Ray Brunt
Biography
Ray was inspired to begin writing after reading A Perfect Day For Banana Fish, by J.D. Salinger, in high school. Amazed by the emotional and empathetic impact of that story, he wrote poetry and short stories throughout college and was published in college student literary journals. He took a hiatus from writing until he once again decided to take it seriously and went back to school and earned an MFA in fiction in 2017 from Sierra Nevada College. Ray also has his MBA from Monmouth University. Ray believes that creative writing changes and redirects people emotionally in a positive way that everyone can experience. Ray is currently working on a manuscript of linked short stories titled The Dying Dreams of a Steely Dan Fan. A long-time advocate of theater, education, and the arts, he is currently on the board of trustees for The Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre in NYC and serves on The Deans Advisory Board at Monmouth University’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences. He has previously served as board president of The Algonquin Arts Theatre in NJ and is currently a board member of Project Write Now. Ray lives in Wall with his wife and his two adult children.