I'll be chatting with members of the Madrid Writer's Club. I was a member when I lived in Spain. You're welcome to join us!

The time had come. Photo by Sue Burke For some plants, the angle of the sun tells them what season it is. Others rely on the temperature. In any case, in autumn, deciduous trees drop their leaves to prepare for winter. When the time comes, trees cut off the flow of nutrients to their leaves, … Continue reading Leaves fall down

Some animals — in particular certain butterflies, moths, and caterpillars — have big fake eye spots. Their purpose is to scare off predators. Do they work? I can speak from personal experience. I was about four years old, playing in a neighbor’s yard, when a caterpillar fell out of a tree and onto my hand. … Continue reading “It had mean eyes!”

“A blank piece of paper is God’s way of telling us how hard it is to be God.” ― Sidney Sheldon

Interference: The sequel to Semiosis is now available as a trade paperback, available through all major outlets and local bookstores. Links here. It’s still available as an audiobook, ebook, and hardcover. Semiosis: The French translation is now available as an audiobook. Immunity Index: My next novel will be released on May 4, 2021. You can … Continue reading Novel news!

Photo by Sue Burke A “poop plant” is mentioned a couple of times in Semiosis: The poop plant has proven possibilities for mischief. It looks like a pile of brown plump stems. –  Chapter 3. The carved lid to a child’s chamber pot made me laugh out loud, but no one was in a mood … Continue reading Is the poop plant real? Yes

Recognize Fascism: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Anthology by Crystal M. Huff My rating: 5 of 5 stars Full disclosure: I backed the Kickstarter campaign to fund this anthology. The book sounded exciting. It turned out to be excellent and, despite the grim-sounding subject matter, a pleasure to read.Besides quality, what fuels this anthology is … Continue reading Review: “Recognize Fascism” an anthology edited by Crystal M. Huff

Rafflesia This article appeared in the Spring 1997 issue of Terra Incognita magazine. It was inspired by my own houseplants, which had attacked each other in my living room. Plants cooperate, but they compete, too, viciously. Plants are active, not passive. As I researched the article, I realized that we live in the midst of … Continue reading When Plants Kill (the article that gave birth to “Semiosis”)

The feast day of St. Jerome, a famous ancient translator, is September 30, so today is celebrated as International Translation Day. FIT, the Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs/International Federation of Translators, has created this poster and explanation to celebrate this year’s theme: Finding the words for a world in crisis. FIT explains: “Our profession has been … Continue reading Celebrate International Translation Day, September 30

I appreciate maps. When I was a newspaper editor, my coworkers called my office the “war room” because the walls were covered with maps. Since the setting is important to the novel Semiosis, I made maps for Chapters 1 and 2 to help me write consistently. If a character in a specific location heads left/north, … Continue reading Maps for Chapters 1 and 2 of “Semiosis”