Category: Uncategorized

The science fiction and fantasy community made a commitment to be more inclusive of works from around the world, including translations. How is that working out?

I explore the results in an article called “Speculative Fiction: The Future Happens Everywhere,” in the latest issue of Source, the journal of the Literary Division of the American Translators Association, of which I’m a member. You can download a PDF of the journal here.

This is a storm sewer grate near my home that says:

DUMP NO WASTE! DRAINS TO WATERWAYS

East Jordan Ironworks – Made in USA (It also depicts some trout.)

Everyone has a right to clean water, and in case you need them, here are suggestions about how to protect the water you drink.

Often novels have one or two point-of-view characters. Point of view (POV) refers to the way a story is told: the perspective of the character or narrator telling the story. Often this is the main character, like Murderbot in the Murderbot Diaries; sometimes it’s the sidekick or observer, like Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes stories. Sometimes stories alternate between the hero and villain to heighten the tension. Sometimes a narrator outside of the story is the POV.

How many POVs is the right number?

As with almost everything in life, it depends. Ideally, a novel has the right number of POVs to tell the story well. That is, the number should be an artistic choice. However, I can tell you from having five POVs in my novel Immunity Index, there are practical choices to consider, too. Five was just a whole lot of work. I had to create spreadsheets of plot events occurring day by day, sometimes hour by hour, to interlace the five different storylines, and rewrite again and again to make the timelines seamless. Fewer POVs is easier from a tactical consideration.

There’s another problem. The reader has to know at all times which POV is being used. I did something pretty blatant to avoid confusion, and it seems to have worked because no one has complained about it being insultingly obvious. Four of the POVs are third person (she/her/hers) and only one is first person (I/me/mine). For each of the third-person scenes, I began with the name of the POV. For the first-person scenes, I began with the word “I” until I felt that the reader had become accustomed to the rhythm.

Is this the only possible solution? No, not at all. Writing involves art, judgement, and craft. Imagination is the only limit to solutions.

Another writing challenge is how to introduce each character. Here are the opening paragraphs for each POV in Immunity Index. You can decide for yourself how successfully each introduction draws the reader in.

***

Avril heard chanting ahead, coming from around the corner. “All equal—equal all!” Voices chorused to a drumbeat and echoed off the skyscrapers in downtown Chicago. She hesitated, turned, and began walking the other way. Chanting meant a protest, and she couldn’t risk it, even though she knew exactly what they meant. For a moment—just a moment—she considered joining them.…

Berenike was about to break the law. She passed a man sitting on the downtown sidewalk who was obviously homeless, maybe even a noncitizen. As she did, she caught his eye—just briefly. That would be enough to tip him off. No one looked at the scruffy people sitting on the curb, their faces lined by living outdoors, with a worn, stuffed backpack that probably contained everything they owned.…

Irene stood and watched the woolly mammoth shuffle aimlessly. His yard-long shaggy hair gleamed rust brown in the afternoon light. For all his huge magnificence, Nimkii looked desolate, pitiful, even out of place, although ten thousand years ago his kind had dominated North America’s grasslands. He stopped dead in his bare pen and rocked back and forth, a sign of forlorn boredom if not an aching mental health crisis.…

I, Peng, designer of life and master of its language, began my day tasked with the unsealing of a package of dead chickens. Three chickens, to be precise, sent express from a farm in Iowa to the lab in Chicago where I labored. My life had come to that, and I hoped it would not grow worse. I still had much to lose. Every day I looked death in the eye and quaked.…

Lillian watched Berenike over breakfast. It was like a movie where there was a person who was young in one part of the movie and older in another part. They never appeared in the same scene, though, in a movie. Or maybe it was like a movie with clones, but usually they were both the exact same person, and they were both evil. This was real life, and it was different. For one thing, they weren’t evil. She was pretty sure about that.…

***

You can watch me read the fuller opening scene for Irene at a Strong Women – Strange Worlds quickread held online and recorded earlier this year.

Something’s blooming in my home: a Haworthiopsis venosa sp. tessellata. The diminutive green plant is named for the British botanist Haworth; venosa means “having branched veins”; tesselatta means “square mosaic tiles” and refers to the pattern on the leaves. In the wild, this small succulent grows in deserts in South Africa, hiding from the blazing sun in rock-sheltered crevices, waiting for occasional rain.

In my home, it’s growing in a little planter with a Rhipsalis crescula or coral cactus, an Echeveria of some species (there are way too many kinds of Echeveria, and they’re all beautiful), and a Crassula swaziensis veriegata or variegated jade plant.

The native habitat of the Haworthiopsis might explain its odd flowers. My little plant has sent up a stem ten time longer than the height of its rosette of leaves, topped by a few small but aromatic white blossoms with brown stripes. Why would it go to all that trouble? It costs a lot to produce both the towering stem and the intense fragrance, which is a little like a mix of cloves and vanilla.

The plant needs to get its flowers noticed by pollinators. It sends its blossoms to rise above the rocks so they are visible. The strong scent travels far, tempting insects that might be distant. The spindly stem guarantees that only the right kind of insect can alight, small ones specializing in delicate flowers. They would be more likely to visit other Haworthiopsis venosa sp. tessellata.

The extravagant blossom shows that my plant is healthy — so I’m providing proper care, which makes me happy.

Here’s more information about this plant, which is easy to grow and usually easy to find for sale:

Haworthiopsis tessellata (Veined Haworthia) • World of Succulents/

Haworthia venosa var. tessellata

All you wanted to know about Haworthias, Gasterias and Astrolobas: Haworthiopsis tessellata

I’ll be at Chicon 8, the 80th World Science Fiction Convention, held September 1 to 5 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chicago. Almost 5,000 people are expected to attend in person with 1,500 attending virtually. Hundreds of activities are planned. It will be a five-day party, and you can still sign up and come.

Here’s what I’m scheduled to do, eight panels and a table talk (locations subject to change):

The Future of Science Fiction Is International – Crystal Ballroom C – Thursday, September 1, 11:30 a.m. CDT

International SFF is flourishing, with new and classic non-English works being translated in unprecedented numbers, and writers and readers from diverse cultural backgrounds interacting in real time. Why is a more global approach to SFF important to the future of the genre as a whole? Who are the authors, translators, and venues to watch, and what are some of the most fascinating trends and works right now? Andy Dudak, moderator; Hildur Knútsdóttir, Leslie, Sue Burke.

Terraforming and Alien Life – Regency Ballroom D – Thursday, September 1, 4:00 p.m. CDT

If we terraform a planet, what happens to the living things that evolved there? Would an “Earth-like” planet have living things we could live alongside? How might Earth life integrate into an alien ecology? This panel will contemplate the ecological impacts of making another planet more Earth-like. Colin Alexander, moderator; Eva L. Elasigue, Kevin Wabaunsee, Sue Burke.

What Books Get Translated? – Michigan 1 – Thursday, September 1, 7:00 p.m. CDT

The world is filled with amazing SFF that isn’t written in English and never gets an English translation. There’s also a lot of English SFF that never gets translated into other languages. Why do some works get translations, while others don’t? Sue Burke, moderator; Andy Dudak, Hildur Knútsdóttir, Yasser Bahjatt.

Table Talk with Sue Burke – Crystal Foyer – Friday, September 2, 1:00 p.m. CDT

Table Talks are informal hour-long discussions with a “host” and up to seven people — similar to the Kaffeeklatsches and Literary Beers hosted by previous Worldcons. As part of Chicon 8’s commitment to its covid-19 policy, there will be no beverages this time, just talk. Come and find out if your houseplants want to kill you.

1940: The First Chicon – Randolph 1 – Friday, September 2, 7:00 p.m. CDT

The second-ever Worldcon — the 1940 convention in Chicago — established traditions that have echoed through many events that havefollowed: the masquerade, the con suite, filking… Explore the full history of this seminal event, including the backstories of its organization and the historical context that informed it. We will also include a recreation of E.E. “Doc” Smith’s Guest of Honor speech. Alex Mui, moderator; David Ritter, John Hertz, Sue Burke.

Readings from Ludlow Charlington’s Doghouse – Roosevelt 1 – Saturday, September 3, 11:30 a.m. CDT

Fetch these delightful doggie stories from Ludlow Charlington’s Doghouse, a fantasy anthology benefiting Friends of Chicago Animal Care & Control. 19 authors, 34 drabbles, stories, poems, plays, and songs. Even a music video! Full of good bois and grrrrrls. Potential readers include Tina Jens, Steven H Silver, Sue Burke, K. M. Herkes, Joe Janes, and Lauren Masterson.

Translation Is Creative Writing – Grand Hall K – Saturday, September 3, 7:00 p.m. CDT

The job of a translator is not merely to pick the matching words in the second language. Done well, translation conveys the tone and flavor of the original text. A character with an ascerbic wit in Chinese should be just as funny in English, for example. Lyrical descriptions of landscapes should be equally poetic. What makes a translation work, and who does it well? Jean Bürlesk, moderator; Andy Dudak, Sue Burke, Su J Sokol, Yasser Bahjatt.

The State of the Translation Market – Randolph 3 – Sunday, September 4, 4:00 p.m. CDT

Translation rights sound both appealing and intimidating to those becoming authors or publishers. How does the process work in 2022? Are there trends in format, genre, or subject matter to imitate or avoid? What markets or languages are underserved and present great artistic and business opportunities? Translators and those with work in translation simplify the subject for those interested in bringing their work to global audiences. Joshua Bilmes, moderator; Hildur Knútsdóttir, Neil Clarke, Sue Burke.

Science: The Core of Science Fiction’s Sense of Wonder – Airmeet 1 (virtual programming) – Monday, September 5, 2022, 11:30 a.m. CDT

SF shows its audience amazing things, but what distinguishes SF stories from other fantastic tales is the assumption that all this might be true, somewhere or someday. That’s one of SF’s key strengths, but it’s one that often gets overlooked. What are some great examples of fiction that uses scientific reality to convey a sense of awe and wonder? Mary Robinette Kowal, moderator; Miguel O. Mitchell, M V Melcer (Mel), Sue Burke.

Here’s some art about Semiosis — a reader shared these sketches with me, and I love them. Thank you, Storm! I asked her to say a little about herself:

My name is Storm Munk-Hind. I live in Denmark and study psychology at the university of Aarhus (Denmark). I’m also an artist. I usually do gallery-type art and specialize in portraits of people, but my other passion is making up and drawing strange animals! That’s why Semiosis really sparked my imagination and I just had to do some sketches!

While reading Semiosis, I did the following sketches of: glassmakers, eagles and lions.

Part of my interest in drawing strange animals stems from my interest in anatomy, and that all animals look the way they do for a reason. I imagined that if I had seen the Pax-animals myself, how would I try to describe them visually? How would I map their anatomy? What do they look like from the front, the side and in action?

I was especially interested in Glassmaker anatomy because it struck me as so otherworldly, and because they use tools and wear clothes.

Once I had designed the basic body-plan, I was asking myself: how do you play a flute when you have 2 elbows? How do you dance and drum? What kind of clothes does it make sense to wear if your body is Glassmaker-shaped? Asking these questions and at the same time using the book as a guideline, I made these drawings. It was so much fun!

For the eagles, I had in mind that they are intelligent predators. Therefore, I gave them big eyes facing forward and hand-like claws for easily manipulating objects. I made the terrible beak shaped like 3 hooks and with backward-pointing teeth in the underjaw — designed for tearing and for the eagle to latch on to prey, being hard to shake off once it gets a good bite.

I imagined the lions looking friendly and strong, with big eyes on the side of the head like a horse (for eagle-detection!). I imagined this kind of funny/cute body plan with the arms being a lot shorter than the legs, resulting in rabbit-like movements (I have kept many pet rabbits and find them very adorable). And a strong tail for balancing jumps. I gave them a long snout for reaching/digging for roots as well as flat, strong teeth for chewing plants.

If you want to see more of my other art-projects, I share some things on my Instagram: artist_storm_m

Pip Paris was kind enough to invite me to her podcast to talk about my favorite subject: the wonder and wisdom of plants.

Pip Talk, a podcast on Anchor, hosted by Epiphany Paris (Pip):

“Interviews featuring rebels, visionaries, mystics, outliers, change-makers, and people I find interesting. I aim to expose my audience to a wide variety of ways to look at life. Today, we are talking with Sue Burke. Sue’s next science fiction novels are Dual Memory, coming in May 2023, and Usurpation in May 2024. She has also written the novels Semiosis, Interference, and Immunity Index, along with short stories, poems, and essays.”

In the first week of August, I served as an instructor at the 2022 Speculative Fiction Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp and Writing Retreat, held near West Bend, Wisconsin.

As part of the fun, the novelists could write a short creative work about the retreat and compete for the prize of a coffee mug filled with candy bars. This is the winner — by Karey Lea Perkins, Assistant Professor of English, South Carolina State University, who is working on a novel set in a utopia with dark, dangerous secrets.

The day before she wrote this, a thunderstorm knocked out the electricity at the retreat center, so my afternoon class was held in the dark. Karey cast Hollywood stars as the characters; I am flattered to be portrayed by Diane Keaton.

The Storm

By Karey Lea Perkins

It was a dark and stormy afternoon. The thunder crashed, lightning flashed, and rain smashed. Golf-ball-sized hail soon followed, and the trees felled the power lines. The failing lights plunged us into darkness and, even worse, if you can possibly imagine it … the wifi was gone.

Our fearless and humble director, Bob Newhart, and our steady, wise co-director, Susan Sarandon, vowed the mission would continue, weather be damned. Our session instructor, Diane Keaton, a mere silhouette outlined in the dark, murky, gray room, led us, her authors, huddled together, hoisting iPhone flashlights or seeking nearby windows for slivers of light to see the words on the handout.

Behind the instructor, an innocuous philodendron lay quietly in the dark, tucked away in the back corner on the floor — as it always had. Through an opened window, a flash of lightning illuminated it, and a few rain droplets landed on the plant, which stirred.

As we authors intently concentrated, heads down, on our assignment, the lush, verdant green philodendron began creeping. And creeping. And creeping. It took ten minutes to stealthily traverse the twenty feet to its target, enough time to sneak past the distracted humans’ observation. Suddenly, instantaneously, the tentacles wrapped around Keaton’s waist and clamped her mouth, immobilizing her and rendering her silent.

“Bwahahahaha!! My name is Phil Dendron, and Stevland is my friend! You’ll never write about him again! Prepare to die!”

Frightened and shocked, some of us froze and some screamed. Others tried to lunge for the plant to save Keaton. Before they could reach her, our other instructor, Bruce Willis, jumped on the table and yelled, “Unbind her! Unbind her I say!” He then reached into his back pocket for his magic ancient and powerful collapsible sword, which he never left home without. From across the room, his giant bejeweled sword reached the plant’s elongated stems behind Keaton and instantly slashed through them, severing them from their potted roots.

Before the authors could breathe a sigh of relief, Phil Dendron, like a wolf spider, multiplied into ten or twenty more leafy rope-like tentacles, now independent from their roots and far stronger, wrapping completely around Keaton so only her eyes showed. Having their chosen victim safely imprisoned, the nefarious tendrils now groped for the rest of us, approaching us slowly but surely. Some of us ran; some threw notebooks or laptops at it. Undeterred, the monstrous plant crept and crept and crept and began wrapping around each of us.

As one of the larger tentacles reached me, I grabbed its stem and tore off its leaves, to no avail. I hit it with my iPad, and it only laughed. In a last desperate attempt, I threw my glass of Pinot Grigio at it, which drizzled and dripped down its stem. The plant suddenly halted, and within seconds, started turning brown and withering, dropping off of me.

“I’m wilting! I’m wilting!” cried Phil.

I yelled out to the two or three of my compatriots who were still free, not yet strangled by the plant, “There’s more Pinot Grigio in my room! Go get it!” We ran and grabbed it, then ran throughout the building, searching for all the wine we could possibly find. We doused the vines trapping Keaton and all the other ensnared authors, watching the tentacles collapse to the floor into skinny brown weeds, and then flooded Phil’s roots with that miraculous elixir, so he could never creep again.

Moral of the story: In Vino Vita!

Second moral: Always have a glass of wine around; it may save your ass one day.

Learn more about these trees at Candide gardening.