"What do you imagine when you hear the name" . . . Bradbury? You might see rockets to Mars. Or bizarre circuses where otherworldly acts whirl in the center ring. Perhaps you travel to a dystopian future, where books are set ablaze . . . or to an out-of-the-way sideshow, where animated illustrations crawl across human skin. Or maybe, suddenly, you're returned to a simpler time in small-town America, where summer perfumes the air and life is almost perfect . . . "almost." Ray Bradbury--peerless storyteller, poet of the impossible, and one of America's most beloved authors--is a literary giant whose remarkable career has spanned seven decades. Now twenty-six of today's most diverse and celebrated authors offer new short works in honor of the master; stories of heart, intelligence, and dark wonder from a remarkable range of creative artists. TABLE OF CONTENTS Sam Weller and Mort Castle - Introduction Ray Bradbury - Second Homecoming Neil Gaiman - The Man Who Forgot Ray Bradbury Margaret Atwood - Headlife Jay Bonansinga - Heavy Sam Weller - The Girl In The Funeral Parlor David Morrell - The Companions Thomas F. Monteleone - The Exchange Lee Martin - Cat on a Bad Couch Joe Hill - By The Silver Water Of Lake Champlain Dan Chaon - Little America John McNally - The Phone Call Joe Meno - Young Pilgrims Robert McCammon - Children Of The Bedtime Machine Ramsey Campbell - The Page Mort Castle - Light Alice Hoffman - Conjure John Maclay - Max Jacqueline Mitchard - Two Of A Kind Gary Braunbeck - Fat Man And Little Boy Bonnie Jo Campbell - The Tattoo Audrey Niffenegger - Backwards In Seville Charles Yu - Earth: (A Gift Shop) Julia Keller - Hayleigh's Dad Dave Eggers - Who Knocks? Bayo Ojikutu - Reservation 2020 Kelly Link - Two Houses Harlan Ellison - Weariness