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	Vol.7, No 22, October 6, 1999
	Sci-fi writer shares life experiences By Rebecca Brown Daily Forty-Niner From the time he was 12 to the age of 22, novelist and screenwriter Ray Bradbury said he did not write a single worthwhile story. "I  wrote junk, and in a way, I think I got rid of the junk in my soul," he said.  At age 22, Bradbury wrote a short story about a girl he knew who drowned in a lake, which turned out to be a major turning point in his career. "It was the first time I had discovered my intuitive self," he said.  "I  dragged things out of my soul that I never had before." Bradbury shared this and other life experiences with about 150 Cal State Long Beach faculty, staff and students at a lecture in the Studio Theatre on Monday night. Bradbury, whose famous literary works include "Fahrenheit 451" and ìSomething Wicked This Way Comes,î began his career as a child, writing short stories about landing on the moon and going to Mars. "The kids made fun of me," Bradbury said. "They made me tear up my 'Buck Rogers' comic strips." "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" was an intergalactic crime fighter featured in a cartoon series published in the 1930s. Later in life, Bradbury said that his writing career left he and his wife financially strapped during their first years of marriage.  "We were rich with being in love though," he said. He made $30 a week and had $8 in the bank when he asked his wife to marry him. "When you are passionate and loving, the years are fabulous, and money is not important," Bradbury said. Hoping to get his works published, Bradbury decided to move to New York with his wife in 1949. "I  had a stack of short stories this high," Bradbury said, holding his hand about a foot above the podium. However, there were not many publishers interested in short stories, Bradbury said. He took several of his Martian stories and melded them together to make a single book called "Martian Chronicles."  Bradbury said he was paid $750 for the novel. He was paid another $750 for "Illustrated Man," a story about a man who had tattoos that came to life in his sleep. "That [money] was like having $15,000 today," said Bradbury. "I paid the rent for three years. Ever since then, life has been fun." "Fahrenheit 451" was written in a library basement at the University of California. Bradbury said he had to pay 10 cents every half hour to use the typewriter. The book, written in nine days, cost him less than $10 to produce. "Can you think of a better place than a basement to write 451?" Bradbury asked the audience.  Bradbury said that many magazine publishers rejected the story.  However, a young man who was starting a small magazine eventually approached him. His name was Hugh Hefner and he offered Bradbury $400 for the rights to the story.  "In the first, second and third issues of Playboy, 'Fahrenheit 451' appeared," Bradbury said.  "I  helped start the damned magazine," he stated proudly. Playboy has treated him very well in the last 30 years, he said. Recently he wrote an article about the upcoming millennium, which will  appear in Playboyís December issue. Bradbury's interest in space has not only influenced his writing, but also his personal life.  On the night Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, Bradbury said he was scheduled to be a guest on several talk shows in London. Broadcaster Walter Cronkite interviewed Bradbury by satellite that night about the importance of space travel.  "This was independence night for the whole planet," Bradbury said.  "I  crisscrossed London that night, to seven other TV shows.  I cried all night. I have never been so happy," he said. After the lecture, Bradbury was asked what he thought was most important literary work budding writers should study. "Zen and the Art of Writing," was Bradburyís choice.  "The one thing I want to teach people is passion and love," Bradbury said. Bradbury is just one of many writers scheduled to visit the campus as part of the 1999 Long Beach Writer's Festival. Elliot Fried, a Cal State Long Beach English professor organized the event. The festival is free and will be held every evening at 7:30 p.m. until Oct. 9. For more information, one may call (562) 433-1998.		Mark Blackburn/ Daily Forty-Niner Ray Bradbury began writing short stories as a child. He sold the rights of "Farenheit 451" to Hugh Hefner's Playboy and, produced more than 27 literary works including notable works: "Something Wicked This Way Comes" and "It Came From Outer Space."                                                                                                                                                                                                               Campus eateries recive citations Car accident victim back in classes Sci-fi writer shares life experiences Computer fair provides answers, savings Three women killed on  freeway remembered by family members Parking still major problem for students Football is not needed Dub All Stars bring history back to campus Skunk Anansie smells good State schools unite to change Big West Ice Dogs open season with tight win at home Fall 99 ISSUES DAILY 49ER HOMEPAGE
Forty-Niner Publications, Department of Journalism, California State University, Long Beach ©1999 All rights reserved.