Rest In Peace, My Mentor
Before you ask, no, I never met Ray Bradbury.
How I wanted to. I dreamed I did once, years ago. I dreamed I met him and inadvertently caused his death. I woke up in tears, so upset I rewrote my dream as a short story and made sure there was some sort of survival for Ray. Knowing no one gets out alive. Yeah, I have a death obsession. Yeah, I’m also a Bradbury fan girl.
Always will be, Ray, but damn, I wish I could have told you that.
I had the opportunity of seeing Ray Bradbury in person when he held an author event at the first college I attended in 1968 soon after I was honorably discharged from the US Marines. In fact, it was that lecture that inspired me to become an author and changed my goals for a BA degree in architecture to journalism followed by an MFA in writing years later in addition to attending creative writing workshops out of UCLA’s extension program for about seven years in the 1980s.
Ray Bradbury was an inspiration. The second time I saw him was a few years ago at the UCLA Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. He was sitting in a wheel chair in the authors lounge and I was so tempted to walk over and tell him how much I admired his work and how he had inspired me to keep writing as the rejection slips rolled in through the years, but I chickened out.
Every time I faltered and thought about quitting at my goal of become a published author, I remembered his lecture in 1968 and kept on writing and doing what I could to improve my craft. Thanks to him and the changing publishing environment, I achieved my goals and found an audience for my work. I also discovered a few that don’t like my work/style. :o)
I do not recall the exact words that Bradbury said in 1968 that kept me going but it had to do with discipline and perseverance and never giving up on the dream and always putting one foot in front of the other without fail no matter how long it takes as long as one has breath and the ability to find time to write and do it.
Wow. I’m both envious and sympathetic. I would have felt the same way you did when you saw him later. Thanks for popping in to see me!
Very touching homage to him. I was also very sad to read of his passing away.
Thanks, Misha. Just so you know, there’s an anthology coming together full of stories inspired by him. 😀 I just posted about it.