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