“In some sense that I can curiously entertain, I understand the great holy books (with a few exceptions) as science fiction stories. And in our time this is a branch of literature where modern prophets can hide in plain sight. There are differences in that these books often relate to the direct experiences of people or authors, but they also speak about a world that is invisible to most and strangely associated with the distant past and ‘another kind of future’ having to do with birth and death.

Science fiction was my favored learning place for many years… the men and women who wrote it were my mentors. But some of them had experience and others had intense wonder or imagination. Both work for their audiences, but I find it ironic when a sci-fi author doesn’t believe their own inspiration. I think that someone truly aware in this field will realize that reality is vastly stranger and more interesting than any story ever told, and this kind of author is the one who gains not only my admiration, but my trust.”

— an a i