Emily Walls Ray launched Tracks from Tuscaloosa, a collection of 21 short stories, in 2024.  A native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, she lives in Richmond, Virginia. An  Air Force veteran, she retired as a teacher of English. Her published work includes Room for Poetry (with others) and a short story “Kamsamnida,” in The Richmond Magazine as winner of a short story contest.  Additionally, selected short stories and poetry appear in The Golden Nib Winners Journal and the Virginia Writer’s Club Journal. She occasionally freelances for various newspapers. 

She teaches memoir writing for The Shepherd Center of Richmond, and is writing a memoir about motherhood. Other projects include a collection of children’s stories she began while working at The Graphic, once a weekly family-owned newspaper in Tuscaloosa. She has also written an as yet unpublished novel about a naturalist, set in Tuscaloosa.

“Everything I write comes from a Southern sensibility,” Ray said. “Storytelling’s in my bones, and Tuscaloosa, though I have traveled far, is my touchstone; especially from the viewpoint of a rocking chair on a certain porch overlooking Binion Creek on Lake Tuscaloosa.”

Ray enjoys holding readings of her work at book clubs and library events. She hopes to participate in events in Tuscaloosa as possible. “Alabama, and Tuscaloosa in particular has been blessed with distinct voices and talented storytellers,” Ray said. “I am proud of being a recipient of its literary heritage.” She blogs about life, faith, and her writing journey and invites readers to join her.

Ray holds an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University, an MBA from Mississippi State University, and a BA  from The University of Alabama. She enjoys growing in faith and living a vibrant life with her family and friends To learn more visit her blog, “Emily Walls Ray’s Light and Laughter”.