1. How would you like to be remembered in the future?
2. What inspires your writing?
3. What was the greatest day of your literary career?
4. Do you have a strong belief toward the idea of aliens and/or other lifeforms.
5. Is there one common factor portryed inall your noverls and stories, besides the fact that the are science fiction?

I don't speak for Ray Bradbury, but I've seen postings that he does not do computers much, so the likelihood of him seeing this is slim at best.

The only work of his he describes as science fiction is "Farenheit 451". The other stuff -- things that I might classify as science fiction (Martian Chronicles, and many of his stories) -- he classifies as fantasy.

His distinction is that Sci Fi is something that COULD happen. Fantasy is something that could NOT happen. For him, because Martian Chronicles assumes an atmosphere less than hostile to humans, it is not sci fi, it is fantasy.

As to a common thread to his work, he has said it centers on people, and that is why it is timeless. He has also said he uses metaphor freely in his writings.

Regarding #4, he has said many times, "There is life on Mars, and it is us." He has also expressed several times belief in human life beyond earth and that someday we will meet them.

Ray answered #1 at his appearance in Long Beach recently. He wanted to be remembered as a "great lover" (!). Yes, in the sense you might think--but he also made it clear that he wants to be remembered for embracing life and writing passionately about the things he loves.

I think, regarding #2, Ray has said he writes about what he loves and also about those things he fears. He made a list of his fears and this produced several stories. He writes about this in Zen in the Art of Writing.

WritingReptile:

Gee...what did Ray mean by a great lover? Let's see, he's been married for 50 plus years... 4 daughters. What did 'you' think he meant and everyone seemed to 'think' he said?

I only wish you could have heard the applause erupt and see the sheepish grin on Ray's face when he said that.

Of course we all knew what he meant because Ray spoke again and again of the power of love that night. "When someone tells you they love you," he said, "you forget how homley you are."

He also was asked if he ever tried to write commercially and was very emphatic--he only wrote for the love of what he was doing--and if he didn't love it he would stop. I think for Ray, writing IS an act of love.