Aw, thanks, I'm glad to hear that you were so happy to see episode 2, and that you enjoyed it so much. It totally made my day to know that someone out there appreciated the aphids/fungul infestation joke. I was so proud of that one, but wasn't sure how it would go over with actual readers.

I haven't read Darwinia, but from a quick look at the description on Amazon it certainly sounds interesting. I just checked the catalog for my local library and it's sitting on the shelf as we speak, so I'll be sure to pick it up and give it a try...though maybe I should wait until the end of the month so I don't accidentally draw on it for my story. = ) Thanks for letting me know about it!