Trying to recall Sci Fi novel by woman author???

[mel gregory]

Hi, everyone!! :wave: I am new to the forum but I am just going to jump right in and hope for the best. I am going nuts trying to remember the name of a book I once read. I can't remember the author either. :frown5: If anyone can help I would be more than grateful. It's a sci fi novel by a female author. It is about an artist who gets some sort of injection that enhances her creative ability. I remember the artwork being digital or able to move as well. Anyway once injected the host then has a colony that grows and grows into a tiny civilization inside her. She can communicate with them, but they begin to think of her as their god/creator. One of these objects the character names Poppy. I just threw out bits I could remember, I read this book at least 10 years ago. Again, if anyone has the slightest clue what I am rambling about I would be very thankful as my sanity is at stake.

[PlentySwag]

hey there!

I don't know the story but I'm willing to help you look for it, I know how frustrating it is to look for something and not remembering the name! Is there any additional information you can give about the plot? When you say "female sci fi author"...do the names Ursula LeGuin, Anne McCaffrey and Connie Willis ring a bell in context of what you're looking for?

Also can you confirm if this was an actual novel, are you sure it wasn't just one short story among a collection of short stories or if it wasn't a novella? (Just asking because the plot sounds more like something out of a short story or novella to me, rather than a novel).

Lastly when you read it would help too (even if it's just an estimate), so I can discount whatever was published after a certain year. Do you remember if it was adult or young adult fiction?

[mel gregory]

Thanks for trying to help Swag, I read your reply a while ago and typed up something or other but my laptop battery died and I never got back to it. I finally found it after searching for years! Joan Slonczweski - Brain Plague!! Relentlessly going through lists of female sci fi writers and pouring over blogs has finally paid off. :brow: Woot! Just going to order a copy from Amazon now, fingers crossed it's as good as I remember.