IN HIS THIRD NOVEL, Christodora, Tim Murphy describes an interconnected group of East Village residents who struggle with the AIDS epidemic over the course of a generation. His characters range from Jared and Milly, two privileged artists who adopt the son of a woman who died of AIDS, and Hector, a handsome Puerto Rican activist who battles with the aftereffects of survival, to Issy, a straight dental hygienist from Queens who becomes an iconic leader of gay rebels. Delving deep into the lives of caretakers, heroes, addicts, and survivors, Murphy records the huge emotional toll of the disease. Epic in scope, the novel explores issues of drugs, parenting, AIDS, gentrification, art, and survival.
During the last twenty years, Tim Murphy has been a journalist reporting on hiv/aids issues and life in the East Village. He has worked as an editor and staff writer for POZ, Out, and The Advocate, and was nominated for a glaad Media Award for his New York magazine cover story on PrEP. He has also been a regular contributor on LGBT issues, pop culture, and the arts for The New York Times.
This interview was conducted by phone with Tim Murphy, who lives in Brooklyn.
