Welcome to my newsletter!

WHAT FILLS OUR CHILDHOOD MINDS?

And does it influence us still?

Greetings, Reader,

Did you ever ask yourself that question?

Do you still remember the things you discovered when you were young?

Do you recall the dreams you had?

What filled your childhood days of play?

By the time I was ten, I’d become I'd filled countless hours with cartoons and comic books, TV shows, and a few movies. And my fevered imagination was on fire almost 24/7.

It kept me from being bored or depressed. It got me into trouble with a few of my teachers occasionally. But it all balanced out in the end.

I was an avid reader of comic books. Only every other month would you find me heading into a library for books without pictures. But when I did, I would consume two or three mystery stories voraciously.

That was me throughout my teens and into my early twenties -- comics, TV, movies, and plays, even as I began to perform onstage and chase extra roles in films and TV.

Then, one day, it happened. I read the opening lines of a book by Ray Bradbury and instantly said, “That’s the kind of writing I want to do someday…”

I’ve been pursuing that goal ever since.

Where We're Headed and Why.

It’s good to remember where we first felt the spark, the feeling we had as we set out to achieve our creative dreams and goals.

There were many books before that moment and more since then. But that was the defining moment in time. I’ll never forget it. As Providence will do, many years later, I had the chance to meet Ray Bradbury in a very bizarre Twilight Zone type of circumstance.

It was at a comic convention on the West Coast. I was attending because of a series of comics that I was writing and producing at that time, one of my creations. That series was called Blackjack, stories of an African-American Soldier of Fortune in the 1930s.

When I saw Ray Bradbury, I wanted to approach him and thank him. Still, he was being escorted by two young adults who were obviously in charge of keeping people from bothering the celebrity while he was eating in the cafeteria.

I thought I would miss this opportunity, but then I spoke to one of the attendants, and I was surprised by the incredible circle of circumstances that transpired. I'll tell that story in a future issue. But trust me, meeting your idols can sometimes be an eye-opening experience in more ways than one.

For now, I'll ask: Do you remember your first? Was it a book, a film, a song, or a performer that launched your desire to pursue the arts?

Please write and tell me about it.

One more thing. In episode #320 of my podcast Tell The Damn Story, my friend and cohost Chris Ryan and I talk about the things that lead us down this creative path. You'll find our discussion relatable, funny, and informative.

Just click on the link.

That's it for today. Now go forth and be ... inspired.

Best,

Alex Simmons

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