About Me

I write anywhere and everywhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I began writing as a teenager. I was a bit of a loner as a kid and I found my refuge in books, losing myself in the made up worlds between the covers of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Edgar Allen Poe, et al. It was probably a logical next step that I’d start creating my own worlds. I won a National Sunday school short story writing contest when I was around 13, and from then on I was hooked.

When I joined the army in 1962, I wrote poetry for the European Stars and Stripes newspaper, and over the years began writing for newspapers near the bases where I was assigned and getting published in national and regional magazines. I’ve moonlighted as an editorial cartoonist and columnist for local papers, been a contributing artist for a now defunct magazine, and had cartoons, photographs, and articles published in magazines all over, such as Ebony, Asia Magazine, Newsweek, Tarheel, etc. Some of the publications I appeared in haven’t survived the digital revolution, while others have changed dramatically. Having been in print journalism for decades, the transition to e-Books was difficult, but I took the plunge, and now that’s my mainstay, although I still like the feel of a paper book in my hand, and my books are available in paperback as well as electronic format.

I worked as a government employee (military and civilian) from 1962 to 2012, and during that time, I wrote at every opportunity. I retired in 2012 (50 years was long enough, don’t you think?) and am now devoting full time to writing, art, photography, and public speaking on leadership and international affairs. That, of course, calls into question the term ‘retirement.’ Maybe a better word is ‘transitioned’ from public to private life.

I have a broad range of interests, and they’ll be reflected in this blog, as well as my other blog at http://charlesaray.blogspot.com. Hopefully, what I post will educate and inspire you, but most importantly, I hope it will entertain you. Reader feedback is always welcome – even the negative stuff, but, please, no rotten tomatoes.