Susie (she/her) is a queer writer originally from Little Rock, now living in Washington, DC. She is the author of three rom-coms: QUEERLY BELOVED, LOOKING FOR A SIGN, and BED AND BREAKUP, all from Dial Press/Random House. Susie is also a bookseller at her favorite local indie bookstore and a cupcake enthusiast. You can find her on Instagram @susiedoom.
When I’m burdened with life’s heaviest questions, I find myself looking to the natural world for answers. Taking in the tangled, messy, complicated state of wild things reminds me that life isn’t something that can be perfectly organized and the answers to my questions are rarely clearcut. Embracing nature means ceding a certain amount of control, which is also a kind of freedom. Through the works of wonderful writers, I’ve come to understand that what I love about nature is also what I love about being queer: the freedom, the variety of expression, the symbiosis of diverse beings, the refusal to abide by humanity’s restrictive norms.
The books below have opened my eyes to the breathtaking queerness of nature. Some of these books have shaped my thinking about the natural world over years, while others are new favorite releases from 2025. In all cases, you’ll find wisdom and fresh perspectives that will change the way you perceive the world around you. Read these contemplations on the queerness of nature, then go outside and touch grass. It might just help you find the answers you’re looking for.
How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures by Sabrina Imbler
In the three years since I first read How Far the Light Reaches, rarely has a day gone by that I haven’t thought about it. Science journalist Sabrina Imbler has always been fascinated by sea creatures, and as they dove deeper into their research, Imbler saw reflections of their experience as a queer, multiracial writer in the organisms surviving below water. Some of the essays I still think about most: the toxic mothering habits of octopuses, biracial identities and hybrid butterflyfish, queer community and the unlikely habitats around hydrothermal vents, and the defiant resilience of jellyfish. Imbler’s writing is a gift that will change the way you look at the sea.
Forest Euphoria: The Abounding Queerness of Nature by Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian
I’ve been chasing the high of reading How Far the Light Reaches since 2022, and I finally found that queer science joy again in Forest Euphoria. Mycologist and writer Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian found acceptance and a place to explore in the natural landscapes of her childhood home in the Hudson Valley. As an adult studying science, she found representation of her queerness and neurodivergence in the plants, animals, and fungi she researched. Forest Euphoria is a gentle, poignant exploration of finding queer experiences reflected in nature, from mushroom community building to intersex courtship in slugs to trans identity in eels. Kaishian weaves together her deeply personal memories, nature and science writing, and queer theory in this gorgeous, life-affirming book.
Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper
I thought birding wasn’t for me. Then I read Christian Cooper’s joyful memoir Better Living Through Birding. Nature lover, creator of queer characters for Marvel and Star Trek, and self-proclaimed “Blerd” Cooper rose to viral fame after he was verbally assaulted by a white woman with an off-leash dog in Central Park while he was birding. But that viral moment is only a tiny part of Cooper’s captivating story. In his memoir, Cooper shares his passion for birding, his international travels in pursuit of new outdoor experiences, and how he became a naturalistic pagan. Cooper’s unabashed enthusiasm for the magic of the natural world will make you want to grab a pair of binoculars and go explore it for yourself.
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Fieldwork: A Forager’s Memoir by Iliana Regan
There are three buzzwords that make me want to drop everything and read a book immediately: queerness, nature, and food. So it should surprise no one that I loved chef Iliana Regan’s memoir Fieldwork. Regan left the Michelin-starred restaurant they’d built to their employees and walked away to create a new kind of culinary experience in the middle of Michigan’s Hiawatha National Forest. The Milkweed Inn is a small B&B experience deep in the forest where guests are treated to Regan’s mind-blowing foraged meals. In Fieldwork, you’ll see how Regan fell in love with foraging and natural flavors while exploring the wilderness around their family’s rural Indiana farm, and you’ll get a window into their inspiration for the Milkweed Inn. Reading it feels like a leisurely stroll through the woods with Regan at your side, pointing out mushrooms and wild greens as they tell you their story.
Love Letter to a Garden by Debbie Millman with recipes by Roxane Gay
What’s gayer than writing a little illustrated guide to gardening? Writing a little illustrated guide to gardening with recipes by your wife! Queer literary power couple Debbie Millman and Roxane Gay teamed up to create the pocket-sized wonder Love Letter to a Garden. Despite her lifelong love of caring for plants, Debbie Millman considered herself a “bad gardener”. Pandemic anxieties inspired her to return to the outdoors, and her views on what it takes to be a “good gardener” shifted to a broader understanding of the relationship between humanity and nature. Millman shares her lessons learned alongside her own art and photos of her garden. Roxane Gay, bestselling author and talented home chef, contributes recipes utilizing homegrown produce. Love Letter to a Garden is a comforting read that can transform your gardening and cooking skills.
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