"We are an Audience for Miracles" -RB 7/2008

Late last year, my brother convinced me that we should write together and that maybe we should start with short stories. For a really long time, I have held off on writing because everything I started felt chick-lit-ish and so, defeated by my own lack of depth, I stuck to goofy blog posts and notebooking. When it was suggested that we collaborate, I was excited and researched writing competitions he and I could possibly enter. Writer's Digest has a bunch every year with different categories. The one that peaked my interest the most was Science Fiction, though my own inspiration was lacking. So, I started reading "The Martian Chronicles" and three-ish chapters in, I knew I'd found my new favorite genus. I still haven't written one word, but I have not stopped reading and loving the genre.

When I heard about Ray Bradbury's death the other day, I felt a) embarrassment that I'd assumed he was already dead and that I could have tried to meet this bad-ass man but that now I'd really never meet him, and b) that I should buy some of his work. I did this two ways. I wanted some short stories for my Kindle so I could begin reading right away. I also wanted a physical book, since the man loved real books and distrusted e-books.

So, I went on Amazon right away and bought a book of 100 most celebrated Bradbury stories. It was $4.99, being sold by Long Beach Goodwill, and reported to be in 'good condition, with some writing in it.' I figured some student had probably underlined passages and that maybe it would add to the dog-earedness of the book.

There is no writing in it except for what is in this picture:

I remember someone saying that when Acres of Books closed three years ago, they donated their inventory, but I have no idea to where. I also know Ray Bradbury had been a regular at that book store, along with many writers, and now I'm aware that he'd even written about it.

Is it really possible I unknowingly bought a book signed by Bradbury, purchased on the day he died? Can that really happen? If so, that is quite a coincidence. But how would Goodwill not understand they had a signed copy? Or did they know, but not feel that it mattered?


Fake or real, this has opened my eyes to so much. Fake or real, I will never part with that book.

Life. Is. Crazy.