I write every day because of Ray Bradbury. His hard work inspires me every time I take out a pen. I haven't attempted being published yet, although I think my newest story could have a chance after many revisions. I want to be a writer and an English teacher, both rewarding jobs in their own rights. Ray Bradbury inspires me to follow my dreams. He is the reason that I am an idependent thinker today, rather than the plastic teenager that I was once becoming. I couldn't imagine my life without Mr. Bradbury, even if it is only through his works.

Wow, so many favored by the Muses.

GirlMontag,
Knowing that you like Ray Bradbury and that you wish to become a teacher and author, perhaps you would like Zenna Henderson.

It is definitely very awesome and inspiring to see so many creative people in this world. I seem to have left out my own 2 cents, but that's okay. I wasn't starting this to stroke my own ego, but out of pure curiosity.

Bradbury didn't start me on writing. A childhood spent ill and in hospitals did that. When you've nothing to do day after day after day after day you eventually pick up a book or two and read and then eventually write. I started writing at a young-ish age (8) and have not stopped since. I went to Otis college in L.A. for two years as a painter. In all this time I'd always come across Bradbury's work but never really attempted a read (though speculative fiction is by far a favorite of mine!).

I have been involved with a few underground mags and such, artists groups and the like. Nowadays I stay home writing, desperately trying to make money at it, refusing the call for a "normal wage" despite poverty and mental strain and health. I run my own site where I publish If - E - Zine: The Free Online Magazine of Thrilling Speculative Fiction! and promote myself.


Back to Bradbury, though. My love for him truly blossomed when I first came into contact with the animated classic The Halloween Tree. I now own the book and two copies of the movie. Since then I have read a lot more of his work. And he has most definitely inspired me to paint with word images rather than describe plainly. But more than that, in the face of adversity in the life of an artist and an oft demoralizing social situation and world, Bradbury has reminded me of one simple thing that keeps me going on and on:

Have fun doing it.

I'd kinda like to meet some of you in person. You all seem to be very interesting, wonderful folk. And I have enjoyed the shared creative works.


Forever walk in beauty, friends.


~ LordShen

Thanks for the true-art confession, LordShen. Follow the yellow brick road to the land of your heart and dreams. Don't settle.

Here's a line I wrote in an article about Bradbury~~"Thank you, Ray Bradbury, for having the courage to live the life of your dreams instead of that of society's expectations."

Also, LordShen, thanks for starting this thread. I, too, have learned a lot about some of these other Bradbury aficionados.

I particularly enjoyed Girl Montag's post. It was straightforward but eloquent, and I believe she will keep up that trend in her writing. You GO, Girl Montag!!!
We have Ray to thank, apparently, for the fact that there is one less "plastic teenager" in this world. Such good news!


"Art is the ability to tell the truth, especially about yourself."
~~The late, great Richard Pryor

This message has been edited. Last edited by: N. K. Love,

I enjoyed reading 'Girl Montag's' post as well. Ray was definitely an early inspiration for me.

I remember reading F-451 in the fifth grade, while I was attending this little Catholic school in Roseburg, Oregon. This was in the mid-60's. It was shortly afterward I began writing 'stories' instead of essays, whenever I thought I could pass them off as a particular assignment. Ha!

Several times I was dragged by my ear to the priest by an angry nun and lectured firmly on 'proper writing.'

So, I kept reading Ray's work...except I began filling up notebooks with my own writing and resorted to hiding them under my bed at home.

Today, I have two science fiction novels out there and two more nearly finished. I own half of a small press specializing in illustrated books, mostly sci-fi although we do other genres sometimes. (Adventure Books of Seattle)

Guess you could say I'm a stubborn sort, and on blogs when they ask you to fill in the question 'who would you like to meet if you could?' You can guess the answer to THAT one.(lol)

Adventure Books of Seattle has been bookmarked. Nice looking site!

Ally Bird here from Yorkshire,England.

As I have said recently in discussion with writers here and in the U.S. If it wasn't for Ray Bradbury I would not have started last year.I have been published in Scifantastic in the U.K. and in the new Hungur mag in the States. I love Shakespeare and Stephen King but for me Ray Bradbury is an absolute god. Nothing compares to him. Yours in writing Ally Bird.

Oh and I was knocked out by the site, Adventure books of Seattle. Love the music and one day perhaps I could write just for you. Yes,really, very inspiring and I was brought up on adventure, my dad used to read American pulp fiction and as an eight/nine year old I used to sneak it out from under his cushion -Mickey Spillane etc. That writer crept out of my subcoscious then, more to follow. I so enjoyed your site.

Ally Bird. Look out for me in the new mag Hungur. I write more than Romano-vampire fiction.

WOW! True praise coming from someone from Yorkshire: Land of Writers!

Yorkshire: I liked the beer and the cheeses!

Well, of course that's what would seem good after being shut up in a box!

Mrs. Braling and I did have a good time over there...

Yes, I am. Writing for a very long time and creating a paper based (and thus biodegradable) landfill of my very own. A book of short stories is complete (call ed "Back and Here again") as well as two novels in the works ("Yarn" and "Driving the Dead"), a second collection of short fiction is on the way. I am chasind agents this year via my writers circle, and if I get that far this year I will be happy. I will get published one day, and if one day happens to be some day, then what a happy day it will be. I will be entering one of my stories into competition in the UK this year too, look out for "Recording device" if you follow such things. P.S. "In a season of calm weather" is, in my opinion, the greatest short story ever written. Is this how we feel when we read Mr. B's work. Very possibly.

My first novel was published last year after 30 years of writing. There were other inspirations beyond Ray Bradbury but I have to admit that no other author moved me so much.

I can still recall reading and rereading The Silver Locusts at the age of eleven. Now, thirty years on, cynical and tired, I can almost feel the tears well up as I think of those Martian landscapes; the beauty the wonder the magnificence.

Everything I ever wanted as a child was given to me by Ray Bradbury. I feel a sense of catharsis just by writing this. I always wanted to say it. I've said it!

No I'm not a writer and I have never been published. I don't have an idea yet that grips me to the point of the story writing itself. That would be truly wonderful. I know I have a muse, she's just very malnourished and very quiet at the moment. Every time so far that I have tried to write, it comes out sounding pompous and irrelevant. I'm on the lookout though, I may write someday, maybe when kids are gone and silence abounds. It'll probably too quiet then, like the roar of silence. I tip my hat to all of you brave souls who have not only written but live and breath art!

Ravenswake, welcome back, sorry to hear about your wife, that can't be fun. I know, I've been there, I was in traction for one month back in '82 from a motorcycle wreck, still have big screws in my knee. Good luck.