“There’s so much beauty in the world and in our lives if we have the eyes to see it.” -Emily Bain Murphy

In this meaning-FILLED episode of A LITERAL JOURNEY, I sit down with Emily Bain Murphy—author of The Disappearances, Enchanted Hill, The Ivory City, Splinters of Scarlet, and The Lightseekers Series—for a conversation about hope, beauty, and the power of stories to shape our lives.

During the interview, Emily shares some of the stories and themes behind her books, the long road to publishing, how stories can help us "zoom out" and see the bigger picture, what it means to become a "light seeker," and her firm belief that there is hope and beauty in the world if we have the eyes to see it.

About EMILY BAIN MURPHY:

Emily Bain Murphy is the USA TODAY bestselling author of the adult historical mysteries The Ivory City and Enchanted Hill.

She is also the author of the YA fantasies The Disappearances, which was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, and Splinters of Scarlet, which received multiple starred reviews and was nominated for the MASL Truman Readers’ Award. Both are available now from HarperCollins.

Murphy was born in Indiana and raised in Hong Kong and Japan. She graduated from Tufts University and has also called Massachusetts, Connecticut, and California home. Her debut middle grade fantasy trilogy Lightseekers was published March 2026. She currently lives in the St. Louis area with her husband, three children, and a rescue bunny.

📖 ORDER "The Lightseekers: A Kingdom of Shadows" by Emily Bain Murphy: https://amzn.to/4eRpD3a

📚 READ other Books by Emily Bain Murphy: https://amzn.to/4tIWR8E

🎧 LISTEN on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1CvEfBcK1xALUswAkOwlNf?si=98cea0829ca145e6

🍎 LISTEN on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-literal-journey/id1839517342

🎥 WATCH more episodes of A LITERAL JOURNEY: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRTQ34vyf-9NkrTcSH0KEwXPOhdVqZRVZ

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My name is Seth Adam Smith. I’m a husband, father, and author who believes in the power of stories to inspire people forward.

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