Fluent in Blue, a poetry collection by Erin Murphy, professor of English at Penn State Altoona, has been named to the longlist for the 2024 Julie Suk Award, an annual honor recognizing the best poetry book published by a literary press. The award is sponsored by Jacar Press.
Released in April 2024 by Grayson Books, Fluent in Blue explores the multifaceted symbolism of the color blue, weaving themes of emotion, mental health, nature, politics, and music. The collection has already garnered critical acclaim, previously earning finalist status for Ohio University’s Hollis Summers Poetry Prize, the Alice James Award, and the Washington Prize from Word Works Books.
Murphy, an accomplished poet and educator, is the author or editor of more than a dozen poetry collections, chapbooks, and anthologies. She currently serves as the poet laureate of Blair County and poetry editor for The Summerset Review. Additionally, she holds the title of Mellon Academic Leadership Fellow for the Big Ten Academic Alliance for 2023–25.
The winner of the Julie Suk Award is expected to be announced in the fall.
