Banned Books Week is September 30-October 6. I'm coordinating F451 programming in 27 libraries over 7,000 rural square miles. All 27 Libraries are linked electronically. Is there any way to get a video message from Ray that could simultaneously be viewed at all 27 sites?
Thanks in advance for any help!
Tim from Timberland

Hi Tim/RainZenMan,

have you considered using one or other versions of the video produced for the Big Read programme? Ray talks directly to camera, and the video is very engaging. There is a short version of a few minutes, and a longer one which is like a documentary.

We are not a "Big Read" participant this year, although we have been in the past. We may need to get permission from them. We can have the links to these on our web site, and they could be accessed at any time. On the other hand, if we did have a live link to Ray, it would galvanize our participants to a higher level of participation. There's something special about a live link with a living author, and technology makes it so that he can be present in all of our communities simultaneously. Many of our patrons did see Ray on stage in Tacoma in 2004 (including me) and would love a return engagement. I'd like to work out a connection directly from Ray - what's possible? Maybe even just a live voice message? We've Skype'd in children's authors, so we know we can make this work.
Thanks for the reminder about the Big Read video - that is a great resource.
Thanks,
Tim

I will leave it to others closer to Ray to comment on the practicality of what you are requesting, but I would just urge you to consider that Ray is now 90 years old, doesn't make many public appearances, and just a few days ago was unable to attend a major event which bears his name (Ray Bradbury Creativity Awards).

Maybe you could consider approaching Sam Weller, Ray's biographer and co-editor of the forthcoming book SHADOW SHOW, a tribute collection of stories in honour of Bradbury.