Ray Bradbury on the occasion of Farewell Summer

Celebrating and saying goodbye to Ray Bradbury today. Words can't express. I'll borrow a few of his.

From ON THE OCCASION OF FAREWELL SUMMER:
"ON THE OCCASION OF FAREWELL SUMMER I can only send good wishes to myself.

Please excuse me, but when I realize this coming week is the publication of FAREWELL SUMMER, which began more than 55 years ago, I can hardly believe it. Indeed, it was even further back. It was when I was 22 and, you might say, put on my first pair of tennis shoes, and ran like crazy.

I was fully in love with writing from grade school on and in high school I began to write things about the ravine in my hometown. In FAREWELL SUMMER the ravine is the center of everything; the old people and the young live on opposite sides of this ravine that divides the town.

...I wish all of you the best in reading it because I had delight in realizing that my ganglion and my antenna are still functioning and the darned thing makes, I believe, a good read.

I send all of you my love,
Ray Bradbury
October 11, 2006"

But you know what I love? He died last night during the Transit of Venus. That seems appropriate.

Sunday quote:Bradbury and Being "Drunk on Writing"

You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you. ~Ray Bradbury

This quote is such a great reminder that for the writer, it has to be about the magic of the process, those sublime "flow" moments that create a high that keeps us coming back time and again. Though not every moment--maybe not even most of them--can transport us, those that do serve as a reminder of why we do this in the first place.

When writing becomes about the external realities--the lust for honors, bestsellerdom, and huge advances--we risk losing the magic and being utterly consumed.

Ray Bradbury on craft, persistence and rejection (Brilliant but be warned...he's wearing shorts.)