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Sue Burke

Goodreads Author


Born
in Milwaukee, The United States
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Member Since
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 · 22,698 ratings · 3,179 reviews · 56 distinct worksSimilar authors
Semiosis (Semiosis, #1)

3.90 avg rating — 15,492 ratings — published 2018 — 23 editions
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Interference (Semiosis, #2)

3.97 avg rating — 4,332 ratings — published 2019 — 5 editions
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Usurpation (Semiosis, #3)

3.68 avg rating — 892 ratings — published 2024 — 7 editions
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Immunity Index

3.32 avg rating — 614 ratings — published 2021 — 5 editions
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Dual Memory

3.68 avg rating — 508 ratings — published 2023 — 9 editions
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Clarkesworld Magazine, Issu...

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4.14 avg rating — 335 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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More books by Sue Burke…

My vote for the Nebula Award for Best Poem

Best Poem and Best Comic are new categories for the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association’s Nebula Awards this year, joining Novel, Novella, Novelette, Short Story, Middle Grade and Young Adult, Game Writing, and Dramatic Presentation awards.

Poetry in general isn’t popular among the average reader, I think because so much of contemporary poetry is bad. The dominant mode is tediously conf

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Published on April 15, 2026 08:33
Semiosis Interference Usurpation
(3 books)
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3.91 avg rating — 20,714 ratings

Sue’s Recent Updates

Sue Burke wrote a new blog post

My vote for the Nebula Award for Best Poem

Best Poem and Best Comic are new categories for the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association’s Nebula Awards this year, joining Novel, Novella, Read more of this blog post »
Sue Burke has read
Lines of Force by Steve Bellinger
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Sue Burke entered a giveaway
Obstetrix by Naomi Kritzer
Obstetrix
by Naomi Kritzer (Goodreads Author)
50 copies available, ends on April 20, 2026 Enter to win »
Sue Burke rated a book it was amazing
The Language of Liars by S.L. Huang
The Language of Liars
by S.L. Huang (Goodreads Author)
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I received a preview copy this book in exchange for writing a blurb if I liked it. The description intrigued me: a science fiction story from an outstanding author about translation. A psychic connection allows a linguist to impersonate a species upo ...more
When Women Ran Fifth Avenue by Julie Satow
"What a feminist treasure!

This meticulously researched, beautifully recounted history of the era "When Women Ran Fifth Avenue" fascinated me. I read every word, including the author's description of how she spent years just researching this book.

Mostl" Read more of this review »
Sue Burke rated a book it was amazing
Electromagnetic Assault by Bruce Landay
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If you like futuristic military techno-thrillers, you’ll probably like this book.
Do I need to say more? Let’s consider the many varieties of book reviews including consumer, preview, sponsored, literary, professional, and academic.
In this case I’m a
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Sue Burke wants to read
Slow Gods by Claire North
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Sue Burke and 2 other people liked Matt's review of The Language of Liars:
The Language of Liars by S.L. Huang
"this book is so high on my anticipated reads of 2026 I swear to god"
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
"This book shouldn’t work. A grief-stricken mother, a collapsing world, a second-person POV, and a magic system built on geology—and yet somehow Jemisin makes it work.

I’ll be honest: at first, the second-person narration threw me off. (Yeah, that’s ri" Read more of this review »
Sue Burke answered Bonobo's question: Sue Burke
Hi Tom,
I'm writing a book, but there's no publication date yet. Thank you for reading my books! I've also published some short fiction, as you may know. A list is here, and some of it is free to read on the internet:
https://sueburke.site/publications See Full Answer
More of Sue's books…
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

Polls

Preliminary poll: next SF series read

 
  4 votes, 36.4%

 
  4 votes, 36.4%

 
  2 votes, 18.2%

 
  1 vote, 9.1%

 
  0 votes, 0.0%

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics posts views last activity  
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 417 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

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message 1: by Sue

Sue Burke Win a free copy of 140 And Counting, a book of Tweet-length poetry, including work by me:

http://www.goodreads.com/event/show/3...


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