To some it may be a thrill to be known, to me it's a thrill to start a friendship even up.

Ray Bradbury is, for many reasons, the most influential writer in my life. Throughout our long friendship, Ray supplied not only his terrific stories but a grand model of what a writer could be, should be, and yet rarely is: brilliant and charming and accessible, willing to tolerate and to teach, happy to inspire but also to be inspired.

Only solitary men know the full joys of friendship. Others have their family but to a solitary and an exile his friends are everything.

Working with people, the musical part is one thing but the personal part is totally different and just as critical. If the friendship is there and it's a lasting friendship, then it will take care of itself.

My reputation is too important to put it aside for purposes of some friendship. We have a job to do.