“People ask, ‘Where do you get your ideas?’ Well, right here.”
—Ray Bradbury
People
Ray Bradbury
The single largest creative influence on my life since the sixth grade, when Mrs. Wilson read aloud “The Whole Town’s Sleeping” from Dandelion Wine. I’ve been devouring his work, wisdom, and metaphors ever since. If I owe who I am today to any one single individual, it’s him.
Martin Abel
My collaborator on Of Sirens and Sand, his art is the visual realization of my scrawled metaphors. He is the Joseph Mugnaini to my Ray Bradbury, and truly the other half of my creative soul.
Marcus Alexander Hart
Brilliant humorist, author of Caster’s Blog and The Oblivion Society, and the playwright behind Walking on Sunshine, I met Marcus at a real turning point in my life. I don’t think the idea of attempting to create a book would have even crossed my mind were it not for his unknowing influence. Also, as a fellow lover of all things Halloween, he is a constant reminder to me that there is absolutely no reason to not dive head-first into doing what you love, even in this day and age.
Books
Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury
My bible when it comes to writing, creativity, and life. I cannot recommend this book enough. My personal copy has been signed with the motto by which to always live life: “Love what you do! Do what you love!”
Speeches & Articles
Ray Bradbury’s 2007 Festival of Books Speech
I’ve heard Ray speak more times than I can count, but this is a particularly fantastic example of the amazing wisdom contained within his incredible mind.Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Places
Carpinteria State Beach
I grew up camping with my grandparents at this beach, and it has been one of the largest influences in my life. It was there in September 2008 that I began working on what would eventually become Of Sirens and Sand. Perhaps it’s not considered the most beautiful beach in the world, but to me it will always be home.
Yosemite National Park
I only took a few trips here growing up, but Half Dome’s looming and ethereal presence cast a long shadow on my life. My very first piece of prose poetry was about that immortal rock.
Dracula Unleashed – The Beast
Incredible scene from the game Dracula Unleashed, in which an old sailor relates the horrifying tale of his encounter with a werewolf. This is an excellent representation of what I love most about passionate narration.
