Happy Anniversary

Believe it or not, Alien Dream is one week old today. Congratulations, AD!

AD is in the blog studio today and has agreed to do a short interview.

MD: It’s great to see you , AD. Do you have anything to say to our cyber viewers?

AD: [He stares at me and clears his throat. Shakes his head.]

This isn’t going to be as easy as I thought.

MD: What are your plans for the future?

AD: [Leans forward as if we have a microphone here.] I’d like to have more stuff about aliens.

I return his blank stare. He was late for the interview and his dark hair looks like it hasn’t been combed in three days. Somehow the messy look works for him.

MD: Aliens?

AD: Yeah. Like interviews with aliens, what do they read, what are their favorite restaurants, where do they shop, are they interested in Earth politics. I’d like it to have a journalistic-essay feel. Something like the alien-on-the-street.

MD: You do realize that we haven’t actually made first contact with any aliens yet.

AD: [A long pause. He frowns.] I’m not sure you’re the right person to be working on this blog.

I remember that he is only 17 years old and most of the time his nose is buried in some science fiction novel. Maybe his contact with reality is a bit limited. I decide to humor him.

MD: Okay, well maybe we can include an occasional “Alien in the News” piece. Something a little tongue in cheek.

AD: [He nods.] I’m sayin’.

MD: So, besides this alien interview thing, what other type of stuff do you have planned for future blogs?

I’m trying to get him to focus on his deadlines, on his upcoming editorial calendar. We have all the images turned in to the art director, but the text for the next several blogs is late. The text is always late.

AD: We’re going to be doing some blog reviews, some interviews, some book reviews. I really like the science fact stuff, so I hope we keep doing that. And personal essays and writing pieces. I’m likin’ those more than I expected, so we’re going to keep them, too.

MD: I agree. Is there anything in particular that you would like to accomplish with this blog?

AD: Well, I’d like to have some more links. Right now only a few blogs are linking here, and I’m feeling kind of invisible.

We’ve had this discussion before. Sometimes he has problems seeing the Big Picture. Sometimes he thinks it’s all about him.

MD: Links would be good, but what I meant was, what are your long-term goals with this site?

AD: [He fidgets uncomfortably. Crosses his legs.] More links.

MD: Remember the long brainstorming sessions we had, where we discussed the future of science fiction and fantasy, our hope that this genre would open up more in the Christian arena? The fact that we’d like to encourage writers to improve their craft and that we also hope to provide readers with good, clean stories. You’d really like science fiction and fantasy to be raised to a literary level, where it is winning awards left and right, where stories are actually making an impact on readers’ lives, where the latest sci-fi book is the topic of water-cooler conversation around the country. Isn’t that right?

AD: Links. I just want some more links.

MD: [I take a deep editorial breath.] Okay, I’ll see what I can do. Is there anything you’d like to say to the cyber audience before the virtual reality program shuts off and you go back to your own universe?

AD: Funny. Like I live in a different universe. Oh, that’s good. Yeah, thanks for stoppin’ by, folks. We appreciate all of your support. We had 335 hits in our first week. I’m not sure what’s normal in the big, bad Blogosphere world, but 335 hits seems like a good beginning to me.

MD: I agree. Thanks for visiting, everybody.

AD: [Whispers something hastily.]

MD: Oh, yeah. And more links would be most appreciated. Thanks again.