I spent Friday evening and Saturday at the Campbell Conference at KU. It was a little “thin” this year in terms of number of pro writers attending, but good discussions occurred none-the-less. The topic was “Science Fiction: The Past, Present, and Future.” In a nutshell: there was a past, there is a present, and there will be a future. Each period of time in science fiction is different and is shaped by current events and market forces. What was once the literature of ideas for the few is now largely diluted as whiz-bang pop culture for the masses. A few bright shining literary lights still seek an audience amidst the chaos. Overall, good writing and universal truths endure the test of time.

The pro writers in attendance delivered good readings. I missed a few on Friday, but I did catch readings on Saturday by this year’s Sturgeon Award winner Bradley Denton, as well as Ann Tonsor Zeddies and James Gunn. Good stuff, all round.

By Sunday, though, I was pooped. I slept in and skipped the conference. Read the paper. Cleaned the house. Picked up groceries. Cooked. You know, stuff that needed to be done. Tomorrow, it’s back to the salt mine…