Thoughtful readers,

I have belated poetry release news for you: my poem "Your regular college-town climate elegy" was in the May/June issue of Asimov's Science Fiction. I'm linking to the digital edition, but you might still be able to find a print issue in the wild (the newsstand at Barnes and Noble is often a good spot to check). Thanks to the friend who shared their sighting with me! The poem begins:

It’s March and the shortest irises are laying on mascara,
students in daffodil-yellow play beer pong on the new grass,
and you know where these poems go, don’t you?
It's spring...

I'm just learning about the publication because of delays in printing recent issues of Asimov's, which are one of many unexpected complications associated with the magazine's recent change in ownership.

It's autumn now, not spring. I've been traveling, and the signs of the changing season are different in each place: bright yellow leaves over the river in Providence, Rhode Island, brilliant red maples in Michigan, and glorious sunset dahlias in my mother's Oregon garden. My thoughts right now are with Sheila Williams, who was chief editor of Asimov's for many years, and is now recovering from a stroke. Sheila's family has a fundraiser to support her care.

Let me offer you a purple dahlia, with deep-evening glow:

And here's Kosmas the cat, taking a well-earned break from the labors of a gamer:

Yours,

Ursula.