Emma Bull

Biography

Two of Emma’s favorite childhood memories are of typing out nonsense words on her parents’ black Royal manual typewriter, and watching the neighbor mow the lawn. She went to Beloit College, where she majored in English, then moved to Minneapolis, where there are two seasons: Snow removal and road repair. (Or, as it sometimes seems, snow repair and road removal.)

After that, she moved back to her native southern California, where she would’ve driven with the top down if she’d had a convertible. She was a resident of the Republic of Bisbee (AZ) and loved it (except on the few days of the year when there was snow). And now she’s living in Tucson, Arizona, where she would ride the range if she had a pony. But she does have a great cowboy hat.

She’s written novels, screenplays, a children’s book, and short stories. She and her husband, Will Shetterly, are members of the Interstate Writers’ Workshop, aka The Scribblies. Emma and Will conduct writing workshops now and then; they’ve taught in Los Angeles, at Clarion West, the Pima Writers Workshop, and elsewhere.

Emma played guitar and sang in the Flash Girls, a goth-folk duo. She was a member of Cats Laughing, a psychedelic improv folk-jazz band that included Steven Brust, Adam Stemple, Lojo Russo, and Bill Colsher.

She is the producer for Shadow Unit, a webfiction project she shares with Elizabeth Bear, Sarah Monette, Will Shetterly, and Amanda Downum. It combines novella-length episodes of a series story with hypertext “DVD extras” and character on-line journals. Contributing writers in its eight-episode second “season” include Holly Black and Leah Bobet.

Where to find Emma Bull online

Series

Shadow Unit
"Shadow Unit is the best TV show never filmed. If it had been filmed, it would’ve been pitched as “Criminal Minds meets The X-Files.” The Anomalous Crimes Task Force investigates the aftermath when the little-understood “anomaly” turns ordinary humans into (magically? psychically?) empowered monsters. Some members of the ACTF—the WTF if you’re feeling affectionate—are at risk of becoming monsters themselves." —Ruthanna Emrys, Tor.Com
Shadow Unit 1
Price: $3.99 USD.
Shadow Unit 10
Price: $3.99 USD.
Shadow Unit 11
Price: $3.99 USD.
Shadow Unit 12
Price: $3.99 USD.
Shadow Unit 13
Price: $3.99 USD.
Shadow Unit 14
Price: $3.99 USD.

Books

Freedom & Necessity
Price: $5.99 USD. Words: 227,140. Language: English. Published: March 31, 2018 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Historical, Fiction » Fantasy » General
On the south coast of England, London man-about-town James Cobham comes to himself in a country inn, with no idea how he got there. Corresponding with his brother, he discovers he has been presumed drowned in a boating accident. Together they decide that he should stay put for the moment, while they investigate what may have transpired. For James Cobham is a wanted man....
Falcon
Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 100,880. Language: English. Published: June 20, 2015 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » General, Fiction » Science fiction » Space opera
(4.50 from 2 reviews)
About Falcon: “I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how the story was going to end... Bull knows how to fit bombshells in unobtrusively, then explode them at exactly the right moment.” —Locus magazine "Absorbing...Entrancing." —Lois McMaster Bujold "Stark and strong: Strict science fiction, purely myth. A perfect novel!" —R. A. MacAvoy
Shadow Unit 15
Series: Shadow Unit. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 45,370. Language: English. Published: August 1, 2014 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » General, Fiction » Thriller & suspense » General
(5.00 from 1 review)
Contains "Asylum" by C.L. Polk and Elizabeth Bear, "Something's Gotta Eat T. Rexes" by Elizabeth Bear, Steven Brust, and Emma Bull, and several short pieces.
Shadow Unit 14
Series: Shadow Unit. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 41,390. Language: English. Published: March 10, 2014 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » General, Fiction » Mystery & detective » General
(5.00 from 1 review)
Two new novellas about the Shadow Unit: Dark Leader - by Elizabeth Bear, Will Shetterly, and Emma Bull Due North - by Leah Bobet
Shadow Unit 13
Series: Shadow Unit. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 65,190. Language: English. Published: March 14, 2013 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Mystery & detective » General, Fiction » Science fiction » General
(5.00 from 1 review)
"Wild Card" by Leah Bobet "Underworld" by Elizabeth Bear "Single Bullet Theory" by Chelsea Polk "Apolysis" by Emma Bull and Will Shetterly
Shadow Unit 12
Series: Shadow Unit. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 61,050. Language: English. Published: July 18, 2012 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » General, Fiction » Mystery & detective » General
(5.00 from 1 review)
This Shadow Unit anthology contains four stories that explore the mystery of the Anomaly: Five Autopsies - by Leah Bobet Hope Is Stronger Than Love - by Sarah Monette Latency - by Elizabeth Bear aimfortheheart - by Leah Bobet and Emma Bull
Finder
Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 84,660. Language: English. Published: June 4, 2012 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » General, Fiction » Fantasy » Urban
Death and dark magic hang like a shadow over the city called Bordertown. Orient has a gift—or a curse—to find lost objects. But can he find a way to save the people he loves?
And Other Stories
Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 69,430. Language: English. Published: May 27, 2012 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Short stories, Fiction » Fantasy » General
Short stories by Emma Bull (autor of War for the Oaks, Finder, Territory, and more) and Will Shetterly (author of Elsewhere, Dogland, Chimera, and more).
Shadow Unit 11
Series: Shadow Unit. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 64,290. Language: English. Published: April 27, 2012 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » General, Fiction » Mystery & detective » General
(5.00 from 2 reviews)
Contains "The Small Dark Movie of Your Life" by Leah Bobet, Walking Back To Houston" by Chelsea Polk, "Bulletproof" by Emma Bull, "Down the Rabbit Hole" by Sarah Monette, and more.
Shadow Unit 10
Series: Shadow Unit. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 76,140. Language: English. Published: September 18, 2011 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Mystery & detective » General, Fiction » Science fiction » General
(5.00 from 2 reviews)
Contains “Uniform” by Elizabeth Bear, Emma Bull, and Leah Bobet, “Ligature” by Elizabeth Bear, featuring Emma Bull, “Wireless Girl” by Emma Bull and Stephen Shipman, and more.
Shadow Unit 8
Series: Shadow Unit. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 75,840. Language: English. Published: September 18, 2011 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Mystery & detective » General, Fiction » Science fiction » General
(5.00 from 2 reviews)
Contains “The Unicorn Evils” by Emma Bull and Elizabeth Bear, “Basilisk Hunt” by Emma Bull and Holly Black, and more.
Shadow Unit 7
Series: Shadow Unit. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 79,160. Language: English. Published: September 18, 2011 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Mystery & detective » General, Fiction » Science fiction » General
(5.00 from 2 reviews)
“Smoke & Mirrors” by Elizabeth Bear, “Not Alone” by Holly Black, Elizabeth Bear, Emma Bull, & Chelsea Polk, and more.
Shadow Unit 6
Series: Shadow Unit. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 70,580. Language: English. Published: September 17, 2011 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Mystery & detective » General, Fiction » Science fiction » General
(5.00 from 2 reviews)
Contains “Wind-Up Boogeyman” by Elizabeth Bear, “Cuckoo” by Emma Bull, Elizabeth Bear, Leah Bobet & Will Shetterly, and more.
Shadow Unit 5
Series: Shadow Unit. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 82,940. Language: English. Published: September 16, 2011 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Mystery & detective » General, Fiction » Science fiction » General
(5.00 from 2 reviews)
Contains "The Sin Eater" and "Getaway" by Emma Bull, and more.
Shadow Unit 4
Series: Shadow Unit. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 65,980. Language: English. Published: September 15, 2011 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Mystery & detective » General, Fiction » Science fiction » General
(5.00 from 2 reviews)
Contains "Lucky Day" by Emma Bull and Elizabeth Bear, "Sugar" by Leah Bobet, and more.
Shadow Unit 3
Series: Shadow Unit. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 79,310. Language: English. Published: June 16, 2011 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Mystery & detective » General, Fiction » Science fiction » Adventure
(5.00 from 2 reviews)
Contains the novel, "Refining Fire" by Elizabeth Bear and Emma Bull, plus bonus material. There are nightmares humanity doesn't dream are real. Welcome to Shadow Unit. The Shadow Unit series was created by award-winning authors Emma Bull and Elizabeth Bear.
Shadow Unit 2
Series: Shadow Unit. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 77,070. Language: English. Published: June 5, 2011 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Mystery & detective » General, Fiction » Science fiction » Adventure
(5.00 from 6 reviews)
Contains three novellas: “Ballistic” by Sarah Monette, Emma Bull, Elizabeth Bear & Amanda Downum “Endgames” by Emma Bull “Overkill” by Elizabeth Bear plus bonus material.
Shadow Unit 1
Series: Shadow Unit. Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 72,630. Language: English. Published: May 25, 2011 by CatYelling. Categories: Fiction » Mystery & detective » General, Fiction » Science fiction » Adventure
(5.00 from 8 reviews)
The FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit hunts humanity's worst nightmares. But there are nightmares humanity doesn't dream are real. The BAU sends those cases down the hall. There, Stephen Reyes and his team pursue criminals transformed by a mysterious force: the anomaly. Welcome to Shadow Unit. The Shadow Unit series was created by award-winning authors Emma Bull and Elizabeth Bear.

Emma Bull's tag cloud