At Stack Exchange, in the Science Fiction and Fantasy website, someone asked which if any of the plants and animals mentioned in the book came from Earth. Many have Earth names: eagles, tulips, bats, pineapples, corals, cactus, lettuce, etc. The answer: None came from Earth. But I imagined that Pax colonists would do what … Continue reading Earth names for Pax plants and animals

This weekend I’ll be at Capricon 39, a science fiction convention held February 14 to 17 in Wheeling, a suburb of Chicago. This year’s theme is “Strange Beasts Arise.” If you’re there, say hi. In addition to wandering around and having fun, I’ll be on four panels: Friday, 10 a.m. – Book Reviews vs. Literary … Continue reading Where to find me at Capricon 39

Megan Leigh at the website Breaking the Glass Slipper has asked me five questions about the novel Semiosis and science fiction: the lure of first contact stories, the affinity between hard SF and horror, communication obstacles in the story, overlooked female SF writers, and why you should read Semiosis. Read it here.

Some plants are carnivorous: they capture and eat animals. But at least one plant, a pond inhabitant called bladderwort, captures plants as well as animals. Botany One describes what they do with them. (Photo from Wikipedia.) Plants seem to notice not just what but who is around them, and if the plant next to them … Continue reading Plants in the news: food, flowers, and family ties

The Revolutionary Genius of Plants: A New Understanding of Plant Intelligence and Behavior by Stefano Mancuso My rating: 5 of 5 stars Stefano Mancuso, an authority on plant neurobiology, begins by showing how plants can remember things, although they don’t have a brain. They can move, although they have no muscles. They can imitate items … Continue reading Review: The Revolutionary Genius of Plants

I’ll be reading at an open mic Saturday, January 26, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Second Unitarian Church of Chicago, 656 W. Barry Avenue. Free and open to the public to listen or participate. Light snacks provided, BYOB (bring your own beverage, alcoholic or otherwise). We hold these open mics every few months at … Continue reading I’ll be at an open mic Saturday night

I lived in Austin, Texas, in the late 1990s — not for very long, sadly, but long enough to be improved some and to be legally entitled to say “y’all.” So I’m excited that the Texas Library Association has included Semiosis in its 2019 list of outstanding fiction that merits special attention from adult readers. … Continue reading Texas Library Association: “Semiosis” is “a pleasure to read”