The best stories are true. My nonfiction work has appeared in a number of print and online publications, including:
- Scouting magazine
- Boys' Life magazine
- Eagles' Call magazine
- The Costco Connection
- AARP The Magazine
- Presbyterians Today
- ASJA Magazine
- PBS Next Avenue
- Forbes.com
- 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
- Kentucky Banker
I am currently the feature writer for Eagles' Call (formerly known as Eagle Scout Magazine and The Eagletter), the official publication of the National Eagle Scout Association, edit several departments for Scouting magazine, and work as a contract writer on other Boy Scouts of America projects.
Here are a few work samples. You can find more at http://markray.skyword.com/ and 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
- Boys' Life article on storm chaser Reed Timmer
- Scouting magazine profile on a group of "super Scouters"
Boy 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 Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods
- Costo Connection article on Kodiak Cakes
- 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