Rosebud

Bradburymedia has been rather quiet of late. There's no big explanation for this, other than my general state of busy-ness... partly connected to my resolution to complete a cover-to-cover reading of Moby Dick in two weeks or less.

Of course, when John Huston invited Ray Bradbury to write a screenplay for Moby Dick in the 1950s, Bradbury replied "But I've never been able to finish the damned thing." Me neither, until now.

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A new issue of Rosebud magazine is now available, issue 53. This is "the magazine for people who enjoy good writing", and which has in the past included a fair amount of Bradbury-related material:

• Rosebud 25 featured “Last Rites,” a reprint of an earlier Bradbury story (also collected in Bradbury Stories: 100 of His Most Celebrated Tales and Quicker than the Eye)
• Rosebud 28 featured “To Ireland,” a poem by Bradbury, and “Rendezvous with Ray Bradbury,” an article by Laura Treacy Bentley
• Rosebud 34 featured “The Trivial Pursuits Transporter,” a short story by Ray Bradbury which has yet to appear in a Bradbury collection
• Rosebud 39 featured an exclusive interview with Ray Bradbury by Gregory Miller
• Rosebud 52 featured Bill Goodwin’s “Citizen Ray,” an essay about his friendship with Bradbury

All issues are still available for purchase from the Rosebud online store - most for $6.95, but issue 34 with its uncollected Bradbury story will set you back a cool $100.

There's no Bradbury in issue 53, but I understand from editor Rod Clarke that there will be something about Bradbury in the next issue. More details to follow.

(My thanks to Eric Carter for pulling the information together on Bradbury appearances in Rosebud back issues.)

Special Events in California

Here's an announcement from Bill Goodwin - illustrator, writer, and friend of Ray Bradbury:

It pleases me to announce a Very Special Event!

"MARS AND THE HEART OF HUMANITY: RAY BRADBURY'S MILLION-YEAR PICNIC" will assemble a diverse panel of thinkers to remember Ray and discuss his favorite planet, Mars, as it's been imagined in the past, as it's being discovered today and as it might eventually become. Confirmed at this time are:

GREG BEAR -- Hugo and Nebula award-winning author of over 40 books, including HULL ZERO THREE and the upcoming HALO: SILENTIUM.

HOWARD V. HENDRIX -- Science fiction novelist, scholar and editor of VISIONS OF MARS and THE MARS ENCYCLOPEDIA.

CHARLES BAKER -- Cruise, Entry, Decent and Landing Lead Mission Planner for JPL's CURIOSITY ROVER.

Panel event conceived and moderated by BILL GOODWIN.

Join us at AltCar Expo 2012, Friday & Saturday, September 28 - 29 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. The panel begins at 4:00 PM on Saturday and the Expo is FREE. Come early see the future of renewable energy and alternative transportation! And ring in Autumn for Ray.

It sounds as if this panel is something of a follow-up to the Mars and theMind of Man symposium; this ties in with the Curiosity rover, just as the 1971 symposium tied in with Mariner 9. It sounds like an excellent panel, and I only wish I could be there. There is more information about the free 'parent' event AltCar Expo 2012 here.

Meanwhile, down in Venice, California - where Bradbury lived for many years - there is an unusual event called a type-in. Apparently, participants will be able to type on one of Ray's old typewriters. More details are here.