Penn State Altoona professor featured in podcast, book review

ALTOONA, Pa. - Erin Murphy, professor of English at Penn State Altoona, is featured in a recent podcast interview and book review.

Murphy was interviewed by Michael Allison for his show "The Podcast About Everything." They discussed writing and publishing poetry, creative writing pedagogy, the demi-sonnet poetry form that she created, and other topics. The Dec. 10 episode is available on most podcast platforms.

A review of a book by Murphy is published in the latest issue of "Kestrel." Marc Harshman reviews her poetry collection "Fluent in Blue," winner of the 2025 American Book Fest Best Book Award. Harshman writes that Murphy "tells stories of the little moments of our lives with delicacy and aplomb; stories, yes, but stories condensed into poetry that is never less than convincing, always mesmerizing."

"Perhaps what most astounds me in so many of these poems is Murphy's ability to deliver into seemingly light-hearted anecdotes a perfect dose of gravitas," Harshman continues. "There are throughout this stunning collection micro-doses of pain, of joy, all the in-betweens that make up living in this crazy world through which we all walk. You'll be glad reading Erin Murphy's new poems to feel that you are not alone, that a poet with heart and empathy walks there with us."