A Baltimore native, Murray Siegel has had his share of adventures — or more aptly, misadventures — throughout his six decades of existence.
But the former Pikesville resident, who now lives in Burtonsville in Montgomery County, has found that the way to get through most things in life is with a sly and irreverent sense of humor.
Jmore recently spoke with Siegel, a first-time author, about his new self-published book, “MurMurings,” a series of nine autobiographical short stories, jokes, non sequiturs and observations. The book is now available at The Ivy Bookshop at 5928 Falls Rd. in Mount Washington.
A marketing manager in the promotional products industry, Siegel received a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Maryland, where he minored in film. He wrote a pilot for a television series that was filmed in 1984, as well as several unproduced screenplays.
So what is “MurMurings” all about?
It’s a random selection of my more entertaining — I hope — and newly illustrated Facebook posts since 2008. They’re interspersed with nine short stories that I’ve grouped together under the theme of “Funny Tales of Terror,” which include such recollections as ‘The Time I Got Robbed,’ ‘The Time I Got Crushed By A Giant,’ ‘The Time I Nearly Got Struck By Lightning,’ ‘Bomb Scary,’ and ‘When A Dog Bit Me During the 1968 Riots.’
Most of the stories take place in the Baltimore/D.C. area, although some occur in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
Have you always considered yourself a humor writer?
I got the writing bug when I was in eighth or ninth grade. My best friend and I even wrote a science fiction/time travel novel. We took it very seriously and even submitted it to an agent, who was intrigued for about a year. It didn’t work out, and we were very disappointed at the time.
When I was a senior at Pikesville High, I became interested in screenwriting. And when I was majoring in English at the University of Maryland, I went out to L.A. and signed with an agent. I wrote a number of screenplays, mostly for film classes I took in school, but nothing ever came of that.
In 1984, though, a pilot for an independent TV show I wrote was produced in Baltimore. Through the ‘80s, I continued to write more screenplays but finally realized I needed to focus on making a living, and I’ve been a promotional copywriter and marketing manager since then, which I love. It’s fulfilling work. I’ve had the opportunity to travel, meet interesting people and be creative.
Who are some of your comedy heroes?
Well, my parents [Marvin and Mary Lou Siegel] were both very funny. My father had a subtle, dry sense of humor, and my mother had a sillier side, always looking at the lighter side of things.
In terms of professional comedians, I’ve been inspired by the likes of Woody Allen, Bob Newhart, George Carlin, Monty Python and Mel Brooks.
How has humor helped you face different challenges and situations in your life?
Humor makes life easier. It helps to have the philosophy of, ‘One day we’ll look back on this and laugh.’
What do you hope readers will take away from ‘MurMurings”?
I’m going for the laughs! I want the book to be a diversion from whatever is going on, whether it’s in their personal life or in some of the challenges, like the pandemic, that we’ve all been dealing with.
I want people to feel good, even if it means being the butt of my own jokes. There’s never a bad time to laugh.
What else is on the horizon for you?
I’d love to see this book picked up by a mainstream publisher, maybe even do a spin-off with related merchandise.
Down the road, possibly a novelization of a romantic comedy screenplay I wrote some years ago. But for now, promoting the book on Facebook and Instagram. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic, I can’t meet people in person at traditional book-signing events.
For the time being, I’m simply looking to see where this new adventure takes me.
Finally, the most important question: Where can people buy the book?
I thought you’d never ask! Through my website, murraysiegel.com, thebookpatch.com, and facebook.com/murmuringsbymurray.
Carol Sorgen is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon.
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