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Sue Burke

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Born
in Milwaukee, The United States
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February 2012

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I grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, lived briefly in Austin, Texas, y'all, and moved with my husband to Madrid, Spain, in December 1999. Then back to the US, specifically Chicago, in July 2016.

I've worked for fifty years as a journalist, both as a reporter and editor, and I translate from Spanish to English.

I also write poetry, essays, and fiction, especially science fiction.
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Sue Burke I began the research before I thought about writing the novel. It started because one day I discovered that one of my houseplants had killed another p…moreI began the research before I thought about writing the novel. It started because one day I discovered that one of my houseplants had killed another plant -- a pothos had wrapped around another plant, which died from a lack of light. Then a few weeks later another plant tried to sink roots into different plant.

I decided to find out if this was normal plant behavior, and it was. Plants are often aggressive against each other and sometimes against animals, too. They often try to manipulate animals, as well. The more I learned, the more I thought there could be a story to tell.

The research took a while, since every answer led to another question and botany keeps making new discoveries, but the research also gave me more ideas to enrich the story. I now have a shelf of books.

Slowly, the novel began to take shape, although sometimes I had to research a specific detail as I went along, such as the communication scents of the Glassmakers (based on Earth ants) and how plants could duplicate the odors.(less)
Sue Burke Hello Joseph,
Thank you! I really enjoyed writing the books, and I always had in mind a trilogy.
I've just signed a contract for it with Tor books -- bu…more
Hello Joseph,
Thank you! I really enjoyed writing the books, and I always had in mind a trilogy.
I've just signed a contract for it with Tor books -- but due to covid, which has done weird things to publishing, it won't be published as soon as I'd like. I've started it, though, and I hope the story will be exciting.
Thank you again!
Sue(less)
Average rating: 3.89 · 23,629 ratings · 3,278 reviews · 56 distinct worksSimilar authors
Semiosis (Semiosis, #1)

3.91 avg rating — 16,156 ratings — published 2018 — 23 editions
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Interference (Semiosis, #2)

3.97 avg rating — 4,438 ratings — published 2019
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Usurpation (Semiosis, #3)

3.68 avg rating — 992 ratings — published 2024 — 7 editions
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Immunity Index

3.33 avg rating — 633 ratings — published 2021 — 5 editions
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Dual Memory

3.67 avg rating — 525 ratings — published 2023 — 9 editions
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Clarkesworld Magazine, Issu...

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4.14 avg rating — 336 ratings — published 2021 — 3 editions
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Normalized Death

really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 2008
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Semiosis Duology

it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 3 ratings
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West African adire: Dyed an...

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Dutch wax prints: Dyed and ...

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My schedule at LAcon, the 2026 World Science Fiction Convention

I will be attending the 84th World Science Fiction Convention. This year it’s being held in Los Angeles, California (actually in Anaheim), from August 27 to 31. It’s called LAcon V because this is the fifth time it’s been held in greater LA.

For most of the panels on my schedule, I volunteered to be on them, especially as moderator, because the topics have something to do with projects I’m working

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Published on August 13, 2026 07:22
Semiosis Interference Usurpation
(3 books)
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3.91 avg rating — 21,581 ratings

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My schedule at LAcon, the 2026 World Science Fiction Convention

I will be attending the 84th World Science Fiction Convention. This year it’s being held in Los Angeles, California (actually in Anaheim), from August Read more of this blog post »
Sue Burke entered a giveaway
Gunmaker by Chris Gerrib
Gunmaker
by Chris Gerrib
5 copies available, ends on August 24, 2026 Enter to win »
Sue Burke rated a book it was amazing
The Book of the Jaguar by Victor Ladis Schultz
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Full disclosure: I met the author, talked with him about his book, and asked for a copy to blurb if I liked it, and I did. My blurb:

An addictive read. Story by story, a fascinating world is revealed, at times heartbreaking, comic, or terrifying, but
...more
Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins by Gerard Manley Hopkins
"Gerard Manley Hopkins was a Jesuit priest; a playful, provocative (in language, not theme), strikingly original poet; quite possibly gay (there’s an interesting précis on wikipedia; as usual, we’ll never know for sure); a student of Welsh and old Eng" Read more of this review »
At Home by Bill  Bryson
"Bill Bryson crams this delightful book with facts. Yet the writing doesn't feel crammed. How come?

Seems to me, "At Home" benefits from the author's wit. Also, professional caliber writing includes clever transitions. Bryson's are masterful.

For me, wh" Read more of this review »
Sue Burke and 23 other people liked BJ Lillis's review of City of Night:
City of Night by John Rechy
"City of Night isn’t a lost classic, it’s a regular classic. Published in 1963, it’s one of the most famous gay novels of the 20th century, and deservedly so. Its narrator, on the other hand, is about as lost as a man can be. Groping his way through m" Read more of this review »
Sue Burke rated a book really liked it
Hybrid Heart by Iori Kusano
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This novella is the polar opposite of the movie KPop Demon Hunters. The movie is heavy on fantasy and set in Korea; this book is a little bit science fictional and set in Japan. The movie offers fun and infectious music (I danced); this book is a rel ...more
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The Book of the Jaguar by Victor Ladis Schultz
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If It's the Birds, We're in Trouble by L. Marie Wood
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Quotes by Sue Burke  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“I am glad I grew the humor root. I can endure unpleasant situations better.”
Sue Burke, Semiosis

“Equality is not a fact, like the length of days... Equality is an idea, a belief, like beauty.”
Sue Burke, Semiosis

“Each of us needs to be what we are, perhaps even be more of what we are.”
Sue Burke, Semiosis

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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SciFi and Fantasy...: Bill the other does all the challenges. Comments ok. 3 222 Jan 05, 2018 07:55PM  
Beyond Reality: Welcome to April 2018! 2 20 Apr 09, 2018 06:18PM  
Beyond Reality: Welcome to May 2018! 1 17 May 01, 2018 10:08AM  
Beyond Reality: Nominations for June 2018 21 64 May 28, 2018 04:46PM  
The Seasonal Read...: This topic has been closed to new comments. Completed Tasks: PLEASE DO NOT DELETE ANY POST IN THIS THREAD 2194 419 May 31, 2018 09:01PM  
Beyond Reality: Welcome to June 2018! 1 18 Jun 01, 2018 05:21AM  
Beyond Reality: Semiosis -- -- Roll Call and First Impressions **NO SPOILERS!** 12 29 Jun 16, 2018 07:55AM  
“Stories only happen to those who are able to tell them.”
Paul Auster

“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.”
A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

“The most certain sign of wisdom is cheerfulness. ”
Michel de Montaigne

“The writer’s job is not to judge, but to seek to understand.”
Ernest Hemingway

“As a writer, you should not judge, you should understand.”
Ernest Hemingway

16548 Beyond Reality — 2043 members — last activity 34 minutes ago
Welcome to the Beyond Reality SF&F discussion group on GoodReads. In Beyond Reality, each of our members may nominate one SF and one fantasy book per ...more
22454 Historical Fictionistas — 16413 members — last activity 39 minutes ago
Welcome to Historical Fictionistas! We want to experience all different kinds of HF with all different kinds of people. The more diverse, the better. ...more
954 Hard SF — 1211 members — last activity Jul 27, 2026 09:48AM
This is a discussion group for this specific subgenre in SF where the plausibility of the science counts.
60565 Ciencia Ficción en Español — 2244 members — last activity Aug 13, 2026 06:37PM
Grupo abierto a todos los hispano hablantes del mundo para charlar sobre libros de Ciencia Ficción.
6836 Literatura en Espanol / Books in Spanish — 1644 members — last activity Jul 23, 2026 02:20PM
Un grupo para discutir los libros escritos en espanol. Todos son bienvenidos!
189370 Speculative Fiction in Translation — 356 members — last activity Jul 20, 2026 10:11AM
This is a group dedicated to reading SF works from around the world translated into English. We cover both new releases and older publications, and no ...more
220 Goodreads Librarians Group — 335185 members — last activity 0 minutes ago
Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Libra ...more
1219146 The book you like most — 50869 members — last activity 10 minutes ago
This group (ranked in the TOP 100 most popular groups on Goodreads) is dedicated to the "Vision and Story" project. Additionally, the group THE BOOK ...more
128467 Literatura Fantástica en Latinoamérica — 344 members — last activity Mar 11, 2026 04:45PM
Grupo abierto para charlar sobre El Salto Cuántico y ciencia ficción en general. La premisa es impulsar este género y similares entre autores y lecto ...more
197161 #LeoAutorasFantásticas — 768 members — last activity Mar 14, 2026 10:28AM
Grupo abierto para todas aquellas personas que quieran conocer (o dar a conocer) a autoras de fantasía, ciencia ficción y terror.
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Sue Burke Win a free copy of 140 And Counting, a book of Tweet-length poetry, including work by me:

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