Fiction Liberation Front
 

Welcome to the online collection of works by Lewis Shiner.

Read this manifesto for a quick explanation of what's going on here.

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Titles below are in order of first appearance on the site. Most are available either in HTML or PDF or both. *An asterisk indicates there's a link to a translated version at the bottom of this page. **A double asterisk indicates there's a link to an audio version at the bottom of this page. ***A triple asterisk indicates there's a link to a video version at the bottom of this page.

Novels

 DARK TANGOS (2011)InfoPDF"Not only a great entertainment, but a meditation on the true meaning of justice."
 SAY GOODBYE (1999)InfoPDF"The Citizen Kane of rock and roll novels."
 SLAM (1990)InfoPDF"Plot twists worthy of Thomas Pynchon."
 GLIMPSES (1993)InfoPDFA "surreal and riveting ode to the sixties."
 FRONTERA (1984)InfoPDF"Hard-edged and colorful and relentless."
 DESERTED CITIES
OF THE HEART (1988)
InfoPDF"A taut political thriller and a transcendent apocalyptic fantasy."
 BLACK & WHITE (2008)InfoPDF"Both a page-turner and an urban documentary with a big, fierce heart."

Short Fiction

 The Gate of
the Fallen Angel
HTMLPDFISIS vs. Art
 The Black SunHTML Stage magicians vs. Hitler, hosted by
Subterranean Magazine.
 Doctor HeliosHTML Spies in 1963 Egypt, hosted by
Subterranean Magazine.
 Canto MCMLHTMLPDFWhen are we, anyway?
 ApplicationHTMLPDFA good job is hard to find.
 Merry Christmas
from the Kensingtons
HTMLPDFGhosts of Christmas cards past.
 A Box of ThunderHTML Utopia vs. los narcos.
 PrimesHTMLPDFThe population of the world doubles in 24 hours.
 White City***HTMLPDFTesla and the Columbian Exhibition of 1893.
 Wild for YouHTMLPDFSome trips seem to last forever.
 Deserted Cities
of the Heart
HTMLPDFA short-story warmup for the novel.
 ScalesHTMLPDFA lamia is loose on the SMU campus.
 SecretsHTMLPDFThose lawyers--never did trust 'em.
 The Death of
Che Guevara
HTML Alternate history, hosted by Subterranean.
 Odd Man OutHTMLPDFClaustrophobia and paranoia in outer space.
 His Girlfriend's DogHTMLPDFFirst published as a postcard insert.
 OmphalosHTMLPDFInspired by A.C. Doyle's goofier Professor Challenger stories.
 The Best Part
of Making Up
HTMLPDFLove in the Instant Replay generation.
 OzHTMLPDFOne of those alternate universe Kennedy assassination deals.
DuckHTMLPDFLike Raymond Carver with stuffed animals.
 Kidding AroundHTMLPDFTeen torment in Tomball, Texas.
 The KissHTMLPDFMy first spy story.
 Rake-OffHTMLPDFA very early homage to the suspense stories of Walter Tevis.
 PlagueHTMLPDFA light-hearted end-of-life-as-we-know-it story.
 PromisesHTMLPDFBobby meets the aliens.
 Blood RelationsHTMLPDFSome kind of man-thing shambles out of the East Texas swamps.
 Tinker's DamnHTMLPDFAn android in love in my 1977 SF debut.
 LanguageHTMLPDFAn eternal question, rephrased.
 Like the Gentle RainHTMLPDFBrains in boxes poke fun at philosopher J.D. Bernal.
The Long DenouementHTMLPDFHard-boiled scribes and editors in a Raymond Chandler spoof.
 Mystery TrainHTMLPDF"Where's Elvis? What have you done with him?"
 The Shoemaker's TaleHTMLPDFA bedtime story fit for a King.
 RelayHTMLPDFAstronauts, malfunctions, parallel worlds, Kansas.
 DancersHTMLPDFCancerous brains and dancing robots.
 SnowbirdsHTMLPDFBeware invaders from the future!
 The Gene DrainHTMLPDFBy request, something a bit more "cyberpunk."
 BrujoHTMLPDFCasteñeda-style magic in 1980s Santa Fe
 Stompin' at the SavoyHTMLPDFKnock-knock jokes, muties, and "Bob."
 Jeff BeckHTMLPDFRock and roll dreams mix with working class angst.
 The War at HomeHTMLPDFThe ghost of Vietnam haunts the 1980s US.
 Till Human
Voices Wake Us
HTMLPDFA mad scientist, a Caribbean island, a mermaid.
 Nine Hard Questions
about the Nature of
the Universe
HTMLPDFMore flying saucers, sex, and quantum physics.
 GoldHTMLPDFA Western with pirates and Marxist economics.
 Soldier, SailorHTMLPDFThe "condensed novel" that grew up to be Frontera.
 Tommy and the
Talking Dog
HTMLPDFAnswer 3 questions and wear the magic shoes.
 Kings of the AfternoonHTMLPDFA surrealistic Western starring Dean, Bogart, and Dietrich.
 Dirty WorkHTMLPDFAn ex-football player investigates a rape case.
Buyin' My Heartaches
A Beer
HTMLPDFDrinkin', cheatin', and dyin' in rural Texas.
 Prodigal SonHTMLPDFThe last of the Dan Sloane stories.
 The Killing SeasonHTMLPDFThe second Dan Sloane story.
 Deep Without PityHTMLPDFFirst of the Dan Sloane, Private Eye stories.
 Stuff of Dreams*HTMLPDFWhat is more addictive than the inside of our own heads?
 The ApparitionHTMLPDFA 1980 ghost story that still spooks me.
 StokedHTMLPDFHot skateboard action in this warmup for my novel Slam.
 Twilight TimeHTMLPDFTravel to a 1961 with aliens, flying saucers, and a prom.
The Long Ride OutHTMLPDFMy first Western, from the 70s, buffed in the 90s.
 Americans*HTMLPDFStandalone version of Deserted Cities of the Heart, chapter 1.
 RebelsHTMLPDFChapter 2 of Deserted Cities, as published in Omni.
 CabracanHTMLPDFChapter 3 of Deserted Cities, from Asimov's.
 The CircleHTMLPDFBy request, a Halloween story from the Twilight Zone.
 SitcomHTMLPDFAny resemblance to a certain 70s TV show is...a conspiracy?
 Fractal GeometryHTMLPDFA quick hit of postmodernism from the late 1980s.
Straws**HTMLPDFOriginal for FLF about inner vs. outer reality.
Fear ItselfHTMLPDFMy first Christmas story. Not exactly a Hallmark card.
Golfing VietnamHTMLPDFA wedding and some impromptu golf.
 Perfidia*HTMLPDFBased on mysteries surrounding the death of Glenn Miller.
You Never KnowHTMLPDFContest entry for a 200-word romance involving a Beetle.
 Lizard Men of Los Angeles*HTMLPDFA tribute to H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard.
 Steam Engine TimeHTMLPDFA Western about Elvis.
 SticksHTMLPDFA very 80s rock and roll fantasy.
Mark the BunnyHTMLPDFMy first children's story.
 Love In VainHTMLPDFInspired by a long article about serial killer Henry Lee Lucas.
 MatchHTMLPDFFantasy tennis, anyone?
 Castles Made of SandHTMLPDFLiteral and otherwise.
 Flagstaff**HTMLPDFMore thinly veiled autobiography.

Non-fiction

 Bob Welch and Avenue MHTMLPDF1990 music journalism with new notes.
 Introduction to When the Music's OverHTMLPDFFrom my 1991 non-violence anthology.
Compassion in Clowes'
Velvet Glove
HTMLPDFAn academic paper on slackers.
 Confessions of an
Ex-Cyberpunk
HTMLPDFNew York Times op-ed piece from 1991.
 History as Swiss CheeseHTMLPDFReview of Greil Marcus's Lipstick Traces.
 KafkalandHTMLPDFReview of Thomas Palmer's Dream Science.
Real LifeHTMLPDFUnpublished piece about Phil Dick (and other stuff).
 The Short, Unhappy Career
of Lew Shiner, Tough-
Guy Writer
HTMLPDFIntro to the Dan Sloane stories (see above).
AutosalvageHTMLPDFReview of the brilliant 1968 psychedelic album.
 Wouldn't It Be NiceHTMLPDFInterviews with Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks.

Screenplays

Glimpses PDFUnsold adaptation of my World Fantasy Award-winning novel.
The Next PDFUnsold action picture about vampire lawyers. Semifinalist in PAGE screenwriting awards.

Audio

 Straws MP3Read by Jeff Archer Black.
 Flagstaff MP3Read by Jeff Archer Black.

Video

 
 

Translations

 Pestilenza HTMLItalian translation of "Plague" by my friend Aldo Carpanelli.
 Linguaggio HTMLItalian translation of "Language" by my friend Aldo Carpanelli.
 Application HTMLFrench translation by my friend Guy d'Andigné.
 The Best Part of Making Up HTMLFrench translation by my friend Guy d'Andigné.
 Sitcom ebookItalian translation from Urban Apnea Edizioni.
 The Circle ebookChinese translation by Gong Yu.
Les cités abandonnées
du coeur
 PDFFrench translation of "Deserted Cities
of the Heart" by Claire Michel.
Perfidia PDFFrench translation by Claire Michel.
Люди-Ящерицы из Лос-Анджелеса PDFRussian translation of "Lizard Men of Los Angeles" by Sergey Artomov.
Roba da sogno HTMLItalian translation of "Stuff of Dreams" by Aldo Carpanelli.
Разочарование PDFRussian translation of "Perfida" by Sergey Artomov.
 Americanos HTMLSpanish translation of "Americans" by Mauricio-José Schwarz.

Interviews

Erik JacobsenHTML Brilliant producer of Tim Hardin, Spoonful, and others.
John SebastianHTML Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and deeply funny guy.

 First published here