Catherine Gilbert Murdock is an American author, best known for her Young Adult (YA) titles, particularly the Dairy Queen series. Murdock's writing is recognized for its intelligence and thoughtfulness, with her stories often set in fantasy and romance genres. She has a distinctive voice, known for its genuineness and realism, and she pays close attention to detail, which helps bring her worlds to life in the minds of her readers. This approach has proven to be successful worldwide, with readers from various backgrounds appreciating her novels.
Murdock was raised in a small town in Connecticut, on a small farm with honeybees, goats, and Christmas trees. She grew up with her sister, who is also a writer. Murdock was not particularly athletic, but she did run cross country and track in high school. She was part of the school's art clique, taking extra art classes and spending her study halls and lunch periods working on her latest still life. Murdock studied architectural history in college, which has helped her in unexpected ways, such as when she used her knowledge of architectural jargon to help redesign a building in her neighborhood.
Murdock's love of food plays a significant role in her writing. She has been passionate about food her whole life and enjoys preparing and eating it. Food adds flavor to her stories, both figuratively and metaphorically, and she believes that adding true elements, such as emotion, geography, or gardening, strengthens her stories. Murdock lives in Philadelphia with her husband, two children, several cats, and a one-acre yard that she is transforming into a flourishing ecosystem.