John Shirley is a writer of fantasy, science fiction, dark street fiction, and songs. He has also written historical fiction, western fiction, and non-fiction book. Shirley has written novels, short stories, TV scripts, and screenplays. He has published over 70 books and 8 short-story collections. His first novel, "Transmaniacon," was published in 1979. As a musician, Shirley has fronted bands and written lyrics for other bands.