L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 36
An alien visits the International Space Station to provide a potential solution to climate change, for a price!
—“The Trade” by C. Winspear
A house is how you live on, how you keep giving to those you love after you are gone. It’s not an easy thing to escape.
—“Foundations” by Michael Gardner
How does one interpret the most profound human concept so an alien can understand?
—“A Word That Means Everything” by Andy Dibble
For a single day of glory and the settlement of a dispute among immortals, is a life a satisfactory price?
—“Borrowed Glory” by L. Ron Hubbard
Will yours be a good death or a bad one? You’ll have to catch it to find out.
—“Catching My Death” by J. L. George
Just what wonders or misery can a cereal box prize offer?
—“A Prize in Every Box” by F. J. Bergmann
How often would you reset time to save the love of your life?
—“Yellow and Pink” by Leah Ning
The Phoenix has always been the guardian of Dembia. Now there’s trouble in the land, and mysteriously, the Phoenix has left two golden eggs.
—“The Phoenix’s Peace” by Jody Lynn Nye
Know there is nothing here to harm you. Only your choices. Only yourself. The educational tapes will prepare you for your choice, “I accept” or “I decline.” There are no other options.
—“Educational Tapes” by Katie Livingston
What would you do if the air was taken from you but you couldn’t die?
—“Trading Ghosts” by David A. Elsensohn
Alien performers capture the imaginations of human audiences, but what is the cost to the performers and their people?
—“Stolen Sky” by Storm Humbert
A young woman seeks her destiny in the African winds of Harmattan.
—“The Winds of Harmattan” by Nnedi Okorafor
A landmine decommission expert struggles to connect with his nonhuman partner in the midst of an endless war.
—“As Able the Air” by Zack Be
The human race may not understand the alien race of skyylls, but we can feel their pain.
—“Molting Season” by Tim Boiteau
A troupe of androids risks everything by breaking the three laws of robotics to win the praise of a roving theater critic.
—“Automated Everyman Migrant Theater” by Sonny Zae
The magic is strong in the Green Tower, and two young girls struggle to discover its secrets.
—“The Green Tower” by Katherine Kurtz
L. RON HUBBARD
Presents
Writers of the Future
Anthologies
* * *
“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
“Writers of the Future is always one of the best original anthologies of the year.”
— Tangent
“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
“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
“The series continues to be a powerful statement of faith as well as direction in American science fiction.”
— Publishers Weekly
“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
“Represents the breadth and depth of today’s speculative fiction.”
— Booklist magazine
“This is an opportunity of a lifetime.”
— Larry Elmore
Illustrators of the Future Contest judge
“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
“The Writers of the Future experience played a pivotal role during a most impressionable time in my writing career. And afterward, the WotF folks were always around when I had questions or needed help. It was all far more than a mere writing contest.”
— Nnedi Okorafor
Writers of the Future Contest published finalist 2002 and 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
“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
L. RON HUBBARD
Presents
Writers of the Future
VOLUME 36
* * *
The year’s twelve best tales from the
Writers of the Future international writers’ program
Illustrated by winners in the Illustrators of the Future
international illustrators’ program
Four short stories from authors L. Ron Hubbard / Katherine Kurtz / Jody Lynn Nye / Nnedi Okorafor
With essays on writing and illustration by
L. Ron Hubbard / Mike Perkins / Sean Williams
* * *
Edited by David Farland
Illustrations Art Directed by Echo Chernik
GALAXY PRESS, INC.
© 2020 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,
Los Angeles, California, 90028.
“The Trade”: © 2020 C. Winspear
“Foundations”: © 2020 Michael Gardner
“A Word That Means Everything”: © 2020 Andy Dibble
“Steps in the Right Direction”: © 2010 L. Ron Hubbard
“Borrowed Glory”: © 2008 L. Ron Hubbard
“Catching My Death”: © 2020 J. L. George
“A Prize in Every Box”: © 2020 F. J. Bergmann
“Yellow and Pink”: © 2020 Leah Ning
“The Phoenix’s Peace”: © 2020 Jody Lynn Nye
“Educational Tapes”: © 2020 Katie Livingston
“Trading Ghosts”: © 2020 David A. Elsensohn
“Stolen Sky”: © 2020 Storm Humbert
“The Winds of Harmattan”: © 2013 Nnedi Okorafor
“As Able the Air”: © 2020 Zack Be
“Molting Season”: © 2020 Tim Boiteau
“Automated Everyman Migrant Theater”: © 2020 Sonny Zae
“The Green Tower”: © 2002 Katherine Kurtz
Illustration for “The Trade”: © 2020 Arthur Bowling
Illustration for “Foundations”: © 2020 Aidin Andrews
Illustration for “A Word That Means Everything”: © 2020 Heather A. Laurence
Illustration for “Borrowed Glory”: © 2020 Cassandre Bolan
Illustration for “Catching My Death”: © 2020 Kaitlyn Goldberg
Illustration for “A Prize in Every Box”: © 2020 Ben Hill
Illustration for “Yellow and Pink”: © 2020 Irmak Çavun
Illustration for “Educational Tapes”: © 2020 John Dale Javier
Illustration for “Trading Ghosts”: © 2020 Mason Matak
Illustration for “Stolen Sky”: © 2020 Anh Le
Illustration for “The Winds of Harmattan”: © 2020 Brittany Jackson
Illustration for “As Able the Air”: © 2020 Brock Aguirre
Illustration for “Molting Season”: © 2020 Daniel Bitton
Illustration for “Automated Everyman Migrant Theater”: © 2020 Phoebe Rothfeld
Illustration for “The Green Tower”: © 2020 John Dale Javier
Cover Artwork and illustration for “The Phoenix’s Peace”: © 2020 Echo Chernik
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.
Trade paperback ISBN 978-1-61986-659-1
EPUB ISBN 978-1-61986-656-0
Kindle ISBN 978-1-61986-657-7
Printed in the United States of America.
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
The Illustrators of the Future Contest and the Art of This Anthology
by Echo Chernik
The Trade by C. Winspear
Illustrated by Arthur Bowling
Foundations by Michael Gardner
Illustrated by Aidin Andrews
A Word That Means Everything by Andy Dibble
Illustrated by Heather A. Laurence
Steps in the Right Direction by L. Ron Hubbard
Borrowed Glory by L. Ron Hubbard
Illustrated by Cassandre Bolan
Catching My Death by J. L. George
Illustrated by Kaitlyn Goldberg
A Prize in Every Box by F. J. Bergmann
Illustrated by Ben Hill
Yellow and Pink by Leah Ning
Illustrated by Irmak Çavun
Making Collaboration Work for You or Co-writing with Larry and Sean by Sean Williams
The Phoenix’s Peace by Jody Lynn Nye
Inspired by Echo Chernik’s Uncertain Egg
Educational Tapes by Katie Livingston
Illustrated by John Dale Javier
Trading Ghosts by David A. Elsensohn
Illustrated by Mason Matak
Stolen Sky by Storm Humbert
Illustrated by Anh Le
Breaking In by Mike Perkins
The Winds of Harmattan by Nnedi Okorafor
Illustrated by Brittany Jackson
As Able the Air by Zack Be
Illustrated by Brock Aguirre
Molting Season by Tim Boiteau
Illustrated by Daniel Bitton
Automated Everyman Migrant Theater by Sonny Zae
Illustrated by Phoebe Rothfeld
The Green Tower by Katherine Kurtz
Illustrated by John Dale Javier
The Year in the Contests
Writers’ Contest Rules
Illustrators’ Contest Rules
Introduction
by David Farland
* * *
David Farland is a New York Times bestselling author with more than fifty novels and anthologies to his credit. He has won numerous awards, including the L. Ron Hubbard Gold Award in 1987, and has served as Coordinating Judge of the Writers of the Future for more than a dozen years.
He has helped mentor hundreds of new writers, including such #1 bestselling authors as Brandon Sanderson (The Way of Kings), Stephenie Meyer (Twilight), Brandon Mull ( Fablehaven), James Dashner (The Maze Runner), and others. While writing Star Wars novels in 1998, he was asked to help choose a book to push big for Scholastic, and selected Harry Potter, then helped develop a bestseller strategy.
In addition to his novels and short stories, Dave has also assisted with video game design and worked as a greenlighting analyst for movies in Hollywood. Dave continues to help mentor writers through the Writers of the Future program, where he acts as Coordinating Judge, editor of the anthology, and teaches workshops to our winning authors. He also teaches online classes and live workshops.
Introduction
Welcome to L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 36.
The Contest judges and I, with the help of our first reader Kary English, take pride in discovering the world’s best new authors in the field of speculative fiction every year.
I only have one goal for this anthology: to make each volume better than the last.
That’s a tough job. Finding publishable stories isn’t hard, but last year’s anthology was so wonderful, how can we beat it? It became a bestseller and won an award, as did the one before that. So we hope that today’s new authors will really wow us.
I think that we’ve succeeded. The writing and artistic talent in Volume 36 is exceptional!
Of course, the stories are still judged blind. We don’t get to know who sent the story, what race or gender the author is, or what country the story came from. We only judge each submission based upon the quality of the story.
I ask myself questions like, “How original is this idea?” “On the level of plot, does it hold me enthralled?” “How great of a stylist is this author?” and “How does this one stack up against the many other submissions in this quarter?” “Does it affect me emotionally?” and “Is it memorable?”
Maybe those are the reasons why the anthology is so good.
Both Contests grew larger and the number of submissions were at their highest ever. The competing writers and artists are aware just how hard it is to win, so they give it their best.
In this volume, we have a dozen new authors to introduce from the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States.
The writer winners featured in the anthology are paid for publication. In addition, they’re paid prize money just for winning, and will fly to our awards ceremony in Hollywood, California, where they will be treated to a workshop taught by some of the biggest writers in the field of science fiction and fantasy—folks like Kevin J. Anderson, Orson Scott Card, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Nancy Kress, Katherine Kurtz, Larry Niven, Nnedi Okorafor, Tim Powers, Brandon Sanderson, and more. Of course, the workshop itself was created by the Contests’ founder, L. Ron Hubbard, and he is represented in the workshop by his own written materials.
Then, one of the first-place winners of the Writers’ Contest will be awarded the grand prize of $5,000. When you consider the value of the prizes and payment for publication, this becomes the top market in the world for new writers.
In the same way, aspiring illustrators send in art each quarter, hoping to win a prize. These fantastic images a
re judged first by the Coordinating Judge for the Illustrators’ Contest, Echo Chernik, then go to a blue-ribbon panel of judges, including such legendary figures as Ciruelo, Diane Dillon, Bob Eggleton, Craig Elliott, Larry Elmore, Val Lakey Lindahn, Mike Perkins, Rob Prior, Dan dos Santos, and Shaun Tan. The quarterly winners are then commissioned to illustrate one of the winning stories from the Writers’ Contest—included in this volume—and with them they compete for the Illustrators’ Contest $5,000 grand prize.
We’ve also got great stories from Jody Lynn Nye, inspired by our cover, and from our new judge Katherine Kurtz, who brought us a tale from her Deryni universe, and an African-based fantasy story from Nnedi Okorafor, along with a classic tale from the founder of the Contests, L. Ron Hubbard.
The anthology also boasts articles with sound advice from Contest judges Sean Williams, Mike Perkins, Echo Chernik, and timeless guidance from L. Ron Hubbard.
So without further ado, sit back and enjoy!
The Illustrators of the Future Contest and the Art of This Anthology
by Echo Chernik
* * *
Echo Chernik is a successful advertising and publishing illustrator with twenty-five years of professional experience and several prestigious publishing awards.
Her clients include mainstream companies such as: Miller, Camel, Coors, Celestial Seasonings, Publix Super Markets, Inc., Kmart, Sears, Nascar, the Sheikh of Dubai, the city of New Orleans, Bellagio resort, the state of Indiana, USPS, Dave Matthews Band, Arlo Guthrie, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, Trek Bicycle Corporation, Disney, BBC, Mattel, Hasbro, and more. She specializes in several styles including decorative, vector, and art nouveau.
She is the Coordinating Judge of the Illustrators of the Future Contest. Echo strives to share the important but all-too-often neglected subject of the business aspect of illustration with the winners, as well as preparing them for the reality of a successful career in illustration.
The Illustrators of the Future Contest and the Art of This Anthology
The Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests were created by L. Ron Hubbard with the purpose of discovering precious talent and providing the means to give it wings to fly.