I just moved away from Longmont, Mahnmut and I talked about my hope to coerce Simmons into lunch, alas I moved before I could ever get it arranged.

I haven't heard anyone disparage him before though, I should look into these interviews you mentioned. I feel sort of the same way about Orson Scott Card, another epic sci-fi writer whose personal opinions make me just a bit squeamish. Like OSC though, even if Simmons is kind of a douche, I'll probably go re-read Illium/Olympos.