I write every day in part thanks to these small voices I have in my head. They are a collection of people, some friends, some enemies, and almost all strangers to some degree. Some are my characters talking to me, screaming at me to get out of my head and onto the page and into the real world. Some of them are authors who have come before. Bukowski yells at me to get off my ass and write until I do. Dick tells me to keep in mind the desires of the heart deeply immersed in battle with the logical brain. Then Mr. Bradbury comes along every so often and softly whispers in my ear "Just keep going, my boy. Have fun with it."

I've come to realize you have to be part madman to want to write... madman in the sense that it must consume you like numbers to a person with OCD (yes, I fear I may have slight OCD. I have to pick just the 'right' loaf of bread as it calls to me, check locks thricely [but only thricely for it is, after all, the most perfectly primed number], etc.). Writing and the desire to write is something maddening that you must live with. An odd juggling act the ringmaster commands you to do or go mad.

If I may, though I know this is a Q&A session, take this opportunity to voice something other than a question. I hope I do not over-step any bounds. I've already asked a question the last go-'round and feel I shouldn't be so gluttonous as to ask for more advice or to query into personal matters. Instead, I would like to thank Mr. Bradbury for his small, soft voice in my ear.

Thank you.

quote:

Originally posted by LordShen:
...but only thricely for it is, after all, the most perfectly primed number...

Yeah - threesomes are good.

Thricely is a good word.

Mr. Bradbury, you have written that you brought it upon yourself bad eyesight as a way of blotting out the evil in the world. Didn't that blot out some of the good as well? And do you think, now many years later, that you really did bring this condition upon yourself, or was it just genetics displayed?

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This is an opportunity to ask away. Asking more than one question is no problem. Checking thru the archives, however, will indicate if your question has already been answered.

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Mr. Bradbury: Many of your fans here have weighed in on who could do justice to bringing your stories (Dandelion Wine, Illustrated Man, two examples) to the big screen. I have always admired your philosophy that all a producer needed "to get it right" would be to rip the pages out of the book and stuff them in the camera!"

Have you ever met Timothy Burton or have you an opinion of his works? If so, does his method of interpretation seem fitting for your writing style? I'd also like to keep the spark fanned on F451. Any news on the F. Durabont front?
(FPfromNY)

I posted a question, vis. Fahrenheit 451 in the resources area. I teach remedial/ELL/SPED English II in Las Vegas. F451 is one of the pieces of literature that 10th graders are to read and understand. We are having a blast! but one of my kids, A. (who is both ELL and SPED) asked, "If the houses are fireproofed, how do they burn to the ground? or do they (the contents of house)just burn down (smolder)?
Again, I appreciate an answer - it will validate my kids' opinions and discussions about literature.

Thanks in advance,

Don't throw any hardcovers at me. I'm asking another question.
"Mr. Bradbury. You were friends with authors C.L. Moore and Henry Kuttner who wrote the basis for the motion picture, The Last Mimsy. Could you tell us a little about your friendship with them?"

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..... THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS AS OF APRIL 4th, 2007, TO BE ASKED RAY BRADBURY

................ Already posted but do not see your question here? Please Post It Again!
...............Or you can simply POST a NEW question here. Hit REPLY, bottom of page.
.....[color:PURPLE]Your Question will be put on the list of Questions to Ask Ray Bradbury.

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Deadline to POST A QUESTION is on April 8th, 2007. If a question is ultimately considered already answered, or answerable elsewhere on this website, it may be struck.
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... Phil Knox:
Mr. Bradbury, let's say you live into your 100th year. And that your health, considering all things, holds up fairly well. That your mind is clear and your ambition still strong. What things might you say you would still like to do with the time available to you?

... rocket:
Mr. Bradbury, you made mention earlier that the short story, Embroidery was the only atomic bomb story strictly dealing with the detonation of the bomb while several ladies are embroidering. But can you describe the importance of the bomb in Fahrenheit 451 not only to the story as a whole, but how critical is it to the ending? Also, was it paramount that Mildred die in that conflagration?

... rocket:
I have not heard a lot of discussion regarding Ray's relation to Harlan Ellison. What is his relationship with him?

... Braling II:
Do you listen much to music? What kinds? Do you have any Bernard Hermann recordings? Do you listen to much radio? Are you still in touch with Stan Freberg?

... embroiderer:
Mr. Bradbury, Thomas Edison said something to the effect of that his inventions were a result of 10% inspiration, and 90% perspiration. What is your ratio on creating a finished short story, for instance?

... ravenswake:
Mr. Bradbury, after years of interviews and tons of questions, what question would you love to answer that's never been asked? And what's the answer to it?

... embroiderer:
Mr. Bradbury, you seem to always be very optimistic, with high energy in your outlook on the future and a positive approach to yourself and your work. But there must be things that you find pessimistic, or even futile. Care to describe what those things might be?

... Phil Knox:
Mr. Bradbury, care to say what it is that you hate about yourself? If nothing, then how about things you merely dislike about yourself?

... CroweMarie:
What outside forces (politics, events, society, changes, revolutions) have influenced your writings. What, initially, motivates your work?

... fjp451:
How about all the nearly pure frozen water discovered at the Martian South Pole? Some locations over 2 miles thick! What will they be revealing to us next?

... Phil Knox:
Mr. Bradbury, could you tell us a little aboout your friendship with C.L.Moore and Henry Kuttner? The movie, 'the last mimzy' based on their 1940s book just opened recently.

... fjp451:
Mr. Bradbury, many of your fans here have weighed in on who could do justice to bringing your stories (Dandelion Wine, Illustrated Man, two examples) to the big screen. I have always admired your philosophy that all a producer needed "to get it right" would be to rip the pages out of the book and stuff them in the camera! Have you ever met Timothy Burton or have you an opinion of his works? If so, does his method of interpretation seem fitting for your writing style? I'd also like to keep the spark fanned on F451. Any news on the Frank Durabont front?

... libRArY:
Mr. Bradbury, you have written a nwhile ago that you brought it upon yourself, bad eyesight, as a way of blotting out the evil in the world. Didn't that blot out some of the good as well? And do you think, now many years later, that you really did bring this condition upon yourself, or was it just genetics displayed?

... crimsoncat:
I teach remedial English II in Las Vegas. F451 is one of the pieces of literature that 10th graders are to read and understand. We are having a blast! But one of my kids asked, "If the houses are fireproofed, how do they burn to the ground? Or do they just burn the contents of house?"

... Somena:
I wanted to ask about one part of F451. Near the end of the book, Montag receives a new occult/hidden name (known only to a few) after he witnesses his own death ostensibly on the TV by the state after he has eluded capture. Montag shortly afterwards quotes from the book of The Revelation. Being a bible-scholar hobbyist, the new-name thing jumped out at me. I went to the part of Revelation, which was close to where Montag quotes, and found the part of Revelation where God is admonishing the 7 churches of the Earth to repent. Pergamos is one of those churches, and this church is told that if its members repent, among other things, they will receive new names (also hidden) as a blessing from God. Perganmos is named after the region, and is so named because it's where parchment was created. Considering the crucial importance of the written word in the book, my question for you, Mr. Bradbury, is: did you mean to make this connection for us, as a kind of "Easter-Egg" for bible scholars? Do you think a comparison to Lot and his wife is also fair, concerning Montag and Mildred, in that Montag left the city, while Mildred metaphorically looked back? And lastly, was Faber's Bible reading of the book of Job to Montag earlier in the book, over the earpiece, foreshadowing? Thanks!

... keith call:
Mr. Bradbury, somewhere I read or heard that you had something to do with getting poet Carl Sandburg a job of some sorts. Can you fill in the details on this one?

... ravenswake:
Mr. Bradbury, what do you think your daughters would say is the neatest thing about growing up with a famous dad?

....grasstains:
What was your greatest experience or memory as a fan and how does it compare to your greatest experience or memory as a pro? Also: Do you still have any of your old fanzines?

........... (((( IF your Question was posted in this Forum, it'll be asked, even tho not posted in the above list. The Q&A Closed Midnight, Los Angeles time, April 8th )))) ...........

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This message has been edited. Last edited by: Nard Kordell,

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...............Just a Brief Note to say that the Ask Bradbury A Question opportunity will go until Sunday night this upcoming weekend, April 8th. This will likely not be done again this year. So post your question on this forum. It'll get included in the list of questions. See POSTING directly above this one for current list of Questions being asked.

ASK RAY BRADBURY A QUESTION IS NOW CLOSED! THANKS FOR ALL THE QUESTIONS!
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This message has been edited. Last edited by: Nard Kordell,

I'd say dandelion is going to have a headache in the morning!

Not a headache, just a sore arm. Special internet ailment...deleter's finger?

May I ask another please?

Mr. Bradbury, what do you think your daughters would say is the neatest thing about growing up with a famous dad? Thanks!

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ravenswake: It's been posted...
Ask on..........
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Dear Mr. Bradbury,

I am the founder of a music group called “Shadow Circus”, of course, in this context, an obvious reference to your novel “Something Wicked This Way Comes”. On the album’s title track, the lyrics make reference to The Illustrated Man, and the overall tone and atmosphere of the song is that of some evil circus…perhaps one run by a certain Mr. Dark!

If you are curious, I have prepared the song for download at the following link: http://www.shadowcircusmusic.com/band-old/mp3/. So that you are prepared for what you will hear, the music can be described as somewhat esoteric, melodic rock. I would also be delighted to mail you a copy of this recording, acknowledging that you may not have access to a computer in order to hear it.

I do hope that you might enjoy the song’s concept even if the genre is not to your liking. This is a self-released effort, and as such will only be heard by a relatively small audience, but we are about to sign to an independent label, and it would be an honor to have your blessing if we are able to further market this material to a broader audience.

Thank you for your time, and, of course, inspiration!

Cheers,

John Fontana