So, What If We Had Visitors?

Let me ask you something. If a spaceship landed tomorrow and whoever was inside came out to say hello, would you go over and meet them?

Or would you suddenly remember you had somewhere else to be?

I’d want a good look. From a sensible distance, at least until we knew what kind of day we were having.

I enjoy thinking about these things. That doesn’t mean every strange light in the sky is a visitor from another planet. But the possibility of meeting someone from beyond Earth? That’s a conversation I’d happily spend an afternoon on.

And I’d like to hear your side of it.

A Little History, a Little Imagination

My upcoming book, The Artifact Box, brings together two interests of mine: the ancient world and whatever might be out there in the universe.

Take ancient Egypt. You look at something made thousands of years ago, and you start wondering about the person who made it. What was on their mind? What did they know? Did they have any idea we’d still be talking about their work all this time later?

I paint, so I have a particular appreciation for making something with your own hands. And let’s give the ancient Egyptians their due. They don’t need visitors from space taking credit for their accomplishments.

But when you’re writing fiction, you get to let your imagination wander. What if someone found an ancient object that didn’t belong to our world? Who would they tell? Who would believe them? And who would come knocking once word got around?

You can see how a fellow sits down to write a few pages and ends up with a whole book on his hands.

What Do You Think?

Outside of fiction, I’d need more than a blurry photograph before I accepted that we’d had visitors. I’d have questions. Probably enough to wear somebody out.

How about you?

What would convince you that visitors from another world were here? And if they came peacefully, would you be curious enough to meet them?

I’m also wondering what you’d tell them about us. Imagine trying to explain this planet to somebody seeing it for the first time. Where would you even start?

Tell me in the comments. You don’t have to believe we’ve been visited or ever will be. I’m interested in hearing what you think, whether we agree or not.

And if you’ve got a good book or movie on the subject, give me the name. There’s always room for another story.