Magazines & Newsletters

The best stories are true. My nonfiction work has appeared in a number of print and online publications, including:

• The Costco Connection
• AARP The Magazine
• Scouting magazine
• Boys' Life magazine
• Scout Life magazine
• Eagles' Call magazine
• Presbyterians Today
• ASJA Magazine
• PBS Next Avenue
• Forbes.com
• Flyover Future
• Kentucky Homes & Gardens
• The (Louisville) Courier-Journal and several of its speciality publications: Welcome Home Kentuckiana, Lavish, and Kentuckiana Parent
• Youth Net, a publication of the United Methodist Publishing House
• Museum News

I write six regular columns for Scouting magazine, the magazine for adult leaders and parents in the Boy Scouts of America. For about 15 years I was the primary feature writer for Eagles' Call magazine, the official publication of the National Eagle Scout Association, and its predecessor publications, Eagle Scout Magazine and The Eagletter.

Here are a few work samples. You can find more at https://markray.contently.com/.

Profiles

• AARP The Magazine article on Larry and Kathie Stoess, founders of a pay-as-you-can restaurant
• Eagles' Call article on Boston Marathon bombing hostage negotiator "Russ Houston" (finalist for a Folio: Eddie Award)
• Eagles' Call article on Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson
• Eagles' Call article on Little Rock Nine member Ernest Green
• Eagles' Call article on Baseball Hall of Fame member Pat GIllick
• Eagles' Call article on Greg Deering, founder of the Deering Banjo Company
• Eagles' Call article on living Eagle Scouts who served in World War II
• Eagles' Call article on "Supergirl" writer Sterling Gates
• Eagle Scout Magazine article on Olympic gold medalist Steve Holcomb
• Eagle Scout Magazine article on a Scout service project in Russia (part of a package that won an Association Media & Publishing Gold EXCEL Award)
• Eagle Scout Magazine article on a Scout who builds houses for the poor in Ciudad Juárez (3rd place winner in the Magazine Feature Article category of the 80th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition)
• Eagletter article on Eagle Scout Derek Slinger
• Eagletter article on Senators Richard Lugar and Sam Nunn
• Boys' Life article on storm chaser Reed Timmer
• Scouting magazine profile on a group of "super Scouters"

Scouting

• Scouting magazine article on the revised Cub Scout program
• Scouting magazine article on tips for new leaders
• Scouting magazine Roundtable section (a six-article package I've been writing since 2009)
• American Scouting Digest article on Philmont Scout Ranch
• American Scouting Digest article on travel safety

Parenting and Families

• Scouting article on helping kids beat boredom
• Scouting article on happy kids
• Kentuckiana Parent article on Deerfoot Lodge
• Kentuckiana Parent article on Sarasota, Florida
• Kentuckiana Parent article on Big Brothers Big Sisters

Religion

• Presbyterians Today article on AIDS in Africa
• Presbyterians Today article on the impact of disaster spiritual care
• Presbyterians Today article on youth missions
• Presbyterians Today article on intentional communities
• Youth Net article on teen drivers

Lifestyles

• Next Avenue article on Shakespeare with Veterans
• Next Avenue article on the Sterling Service Tea Ministry
• Lavish article on Anchorage, Kentucky
• Lavish article on personal aircraft
• Lavish article on holiday decorating
• Kentucky Homes & Gardens article on Farmington Historic Home
• Kentucky Homes & Gardens article on trends in home theater design
• Welcome Home Kentuckiana article on architectural glass
• Welcome Home Kentuckiana article on the meaning of "cozy"

Business and Personal Finance

• Costo Connection article on how Costco redistributes excess goods
• Costo Connection article on Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods
• Kentucky Banker article on Louisville's Park DuValle community
• Louisville Defender article on the Louisville Community Development Bank
• Courier-Journal article on teen car insurance

Technology

• Next Avenue article on password managers
• Next Avenue article on technology for aging in place
• Sample issue of Inside FrontPage