I have to take a moment out of this week’s insanity to post about the loss of a legendary writer, a man whose works both entertained and inspired me: Ray Bradbury, who was 91 at his passing. I know this might seem strange, coming from a romance writer. But before I wrote contemporary romance, I toiled over tales of speculative fiction (with romantic subplots), and most of my reading in my youth came from that genre.
I came across Mr. Bradbury’s work as a young teen, when my reading material consisted primarily of epic fantasy novels. His stories and novels added more speculative fiction into my reading mix. The dark look at the future in Fahrenheit 451 cracked my youthful vision of a utopian future world, leading to growth in both my critical thinking skills and my imagination. Something Wicked This Way Comes entertained me, scared me, and made me think about deeper themes, which further shaped my storytelling skills as I studied how to wrap several elements into a tale. I devoured his short stories and enjoyed the adaptations on his TV series, The Ray Bradbury Theater.
Mr. Bradbury is a true legend among speculative fiction fans. He will be missed, but through his work, he will live forever.
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