Biography of Jo Murphey

Jo Murphey

I am Jo Murphey. I live in the Golden Isles of Georgia.

I had an ischemic stroke May 2012. Right-sided hemiplegia and some aphasia. The aphasia is a kicker for a writer.

My overall motto is: "Today is not just another day.  Today I will create something beautiful." 

Up until my stroke, I was a free-lance writer, author, and minister. I'm married to a terminally ill husband who is also my soul mate with four children, and eight grandchildren. 

I spend a big chunk of my free time helping other writers accomplish their dreams of becoming published authors and working towards my own recovery. Now, I'm a struggling writer with the emphasis on struggling.

I'm a retired life flight RN/Paramedic, retired international business and marketing consultant, an executive chef (inactive), former culinary arts instructor, and entrepreneur. In other words I've got more sheepskins than any one person should have. AS in computer programming, BS in nursing, AS Paramedic, AS in herbotology/naturopathic medicine, MBA in business and marketing with a minor in Political Science., and Ph.D in theology.

I believe in three basic truths - God is in control, death is the absence of learning, and your grandchildren are your reward for not killing your children as teenagers.

I am published under several nome de plume's But this is the real me. I started with self-publishing after 27 years in traditional publishing...most of those titles are in various areas of nonfiction including self-help, inspirational, and public awareness. My first title was "Mommy I Wish I'd Never Heard of Arfritis," which is a mother-child book on dealing with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. It also serves as a self-help book for parents who have newly diagnosed children with JRA (Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis). These books are now out of print and hopefully, I will be able to buy back the rights and republish them except for the first one which is owned by the Arthritis Foundation by my choice. All together, there are 20 titles.

I write under several names as an independent author... J.L. Murphey/Jolee Morriss/ Grandma Jam/JoAnn Mefford/Johanna Kihara. Writing suspense is the mainstay of my fiction writing whether it is children's, southern, espionage, or horror fiction and assorted nonfiction books.

I write a blog titled, The Murphey Saga for writers and independent authors which now includes a weekly segment on Sundays about my stroke survival and recovery.

I am also writing a book on my stroke recovery, but unlike most books, this is a humorous look at stroke recovery. Stories we can all relate to as survivors and laugh...because laughter is the best medicine. This is tentatively titled, "Don't Get Your Panties in a Wad." It is a book my little sister said I was destined to write, but didn't have the experience to write it... until now.