What’s the funniest?
Spinal Tap. Everybody knows that.
Other than Lucas and NASCAR, have you had any encounters with censorship?
Very few. SF is generally under the radar, which is one of the advantages to not being taken seriously by the media. I did have a hard time placing The Left Left Behind, and I suspect that’s because it satirizes Israeli militarism. Christian fundamentalism is fair game but Israel is not.
You’ve been writing for some thirty-odd years. If you had it to do over what would you do?
Work harder. Learn to touch type. I still hunt and peck which is maybe why I am such a stingy writer. I always write short. My last two novels are novellas. This is not a career plan in SF.
Do you like fried green tomatoes?
Of course. Bourbon even better.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
NOVELS
Wyrldmaker (Pocket, 1981)
Talking Man (Morrow, 1986)
Voyage to the Red Planet (Morrow, 1990)
Pirates of the Universe (Tor, 1996)
The Pickup Artist (Tor, 2001)
Dear Abbey (PS, 2003)
Numbers Don’t Lie (Tachyon, 2005)
Planet of Mystery (PS, 2008)
Fire on the Mountain (PM Press, 2009)
COLLECTIONS
Bears Discover Fire (Tor, 1993)
In the Upper Room: And Other Likely Stories (Tor, 2000)
Greetings: And Other Stories (Tachyon, 2005)
Billy’s Book (PS, 2009)
COLLABORATIONS
with Tom and Ray Magliozzi:
Car Talk (Dell, 1991)
with Walter M Miller:
Saint Leibowitz and the Wild Horse Woman (Bantam, 1997)
with Stephanie Spinner:
Be First in the Universe (Dell, 2000)
Expiration Date: Never (Dell, 2001)
NOVELIZATIONS
Johnny Mnemonic (1995)
Virtuosity (1995)
Alien Resurrection (1997)
The Fifth Element (1997)
Galaxy Quest (1999)
The 6th Day (2000)
BIOGRAPHY
Nat Turner: Slave Revolt Leader (Chelsea House, 1988)
Ona Move: The Story of Mumia Abu Jamal (Plough, 2001)
Tradin’ Paint: Raceway Rookies and Royalty (Scholastic,2001)
MEDIA SERIES
X-Files
Miracle Man
(HarperCollins, 1999)
Nascar: Pole Position (as T.B. Calhoun)
Rolling Thunder
In the Groove
Race Ready
Hammer Down
Full Throttle
Speed Demon
Spin Out!
(HarperCollins, 1998-99)
Star Wars: Boba Fett
The Fight to Survive
Crossfire
(Scholastic, 2002-3)
Jonny Quest (as Brad Quentin)
Demon of the Deep
Peril in the Peaks
Attack of the Evil Cyber-God
(HarperCollins, 1998-90)
Speed Racer (as Chase Wheeler)
Race for Revenge
(Grossett & Dunlap, 2008)
SHORT STORIES
“The Two Janets” (1990)
“Over Flat Mountain” (1990)
“Bears Discover Fire” (1990) —Hugo, Nebula, Locus, Sturgeon awards
“They’re Made Out of Meat” (1991)
“Press Ann” (1991)
“The Coon Suit” (1991)
“Cancion Autentica de Old Earth” (1992)
“Two Guys from the Future” (1992)
“Next” (1992)
“Are There Any Questions?” (1992)
“Carl’s Lawn & Garden” (1992)
“Necronauts” (1993)
“The Shadow Knows” (1993)
“England Underway” (1993)
“The Message” (1993)
“George” (1993)
“By Permit Only” (1993)
“The Toxic Donut” (1993)
“The Hole in the Hole” (1994)
“Dead Man’s Curve” (1994)
“Partial People” (1994)
“Tell Them They Are Full of Shit, And They Should Fuck Off” (1994)
“The Joe Show” (1994)
“There Are No Dead” (1995)
“10:07:24” (1995)
“The Edge of the Universe” (1996)
“‘Hawk’ Debate Heats Up” (1996)
“In the Upper Room” (1996)
“The Player” (1997)
“An Office Romance” (1997)
“Get Me to the Church on Time” (1998)
“Incident at Oak Ridge” (1998)
“First Fire” (1998)
“Smoother” (1999)
“macs” (1999) —Nebula, Locus, Gran Prix de l’Imaginaire awards
“Pleasantville Monster Project” (1999)
“Not This Virginia” (1999)
“He Loved Lucy” (2000)
“A View From the Bridge” (2001)
“Charlie’s Angels” (2001)
“The Old Rugged Cross” (2001)
“The Hugo Nominee” (2002)
“Openclose” (2002)
“I Saw the Light” (2002)
“Come Dance with Me” (2003)
“Almost Home” (2003)
“Greetings” (2003)
“Scout’s Honor” (2004)
“Death’s Door” (2004)
“Super 8” (2004)
“Billy and the Ants” (2005)
“A Special Day” (2006)
“Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” (2006)
“Billy and the Bulldozer” (2005)
“Billy and the Fairy” (2006)
“Billy and the Unicorn” (2006)
“Bil/ly and the Circus Girl” (2006)
“Billy and the Talking Plant” (2006)
“Billy and the Magic Midget” (2006)
“Pirates of the Somali Coast” (2007)
“BYOB FAQ” (2007)
“Billy and the Wizard” (2007)
“Billy and the Spacemen” (2008)
“Captain Ordinary” (2008)
“Billy and the Flying Saucer” (2008)
“Catch ‘Em in the Act” (2008)
“Private Eye” (2008)
“Stamps” (2008)
“Billy and the Pond Vikings” (2009)
“Billy and the Time Skateboard” (2009)
“Billy in Dinosaur City” (2009)
“Billy and the Witch” (2009)
“Corona Centurion™ FAQ” (2009)
“TVA Baby” (2009)
“Farewell Atlantis” (2009)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A product of the New Left as well as the Old South, Terry Bisson has written for newspapers and magazines, film and stage, kids’ books and comics, and worked as an editor and an auto mechanic. His alternate history of John Brown’s raid, Fire on the Mountain, has just been republished by PM.
