Sue Burke's Blog, page 44

Ask Me Anything on Thursday at Reddit

On Thursday, starting at 11 a.m. (CST), I’ll be in a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) at the Fantasy subreddit to talk about writing, my novel Semiosis, and, of course, anything else.

Reddit is a lively place, so this should be fun.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/

— Sue Burke

Updates on “Semiosis”

My novel Semiosis was released by Tor a month ago, and here’s some of the latest news and reviews.

I wrote an article about writing non-human points of view at Unbound Worlds: “…plants lead lives of quiet desperation, in constant combat using a variety of weapons.”

At the signing at Anderson’s Bookstore in La Grange, Illinois, I talked about what would happen if I could practice photosynthesis. You can see a video of the 5-minute talk here and read the short essay here.

Today, at Lawrence Schoen’s blog Eating Authors, I describe my most memorable meal – a snack at the Eiffel Tower that proved something essential about the French people.

You can read an interview of me by Sean McLachlan, who helped me write the book as a beta reader, at Black Gate, and an interview by Paul Semel.

There are reviews at Christian Science Monitor, Biblio Sanctum, Kirkus Review: Of Plants and Men, a featured review, The Perks of Books video review, Open Letters Review, and Lynn’s Book Blog Friday Firsts.

— Sue Burke

Capricon 38 report

Capricon 38
Westin Chicago North Shore Hotel, Wheeling, IL
February 15 to 18, 2018

In an interview with the Capricon newsletter, Goat Droppings, Dave McCarthy, the fan guest of honor, spoke of Capricon as a family reunion. Well, yes, if your family has about a thousand members of different ages and interests, all of them, like Dave, intent on having a good time – which as far as I can tell, we all did.

This year’s convention theme, “Expanding Universes,” referred to the way written works, television shows, movies, games, and new media form a creative loop with each other: hence the eight-like loopy logo for Capricon 38. Guests of honor, besides McCarty, were Timothy Zahn, author; Sarah Wilkinson, artist; Monica Valentinelli, gaming; and Matt McElroy, special guest.

Although I am tunnel-vision devoted to print, I could have spent my weekend exploring any of those other creative avenues. Plenty was on offer: panels, an always-busy gaming room, a starship bridge simulator, anime, crafts, cosplay, children’s programming, an art show, a dealer’s room, music, filk, and two floors of evening parties.

In a world growing crowded with commercially organized genre events, Capricon remains a volunteer-run “literary” (book-focused rather than media-focused) science fiction convention. Everything seemed to flow smoothly, and even the weather cooperated with no cold snaps or major snowstorms, just heavy flurries on Saturday.

I missed Thursday evening’s activities, which included panels on topics as varied as brewing alcohol, military science fiction, and a critique of Blade Runner 2049, along with an ice cream social and opening ceremonies.

Friday, February 16

Because mass transit doesn’t quite reach the Westin Hotel, my husband dropped me off on the way to work at 7:30 a.m. I consigned my suitcase, got some coffee, wandered around, met friendly people in the Green Room, got my badge, and began the busy task of attending panels and having fun.

“Working Toward Social Equity in Speculative Fiction” considered demographic changes in the US and how that is being reflected in literature: slowly and with bumps in the road, according to the panelists.

I couldn’t stay long, though, because I had to moderate a “Rapid Reading” with four other authors. The audience never outnumbered the panel, alas, but we had a fine time getting to know each other and forging friendships.

The panel “Imaginary Races Doesn’t Erase Racism,” considered what an author can or should be trying to accomplish in their writing, and panelists suggested that over-reactions and an erroneous sense of scarcity in science fiction affect the way works are received. Next I was on the panel for “Exobiology for Dummies,” moderated by the voluble Bill Higgins; I discussed how as an author I invent the biological aliens that serve my story.

I attended “Diversity Backlash,” where Dave McCarthy spoke a lot, and for good reason. He had been a Hugo administrator for several years, including 2015 when “No Award” prevailed in an unprecedented five categories. He summarized the history and said he hoped that the attempts to “game the system” and “hijack the award for political purposes” was the dying gasp of a small minority.

McCarty moderated the next panel, “Someone Is Wrong on the Internet,” a playful look at good topics to debate, good tactics, and the art of the rant. I was on the panel and suggested a few rantable topics, such as the Oxford comma or evaluating history.

By then it was late afternoon. I took some time to check into the hotel, cruise through the Art Show and Dealer’s Room, and buy a small gift for my husband. I spent the rest of the evening at a gathering called “Writers and Donuts,” hosted by Richard Chwedyk, where we noshed on donuts and discussed writing. Then I attended various parties until midnight. The festivities were still going strong, but I was tired.

Saturday, February 17

After a light breakfast in the Con Suite, I began Saturday by attending a panel on “Care and Feeding of a Debut Novelist,” since I am one, and learned I can expect my life to get much busier. “Characters That Don’t Suck” considered craft and techniques for stock, static, and dynamic characters. Then I went to an author reading. Ada Palmer told how the 18th-century novel Jacques the Fatalist by Denis Diderot affected her story-telling choices in her Terra Ignota series; the first novel, Too Like the Lightning, won a 2017 Hugo.

After lunch with a new friend, I attended the fun-sounding panel “How to Piss Off Dave McCarty.” Any question related to Hugo voting software provoked a bitter, heartfelt, entertaining rant. At “Who’s the Boss?” a panel about working on joint projects, Eric Flint offered a cold-hearted analysis of Hollywood and its sometimes sophomoric behavior. That made co-panelist Monica Valentinelli, who has had her own adventures in that realm, exclaim, “I love you so much right now!” The next panel, “Science Fiction Cover Art: A History to Modern Day,” covered a lot of ground despite loose organization, and panelists anguished over how little value was paid to art in the early years of the genre.

By then I’d been serious for too long, so I attended a concert by the a capella group Sassafras with its tight harmonies, heard some of Kingon Pop Warrior’s music and her powerful voice, and then laughed a lot at SpaceTime Theatre Troope’s improv comedy, led by Bill Roper.

After that, I wandered from party to party until 1 a.m. Again, celebrations continued after I was snug in bed.

The Best Overall Party Award, voted on by attendees and presented at Closing Ceremonies, went to Bar Fleet, hosted by the U.B.S. Abandon crew. I can attest that it lived up to Bar Fleet standards for libations and dance music, although it faced stiff competition for the title of “best.”

Sunday, February 18

I was among the five people at the start (more stumbled in over the next hour) of a 10 a.m. panel on “The Critical Eye” about how to write a review, “a creative response to a creative work.” The next panel, “The Singularity: Mechs or Shapers?” suggested that we will only identify whatever the singularity is – a disruption or AI breakthrough of some sort – after it happens.

“The Expanding Universe of Fandom” compared large commercial cons like Dragon*Con, which draws 80,000 people, comic cons, and media cons to smaller fan-run literary cons like Capricon: huge versus up close and personal. Eric Flint observed that, like fan-run cons, some of the big commercial cons had their uses for professional authors, including reaching readers. The commercial cons’ success, he said, reflected the growing popularity of genre among the general public, although some fans bemoan them: “There’s a strain in fandom that resists and almost resents the fact that it’s won.”

The Closing Ceremonies followed, but they had just begun when my husband called from the parking lot. He’d come to pick me up, and my weekend of fun with a thousand-member fan family was over. It was time to go home and rest, full of enthusiasm to read and write a lot more.

Capricon 39 will be held February 14 to 17, 2019, again at the Westin North Shore, with the theme of “Strange Beasts Arise.”

— Sue Burke

Clarkesworld Reader’s Poll winner: it wasn’t me

It hurts to lose, but not to such a deserving winner.

You may recall that my story “Who Won the Battle of Arsia Mons?” was one of five finalists for the 2017 Reader’s Poll at Clarkesworld magazine.

Today, the winner was announced: “A Series of Steaks” by Vina Jie-Min Prasad. This story is also a finalist for the 2017 Nebula Award for best novelette.

As soon as I read it, I knew I had stiff competition.

If you haven’t read it, I encourage you to read it now. It tells about a woman who makes illegal beef forgeries in China and the perils she faces, and there’s a happy ending.

Congratulations, Vina!

— Sue Burke

2U Salon open mic on Saturday

I’ll be taking part in the 2U Salon, an open mic, on Saturday, March 3, from 7 to 9 p.m., at Second Unitarian Church, 656 W. Barry Ave., Chicago.

It’s free and open to all, with light snacks provided. BYOB. Expect readings, music, spoken word, and dance. Visual or other artists are invited to do a “show and tell” and display their works. Drop in, enjoy, and share your talent. No registration necessary. It’s the church I attend, and we welcome everyone.

— Sue Burke

Thin Mints vs. bitcoins

I wrote this in 2014 when I was living overseas where there were no Girl Scouts. Thin Mints, when we could somehow get them, were like money in the bank, unlike bitcoins.

Little-known fact: Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies can be used as currency among American expatriates. Technically, these Thin Mints are a community currency, an alternative form of exchange among a group with a common bond: in this case, Americans without a Girl Scout troop nearby. Cookie sales begin every February — without us. Our hearts ache.

Contrast these cookies with bitcoins, a cryptocurrency, a peer-to-peer payment system using Bitcoin software exchanges on the internet. The facts demonstrate Thin Mints’ superior value:

Bitcoins are a form of public-key cryptography involving alphanumeric strings. Thin Mints are crispy chocolate wafers dipped in a mint chocolaty coating. Chocolate covered chocolate!

Bitcoins can be stolen. We have no Thin Mints, just sweet memories and sad longing, and they can’t take that away from us.

Bitcoins have been used on the black market for illegal drugs, tax evasion, and gambling. Thin Mint profits build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.

Bitcoins suffer an extremely volatile exchange rate. Thin Mints, like all Girl Scout Cookies, continuously change and improve. In 2007, two 10-year-old Scouts, Madison Vorva and Rhiannon Tomtishen, began a campaign to make sure that the cookies use only sustainably produced GreenPalm-certified palm oil, protecting both human rights and rain forest habitat for the endangered orangutan; the girls won the United Nations Forest Heroes Award in 2011.

Cookies sold by brave, confident girls, real-life heroes: that’s what we miss. Keep your cryto-cash. Give us minty chocolate wafers! Please.

— Sue Burke

How to find (or avoid) me at Capricon 38

I’ll be at Capricon 38, the science fiction convention in Wheeling, IL, from Friday, February 16, to Sunday, February 18.

I’ll be on three panels on Friday, then I’ll spend the rest of the weekend fooling around:

• Rapid Reading #1, 10:45 a.m. in the Willow Room. Six of us will wow you with our prose.

• Exobiology for Dummies, 1:00 p.m., Birch B Room. If life is out there, what would it look like? And how would we know it when we found it?

• Someone Is Wrong on the Internet, 4:00 p.m., Ravinia Ballroom A. Dave McCarty is the moderator, so this should be lively.

If you’re there, let’s say hello!

— Sue Burke

“Semiosis” release update

As you know, my novel Semiosis was released last week to all the fanfare Tor and I could muster. Here are some recent highlights:

You can read reviews (beware, spoilers) by Liz Bourke, and at The Verge.

I wrote a column about the novel for John Scalzi’s Big Idea series at his blog, Whatever, asking: Who is in charge of the plant where you live? There’s also an interview at MyLifeMyBooksMyEscape.com.

For more about the novel, visit https://semiosispax.com/.

— Sue Burke

Let me talk to the aliens!

At the That Was Awesome! Writers on Writing Tor blog, I discuss Ted Chiang’s “Story of Your Life” and why, as a translator, I would love love love to translate aliens, and why I believe in the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.

— Sue Burke

“Semiosis” is released today

In celebration of that, there have been some interviews and posts around the internet.

At the Tor/Forge blog, I answer the question of whether your neglected houseplants want revenge. Short answer: no. Consider the fate of the osage orange…

At Mary Robinette Kowal’s website, I share “My Favorite Bit” about Semiosis.

At the Chicago Review of Books, I talk about where science fiction writers get their ideas, and how Semiosis started with my houseplants.

SFRevu has a review of Semiosis and an interview with me.

At Shelf Awareness, there’s a review of the book and an interview.

At the Cartesian Theatre, Andrew Leon Hudson asks me some questions, not all of them somber and serious.

The Qwillery has an interview asking writing-related questions.

A review in Spanish is at the Dreams of Elvex blog.

For the latest Semiosis news, visit https://semiosispax.com/.

— Sue Burke