Ray Bradbury loves me more than you....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAY BRADBURY!!

Hey there all you Bradbury fans! Prongs here bring you a very special post about on of my ALL TIME FAVORITE AUTHORS EVER. As you may or may-not have known, today is the immortal Ray Bradbury's 89th birthday! Not only is Bradbury one of the most important contemporary writers of our time, he is in our humble opinion one of the most important writers ever. With his most popular work Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury ignited the mental fires for thousands of readers with his provocative look at censorship and (godforbid) the burning of books. In his other novels, short stories, and poems Bradbury writes with such a poetic prose that Shakespeare might be looking down on him with envy. Here is a bit of information on this amazing talent of a man:

In 2007, Bradbury received the French Commandeur Ordre des Arts et des Lettersmedal.

For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Ray Bradbury was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6644 Hollywood Blvd.

An asteroid is named in his honor, "9766 Bradbury," along with a crater on the moon called "Dandelion Crater" (named after his novel, Dandelion Wine).

On April 16, 2007, Bradbury received a special citation from the Pulitzer Board, "for his distinguished, prolific, and deeply influential career as an unmatched author of science fiction and fantasy."

On November 17, 2004, Bradbury was the recipient of the National Medal of Arts , presented by then-President G.W. Bush and Laura Bush. --Wikipedia

Wow, what a career!!! Not only has Ray Bradbury touched the imagination of millions in the literary world; he has been an infinite source of inspiration for your beloved marauders. In fact I am not afraid to say it but Ray Bradbury was my first true love. That's right folks, my greatest regret in life will be that I never married this man. Not only did have I said that multiple times, but I put it in a letter to him not to long ago. Here is a brief passage from the letter that I hand wrote him, expressing my undying love for this man and his writing:

I have had an ongoing flirtation with the English language for many years now. I have cried with it, slept with it, plunged head first into the darkness…but have each time come up dry. It was not until I first read your wok that I became submerged, head and heart, with the dripping draw of literature. I know that letters, especially ones of this nature are fairly outdated at this time, but it seemed only appropriate to express my self in the way that you have so greatly touched me.

Recently, I finished reading ‘Something Wicked’ for about the fifth time. It dawned on me just now that possibly I had this budding letter addressed to the wrong man. Perhaps instead I should be writing my saccharine sentiments care of Mr. Halloway. However, since I only know how to find him in the depths of my head, and the core of your writing, I am hoping that you can give him my message. I have to assume that somewhere inside you the thoughts and beliefs of this every-young man dwells either silently or violently. If this is the case I have never found a character, real or alive, that has been so tainted with my own thoughts and imperfections. Even at the ‘tender’ age of 20, I have felt the suspended outline of time and death in every corner of every room, of every thought, of every person I have ever known…that has propelled me closer to my perpetual friend. The only relief I have from the tug-of-war-of-time, is in the works of your stories and others like it. Also in my own desperate attempts at writing. It is this relief and catharsis, which I promise to give my love. Pick up the phone Mr. Bradbury, I am calling in to pledge to you the greatest amount I can offer.

Hopefully my heart felt sentiments to Bradbury might inspire you to pick up one of his works for yourself. And just in case that has not inspired you enough here are some of our favorite quotes that can be attributed to his master mind. You can also check out our collection of quotes specifically from Fahrenheit 451.

• I wonder how many men, hiding their youngness, rise as I do, Saturday mornings, filled with the hope that Bugs Bunny, Yosemite Sam and Daffy Duck will be there waiting as our one true always and forever salvation?
• "My stories run up and bite me in the leg— I respond by writing down everything that goes on during the bite. When I finish, the idea lets go and runs off."
• Recreate the world in your own image and make it better for your having been here.
• We were put here as witnesses to the miracle of life. We see the stars, and we want them. We are beholden to give back to the universe.... If we make landfall on another star system, we become immortal.
• The gift of life is so precious that we should feel an obligation to pay back the universe for the gift of being alive.
• We are the miracle of force and matter making itself over into imagination and will. Incredible. The Life Force experimenting with forms. You for one. Me for another. The Universe has shouted itself alive. We are one of the shouts.
• The women in my life have all been librarians, English teachers, or booksellers. If they couldn't speak pidgin Tolstoy, articulate Henry James, or give me directions to Usher and Ox, it was no go. I have always longed for education, and pillow talk's the best.
• Why would you clone people when you can go to bed with them and make a baby? C'mon, it's stupid
• A life's work should be based on love.

Wow some amazing quotes there. Now finally I thought I would all share this final bit of excellent-ness with you. Remember that letter I mentioned earlier? Well at the end of that letter I let Ray in on a bit of information. His two main characters of my favorite book (Something Wicked this way Comes) have birthdays that are a day apart from each other. It just so happens that Ray Bradbury and I share that same quality. That is right folks, my 21st birthday was yesterday; a day before Ray Bradburys. When I told him this in the letter, not only was he kind enough to respond with all kinds of amazing things.... he INCLUDED A BIRTHDAY CARD! JEALOUS!?! That is right folks, and here is my proof. Me with my new prized possestion, a signed birthday card from Ray Bradbury. I will give you time to quit drooling while I go frame this! Hope you all have a wonderful day and make sure to check out some more of this literary masters work when you get a chance!