Victoria Christopher Murray is an American editor and author of over 30 books, with "more than one million books in print."
Personal life and education Murray was born in Queens, New York. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Disorders from Hampton University and a Master of Business Administration from New York University Stern School of Business. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta.
Murray now spends her time in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.
Career After working in business for ten years, Murray launched a financial services agency for Aegon, USA, where she worked for nine years.
Murray published her first book, Temptation, in 1997. As she continued writing, she became known for her Christian fiction geared toward African American readers, though the genre didn't exist when she published Temptation. Murray stated, "I knew that I wanted to write a book that was entertaining, compelling and put God in the middle and still have the book be a page-turner." Later, Murray explained that she hated the "Christian fiction label," saying, "I think it limits our readership ... I’m not writing for people who are already in church. If I had to say who I was trying to gain, it’s people who never entered a church.”
Since her Temptation, Murray has published over 30 novels.
In 2014, Murray launched Brown Girls Publishing alongside ReShonda Tate Billingsley.
Murray has partnered with Marie Benedict and written several historical fiction novels featuring Black women that won several honors. The 2021 publication of The Personal Librarian earned the "Favorites of Favorites" by Library Reads, a place in Booklist's top ten historical fiction novels, and nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Historical Fiction. Further, The Washington Post named it as a notable book of the year. Their second collaboration, The First Ladies, was named a Target book of the year 2023 and named a 'Best book of the year 2023' by Christian Science Monitor. Their third collaboration entitled A Pair of Aces, published in 2026, earned a selection to Reese's Book Club.
Awards +Awards for Murray's writingYearAwardResultRef.2001NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary WorkNominee2006Phillis Wheatley Award for Trailblazer in Contemporary FictionWinner2006Tabahani Book Club Author of the Decade2007African American Literary Award for Best Christian Fiction2008African American Literary Award for Best Christian Fiction2008African American Literary Award for Author of the Year2009African American Literary Award for Best Young Adult Fiction2009African American Literary Award for Best Christian Fiction2010Romance Slam Glam, Best Inspirational Romance2010African American Literary Award for Best Christian Fiction2013NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – FictionNominee2014NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – FictionNominee2015African American Literary Award for Best Fiction2015African American Literary Award for Author of the Year2016NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – FictionNominee2016NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – FictionWinner2017African American Literary Award for Best Christian Fiction2017African American Literary Award for Lifetime Achievement2017Go On Girl Book Club's Author of the Year2018NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – FictionNominee
Publications
Adult novels Joy (2001) Truth Be Told (2004) Grown Folks Business (2005) The Deal, the Dance, and the Devil (2011) Destiny's Divas (2012) Never Say Never (2013) Touched by an Angel, co-authored with Princess FL Gooden (2014) Stand Your Ground (2015) It Should've Been Me, co-authored with ReShonda Tate Billingsley (2016) If Only For One Night, co-authored with ReShonda Tate Billingsley (2018) The Personal Librarian, co-authored with Marie Benedict (2021) The First Ladies, co-authored with Marie Benedict (2023) Harlem Rhapsody (2025) A Pair of Aces, co-authored with Marie Benedict (2026) ISBN 979-8217349234 The Ex Files The Ex Files (2007) Merry Ex-Mas (2013) Forever an Ex (2014)
Jasmine series (1997-2017) Temptation (1997) A Sin and a Shame (2006) Too Little, Too Late (2008) Lady Jasmine (2009) Sins of the Mother (2010) Scandalous (2012) Sinners & Saints, co-authored with ReShonda Tate Billingsley (2012) Friends & Foes, co-authored with ReShonda Tate Billingsley (2013) Fortune & Fame, co-authored with ReShonda Tate Billingsley (2014) A Blessing & A Curse, co-authored with ReShonda Tate Billingsley (2017) Temptation: The Aftermath (2017)
Seven Deadly Sins series (2017-2021) Lust (2017) Envy (2018) Greed (2019) Wrath (2021)
Teen novels
Divas series Diamond (2008) India (2008) Veronique (2009) Aaliyah (2009)
References