RULES, RULES, RULES
“Keep it short. It can and should be read in one sitting.” – Rule #1 in Terry Bisson’s 60 Rules for writing short science fiction and fantasy.
Don’t you just love a man who follows his own rules? Then you know what we mean when we say, well, Terry Bisson … rules.
Terry Bisson is an American science fiction and fantasy author best known for his short stories. He’s won several awards, including both the Hugo and Nebula, and lives in California. In addition to writing, editing, and hosting a monthly author reader series, he maintains a regular “This Month in History” feature for Locus Magazine.
“Bisson’s prose is a wonder of seemingly effortless control and precision; he is one of science fiction’s most promising short story practitioners, proving that in the genre, the short story remains a powerful, viable and evocative form.” —Publisher’s Weekly
“BEARS DISCOVER FIRE, AND OTHER STORIES is the first short story collection by the most acclaimed science fiction author of the decade. It brings together nineteen of Bisson’s finest works for the first time in one volume, among them the darkly comic title story, which garnered the field’s highest honors, including the Hugo, Nebula, Theodore Sturgeon, and Locus awards.” — Amazon
Another amazing cover design by Blackstone. Don’t you love the wood-cut bear?
“Whether narrating a parable of Earth’s dying (“Carl’s Lawn and Garden”), exploring the afterlife (“Necronauts”), or chronicling the relocation of a country (“England Underway”), Bisson continues to surprise his readers with his startling vision and iconoclastic imagination. These 19 stories (most published only in magazines) showcase the varied talents of a skilled and as yet unjaded writer.” –Library Journal ~
And our favorite of Terry’s rules?
Rule #29: “Even a story without a narrator has a narrator.”
Luckily for us we have some great narrators. These are narrators’ narrators, folks.
Grammy winner Janis Ian lent her sense of rhythm to a story told entirely in dialogue between human and ATM machine (“Press Ann”). Audie winner Stefan Rudnicki bravely took on the title story itself, with its disconcerting imagery and haunting prose (“Bears Discover Fire”). Broadway and TV actor and director, and Audie winning narrator, Kristoffer Tabori upped the drama in a tale about foreign aliens, composed of meat, striving to initiate human contact (aptly titled “They’re Made Out of Meat”). (Don’t believe us? Check out this video adaptation of “They’re Made out of Meat”.)
Combine our talented narrators with an author who understands the importance of cadence and timing in his own writing (Rule #57: Read your story aloud) and you are not going to want to miss this collection. So purchase your copy on downpour today!
And in our continuing effort to tell you who read what, here’s the
SkyCast:
Bears Discover Fire – narrated by Stefan Rudnicki
The Two Janets – narrated by Janis Ian
They’re Made Out of Meat – narrated by Kristoffer Tabori
Over Flat Mountain – narrated by Stefan Rudnicki
Press Ann – narrated by Janis Ian
The Coon Suit – narrated by Kristoffer Tabori
George – narrated by Stefan Rudnicki
Next – narrated by Janis Ian
Necronauts – narrated by Kristoffer Tabori
Are There Any Questions? – narrated by Stefan Rudnicki
Two Guys from the Future – narrated by Janis Ian
The Toxic Donut – narrated by Stefan Rudnicki
Cancion Autentica de Old Earth – narrated by Kristoffer Tabori
Partial People – narrated by Stefan Rudnicki
Carl’s Lawn and Garden – narrated by Janis Ian
The Message – narrated by Kristoffer Tabori
England Underway – narrated by Kristoffer Tabori
By Permit Only – narrated by Janis Ian
The Shadow Knows – narrated by Stefan Rudnicki
And in our continuing effort to tell you who read what, here’s the
SkyCast:
Bears Discover Fire – narrated by Stefan Rudnicki
The Two Janets – narrated by Janis Ian
They’re Made Out of Meat – narrated by Kristoffer Tabori
Over Flat Mountain – narrated by Stefan Rudnicki
Press Ann – narrated by Janis Ian
The Coon Suit – narrated by Kristoffer Tabori
George – narrated by Stefan Rudnicki
Next – narrated by Janis Ian
Necronauts – narrated by Kristoffer Tabori
Are There Any Questions? – narrated by Stefan Rudnicki
Two Guys from the Future – narrated by Janis Ian
The Toxic Donut – narrated by Stefan Rudnicki
Cancion Autentica de Old Earth – narrated by Kristoffer Tabori
Partial People – narrated by Stefan Rudnicki
Carl’s Lawn and Garden – narrated by Janis Ian
The Message – narrated by Kristoffer Tabori
England Underway – narrated by Kristoffer Tabori
By Permit Only – narrated by Janis Ian
The Shadow Knows – narrated by Stefan Rudnicki
