Poetic Edge Publishers

OUT NOW!! Get your copy here

Or contact us if you would prefer a copy signed by the author herself. Email ashleyedge.poet@gmail.com. Please note, direct orders will include p&p.

“Genevieve Ray’s debut poetry collection, Free Roaming Adult Woman, captures her experience of facing down mental health challenges, accepting her flaws and embracing her multifaceted identity. Delving into her family origins, this collection sings with an Afro-beat and Euro-strings; its musical rhythm breathes from the page to the readers heart.”

Her words will flow into your soul and we promise you will love every word, every page! You can confirm this by watching Genevieve’s perform poems from the collection at her online launch, available on YouTube here.

Bio:

Genevieve Ray is a Spoken Word Artist, Poet, Director, Producer, Playwright, Actor and Spokeswoman from Bedfordshire, East England. She has been published over 25 times in anthologies, digital and print magazines, been the guest star on 14 podcasts and the headline act for performances across the UK (officially each compass point as of 2024!): USA, South Africa, Nigeria and even as far away as Bhutan.

The funny thing is, if you had asked Ray if poetry was what she expected to be her main creative role, she would have laughed at you. Ray’s original plan was to be an actress. Well, initially she wanted to be a doctor but then saw the wrong episode of Holby City…

Ray’s actual first passion was the theatre.

Ray was drawn to the art of theatre by seeing shows in London with her parents. The combination of talents needed to produce a stand out show fascinated her. She brought this multifaceted skill to her own creative studies. Ray pursued acting first, performing in the local Gangshow and her first full leading role was as Judas Iscariot in Jesus Christ Superstar. Her performance ability was widely celebrated at an early age. She studied Drama and Theatre at Queen Mary’s College, where she first experienced directing.

Ray went on to study a Bachelor’s degree in Drama and Theatre Arts at Goldsmiths College, University of London. She trained and worked with Venture Wolf Productions, initially as an assistant director on The Merchant of Venice, then going on to direct Romeo and Juliet, Beauty Uncut and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

At the same time, Ray has dedicated herself to teaching. Working in Careers Education her entire adult career, she has trained apprentices, business entrepreneurs and patients at Recovery College. She has been interim chairwoman for Stroud Against Racism for three years and produced her own play (Prison) to a sold out first run. She has even found time to train young actors and young spoken word artists!

Ray has always been a writer. She pivoted to performing her poetry and writing about neurodivergency and social issues. From there, her career has blossomed as a Spoken Word Artist and Poet in the large international scene.

Her greatest achievement has been experience. She met people across the world due to her writing career and has been able to work with poets from vastly different ‘worlds’; from refugee camps to senior CEOs. In this field everyone can be a friend and star.

In 2025, Ray is producing a brand-new Spoken Word Show, Afro Speak, under her co-owned production company Diaspora Dames, alongside Nayma Chamchoun and Michi Masumi, and increasing her public speaking engagements.