My friends and I have been referred to as the Baby Boomers, the Hippie Kids, and the unthinkable has happened to us…we've got old…we've become our parents…and our parents are dying. Carolina Red is my reaction to this new state of public and personal American affairs. A few questions? Do you still believe in God? And if you do, what is your knowledge of God? Do you still perceive IT (God is meant to be a spirit…spirit has no gender) through medieval eyes? Do you believe we've found ALL the scriptures containing God's words? If we were to discover a history of America written by God…what would it say about US? Ray Shell

Carolina Red FOREWARD by Ray Shell I have lived in the UK since 1978. I returned to the USA in 2013 when my Mother passed away which remains the most traumatic event of my life. I'm at the age when a lot of my friends have parents that are either living in the next room with them, being cared for in a hospital or nursing home, are dying, or have just died. Returning to the USA from being away so long was a shock for me especially when hearing, when I was in the UK, the harrowing events taking place in the USA. When I arrived back in Brooklyn New York, I couldn't believe, if CNN, FOX, and the mainstream media can be believed, the sharp, divisive elements tearing at the fabric of what used to be called the American Dream but seems to have become an American Night Mare. A few questions? Do you still believe in God? And if you do, what is your knowledge of God? Do you still perceive IT (God is meant to be a spirit…spirit has no gender) through medieval eyes? Do you believe we've found ALL the scriptures containing God's words? If we were to discover a history of America written by God…what would it say about US? Ray Shell

RAY SHELL is an artist. He is a published author who writes novels (ICED; SPIKE LEE: THE ETERNAL MAVERICK; CAROLINA RED), screenplays (CAROLINA RED; ICED; COOKIE TOWN), essays; he is a working actor who has appeared in over 15 West End productions, films, commercials, radio plays and has worked with the top tier cream of the entertainment industry including LEE DANIELS, KWAME KWEI-ARMAH, PAULETTE RANDALL, CAMERON MACKINTOSH, DOLLIE HENRY, SIR ANDREW LLOYD-WEBBER, TREVOR NUNN, PAUL MEDFORD, CLARKE PETERS, MARC SHAIMAN, STEPHEN SCHWARTZ, and many others. Ray is a theatre director and has produced and directed productions for GEORGE SALLIS's GIANT OLIVE THEATRE COMPANY in the UK and other companies in the UK and the USA. Ray Shell is a songwriter and producer who has written/produced tracks for THE STREET ANGELS, DARK SECRET, STEVE WILLIAMSON, TRIBE:WILSON and others. Through his TAIP_LAB program, he has trained and directed global stars such as JAY KAY, NONSO ANOZIE, MARSHA AMBROSIUS, SIA, TOBY SANDEMAN, GRACE JONES, CARON WHEELER, DAMAGE and has scouted talent for THE VOICE and X-FACTOR. TAIP stands for TOTAL ARTIST IN PRODUCTION. He has also worked with artists such as THE POLICE, JAMES EARL JONES, VANESSA REDGRAVE, JONATHAN PRYCE, ANDRA DAY, TREVANTE RHODES, LEA SALONGA, HEATHER HEDLEY…the list is numerous. Ray Shell is also a Father, a GrandFather, a Brother, and a Son. Twitter:@rayshell Instagram: taip_lab Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/Ayriesr/