Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury passed away last week. He was 91. He accomplished more in his 91 years than dozens of people do in their lifetime. Why? He believed in himself. He was a writer who never went to college. A writer that crossed multiple formats to include short stories, novels, radio, tv, and film to name a few. If you're not sure you can do it look at his life's work. I first discovered Mr. Bradbury in elementary school from a teacher reading several of his short stories to us. It wasn't until I hit sixth grade and was unleashed on the school's library that I found the amazing world of science fiction. I was fortunate to have a librarian that didn't restrict me to reading books at my "grade level". She encouraged me to read any and everything. I started in the A's--Asimov. Then I moved to the B's-Bova, and then I found Bradbury. A man that could write a story about something as common as a paper clip and hook you until the end. At home watching Ray Bradbury theater helped me see the connection between the written word and screenplays. I started writing short stories. I would look at everyday objects just like Mr. Bradbury did, and write stories about them. This bled over into my art, as I would draw or paint items, but in each painting or drawing if you looked close enough you would see something else hidden within. I don't know how many times he was rejected by publishers, or panned by critics. I just know that at the age of 10, he took painfully shy girl and introduced her to the wonders of not just science fiction, but to writing as well. And for that I am deeply grateful. His death was a blow to me. This man who I had never met, but shaped my life just the same. Thursday I sat down with a piece of paper and thought about him. And a story began to take shape, of a young girl living in a post apocalyptic world.

Catching up

Sitting in a Dunkin Donuts. Not my usual one. Had to travel out of town. Man they know how to make a good cup of coffee. Nothing against Starbucks-which has my favorite-cinnamon dolce latte, or Gloria Jeans with their caramel latte, or Tom Tom with their caramel latte. Almost completed revisions on my first novel. As in, I stripped it down to mere chapters and paragraphs and edited it with a fine-tooth comb. I can truly sit back and say wow! It's a novel that hooks you and keeps you turning pages. Plus it's nice that I'm not the only one that thinks so. Published authors agree. It's going to be a busy summer, and gladly so, in my writing world. I'll be finished revising the first novel by the end of this month. July will see work on revising my second novel-stripping it down like I did the first one, and since I've got my summer off, I'll be working on finishing another science fiction screenplay, and starting a new sci fi screenplay. Science fiction is raking it in at the box office, but I'm not writing to the market. Science fiction is my niche. It's present in my other screenplays, novels, short stories, skits, books on my bookshelves, movies I own, subject I teach (science). I am quite the expert at it. Do I write in other genres? Yes. I'm quit adept at drama, fantasy, and horror. People really like my horror. Tell me it scares them, in a good way. Not a your weird and should seek professional help way. Time to go. We'll chat again soon.