Presents Writers of the Future Volume 33 Read online

  Seventeen Stories to Fascinate, to Terrify, and to Delight!

  When Gwen’s husband is found murdered, she’s the only suspect. After all, they were the only two people on the moon.

  —Moonlight One

  Flora’s father is a mech-soldier of the Slayer Class, but how much of him is really left inside the machine?

  —The Armor Embrace

  When an alien with godly intelligence is discovered watching the earth, one man must try to learn if its motives are pure.

  —Envoy in the Ice

  If you were stranded in an open boat and the only hope for rescue came from a ghost ship, would you dare to ride?

  —The Devil’s Rescue

  Some gifts come with heavy price tags, and the giver must rise to the occasion.

  —Tears for Shülna

  What if an alien asks for your help with a question, and the answer affects the future of the whole human race?

  —The Drake Equation

  Barlow has a talent for finding the dead. Or do they find him?

  —Acquisition

  When Varga sets out to explore the ancient stronghold of a long-dead wizard, she discovers that the ruins aren’t as deserted as she thought.

  —Obsidian Spire

  If only that reptile in the sewer were something as predictable as an alligator.

  —Gator

  On a distant world among the cloud peaks, the light-hawks promise a rich reward for those daring enough to harvest one.

  —A Glowing Heart

  In a world where memories can be stripped, Bill discovers that he has a family he has never known.

  —The Long Dizzy Down

  Not all spirits have the best of intentions, and they must be dealt with.

  —The Woodcutters’ Deity

  You can put an end to something wondrous, but only at a cost.

  —The Dragon Killer’s Daughter

  In a life-or-death situation, sometimes you wish that you had a really powerful spell. But that begs the question—what is power?

  —Useless Magic

  Some devils are as old as a dream, and more evil than men can imagine.

  —Adramelech

  When the world needs saving, three children are called to the task.

  —The Fox, the Wolf, and the Dove

  Can an aging sorcerer find a way to track down his old nemesis with the small bit of magic he has left, or is he just fooling himself?

  —The Magnificent Bhajan

  Read them here—and enjoy!

  What has been said about the

  L. RON HUBBARD

  Presents

  Writers of the Future

  Anthologies

  “Where can an aspiring sci-fi artist go to get discovered? … Fortunately, there’s one opportunity—the Illustrators of the Future Contest—that offers up-and-coming artists an honest-to-goodness shot at science fiction stardom.”

  —Sci-Fi magazine

  “Always a glimpse of tomorrow’s stars.”

  —Publishers Weekly starred review

  “Not only is the writing excellent … it is also extremely varied. There’s a lot of hot new talent in it.”

  —Locus magazine

  “The road to creating art and getting it published is long, hard and trying. It’s amazing to have a group, such as Illustrators of the Future, there to help in this process—creating an outlet where the work can be seen and artists can be heard from all over the globe.”

  —Rob Prior

  Illustrators of the Future Contest judge

  “I really can’t say enough good things about Writers of the Future.… It’s fair to say that without Writers of the Future, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

  —Patrick Rothfuss

  Writers of the Future Contest winner 2002

  “The book you are holding in your hands is our first sight of the next generation of science fiction and fantasy writers.”

  —Orson Scott Card

  Writers of the Future Contest judge

  “The Writers of the Future Award has also earned its place alongside the Hugo and Nebula awards in the triad of speculative fiction’s most prestigious acknowledgments of literary excellence.”

  —SFFaudio

  “If you want a glimpse of the future—the future of science fiction—look at these first publications of tomorrow’s masters.”

  —Kevin J. Anderson

  Writers of the Future Contest judge

  “Speculative fiction fans will welcome this showcase of new talent. … Winners of the simultaneous Illustrators of the Future Contest are featured with work as varied and as exciting as the authors.”

  —Library Journal starred review

  “The Illustrators of the Future Contest is one of the best opportunities a young artist will ever get. You have nothing to lose and a lot to win.”

  —Frank Frazetta

  Illustrators of the Future Contest judge

  “The Writers of the Future Contest is a valuable outlet for writers early in their careers. Finalists and winners get a unique spotlight that says ‘this is the way to good writing.’ ”

  —Jody Lynn Nye

  Writers of the Future Contest judge

  “The Contests are amazing competitions. I wish I had something like this when I was getting started—very positive and cool.”

  —Bob Eggleton

  Illustrators of the Future Contest judge

  L. Ron Hubbard PRESENTS

  Writers of the Future

  VOLUME 33

  The year’s fourteen best tales from the Writers of the Future international writers’ program

  Illustrated by winners in the Illustrators of the Future international illustrators’ program

  Three short stories from authors L. Ron Hubbard / Robert J. Sawyer / Todd McCaffrey

  With essays on writing and illustration by L. Ron Hubbard / Anne McCaffrey / Larry Elmore

  Edited by David Farland / Illustrations Art Directed by Bob Eggleton

  GALAXY PRESS, INC.

  © 2017 Galaxy Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

  Any unauthorized copying, translation, duplication, importation or distribution, in whole or in part, by any means, including electronic copying, storage or transmission, is a violation of applicable laws.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information, contact Galaxy Press, Inc. at 7051 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California, 90028.

  “Moonlight One”: © 2017 Stephen Lawson

  “The Armor Embrace”: © 2017 Doug C. Souza

  “Envoy in the Ice”: © 2017 Dustin Steinacker

  “Search for Research”: © 1991, 2011 L. Ron Hubbard

  “The Devil’s Rescue”: © 2008 L. Ron Hubbard

  “Tears for Shülna”: © 2017 Andrew L. Roberts

  “The Drake Equation”: © 2017 C.L. Kagmi

  “Acquisition”: © 2017 Jake Marley

  “Obsidian Spire”: © 2017 Molly Elizabeth Atkins

  “Gator”: © 1997 Robert J. Sawyer

  “A Glowing Heart”: © 2017 Anton Rose

  “The Long Dizzy Down”: © 2017 Ziporah Hildebrandt

  “The Woodcutters’ Deity”: © 2017 Walter Dinjos

  “The Dragon Killer’s Daughter”: © 2017 Todd McCaffrey r />
  “Useless Magic”: © 2017 Andrew Peery

  “Adramelech”: © 2017 Sean Hazlett

  “The Fox, the Wolf, and the Dove”: © 2017 Ville Meriläinen

  “The Magnificent Bhajan”: © 2017 David VonAllmen

  Illustration on pages 23 and 365: © 2017 Jason Park

  Illustration on pages 33 and 357: © 2017 Christopher Kiklowicz

  Illustration on pages 50 and 355: © 2017 Yader Fonseca

  Illustration on pages 101 and 368: © 2017 Preston Stone

  Illustration on pages 108 and 366: © 2017 Rachel Quinlan

  Illustration on pages 120 and 363: © 2017 Michael Michera

  Illustration on pages 151 and 367: © 2017 Ryan Richmond

  Illustration on pages 157, 288, 360 and 361: © 2017 Aituar Manas

  Illustration on pages 190 and 362: © 2017 Joshua Meehan

  Illustration on pages 201 and 364: © 2017 Anthony Moravian

  Illustration on pages 222 and 353: © 2017 Asher Ben Alpay

  Illustration on pages 238, 336, 358 and 359: © 2017 Chan ha Kim

  Illustration on pages 265 and 354: © 2017 Hanna Al-Shaer

  Illustration on pages 316 and 356: © 2017 David Furnal

  Cover Artwork: Crimson Dawn © 2004 Larry Elmore

  Interior Design by Jerry Kelly

  This anthology contains works of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the authors’ imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Opinions expressed by nonfiction essayists are their own.

  Print ISBN 978-1-61986-529-7

  ePub ISBN 978-1-61986-528-0

  Kindle ISBN 978-1-61986-527-3

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2016934876

  Printed in the United States of America

  BATTLEFIELD EARTH is a registered trademark owned by Author Services, Inc., and is used with its permission. WRITERS OF THE FUTURE (word and medallion) and ILLUSTRATORS OF THE FUTURE and its logo are trademarks owned by the L. Ron Hubbard Library and are used with permission.

  Contents

  Introduction

  by David Farland

  Moonlight One

  by Stephen Lawson

  Illustration by Jason Park

  The Armor Embrace

  by Doug C. Souza

  Illustration by Christopher Kiklowicz

  Envoy in the Ice

  by Dustin Steinacker

  Illustration by Yader Fonseca

  Search for Research

  by L. Ron Hubbard

  The Devil’s Rescue

  by L. Ron Hubbard

  Illustration by Preston Stone

  Tears for Shülna

  by Andrew L. Roberts

  Illustration by Rachel Quinlan

  The Drake Equation

  by C.L. Kagmi

  Illustration by Michael Michera

  Acquisition

  by Jake Marley

  Illustration by Ryan Richmond

  Obsidian Spire

  by Molly Elizabeth Atkins

  Illustration by Aituar Manas

  A Thousand or So Words of Wisdom

  by Anne McCaffrey

  Gator

  by Robert J. Sawyer

  Illustration by Joshua Meehan

  A Glowing Heart

  by Anton Rose

  Illustration by Anthony Moravian

  The Long Dizzy Down

  by Ziporah Hildebrandt

  Illustration by Asher Ben Alpay

  The Woodcutters’ Deity

  by Walter Dinjos

  Illustration by Chan ha Kim

  How to Become an Illustrator

  by Larry Elmore

  The Dragon Killer’s Daughter

  by Todd McCaffrey

  Inspired by Larry Elmore’s Crimson Dawn

  Useless Magic

  by Andrew Peery

  Illustration by Hanna Al-Shaer

  Adramelech

  by Sean Hazlett

  Illustration by Aituar Manas

  The Fox, the Wolf, and the Dove

  by Ville Meriläinen

  Illustration by David Furnal

  The Magnificent Bhajan

  by David VonAllmen

  Illustration by Chan ha Kim

  Notes on Art Direction

  by Bob Eggleton

  The Year in the Contests

  Introduction

  by David Farland

  David Farland is a New York Times bestselling author with over fifty novel-length works to his credit.

  As an author, David has won many awards for both his short stories and his novels. He won the grand prize in Writers of the Future Volume III for his story “On My Way to Paradise” in 1987, and quickly went on to begin publishing novels. He has since won numerous awards for his longer works, including the Philip K. Dick Memorial Special Award, the Whitney Award for Best Novel of the Year, the International Book Award for Best Young Adult Novel of the Year, and the Hollywood Book Festival Book of the Year Award—among many others.

  Along the way, David has written a number of bestsellers, designed and scripted video games, such as the international bestseller StarCraft: Brood War, acted as a greenlighting analyst in Hollywood, and worked as a movie producer.

  David has long been involved in helping to discover and train new writers, including a number who have gone on to become #1 international bestsellers—such as Brandon Mull (Fablehaven), Brandon Sanderson (The Way of Kings), James Dashner (The Maze Runner), Stephenie Meyer (Twilight), and many others. While writing Star Wars books for Scholastic, he was even asked to help choose a novel to push big for his publisher—and chose Harry Potter.

  David currently lives in Utah with his wife and children, where he is busily writing his next novel, working on a screenplay for a major motion picture, teaching workshops, and judging entries for L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Volume 34.

  Introduction

  Thirty years ago, I entered the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest—and won first place!

  At the time I was a student in college, studying hard for a triple major in editing, modern literature, and creative writing. My plan at the time was to learn to write well enough so that I could make my living as a novelist, but I suspected that it would take a decade of struggling, and so I would need to support myself with a more sensible job—such as editing—until I could make a living as a writer.

  A year earlier I had won third place in a small short story contest, and I’d decided to make it a goal to try to win first place in that same college writing contest the next year.

  So over the year, I wrote a short story and then another, and another, and so on, thinking that if I didn’t win one contest, I might win some other one. It was sort of the shotgun approach to winning contests: write a whole bunch of short stories and then enter each one in a different contest.

  But I had my sights set on one in particular: the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future. It was the big kahuna. You see, it had the best prize money of any of them. It paid $1,000 for the first-place winner in any quarter, and the word on the street was that from among the first-place winners, the panel of celebrity judges would choose a grand prize winner who would receive another $5,000.

  I was with my writing group in Utah one Saturday evening, and found that I felt sweaty and feverish. I went home to bed that night, and had a vivid dream about a woman walking toward me in a dusty bazaar in Latin America. I awoke with a sensation that I desperately wanted to help her.

  But who was she? What did she need?

  Instantly, I was into a story!

  Unfortunately for me (or maybe f
ortunately), the fever stayed with me for months. I had to drop out of college for a couple of semesters, and I couldn’t hold down a job, so I merely wrote.

  It took a month for me to finish my story “On My Way to Paradise,” a tale about a doctor in the far future, and send it in to the Contest. To my delight I won first place in the Contest for that quarter. Coincidentally, I won first place in several other contests within a few weeks of that.

  Word soon reached me that one of the judges, the legendary Robert Silverberg, had liked the story so much that he’d shown it to an editor, and there was a rumor that when I went to the awards ceremony, I might be offered a novel contract.

  Well, that sounded great. I wanted to be a writer, but I’d imagined that I would have to work and claw my way up that mountain for years, and suddenly it seemed that I had a possible shortcut.

  That year, the Writers of the Future held its annual workshop for the winning writers at Sag Harbor, on Long Island, a town where Ernest Hemingway sometimes would hang out as he wrote.

  For my instructors, I had the Contest Coordinating Judge Algis Budrys, along with a couple of hotshot young writers named Orson Scott Card and Tim Powers. We were put up in a hotel for a week and treated to a writing workshop taught by these and other legendary pros.

  At the end of the week, we had the annual awards ceremony in New York. I was a bundle of nerves, as we prepared for it.

  You see, the editor who had said that he wanted to approach me at the awards ceremony suddenly passed away from a heart attack just a couple of weeks before the occasion, and it felt as if a rug had been pulled out from under me.

  At the awards ceremony, we had some real celebrities—folks like Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), along with many of my favorite authors. Robert Silverberg was there of course, but I remember being too tongue-tied to even speak to Gene Wolfe and Ray Bradbury. Then there were folks like Anne McCaffrey, Isaac Asimov, Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Frederik Pohl, and others.

  Three of the first-place winners that year were men, and one of those winners was my dear friend Shayne Bell. Part of me worried that I would beat my friend, and another part worried that he’d beat me, and then of course there was that disastrous possibility that we’d both lose. The one woman in our group got pulled aside and had her picture taken with Mark Hamill in case she won, so that she might be featured for an article in Women’s Day magazine. When that happened, I felt pretty sure that she was going to win.