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John-Arthur Ingram
The first time Ms. Victoria Peasley met Ray Bradbury, was in an
English pub at a film festival in Long Beach.
It was featuring Bradbury’s film, “Moby Dick.”
She kissed him on the cheek and he returned the favor.
That was a long time ago. However,
the sentiment still remains.
On October 28, 2007, I had the pleasure of interviewing the warm
and charming Ray Bradbury at the Ray Bradbury Theater Festival, hosted
by Ventura’s own Rubicon Theatre Company.
I had never met Bradbury or any great literary author before in
my life, and in short, I was nervous.
At noon, Bradbury was available for book signings.
I stood in a steady moving line of eager fans of all ages that
came to spend a day with one of our finest American writers.
The Rubicon provided an intimate and comfortable setting for the
great author and his loving fans, which helped calm my nerves.
He was among friends that have become connected to him through
many of his stories. It was
comforting to see him respond to everyone with patience, gratitude, and
joy. When it was my turn, I
approached him with awe and splendor.
As a young 25 year old aspiring writer, I couldn’t resist
beginning the interview by asking the 87 year old literary master, for
some advice. It was simple.
He told me, “there is only one advice you can give to young
writers: Do what you love and love what you do.”
He continued with, “don’t listen to anyone.
Do what you want.” Bradbury
was obviously a rebel and it paid off.
His friends and various critics along the way, tried to tell him
what to write and he didn’t listen.
He loved word tales and Edgar Allan Poe, despite what they
thought of it. He did what
he loved and the “damn stuff is still around.”
What I found more meaningful to me is that he started on the same
writing journey as I have. He
began as a poet. “I wanted
to be a poet when I was in high school.”
He stated and then admitted with humor, “my poetry in high
school was lousy.” However,
he kept writing and when he was thirty he began to seriously pursue and
write poetry. A door of
opportunity opened when he was forty-three.
He wrote a poem about football which got him into writing decent
poems. However, he didn’t
stop there. His work shows a
wide range of talent, from the short story all the way to film.
“I became all these things,” he said and he has done just
that. He is a poet,
novelist, playwright, screenwriter, short story writer, pulp fiction
writer, mystery writer, fantasy writer and the list continues.
Ray Bradbury gave me a dose of what many writers struggle with,
and that is hope for a great literary future.
For others, he gave what Malcom Mcdowell brilliantly stated as
“eternal optimism.” To
see how much of a positive impact a writer can have on so many lives, is
more than inspiring.
Ms. Victoria Peasley isn’t a writer, but she joined the
Southwestern Manuscripters and attended Sunday’s festival solely
because of Ray Bradbury. His
optimism attracts people from everywhere.
At the festival, she wasn’t the only one to receive a hug and a
kiss from him. Several
others, including me, enjoyed a nice photo with him, a signature, and a
few minutes of laughter and gratitude.
I concluded the interview by asking him his favorite word.
He laughed and responded, “Ramshackle.
It describes me.”
Thank you Mr. Bradbury for giving the ever changing and
challenging literary world your “eternal optimism.” |