhD in Cultural Studies. He’s finishing a book
on all-things prog rock, inspired by his featured series “The Amazing Pudding”
at PopMatters. As
a critic and arts advocate, Sean has spoken with some of the remarkable
musicians and writers of our time, including Vernon Reid (Living
Colour); Dan Auerbach (The
Black Keys); Burning Spear;
Steve Howe (Yes);
Stephen Tobolowsky; Douglas Stuart (Booker Prize winning author
of Shuggie Bain); Deesha Philyaw (author of the prize winning The
Secret Lives of Church Ladies); Lisa Ling; S.A. Cosby, Jenna Blum;
Jane
Friedman, and many others.
Sean lives in Reston with his wife Heather and their three
dogs.