Recently I was fortunate enough to have lunch with Michael Moorcock. I was very surprised to learn that he lives in a small town not far from Austin, and even more surprised when my friend Harvey began corresponding with him via email. Moorcock has written a slew of novels that I freaked out over when I was a teen, and as an added bonus I recently discovered that he has written song lyrics for tunes that I loved in the 80's as well. (Veteran of a Thousand Psychic Wars, anyone?) These books were a staple of my formative fiction and hold a place now in my personal pantheon of truly influential work.
Now I have had many experiences of meeting people who I adored simply by their work only to learn that the artist behind them was a little disappointing in person, if not a total train-wreck of a human being. Very rare has an encounter with an admired artist been inspirational for me. Mr. Moorcock was an outstanding exception.
He was so personable, so open, so interesting I would have like to sit there and talk with him until the sun went down. He is an extraordinary person with extraordinary experiences that he is willing to share. He is a bit like a time machine offering a glimpse into the golden age of science fiction writers, he related perspectives of a Londoner living through the blitz that I have never read in any history book, and his experiences from a lifetime of writing and publishing are simply incredible.
I had no idea what to expect upon meeting him, but I certainly did not expect our lunch to extend into near dinner hours, to leave with my head full of dreams. I feel so fortunate to have met him. I thought it would be because he wrote books that entranced me for decades, but in truth it is because he is a delightful man who is a pleasure to speak with.
