Melissa and I are sitting in the airport, about 5 hours early for our flight. We have our laptops setup near our gate, and a bit of time to either read some slush (Melissa) or poke at our next novel (me). Before I get to the fiction, I want to capture my closing thoughts and feelings on The Nebulas.

I think I connected with people at this event better than any event in recent memory. Several really cool people. I hope to see them again at future events. Maybe Worldcon? Who knows?

I moderated a panel yesterday morning. The panel was about perseverance as a writer, and I structured it so that we talked about both persevering in creativity as well as in our careers. I had some great panelists, and I listened and asked follow-up questions. It went very well, and several people offered me compliments.

People bought some of my books from the Book Depot, and a couple people bought my books at the book signing. I fully expected to be bringing all of them home today, but I only have about half what I arrived with.

I wrote while on this conference. I’ve been struggling to get into the next Mel Walker novel, for a variety of reasons, and I made progress this weekend. I’m almost to the parts I’m looking forward to the most.

We ate good food, met cool people, and napped every day. I remember struggling with the time difference at previous events. It turns out you can just take naps and be fine.

I’m coming down from a very joyful weekend. Tomorrow, Melissa and I get back to work. I was somewhat shielded from the atrocities of recent events. I heard about ICE plowing through protesters in LA, and firing gas canisters at a 13 year old girl. I heard about these events, but it seemed like those things were taking place in an entirely different world. The one we never left, but returning to nonetheless.

The world I want to live in includes stories and friendship and uplifting people that could use some help. The world we’re returning to is violent, greedy, and isolating. I hate it here, but the right thing to do is be brave, make art, stand firm, and uplift. That was the message and the call-to-action delivered during The Nebulas ceremony last night.

I had a really great time at The Nebulas. It’s painful to leave and come back to reality, but it’s what we’re called to do.