June 28, 2012

Biographer writes short story in tribute to Ray Bradbury

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Ray Bradbury biographer Sam Weller writes on his blog that a new short story, “The Shadows Behind the Trees” (PDF here) is a tribute to his friend and mentor. About the origin of the story, Weller writes:

I started the story in the magician’s lair. A house where so much was written over the decades, from sections of Something Wicked This Way Comes, to Green Shadows White Whale, to From the Dust Returned.

It took me two years to finish the story. I read parts of it to Ray and his eyes welled with tears.

“I command you to finish it!” he said.

With his death on June 5th, late at night, in my own home, I followed his orders.

Weller, who is the author of The Bradbury Chronicles and Listen to the Echoes, hopes the story serves as a tribute “to one of my all-time favorite Bradbury stories, ‘The Lake.’ ”

It also, Weller notes, fulfills his promise to Bradbury to actually finish the story: “Here it is, Ray. I followed through.”

 

Kelly Burdick is the executive editor of Melville House.

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