Raff Ellis is a first generation Lebanese American and the author of many short stories, magazine articles, and essays.  A former computer industry executive, Mr. Ellis’ first book Kisses from a Distance was published by Cune Press, Seattle, Wash.

The book was born of the discovery of correspondence found in his mother’s personal effects after her death in 1994. The letters were from family and friends in Lebanon and spanned some 65 years. After reading them several times, the notion that they would form the basis for a narrative took wing.  An additional eight years of research and writing finally culminated in the award-winning memoir, Kisses from a Distance.

The work chronicles the political, financial, and sociological problems endured by the people of Lebanon as lived through the experiences of three families. Also, by extension, the book examines the very ethos of the Lebanese people themselves.

Mr. Ellis has visited the Middle East many times, having traveled to Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Lebanon several times. He has always been interested in, if not fascinated by, the history of his Lebanese ancestors and the environment from whence they came.

His award-winning book has received reviews in the Beirut Daily Star and the French language newspaper L’Orient Le Jour among others.

A graduate of LeMoyne College with a BS in Pure Science, Mr. Ellis also has a MBA from the University of Central Florida. He spent his entire business career in the computer industry, rising from the ranks of computer programmer to CEO of an Information Technology R&D firm in his last assignment.

Raff and his wife Loretta reside in Florida.