About
Ray Tye is the author of Travis Heights: A Journey of Resilience and Reconciliation (Yuma River Press, 2026), a memoir about leaving home at fourteen, surviving on the streets of Austin, and finding his way back to his father after twenty-five years of estrangement.
Tye enlisted in the Marine Corps at seventeen and retired as a commissioned officer, going on to lead IT and cybersecurity initiatives for businesses and government agencies. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Texas State University. He lives in Plano, Texas, with his wife Sally.
Travis Heights is his first book. He writes about second chances, the cost of silence, and whether it's ever too late to repair what was broken. Ten percent of net profits supports Covenant House International.
He can be found at raytyeauthor.com and on Substack @raytye.
Featured Work
Travis Heights: A Journey of Resilience and Reconciliation
Ray Tye left home in Austin at fourteen with seven dollars in his pocket. He survived the streets, served in the Marine Corps, and built a life — then spent twenty-five years estranged from his father. Travis Heights is the story of how they found their way back to each other.
Other Works
Awards and Recognition
- Kirkus Reviews Verdict GET IT: "Tye's heartbreakingly honest narrative style will prompt nods of agreement . . . This combination of mission and memoir highlights the power of forgiveness to repair shattered lives—and, in doing so, may help some readers to find their own higher purpose. A moving remembrance of a hardscrabble journey from wandering to fulfillment. OUR VERDICT: GET IT” — Kirkus Reviews https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ray-tye/travis-heights/
- Michael McConnell, Editor of award-winning literature and NYT bestsellers: “Ray Tye’s Travis Heights is a masterclass in vulnerability. His ability to navigate trauma, memory, and identity with both precision and heart is extraordinary. A powerful reminder that reconciliation doesn’t require forgetting—it requires truth.” — Michael McConnell, Editor of award-winning literature and NYT bestsellers
- Literary Titan Silver Award: “Tye’s voice feels like someone talking to you across a diner table at midnight… The reconciliation Tye offers is not neat and cozy. What he offers instead is a kind of truce with his own history. He shows that you can hold boundaries, tell the truth about what happened, and still choose not to stay stuck in hatred.” — Literary Titan https://literarytitan.com/2026/04/28/travis-heights/
