Books

When the Bahraini police officer asked Michelle Ray to get out of the car, she stumbled, trying not to sway. This was worse than giving someone a middle finger, worse than being seen eating during Ramadan. Much worse.

Her adventure hadn’t started like this. She’d left Kansas at 26, looking for a bigger life. She hadn’t planned on the Middle East, but it was big, different, and best of all, far, far away. Collecting experiences like coins, she rarely considered what she’d do with them. Even with traveling a world away, it was the people around her who changed: finding partners and finding professional fulfillment. Meanwhile, her life kept circling: another dark club, another questionable relationship. Another stamp in the passport: You Are Here.

Tender, funny, and unflinching, Lesson (Un)Planned is for anyone who has ever set their plans ablaze and picked through the ashes for what was worth keeping.

Available September 1, 2026

Michelle Ray is a writer and educator with over 25 years of teaching experience in Ecuador, Bahrain, Dubai, and the United States. She is currently pursuing her MFA in creative nonfiction at the University of Nebraska Omaha and serves as a reader for Guernica and The Good Life Review. Her work has appeared in Beyond Words International Literary Magazine and Obindo Magazine.

Her years of living and teaching abroad form the heart of her debut memoir, a story rooted in the ongoing negotiation of identity, belonging, and transformation that comes with building a life far from home.

Michelle offers writing coaching and courses through her Substack, States of Matter (@michelleray70). She’s an avid reader and runner, with a full marathon, multiple half marathons, and 10K races under her belt. She lives in Southern California with her husband, son, and two dogs. She welcomes readers, writing conversations, and book club invitations.