Julie Murphy (author)

Julie Murphy (born November 8, 1985^[1][2]) is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the books Side Effects May Vary (2014), Dumplin' (2015),^[3][4][5] Ramona Blue (2017), and Puddin' (2018).^[6] Murphy wrote her first novel, Side Effects May Vary, during National Novel Writing Month.^[7]

Julie Murphy
Murphy at the 2017 Texas Book Festival.
Born	8 November 1985
Website	juliemurphywrites.com

Career

Murphy's literary debut was the young adult (YA) novel Side Effects May Vary which was published by Balzer + Bray on March 18, 2014. Murphy wrote the book as part of National Novel Writing Month around 2010 while working as a librarian in Texas.^[7]

Her next young adult novel, titled Dumplin', was published in 2015. Critical reception for Dumplin’ has been positive.^[8][4][9] The novel became a New York Times bestseller.^[10] Dumplin' was adapted into a Netflix movie of the same name in 2018.^[11] The novel was the first of a trilogy and was followed by Puddin’ (2018) and Pumpkin (2021).^[12]

In 2017, Murphy released her third YA novel titled Ramona Blue.^[13] Nivea Serrao, for Entertainment Weekly, commented that "First came Side Effects May Vary‘s Alice, then came Dumplin’s Willowdean, and now there’s the titular Ramona Blue. Julie Murphy has a knack for crafting memorable YA protagonists".^[14]

Her first middle grade novel, titled Dear Sweet Pea, was published in 2019. Nivea Serrao, for Entertainment Weekly, commented that "the best-selling author of Dumplin’ [...] and Ramona Blue has broken out in YA fiction with a message. And her books continue to resonate for so much more: their plucky characters, their irresistible sweetness, their delightful sense of humor. Now the author is returning with a new novel that carries her signature appeal, this time in the middle-grade space".^[15] In 2019, Disney Channel optioned the rights to Dear Sweet Pea, and it is on the Disney Channel Original Movie development slate.^[11]

In 2020, Murphy retold the origin story of the superhero Faith Herbert from Valiant Comics in the YA prose novel Faith: Taking Flight. Kayleigh Donaldson, for SyFy Wire, wrote that "the message being sent is clear: To the rest of the world, it is impossible to be both fat and happy. [...] That's what makes characters like Faith and writers like Murphy so desperately necessary. They're a potent rebuttal to decades of systemic fatphobia through the act of creative joy".^[16] Murphy's sequel, Faith: Greater Heights, was then released in 2021.^[17]

Personal life

During Murphy's childhood, her family struggled financially and lost their home the week she graduated from high school. Because of this, she had to delay going to college.^[18]

She lives in Texas with her husband.^[19] Murphy is openly bisexual.^[20][18]

Bibliography

Young adult novels

Dumplin' series:

1. Dumplin' (2015)^[3][4][5]
2. Puddin' (2018)
3. Dear Sweet Pea (2019), children's novel
4. Pumpkin (2021)

Faith Herbert Origin Story series:

1. Faith: Taking Flight (2020)^[16][21]
2. Faith: Greater Heights (2021)^[17][22]

Stand-alones:

• Side Effects May Vary (2014)^[23][24][25]
• Ramona Blue (2017)^[26]

Novels

• If the Shoe Fits (2021), Meant to Be #1 series
• A Merry Little Meet Cute (2022), with Sierra Simone

Young adult short stories

• "April May June" (2014)
• "Dear God" (2014)
• "House of Screams" (2014)
• "Jennifer" (2014)
• "Ramona Drowning" (2014)
• "The Secret Language of Light" (2014)
• "One Summer" (2015)
• "The Record Keeper's Duty" (2015)
• "You Say Goodbye, I Say Hello" (2015)

Adaptations

• Dumplin' (2018), film directed by Anne Fletcher, based on young adult novel Dumplin'