Master of science fiction comes to Surf City

Torus Tammer

How many authors have a crater on the moon named after a novel and

will be appearing at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Huntington Beach on

Saturday?

Only Ray Bradbury, who will sign hardback copies of several reprinted

titles, including “Dandelion Wine,” after which an Apollo astronaut named

the moon’s Dandelion Crater.

It was a fitting honor for a boy who was obsessed with space. When

Bradbury was 8, he wrote about landing on Mars. In an interview with the

Independent, Bradbury, now 79, said he’s been writing every day since.

“I saw the wonderful illustrations and began reading Edgar Rice

Burroughs when I was 9,” Bradbury said. “I was told in the Burroughs book

that you could get to Mars by looking out into the stars and saying ‘Mars

take me home’ -- and I did -- and I’ve been there ever since.”

Bradbury was born in 1920 in Waukegan, Ill. The Bradbury family moved

back and forth for the next 13 years from Waukegan to Tucson, Ariz., in

search of work before finally relocating to Los Angeles in 1933.

At that point, Bradbury had been writing his own stories for five

years. Although the material luxuries of life were limited for his

family, Bradbury said he was able to thrive in the new environment -- one

that ultimately changed his life.

“We were poor people when we came out to California,” Bradbury said.

“I was 13 back then and would skate to Paramount Studios just to hang out

on the sets and look at stars.”

In 1938, Bradbury graduated from a Los Angeles high school, never to

return to any type of formal education. An autodidact, he said he

furthered his knowledge by spending nights in the library and days by the

typewriter. His source of income came from selling newspapers on street

corners. Bradbury was also commissioned to write for several magazines,

such as the amateur fan magazine “Imagination.”

By 1943, he had given up his newspaper gig and began writing full

time, contributing numerous short stories to periodicals.

For the next 10 years, Bradbury amassed a reputation as a leading

writer of short stories and science fiction, especially with the 1947

release of “Dark Carnival,” his first short story collection, and the

1950 publication of the “Martian Chronicles.”

But it wasn’t until 1953 that he completed a piece considered one of

the premier works in modern American literature. The book was “Fahrenheit

451.”

In 1955, Bradbury was commissioned to adapt the behemoth Melville

masterpiece “Moby Dick” for the silver screen for John Ford. It took

Bradbury seven months to adapt Moby Dick into what became a two-hour film

released in 1956.

To this day, Bradbury has continued to write and explore his talents,

which include his contributions as an essayist, poet and playwright. His

musical version of “Dandelion Wine” opens at the Colony Theater in

Burbank later this month.

In the film arena, Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” will see its second

celluloid reprise. Mel Gibson’s company, Icon, bought the rights to

remake the classic. Bradbury said he also penned a screenplay adaptation

of “Fahrenheit 451,” which was sent to Gibson some time ago. But Bradbury

has heard no response.

“I wrote them a screenplay, but I guess they didn’t like it -- what

would I know about 451,” he said.

With a slew of accolades to crow over, Bradbury remains true to the

romantic image of the scribe. He is prolific but has not become jaded

enough to believe his hype.

“It’s a slow process to write,” Bradbury said. “From plays to short

stories, I’m still excited about everything I write.” It’s a wonderful

compulsion -- one that I was born with.”

FYI

WHAT: Ray Bradbury will sign books.

WHERE: Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 7777 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach

WHEN: 1 p.m. Saturday

CALL: (714) 897-8781