AuthorTalk on the Hill

Christie Jones Ray is a self-taught artist and Author/Illustrator of thirteen titles. She self-published twelve of those titles, which revolve around the character she created, a stuffed toy mouse named after her great grandmother Eliza, who grew to be only four feet tall.

Christie graduated from Trevecca in 1982, with her AA degree and worked as a medical assistant for 10 years. She returned to Trevecca in 1992, to pursue her degree in elementary education, graduating spring of 1994. She taught varying subjects to middle schoolers for thirteen years. In the winter of 2011 Christie began writing a blog and began including the mouse's adventures in her posts after Eliza the Mouse was created on Easter Sunday. The mouse became very real to their 4 year old grandson, and he played with her endlessly, on his visits to his Grammy's house.

It was that summer of 2011, that Christie's husband Tim began encouraging her to write a children's book, relaying these mousie adventures. She resisted. He persisted.

At the age of 50, her journey into writing, illustrating, and self-publishing began. By spring of 2012, she would publish four titles, all at once, and launch their release at the Strawberry Patch Barn Sale event in Hartsville, Tennessee, along with a line of all-occasion greeting cards, Eliza-themed recipe card set, and two lines of mini note card sets. By the spring of 2013, she would release her 10th book. It was at that time, their toddler granddaughter came to live with them. The book writing and illustrating and creating was put on hold, in order to establish a routine and safe haven for the little one.

In August of that same year, Christie and Tim would travel to Martha's Vineyard to attend Susan Branch's book signing, as she had become quite a friend and mentor. While there, she and her husband met with Susan's publisher, and they agreed upon the idea of a new tale. 2014 saw the release of the 1st book in the adventure series, Eliza Visits Martha's Vineyard, published by Vineyard Stories. In 2015, the 12th title, 4th in the "Seasons" series, Eliza Meets Ella Grace Louise, a book for summer, was released. This past February, Christie's 13th title, Eliza Visits The Prairie by Rachel Ashwell, 2nd in the adventure series, was released, and in April, she and her husband traveled to Round Top, Texas for its launch. Book signings were held at Rachel Ashwell's B&B with Ms. Ashwell hosting, Royers Pie Haven, and story-time at Round Top-Carmine Elementary School.
Rachel Ashwell referred to Christie Jones Ray as a modern day Beatrix Potter.

Christie is currently working to complete her 14th title, 3rd in the adventure series, Eliza Visits the Ballet...documenting the visit to the Nutcracker Ballet in NYC, Christmas 2014.

Her mission is to encourage imagination and creativity and inspire interaction in relationships between children and their parents and grandparents. Her stories touch the young..and the young at heart. Her books are available through online booksellers Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Books-a-Million, as well as independent booksellers. They have also been made available for sale internationally. In addition, Christie has created 5 x 7 greeting cards, Hyacinth Hedgehog mini note cards and an Eliza themed recipe card set available from Rose Water Cottage Press.

Follow her on twitter @christieluvstim and on Instagram @christiejonesray and Facebook