Mary Ray (author)
Mary Eva Pedder Ray was an English author of historical fiction for children set in ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Several novels depict early Christianity.
Early life and education
Mary Ray was born on 12 March 1932 in Rugby, England to William John and Dora Ray. She said she "had a passion for ancient history since the age of six."Ray attended Birmingham College of Art and Crafts, then received a diploma in social studies from the College of the Ascension. She then attended the University of Kent, from which she earned a Bachelor of Arts in classical civilization and a Master of Arts in church history.
Career
Ray published her first novel, The Voice of Apollo, in 1964, which became the first of six novels about Ancient Greece. She also wrote eight novels about the Roman Empire and Early Christianity, as well as three plays.In addition to writing, Ray worked as a church social worker in Sheffield, a welfare worker in Warwickshire, and a civil servant in Birmingham and London.