C.L. Murray's Blog
May 4, 2025
October 20, 2023
The Last 5+ Years
Very thankful to Beth Tabler for letting me use her great platform to (briefly, cleverly) tell the story of my last 5+ years. https://beforewegoblog.com/how-i-lear...
August 22, 2023
Chapter 1 of New Eaglefriend Book
On track to be published in the Spring, the first World of Eaglefriend novel I'm working on is Valdroth the Quiet, centered around the young Eaglemaster prince who becomes King, and father of Veleseus the Bold. He's remembered as a king of very few words, so naturally, as a young man... he's a bit of a talker. What happens to this overly expressive prince on his way to becoming the king whose voice is barely heard?
Read Chapter 1 here: https://authorclmurray.com/new-world-...
Read Chapter 1 here: https://authorclmurray.com/new-world-...
August 13, 2023
Life Update
Full post and more on https://www.facebook.com/charleslmurray
4 years now since cancer slipped a couple tumors past the goalie into my brainspace. Finished 3 books and got rid of the big C-word since then; meds to contain brain radiation swelling forced a hip replacement. Will soon clean up radiation fallout in the ol’ dome and should be good to go. More full-length novels and novellas on their way!
CLM
4 years now since cancer slipped a couple tumors past the goalie into my brainspace. Finished 3 books and got rid of the big C-word since then; meds to contain brain radiation swelling forced a hip replacement. Will soon clean up radiation fallout in the ol’ dome and should be good to go. More full-length novels and novellas on their way!
CLM
March 5, 2023
Book 4 Audiobook Link Is Up!
Book 4 audiobook Pre-Order link now up on Audible. Huge thanks to James Foster for your stellar narration of this series, and Podium Audio for publishing. You’ll also hear me getting real personal for 15 mins at the end 😯
Audible link: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Light-...
Check out the Eaglefriend Art Gallery too on my official FB: facebook.com/AuthorCLMurray with around 800 illustrations that are generating tons of enthusiasm.
CLM
Audible link: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Light-...
Check out the Eaglefriend Art Gallery too on my official FB: facebook.com/AuthorCLMurray with around 800 illustrations that are generating tons of enthusiasm.
CLM
October 15, 2022
Book 4 Is Officially Live!
Find out how the Tale ends now! mybook.to/eaglefriend4
October 9, 2022
Cosmic Dad Timing, Part 2
Follow-up to my last post. On Fri, 9/30, I wrote briefly in the Afterword of Book 4 that after 10 years since my dad and I broke all contact, I knew that if I ever saw him again, I'd try to give him a big hug. Then Weds, 10/5, I got a call out of the blue from a social worker who tracked me down with some internet wizardry, telling me my dad was in the ICU "drifting in and out of coherence," and they were looking for next of kin.
The extremely limited details I could get when I called the ICU Weds and Thurs made his situation sound grim, but I was grateful to hear that he understood when his nurse relayed my message that I love him, the whole Murray family loves him, and I'd gladly hurry down there to give him a hug.
Fortunately, today I called the ICU again, and they said he'd been "discharged." When I asked if that could mean he'd simply been moved to another part of the hospital, they said yes, and I was able to get the hospital operator to help me track him to another floor, where his health is improving.
I got to have a phone conversation with my dad after ten years (the last few of which, no one in the family knew where he was). Turns out he and I both have had a great many health struggles to fight through. We spoke for a half hour, and it was like talking to him when we were on decent terms over a decade ago. It was a joy I didn't think I'd get to have, telling him directly that I love him (as clearly as my heavy voice could get it out). He and I agreed we're going to get that big hug in--probably several of them--and I intend to make this the start of the most positive connection he and I can have.
Today is a day worth celebrating on many levels, and I think I'll look happily on it for a long time.
The extremely limited details I could get when I called the ICU Weds and Thurs made his situation sound grim, but I was grateful to hear that he understood when his nurse relayed my message that I love him, the whole Murray family loves him, and I'd gladly hurry down there to give him a hug.
Fortunately, today I called the ICU again, and they said he'd been "discharged." When I asked if that could mean he'd simply been moved to another part of the hospital, they said yes, and I was able to get the hospital operator to help me track him to another floor, where his health is improving.
I got to have a phone conversation with my dad after ten years (the last few of which, no one in the family knew where he was). Turns out he and I both have had a great many health struggles to fight through. We spoke for a half hour, and it was like talking to him when we were on decent terms over a decade ago. It was a joy I didn't think I'd get to have, telling him directly that I love him (as clearly as my heavy voice could get it out). He and I agreed we're going to get that big hug in--probably several of them--and I intend to make this the start of the most positive connection he and I can have.
Today is a day worth celebrating on many levels, and I think I'll look happily on it for a long time.
October 6, 2022
Cosmic Dad Timing
People who have read my Epic Fantasy series may have noticed there's a lot of father-son conflict at its heart. I tried to create something beautiful and moving out of a lot of toxic, confusing things in my relationship with my dad, which ended mostly when I turned 18 and walked out of his house, and then completely when we both severed ties 10 years ago.
When I was writing the 6-page Afterword of the fourth and final book a few days ago, I wondered if I should even address this, and decided I would (very briefly). I just said that I'm not sure where my dad is now after these last 10 years, but I know if I ever see him again I'd try to give him a big hug.
Then yesterday I got a call from a social worker who said she was looking for any of my dad's next of kin, and that she tracked me down in the White Pages (how??). He's currently in the ICU, been in and out of the hospital while living in a nearby skilled nursing facility for what sounds like years. Very hard to get specific details--after all these months/years he's been with them, he never mentioned having just one son, or his three siblings.
She told me that a Dr. from the ICU would call me very soon, and what little information I could get from her made it sound like his time was running short. 2 hours later, after hearing nothing, I called the ICU and got through to the nurse treating him. Her opening line was, "He's more stable and clear now. He knows you're on the phone with me. I'm sorry, I don't know what happened between you two, but he doesn't want me to release any details."
I was able to ascertain that he's probably going to be well enough soon to return to the nursing facility where he's been living. Had to dig up enough of my voice to say I'd rush down there to see him and hug him, and that his whole family loves him. I would have sped down there and sat next to him in the hospital's worst chair all night, trying to make friends with him. Still will if he ever changes his mind. I'll call the ICU again today before he leaves and convey that same message.
When I was writing the 6-page Afterword of the fourth and final book a few days ago, I wondered if I should even address this, and decided I would (very briefly). I just said that I'm not sure where my dad is now after these last 10 years, but I know if I ever see him again I'd try to give him a big hug.
Then yesterday I got a call from a social worker who said she was looking for any of my dad's next of kin, and that she tracked me down in the White Pages (how??). He's currently in the ICU, been in and out of the hospital while living in a nearby skilled nursing facility for what sounds like years. Very hard to get specific details--after all these months/years he's been with them, he never mentioned having just one son, or his three siblings.
She told me that a Dr. from the ICU would call me very soon, and what little information I could get from her made it sound like his time was running short. 2 hours later, after hearing nothing, I called the ICU and got through to the nurse treating him. Her opening line was, "He's more stable and clear now. He knows you're on the phone with me. I'm sorry, I don't know what happened between you two, but he doesn't want me to release any details."
I was able to ascertain that he's probably going to be well enough soon to return to the nursing facility where he's been living. Had to dig up enough of my voice to say I'd rush down there to see him and hug him, and that his whole family loves him. I would have sped down there and sat next to him in the hospital's worst chair all night, trying to make friends with him. Still will if he ever changes his mind. I'll call the ICU again today before he leaves and convey that same message.
September 26, 2022
Pushed Book 4 Release To End Of Oct
Ended up in the ER 3 weeks ago and learned both legs have new blood clots, some of which passed through my heart and into my lungs. This happened with my left leg 4 years ago as a result of my cancer, and I had to stop medicating the blood clots 3 years ago because those meds can make my brain tumor bleed. It's a tangled web where treating one problem can make another worse, but it looks like soon I'll resume medicating the clots and do my damnedest to keep this shiny brain in good shape. Book 4 is just about through the final polishing phase, and the handful of people I've trusted with the early manuscript enjoyed it, so the series is finishing strong. Check out the 600+ illustrations I've made with Midjourney for Books 1-4 over on facebook.com/AuthorCLMurray and instagram.com/authorclmurray to help pass the time. Next 4 weeks will fly by pretty fast!
CLM
CLM
August 17, 2022
Book Art Gallery Now At 500 Illustrations On FB & Insta
There are now 500 highly detailed images (mostly from Books 1 & 2 of The Tale of Eaglefriend) at facebook.com/AuthorCLMurray and instagram.com/authorclmurray. The people who love this series the most are really digging the posts over on FB, and Instagram is starting to prove useful too :) Taking a break from illustrating my books for a bit so I can enhance other authors' work in a similar way, and then pretty soon the home stretch of publishing Book 4 will take up most of my time through the end of September. Exciting things are happening--2022 is shaping up to have a strong finish!
