BRADBURY DISCUSSES WRITING.

Byline: Kevin F. Sherry Daily News Staff Writer

Author Ray Bradbury surveyed the surroundings at the Borders Books and Music in Thousand Oaks on Sunday and said he felt at ease.

``This is my home here,'' Bradbury said. ``I'm madly in love with books.''

Bradbury, the 77-year-old author of ``Fahrenheit 451,'' ``The Martian Chronicles'' and ``The Illustrated Man,'' spent an hour answering questions about himself and his craft for more than 100 audience members. The event was broadcast on KCLU-FM (88.3).

Many questions focused on the art and process of writing. Bradbury, who just released a new book of stories called ``Driving Blind,'' urged his audience to let the characters drive the story.

``Most of these books you see on writing are completely wrong,'' he said. ``What you do is get some characters you believe in and give them marching orders. Or they give you marching orders.''

People should write until the story finishes itself, Bradbury said.

``You never know the end,'' he said. ``You can't. Your characters are always living it.''

Too many authors become filled with uncertainty because they critique the work they are composing too quickly, Bradbury said.

``I can't tell you right now what I'm going to write tomorrow morning,'' he said. ``I wake up every morning and I hear these mysterious metaphors in my head.''

Serious writers should write every day and with passion, Bradbury said.

``If you stop doing what you were born to do, then you doubt, then you disbelieve,'' he said. ``You never know where inspiration is going to come from.''

Bradbury said he could not single out one of his more than 500 works as a favorite.

``I've been proud of my work every single day,'' he said. ``There has never been a day that I didn't think I was brilliant.''

When questioned about how reading is taught in schools, Bradbury said he advocated the firing of all first-grade teachers who do not help their students become good readers.

``It shouldn't be taught in the second grade or the eighth grade or the 12th grade,'' he said. ``Are you in love with teaching? If not, get the hell out.''

Surprisingly, the prolific fantasy and science fiction author offered equal disdain for computers as writing tools.

``To hell with computers,'' Bradbury said. ``I hate 'em. . . . The president of the United States says he wants a computer in every classroom, and that's a lot of crud. I want pads and pencils in every classroom. . . . I hate screens. I like paper.''

One person asked what items Bradbury would like to see on a shelf in the Smithsonian Institution to commemorate his career. He said perhaps some running shoes and some dandelion wine.

``Just put me on the shelf, what the heck,'' he said.

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color) Prolific author Ray Bradbury speaks in Thousand Oaks on Sunday.

(2) In an appearance at Borders Books and Music on Sunday, Ray Bradbury urged aspiring authors to write often - and passionately.

Tina Gerson/Daily News