Speculative Fiction: Why bother with it?
It’s the end of speculative fiction. Why bother with it? H.G Wells, Jonathon Swift, and Jules Verne have covered the lot—or have they?
Little Known Facts from Man-Killers of the Air
This little-known fact about Gilmore the flying lion was likely inspiration for L. Ron Hubbard’s big cat air adventure Man-Killers of the Air.
Must-Read Book List, 5 Novels by L. Ron Hubbard
L. Ron Hubbard published over 260 short stories, novellas, and novels. Where to start? If you don't read any others, these top five are must-read books.
The Cowboy Era and Why Their Legacy Matters Today
The cowboy era won the heart and spirit of America. Discover the famous cowboys, the authors who immortalized them, and the actors who made them real.
Outer Space: The Defence and Security Sectors’ New Battlefield
When hearing such heavy-weight names as Space Command or Space Force we could be forgiven for dreaming up images of space adventures and conquests.
The American Frontier Lives on Through the Western
Through the literature of the Old West and the American frontier the traditions live on. This realistic fiction brings the Old West vividly to life.
Little Known Facts from Mister Tidwell, Gunner
Little-known facts about British Naval Commander Lord Nelson, the Napoleonic Wars, and L. Ron Hubbard’s Mister Tidwell, Gunner—an unlikely hero.
Earth Day Quotes: “Cry Out”
Find one of many profound Earth Day Quotes in the lyrics for "Cry Out," written to raise environmental pollution awareness.
Little Known Facts from Tomb of the Ten Thousand Dead
The little-known fact about Alexander the Great’s march across the 200-mile desert inspires historical fiction adventure Tomb of the Ten Thousand Dead.
Women of the West
Men weren't the only colorful figures of the Wild West. Women of the West proved easily their equal.
Ancient Environmental Cleanup Project Hidden in Plain Sight
A detailed environmental cleanup project for Earth was put forth in the 1983 SF novel Mission Earth by L. Ron Hubbard.
How to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at Home with Evergreen Audio Classics & Avocado Pistachio Tart
A new take on how to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at home, including listening to evergreen audio classics and savoring a healthy green avocado tart.
Little Known Facts from Inky Odds
L. Ron Hubbard’s meticulous research added authenticity to his realistic fiction. This little-known fact is from Inky Odds, a China-Japanese War story.
Little Known Facts from All Frontiers Are Jealous
The little known facts from meticulous research add authenticity to L. Ron Hubbard's fiction. This one takes you to Africa when building Sudan railway.
Valentine’s Day – Sweetie or Geeky?
Just about everyone in the US is familiar with Valentine’s Day, celebrated worldwide on February 14, but few know the scientific achievements that share the same date....
Mission Earth: Science Fiction & Satire
Another aspect to science fiction: by its nature most of it has an element of satire. It has been used by such notables as Mark Twain, Johannes Kepler, Samuel Butler, Jules Verne and Sir Thomas More. This becomes more obvious when the history of satire is examined and compared to science fiction.
Little Known Facts from The Battling Pilot
This realistic fiction book used a little known fact: The Battling Pilot mentions the exclusive Pan Am Boeing 314 Clippers used by the superrich.
The Story Behind Fahrenheit 451
In this next article in the series about authors and their stories, we talk about Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and what inspired him to write the novel.
A War Correspondent Bleeds Ink, not Blood. Most of the Time.
What makes a war correspondent risk his or her life to report the truth about wars? What is their mission and why do we need outsiders to look at the battlefield from the inside?
Tasty Treats Inspired by Your Favorite Stories
5 recipes for tasty treats inspired by fiction, with alternates for sugar-free hot chocolate, healthy cinnamon rolls, and a dairy-free cookie recipe.
How the Legacy of the Arizona Rangers Lives On
The fact that the Arizona Territory became the 48th state in the Union is common knowledge. Less known though is the story of the men who made this possible.
Fear—The Pioneer of Modern Psychological Thrillers
Originally published in July 1940, L. Ron Hubbard’s immortal Fear is recognized as a pioneer of the modern psychological thrillers. It has riveted and influenced both readers and authors for over 75 years and continues to do so today.
Books That Make You Think
Discover 10 books that will make you think, all recommended by bestselling authors.
Escape the Pandemic!
Scouts get whisked away while completing their Reading merit badge.
The Flying Dutchman: The Devil’s Rescue?
Did the Flying Dutchman exist? Discover when and where the legend started and how this ghost pirate ship is still lingering in mainstream media.
Things to do when Bored
With so many people stuck at home, the threat of boredom is at an all-time high. Here are a few things to do when bored which always work for my family.
Noir Detective: The Golden Threads of Mystery Books
Famous detectives, from the noir detective to the classic mystery, share a common thread: the ability to see what others do not.
Book Club Books: Recommendations and Discussion Questions
Discover unique and diverse book club books with discussion questions that will stimulate the conversation.
Women in Aviation and The Golden Age of Flight
Women have always played an important role in aviation—there have been courageous female pilots from the Golden Age of flight to those going to space.
Scared of Things That Go Bump in the Night?
People fear what they don’t know or don’t understand and that includes things that go bump in the night. Read on to find out if fear is the mind killer or not.
L. Ron Hubbard Fiction: Order of Books
Is there a recommendation of which L. Ron Hubbard fiction book to begin with? Is there a recommended order of books to read?
Hard-Boiled Detective Thrills, Chills & Murder Mysteries
How did Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, L. Ron Hubbard and Dashiell Hammett hammer out hard-boiled detective stories in the Golden Age of Detective Fiction?
The Golden Age of Piracy
How did pirates handle gender/racial equality and fair and legal justice in the Golden Age of Piracy? Could pirates read or write? Were they artists?
Political Satire with a Supernatural Twist
A political satire with a supernatural twist. Defying subsidized farming, Eben establishes trade at a mythological crossroads—crossing the millennia.
What Did Pirates Eat?
International Talk Like a Pirate Day is celebrated on September 19th. People around the world will be celebrating with friends and family—dressing in a pirate costume, using pirate quotes and words, and making a pirate’s den out of their home. So, what do you serve to your friends who stop by for pirate food and a pint of grog?
Famous Outlaws of the Old West
How famous outlaws of the Old West bring out the best in the good guy.
Best Westerns of all Time
The best Westerns of all time—stories of how the west was won by authors like L. Ron Hubbard, Louis L’Amour, Zane Grey, and many others you will love.
The Epic Hero
Epic heroes have inspired us since the beginning of recorded literature. Discover a few of L. Ron Hubbard’s timeless heroes and what defines epic.
Teacher Created Resources
Teacher created resources are essential to the teacher toolbox for English language arts, as experienced teachers know how to achieve the required skills.
Realistic Fiction Books
What is realistic fiction? Is it based on a true story? Find out what it is and why L. Ron Hubbard's fiction is a trailblazing example. (get a free eBook).
Is the world ending?
Is the world ending? Threats of global warming dominate the media—especially in light of environmental disasters. Are science fiction stories warning us?
Best Mystery Books
Looking for a great murder mystery? These book recommendations are what mystery lovers are reading. Discover these amazing gems.
L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Vol 34 made it to the Best New Short Stories Books
I'm happy to announce that our book, L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Vol 34, the #1 bestselling sci-fi and fantasy short stories of the year, made it to BookAuthority's Best New Short Stories Books.
Gift Ideas: Best Sci-Fi Book Recommendations
Finding the right books to read for an avid sci-fi reader can be tough. These gift ideas and book recommendations for the best sci-fi books take into account the variety of science fiction sub-genres and the master authors of the craft. While you may recognize several of these, you are sure to find a few gems they have not yet discovered.
How Experience Makes for Great Military Fiction
L. Ron Hubbard was able to write military fiction stories with such vivid color because of his experience with organizations like the Marine Corps Reserves.
Space Opera: 10 Best Books to Read
The science fiction sub-genre of Space Opera has not always been the most popular category in sci-fi books.
Which Sci-Fi Books Inspired the Iconic Apple iPod, iPad and Earbuds?
In celebration of National iPod Day (October 23) and the anniversary of its first sale (November 10), we looked to see how sci-fi authors predicted and set the course of events for the Apple iPod, iPad, earbuds and similar products.
Folklore and Mythology are Strong Influences in Modern Fantasy
Modern fantasy authors have often been inspired by the wealth of folklore and mythology across many cultures, both current and ancient. L. Ron Hubbard, well-known for his science fiction and fantasy stories, had this to say about the fantasy genre...
Military Science Fiction: Rayguns, Rocketships, and a Dash of Gold
Battlefield Earth: A return to the Golden Age, written after the genre of science fiction had time to define itself.
Spice Up Your Murder Mystery Dinner with Hard-Boiled Detective Lingo
Entertaining and amusing hard-boiled detective lingo to impress your murder mystery dinner guests or make you sound more tough, hardheaded and cool.
I Don’t See Any Aliens
On February 14, 1990, as Voyager 1 was ready to leave the solar system, NASA turned the space probe around to take a photograph of planet Earth from a distance of 3.7 billion miles.
6 Reasons Stories from the Golden Age Audiobooks are the Best
For 6 years running, the Stories from the Golden Age audiobooks were selected as audiobooks of the year—the industry’s best.
Why We Appreciate Librarians: L. Ron Hubbard Stories from the Golden Age Celebrates 10th Anniversary
Librarians have been valuable partners since the launch of our Stories from the Golden Age campaign in 2008. So we thought we would have a look back through the years.
God Bless America and Jimmy Weldon
Jimmy Weldon at 95 and going strong, talks about his favorite character Yakky Doodle and his crusade to help instill in youth a civic, non-partisan pride in America and a better understanding of our common heritage.
How 1 Director and 66 Hollywood Actors Solved Your Summer Reading
Stories from the Golden Age, a line of 80 books and unabridged audiobooks containing 153 stories written by L. Ron Hubbard—considered by many to be America’s quintessential pulp fiction author during fiction’s Golden Age—is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
L. Ron Hubbard Stories from the Golden Age Celebrate 10th Anniversary
Stories from the Golden Age, a line of 80 books and unabridged audiobooks containing 153 stories written by L. Ron Hubbard—considered by many to be America’s quintessential pulp fiction author during fiction’s Golden Age—is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
Meet the New Faces of Sci-Fi and Fantasy Art
L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 34 debuts 12 new voices of creativity and diversity in science fiction and fantasy art.
A full spectrum of illustrations from around the world by the winners in the international Illustrators of the Future Contest.
A full spectrum of illustrations from around the world by the winners in the international Illustrators of the Future Contest.
L. Ron Hubbard’s Romance with the Old West
Among the most popular of pulp fiction’s genres, the western offered L. Ron Hubbard a made-to-order literary platform. Few, if any, of his contemporaries, could invoke the natural authenticity of a Hubbard western because, to him, the western frontier was home.
Filipino Fantastic Fiction
Vida Cruz's award-winning fantastic fiction is a deeply moving "Beauty & the Beast" tale based on Filipino folklore entitled "Odd and Ugly."
Meet the New Faces of Sci-Fi and Fantasy
L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 34 debuts 12 new voices of creativity and diversity in science fiction and fantasy literature.
A full spectrum of short stories from techno-thrillers and Arabian Nights fantasy to humorous sarcasm and poetic inspiration.
A full spectrum of short stories from techno-thrillers and Arabian Nights fantasy to humorous sarcasm and poetic inspiration.
Science Fiction’s Role in Space Flight
It was in 1945, shortly after the end of World War II, that several science fiction writers and scientists got together to discuss how to get man into space fast enough so that he would be distracted from further wars on Earth.
Will Aliens Look Like Us?
For all the discussion about UFOs and alien races, there frequently seems to be an understood agreement that alien life forms have to somehow look or be like us.
When the Going Gets Tough, Americans Get Going: The Hard-Boiled Detective Pulp Renaissance
Author Thomas McNulty traces the rise of the gangster movies and the birth of hard-boiled detective pulp fiction and the current pulp renaissance.
Jim Marrs Discusses: Is Earth Prepared for an Alien Invasion?
The following article by Jim Marrs written for Galaxy Press addresses the issue of UFOs, aliens and alien invasion initially from the perspective of fiction literature and then from documented incidents.
UFO Sightings: A Peaceful Union or a Battlefield Earth?
Big government maintains that there are no such things as intelligent alien life forms, while evidence to the contrary abounds. There are 2,625 reported UFO sightings in 2000, 3,069 reported sightings in 2010 and 4,881 in 2017—all listed with the National UFO Reporting Center.
George Orwell: Visionary or Master Storyteller
This article by S.E. Smith is dedicated to George Orwell, one of the 88 writers listed in the dedication to Battlefield Earth by L. Ron Hubbard as that “merry crew of science fiction and fantasy writers of the thirties and forties—the Golden Age—who made science fiction and fantasy the respected and popular literary genres they have become today.”
Was It a Mistake to Broadcast Earth Coordinates on Voyager?
Was it a mistake to put Earth's coordinates on the space probes Voyager 1 and 2? According to the science fiction novel, Battlefield Earth, by L. Ron Hubbard, the answer is yes. In this article, we cover both the pros and cons of NASA's decision.
The Backstory to Robert Bloch’s “Psycho”
The next article in our series entitled “What Was the Author Thinking” spotlights the master of the macabre Robert Bloch, author of Psycho. The novel originally published in 1959 and the basis of Alfred Hitchcock’s movie is considered a classic in the genre.
The Story Behind Jack Williamson’s “With Folded Hands”
In this next article in the series about authors and their stories, we discuss the Dean of Science Fiction Jack Williamson's story "With Folded Hands" and what influenced him to write it.
What Inspired Stephen King to Write “Pet Sematary”
Do you ever wonder how Stephen King comes up with the ideas for his novel? In this blog you find the real-life incidents that inspired "Pet Sematary."
Imagination
New York Times bestselling author and Coordinating Judge for the Writers of the Future Contest Dave Farland gives tips on writing, taking up the subject of imagination and originality.
What Inspired Philip K. Dick to Write “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”
Do you ever wonder how an author comes up with the idea for a novel? In this blog you discover what inspired Philip K. Dick to write his classic novel.
On Writing Science Fiction by Dr. Yoji Kondo
"On Writing Science Fiction" is an article by Dr. Yoji Kondo with tips on writing. It originally appeared in Writers of the Future Volume 14.
Illustrators of the Future Contest – 3rd Quarter 2017 Winners
The judging results are in! And here are the winners for the Illustrators of the Future Contest – 3rd Quarter 2017
Frank Frazetta: An Introduction
This article with advice to artists by Frank Frazetta was originally published in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume VII.
What do The Handmaids Tale, World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War and Battlefield Earth Have in Common?
With the large Emmy win shout-outs to The Handmaid's Tale, we look at what 3 bestselling dystopian novels have in common.
Galaxy Press Rocked the Salt (Salt Lake City that is…)
We attended the Salt Lake City Comic Con which took place at the Salt Palace in downtown Salt Lake City with over 100,000 attendees over the 3-day event. One of the best parts of attending these conventions is seeing amazing friends—judges from Writers and Illustrators of the Future, contest winners and the amazing fans!
A Guide to Critiquing a Story: Seven Vital Elements Every Story Must Have
Frequently authors ask if I have a “form” that I used to help me critique a story. Given the large number of things that I look at in a story, any form that I had would simply be too long to be workable. Yet it makes sense to try to codify the critiquing process.
What Is It Like to Watch a Movie With Your Ears?
This blog is about audiobooks. And not just ordinary audiobooks. The Rolls-Royce brand of audiobooks.
Meet the Winners – Vida Cruz – WotF 2nd Q 2017
When it comes to writing advice, many writers will tell you not to stop writing. I’m going to be contradictory for a bit and tell you that yes, you should stop—at the right time, for the right reasons.
Yesterday, You Might Have Been a Pirate
In celebration of “Talk Like a Pirate Day,” we thought it would be appropriate to post this article written by L. Ron Hubbard which portrays pirates in a wholly different light than what is commonly held to be the case.
Building Plausible Futures by Jerry Pournelle
This article by Dr. Jerry Pournelle was originally published in Writers of the Future Volume III. Timeless advice then and now.
Writers of the Future Contest – 3rd Quarter 2017 Winners
The judging results are in! Here are the 3rd Quarter 2017 Writers of the Future Contest winners. Congratulations to you all!
Jerry Pournelle (1933-2017)
L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest pays tribute to Dr. Jerry Pournelle and his legacy of helping new writers.
Surprising Way L. Ron Hubbard and Robert A. Heinlein Just Saved 10,000 Lives
Bestselling authors L. Ron Hubbard and Robert A. Heinlein are well-known for their epic, trendsetting science fiction. This past week, these two great legends of sci-fi were teamed up to save lives.
Back to the Story
What defines “good” writing when it comes to a story? That’s a question that I have to ask time and again as I’m judging contest entries.
Dragon Con 2017 – Day 4
Today was the final day in Atlanta for Dragon Con.
Dragon Con 2017 – Day 3
We are now over the halfway mark for the Atlanta Dragon Con and things are still going at high speed.
Dragon Con 2017 – Day 2
Another great day at the Atlanta Dragon Con! It all started with the Dragon Con Parade and our entry featuring Battlefield Earth.
Dragon Con 2017 – Day 1
Today was the first day of Dragon Con in Atlanta, GA and it was jam-packed all day long.
Avoiding Cliché Openings
Many years ago, Damon Knight, a fine writer and editor, wrote a book on how to write short fiction. Damon talked a bit about avoiding clichés.
The Illustrators of the Future by Will Eisner
While my own career has been spent in the practice of sequential art, a form that arranges images and text in an intelligent sequence to tell a story, I have nonetheless always been professionally involved in the fundamentals of illustration. I, therefore, feel I have accumulated enough experience with which to endow my advice with some credibility.
Persevere
It's been nearly a year since I found out I was a finalist for L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future contest, and very nearly five months since I was announced as the 2017 Golden Pen Award winner. To say my life has changed feels like an understatement.
Ken Liu on Writing a Star Wars Book
So, the news is out: I’m writing a Star Wars book as part of the Journey to Star Wars: The Last Jedi project. Working with the team at Lucasfilm Publishing has been such a pleasure — they’re the best.
Can Sci Fi Novels Help Motivate STEM Learning?
Science fiction is often unfairly compared with fantasy books for educational uses. This is a weak analogy because the two genres are so very different. The two are only related in that they both fall under a larger genre known as speculative fiction and are found in the same section in bookstores.
Pictures That Tell Stories
This article was originally published in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume XI. Mankind has used pictures to tell stories from the beginning of time. Recently, ancient cave paintings were discovered in France, and while cave paintings aren’t new discoveries, these are unlike anything seen before.
Terl’s Back-to-School Reading List
We decided to approach Terl for his suggested back to school list of books to read, and we were surprised when he agreed to provide his list.
Hats, Horseshoes and Rodeos. A Note on Superstitions of the Old West
From the beginning of time people have told tales of folklore, legend, myth and superstition. Such tales of the supernatural in a western setting did not escape cowboys of the Old West, and authors of Wild West novels and novelettes.
Dragon Con 2017 Here We Come
We are very excited to be heading back to Atlanta for Dragon Con 2017. In preparation for this and for the very BIG surprise we are bringing with us—quite in addition to the new mass market paperback release—we thought we would recap on last year's event.
Collecting L. Ron Hubbard’s Edgy Western Mags
Although he is best known as a science fiction author from the golden age of pulp fiction, L. Ron Hubbard was a master of all genres. During his extraordinary career, he published not only science fiction but fantasy, air-adventure, detective thrillers, crime suspense stories, far-flung tales of adventure, sea stories, mysteries, tales of the Orient and westerns.
The Problem of the “Told” Story
I have talked about some of the most frequent problems that I see when judging for the Writers of the Future Contest, and today I’m going to tackle one of the biggest: the problem with “told” stories.
Hunky Hero, Sunset Maloney from Tinhorn’s Daughter
I was reading the website, Find Me An Author/Western Fiction, and found this: “It has become apparent that the Western enjoyed its Golden Age in the 1930s and 1940s ...” So, wanting to read the best Western I could, I went in search of a 1930’s Western Romance Hero.
Conspiracy for a Better World Snapshot: A.E. van Vogt
Battlefield Earth was dedicated by L. Ron Hubbard to Robert A. Heinlein, A. E. van Vogt, John W. Campbell, Jr. and “all the merry crew,” a list of over 80 names! Hubbard states, “They are all worth rereading, every one.” This blog is to help shed some light on A.E. van Vogt’s contribution to that “golden age of science fiction.”
How to create an award-winning illustration
How does one actually create an award-winning illustration? Illustrators of the Future judges include some of the most famous illustrators of the 20 and 21st centuries—and are not easy to impress.
Your First Five Pages
A writer pointed out today that when you send a novel to an agent or publisher, they normally ask for the first five or ten pages, just so that they can gauge your writing skill. If those pages don’t grab the reader, it won’t sell. So, he wondered, what do I look for in those first five pages?
The Psychlos of Battlefield Earth – Terl
“We think nothing of going into an area and taking out minerals at the expense of the plant and animal life. So what would it be like if an advanced race of aliens viewed the entire planet of Earth in the same way?
Meet the Writer Winners – Jeremy TeGrotenhuis
A couple of years ago I decided to stop blogging in order to focus on improving my fiction, and, well, I just won Writers of the Future, so that seems to have worked.
The Children of Battlefield Earth – Dunneldeen MacSwanson
“It is also a story of superstition and fear and how it is overcome—by children.” — Rocky Mountain News interview with L. Ron Hubbard
The Children of Battlefield Earth – Chrissie
“It is also a story of superstition and fear and how it is overcome—by children.” — Rocky Mountain News interview with L. Ron Hubbard
SF Illustration by Frank Kelly Freas
Frank Kelly Freas was the first coordinating judge of the Illustrators of the Future Contest. Already a well established commercial artist and having known L. Ron Hubbard and having observed first hand Ron lending a helping hand to aspiring writers, he was very excited to share his hard-won experience in helping the aspiring artist.
Can You Draw a Dragon? How Illustrators of the Future Inspires Students
I am teaching in a home school environment and have students who are artists at heart. Each week I teach an art class that focuses on specific skills as well as ideas that inspire. These classes validate the imaginative minds of my students in addition to simply being fun. After this year’s Writers and Illustrators of the Future Event, I was inspired to teach a class on dragons.
Single Most Important Piece of Advice by Frank Herbert
The very last article that Frank Herbert wrote before his passing in February of 1986 was writing advice to contestants of this very contest. His article appeared in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume II. Advice that is just as applicable today as when it was written.
The Children of Battlefield Earth – Pattie
As the author stated in his Rocky Mountain News interview after the book’s publication, “In Battlefield Earth, there is an advanced technology but it is the technology of the aliens and virtually wiped out humanity. Pitted against this is the human spirit. I don’t think I would be giving anything away to say that the human spirit prevails.”
The Children of Battlefield Earth – Jonnie Goodboy Tyler
“In Battlefield Earth, I present a situation where mankind has almost been wiped from the face of the Earth by advanced technology and is now imprisoned not so much by the aliens who dominate the planet but by superstition…."
“Boosting” Your Prose
I earlier mentioned that when I used to write for competitions, I would make lists of ways that judges might look at my work in order to grade it. For example, some judges might look for an ending that brought them to tears, while another might be more interested in an intellectual feast. A couple of you asked what my list might look like. So here is a list of things that I might consider in creating a piece.
Get a sneak peek of the Battlefield Earth paperback release
Following the very successful 2016 re-release of Battlefield Earth as a trade paperback and the Audie Award winning full-cast audiobook, both of which went to the #1 spot in the US, we are now preparing for our fall release (September 5th) of the mass market paperback edition. In talking with many of our Battlefield Earth fans both online and in person at conventions, we know they love how the characters come to life in the novel through L. Ron Hubbard’s storytelling ability. So, with that in mind, we assembled some of the principal characters from the book for a photo shoot and we thought you would like a sneak peek.
Dedication to L. Ron Hubbard’s Battlefield Earth
In 1983, L. Ron Hubbard gave his last public interview to the Rocky Mountain News upon publication of Battlefield Earth. He was asked, “What, really, was that period now described as “the golden age of science fiction?”
Are We at the End of Science Fiction?
In 2006, Writers of the Future judge Orson Scott Card addressed a very simple if not vital question which was published in Writers of the Future Volume 22. These aren't the best of times for science fiction.
Multidimensionality: The Value of Subplots
Very often when reading slush for the Writers of the Future contest, I come upon stories that at first glance seem to be perfectly acceptable. They presented a protagonist who had a problem to overcome. The setting was reasonably well defined. The story proceeded at a good pace, with the problem escalating nicely. Often there was a surprise twist at the ending, and the conclusion seemed appropriate. Yet when I got done reading the story, it just lacked . . . something.
The Fine Distinction Between Cooks and Chefs
A lot of people want to give you writing advice. I’ve felt it—trust me, I’ve been there. During my long years trying to break in as a writer, I felt that I never lacked for someone jumping in to tell me how this writing thing had to be done.
Conspiracy for a Better World Snapshot: John W. Campbell, Jr.
This is next in my series on L. Ron Hubbard’s dedication in Battlefield Earth to “all the merry crew” of what became known as America’s Golden Age of Science Fiction. And as Hubbard stated, “They are all worth rereading, every one.” And one prominent name is John W. Campbell, Jr.
Parts to a Story – From the inciting incident to the denouement
Recently I’ve had a number of my students ask, “What makes a story great?” For example, what sets apart a story that wins major awards from one that doesn’t? What makes one story monumental, a landmark in its field, while another story fades from memory?
Superheroes and Star Wars Characters Stand with Terl at Comic Con
Terl returned to San Diego Comic Con 2017 and found good company with superheroes as well as Star Wars characters Chewbacca and a baby Ewok and more.
Writers of the Future 2nd Quarter 2017 Winners
The judging results are in! Here are the 2nd Quarter 2017 Writers of the Future Contest winners. Congratulations to you all!
Check Out How SD Comic Con Welcomed Writers of the Future
Over 500 Comic Con attendees had an opportunity to meet Writers of the Future Volume 33 winners Jake Marley and Andrew L. Roberts to get an autographed copy of volume 33 and the beautiful poster of the cover art, Crimson Dawn, painted by Larry Elmore.
Illustrators of the Future Contest – 2nd Quarter 2017 Winners
The judging results are in! And here are the winners for the Illustrators of the Future Contest – 2nd Quarter 2017
Conspiracy for a Better World Snapshot: Arthur C. Clarke
This is my second blog in a series on L. Ron Hubbard’s dedication in Battlefield Earth to “all the merry crew” of what became known as America’s Golden Age of Science Fiction. And as Hubbard stated, “They are all worth rereading, every one.” And one prominent name is Arthur C. Clarke.
A Short History of the Birth of Sci Fi
Science fiction, also known as SF or sci-fi, is part of a larger genre within fiction known as speculative fiction. Speculative fiction not only includes science fiction, but also fantasy and horror as well.
This Is How We Celebrate Excellence in Marketing
Nearly 40 guests gathered at the L. Ron Hubbard Theatre to celebrate Battlefield Earth winning an Audie in the category of Excellence in Marketing, one of the top categories for this award bestowed by the Audio Publishers Association.
Grounding Your Reader
One reader asked me to discuss a bit about what I call “grounding” the reader. Quite simply, grounding is the fine art of letting the reader know what is going on. You need to focus on some basics ...
Robert A. Heinlein – the Conspiracy for a Better World
Ron Hubbard dedicated Battlefield Earth to Robert A. Heinlein, A. E. van Vogt, John W. Campbell, Jr. and “all the merry crew” of what became known as America’s Golden Age of Science Fiction. The full list is over 80 names long! And as Hubbard stated, “They are all worth rereading, every one.”
What If Sci Fi Writers Really Did Have It Right On Aliens?
The announcement by NASA that Voyager 1 is in interstellar space while Voyager 2 is in the Heliosheath and soon to leave our solar system, 40 years after Voyager’s flights began, poses an interesting proposition.
What Makes a Story Great?
Recently I’ve had a number of my students ask, “What makes a story great?” For example, what sets apart a story that wins major awards from one that doesn’t? What makes one story monumental, a landmark in its field, while another story fades from memory?
Writing the Future: Thoughts on the Writers of the Future Contest
I can admit that when I first heard about the Writers and Illustrators of the Future contest, I was skeptical. On the surface it seemed too good to be true.
Battlefield Earth – Epic
Epic in its current use seems to mean a sort of meld of awesome (i.e., neat-o) and outstanding. Epic: "telling a story about a hero or about exciting events or adventures very great" or "large and usually difficult or impressive" This is the meaning that was in my mind after reading Battlefield Earth.
Meet the winner – Jake Marley
riters of the Future alumni C Stuart Hardwick interviewed the winners from this year's contest. Here's his interview with Jake Marley, author of "Acquisition."
David Farland at Nellis AFB to Promote Writers of the Future
Writers of the Future Coordinating Judge David Farland visited the Nellis Air Force Base just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, to promote Writers of the Future and this year’s bestselling volume of the annual anthology this past weekend.
Alien Invasion: Is Earth Prepared? (Part 3 of 3)
This is a three-part article written by Jim Marrs, the author of the New York Times bestseller "Alien Agenda." The final in the series discusses "Is Earth Prepared?"
Alien Invasion: Is Earth Prepared? (Part 2 of 3)
This is a three-part article written by Jim Marrs, the author of the New York Times bestseller "Alien Agenda." Part 2: What If They Really Exist? Today, the topic of alien invasion is taken more seriously. A controversial book purporting to be a genuine report from the early 1960s by a “Special Study Group” connected to the federal government entitled "Report from Iron Mountain on the Possibility and Desirability of Peace" looked into ...
Alien Invasion: Is Earth Prepared? (Part 1 of 3)
This is a three-part article written by Jim Marrs, the author of the New York Times bestseller "Alien Agenda." Part 1: A History of Alien Invasion Stories. Some believe the battle for Earth has already begun.
Who’s the Greatest of Them All?
So we have talked about who’s the baddest of them all. But just as there is no disagreement that it takes a really good bad guy to bring out the best in the hero, it nevertheless remains that a great hero is…well…great!
Focus on Eric James Stone: Writers of the Future Vol 21 Winner
Eric James Stone is one of the few people who’ve managed to appear in two editions of the Writers of the Future anthology, putting “Memory” into Volume XX in 2004 as a published finalist, and “Betrayer of Trees” into Volume XXI in 2005 as a prizewinner.
Ten Amazing Story Openings
A great opening sentence can sometimes be as memorable as the book it begins.
Audiobooks Make the Miles Fly
Audiobooks have long proven themselves a great way to read a book without having to actually “read” it. Perhaps when audiobooks first appeared on the marketplace, this was not the case, as they were abridged, meaning a shortened version of the book which could very often leave out important parts of the story.
What Happened When I Wrote the Book Description for a Famous Book
A couple of months ago, I got an email from Galaxy Press, L.Ron Hubbard’s publishing company, asking if I could help them write a book description for one of his most famous books, Battlefield Earth. Now, if you don’t know me well, I’m a HUGE sci-fi nerd and list Battlefield Earth as one of my all-time favorite books...little bit.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who’s the Baddest of Them All?
Everybody loves a good villain. But who is the baddest of them all? And what makes the bad guy a really good bad guy? In other words, what are the qualities that make a character we can all enjoy hating?
Persistence
There is a myth among the general public that the greatest writers are born with uncanny innate talents that average folks dare not aspire to.
Q&A with Bestselling Author and Writers of the Future Judge, Mike Resnick
Mike Resnick has 5 Hugo Awards and has won numerous other awards from places as diverse as France, Japan, Spain, Croatia and Poland. He is also first on the Locus list of all-time award winners, living or dead, for short fiction, and fourth on the Locus list of science fiction’s all-time top award winners in all fiction categories. Here's an interview with him.
L. Ron Hubbard, On Writing and Science Fiction
The following interview by L. Ron Hubbard conducted with the Rocky Mountain News not only provides insight for the science fiction enthusiast into that period now known as the Golden Age of Science Fiction but meaningful writing tips from one of the crew responsible for the creation of the Golden Age of Science Fiction.
10 Great Science Fiction Books No SF Fan Should Miss Out On
Our original thought was to title this blog post “the 10 Greatest Science Fiction Books.” But that sounded too definitive, as there are dozens if not hundreds of SF books that one could argue should make that list. So instead, here are 10 SF books we say are great and that every science fiction reader should not miss...
L. Ron Hubbard, Jack Williamson, H.G. Wells and SF Greats Take Humanity to the Stars
The idea of space travel—which is central to the plot of L. Ron Hubbard’s epic SF novel Battlefield Earth (1982)—has been written about in science fiction for hundreds of years. Sci-Fi writer Jack Williamson called space travel “the central myth of science fiction,” just as the fall of Troy was the central myth of the ancient Greeks.
Battlefield Earth Audiobook – or rather Terl – Wins Audie Award
L. Ron Hubbard’s Battlefield Earth audiobook just won an Audie Award for Excellence in Marketing, culminating a year-long progression of recognitions from its successful release last June where it topped bestseller lists.
Why You Only Got an Honorable Mention
A while ago I promised to tell you why I reject good stories when I’m reading for Writers of the Future. So let’s talk about those stories that get an Honorable Mention.
Illustrators of the Future Contest – 1st Quarter 2017 Winners
The judging results are in! And here are the winners for the Illustrators of the Future Contest – 1st Quarter 2017
Writers of the Future 1st Quarter 2017 Winners
The Judging results are in! And here are the winners for the Writers of the Future 1st Quarter 2017
Jim Marrs Talks Aliens and Battlefield Earth
Jim Marrs, New York Times bestselling author of Alien Agenda, the top selling non-fiction book on UFOs in the world, took some time to answer questions on aliens, Battlefield Earth and his views on space travel.
A Look at Satire and Science Fiction
One of three stories published in May 1949, along with “The Conroy Diary” and “The Incredible Destination,” the “Battle of Wizards” is not just a fun science fiction yarn. This is a story where ...
Focus on Ken Scholes: Writers of the Future Vol 22 Winner
In addition to his Writers of the Future Award for “Into the Blank Where Life Is Hurled” (published in volume XXI of the annual anthology), Ken Scholes’s fiction has won France’s Prix Imaginales and the Pacific Northwest’s Endeavour Award, among others.
Focus on Ken Liu: Writers of the Future Volume 19 Finalist
“Treasure your time at the workshop,” Ken Liu says when I ask how he would advise a new prizewinner going to the Writers of the Future workshop, “but don’t make too much of it.” This is Ken Liu in a nutshell. He’s a well-spoken man who puts conflicting ideas side by side and then makes you think about what they mean.
Dave Farland’s 10 Points to Avoid in Writing Short Fiction
This past week I've been judging Writers of the Future. Most of the stories come to us electronically, so much of my day is spent opening files, taking a look at them, and then putting in a review–usually one that says “Rejected.” I hate that “Reject” button, and ...
Focus on Melissa Yuan-Innes, Writers of the Future Volume 16 Winner
When you sit down to write a profile about Melissa Yuan-Innes, it’s hard to figure out where to start. Sure, she published her short story “Skin Song” in the 16th annual volume of Writers of the Future, so you could start there. But Yuan-Innes is a person who seems
King of Illustration: Frank Frazetta
“I was born with a pencil in my hand. Most artists reach a certain age, and then their eyes open and they start doing art. I was drawing as far back as I can remember. I had unusual talent right then and there, in that I saw things differently ...
Independent Press Award makes Terl proud as winner of the Gold Award!
We are very excited to announce that the Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 audiobook was recognized as a winner of the Independent Press Award in the category of “Audiobook Cover Design: Fiction.”
![“Maybe the biggest thing I took away from the Writers of the Future experience was that I got to see how professionalism isn’t just about the numbers you sell or the awards you get, but that it’s a lifelong attitude. It’s no exaggeration to call that lesson life-changing.” That’s how Scott Nicholson responds when I ask him about his time at the WotF workshops. I use the plural “workshops” here because Nicholson is among the handful of writers who came to the event twice, first as a published finalist with his story “Metabolism,” in 1998 (Volume XIV), and again in 1999 when he won the grand prize for “The Vampire Shortstop” (Volume XV). Perhaps no one stands for that quest for lifelong professionalism better than Scott Nicholson. If you’ve met him, you know what I mean. He’s a quiet man but has a wry sense of humor that speaks to his Appalachian upbringing. He listens a lot. As a newspaper reporter, he won three North Carolina Press Association awards. Per his bio “he’s had the usual collection of odd jobs: dishwasher, carpenter, painter, paranormal investigator, baseball card dealer, and radio announcer.” But, to me, what Nicholson mostly does is figure out what he thinks about things, then follows his passion full bore. After his Writers of the Future appearances he sold The Red Church, the first of a six-book series, and he was a finalist for the Stoker Award. But his career flagged shortly thereafter. “I kept writing,” he says, talking about comics and screenplays. “Then in 2009, I noticed this thing called the Kindle. Within a year, I was quitting my journalism job to write full-time, and so far, so good.” Yes, so far, so good, indeed. After exploring the idea of independent publishing, Nicholson went all-in, creating Haunted Computer Books, his own publishing company. Since that time, he’s sold more than half a million ebooks, including original titles, audiobooks, children’s books, translated editions, and graphic novels. His latest series, Next, is post-apocalyptic SF. Afterburn, the first in the series, is now free on Amazon. Half Life, the last in the six-book series, was published earlier this year. “Now I’m moving toward dark SF with AI backgrounds,” he says, comparing the feel of his newer work to something in the range of Philip K. Dick. Along the way, he’s gathered an avid reader base. “From the outside, it might look like I am wildly prolific or caught lightning in a bottle, but the truth is I've just been grinding away for nearly two decades now,” he says while explaining how the moons lined up for his work. “I had the experience of traditional publishing, some built-up scar tissue, and a pile of unsold work. So, like they say: Ten years to overnight success, right?” A key factor here was that Nicholson also realized that successful independent publishing required as much persistence and as much professionalism as did the “old way,” except that selling books now became as important as writing them. Half-million books in print (and rising) suggests he’s onto something there. [caption id="attachment_7712" align="alignleft" width="300"] Accepting the Golden Pen Award 1999[/caption]Nearly twenty years later, however, his connections to the Writers of the Future contest are still important to him. He keeps tabs on his classmates, checks in on the anthology, and still, works with people he met through the contest. “Scott Nicholson is the reason Wordfire Press exists,” Kevin J. Anderson recently told me. “He’s the one who helped me get my backlist published.” Wordfire Press is now, of course, becoming a name in the industry. Nicholson is humble on that point. “That’s how this writing gig works. Nobody does it alone and we all stand on the shoulders of giants.” Sounds like a lesson learned over the long haul, doesn’t it? Over his long haul, Scott Nicholson has written twenty thrillers, sixty short stories, four comics series, and six screenplays. He has been an officer of Mystery Writers of America and Horror Writers Association and is a member of International Thriller Writers. But he still remembers where he started. “WotF was my first real validation as a writer,” he says. “Particularly since the stories are judged anonymously by professionals. It helped me see how a career is a realistic possibility if you persist, and if you commit to improving.” Yes, I see. That does seem like that could be a life-changing lesson.](https://galaxypress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/authorscottnicholson-feature-705x243.jpg "Author Scott Nicholson")
Scott Nicholson: Life-changing Lesson–Lifelong Professionalism
“Maybe the biggest thing I took away from the Writers of the Future experience was that I got to see how professionalism isn’t just about the numbers you sell or the awards you get, but that it’s a lifelong attitude. It’s no exaggeration to ...
Focus on Jim C. Hines, Writers of the Future Volume 15 Winner
“Looking back,” Jim C. Hines said, “my Writers of the Future story was the first one I’d written where I felt like I’d found my own voice.” He’s referring to “Blade of the Bunny,” his prizewinning story from Volume XV of the annual anthology, published in 1999.
Focus on Tobias Buckell, Writers of the Future Volume 16 Winner
Tobias Buckell was born in Grenada and lived in the British Virgin Isles, spending his first nine years living on a boat and playing cricket on sandy beaches. Today he’s in a New York Times bestselling writer, a freelancer, and a futurist of considerable repute, a guy who keeps up with ...
Before There Were White Trash Zombies
I first met Diana Rowland several years ago, back when she was an unpublished writer, fresh off a stint at Clarion. She was excited and working hard. Life intervened, however, and she took a step back ...
Focus on David Sakmyster, Writers of the Future Volume 22 Winner
Take a good conspiracy theory and some intriguing historical research, add in a shot of psychological horror (can we call it tension?) and anything psychic, supernatural, paranormal, or just plain freaky … mix it up …
Spotlight on Artist Michael Michera
Michael Michera is a self-taught artist who found out about L. Ron Hubbard’s Illustrators of the Future Contest quite accidentally from a friend who persuaded him to enter. That accidental encounter resulted in ...
Not Your Typical Science Teacher
Diego Martinez is not your typical science teacher. While he has all the basics to teach, such as a BA in Chemistry and Secondary Education, it’s his passion for ...
Walter Dinjos, author of “The Woodcutters’ Deity”
Due to visa issues in Nigeria, Walter Dinjos was not able to join us in person for the workshop week. This became a topic of discussion often enough that ...
Stephen Lawson, author of “Moonlight One”
Stephen Lawson has a way of looking at the world. It’s a slanted thing. Analytical. Questioning. You feel like he’s watching and assessing everything. It makes him seem ...
Anton Rose, author of “A Glowing Heart”
“I am British, you know?” Anton Rose quips at one point of the week long workshop. He’s explaining a penchant he has for a particular personality trait, and the line is given with the ...
Ville Meriläinen, author of “The Fox, the Wolf, and the Dove”
Ville Meriläinen’s cold country is Joensuu, Finland. His story, published in the 33rd annual volume of the Writers of the Future anthology, is titled “The Fox, the Wolf, and the Dove.” Oddly, the work is some kind of a mix between
Spotlight on Artist Anthony Moravian
Anthony Moravian is a tall, quiet kind of guy, but his art speaks volumes. He describes his style as fantasy inspired by classic renaissance paintings and, so, not surprisingly, he specializes in ...
Andrew Peery, author of “Useless Magic”
Andrew Peery is one of the more impressive people you could meet. He lives in Durham, North Carolina where he works as a physician. He has a family—wife and two younger children who he clearly adores. As a doctor, he’s a ...
Dustin Steinacker, author of “Envoy in the Ice”
Dustin Steinacker is soft-spoken and open. He’s calm and collected on the outside, but having a conversation with him makes you realize that his mind goes in directions that ...
Molly Elizabeth Atkins, author of “Obsidian Spire”
It seems to me that Molly Elizabeth Atkins is in the middle of a transition. She’s a published finalist in the 33rd Annual Writers of the Future anthology, of course. It’s her first time in print. Her story is titled “Obsidian Spire” and tells the tale of ...
David VonAllmen, author of “The Magnificent Bhajan”
David VonAllmen is someone who seems to always be on an even keel. There’s this sense of stability riding under his veneer that comes out even stronger when he speaks. He looks at things with a sense of calm that suggests ...
Ziporah Hildebrandt, author of “The Long Dizzy Down”
Despite being a bit quiet on first meeting, it only took a moment to determine Ziporah Hildebrandt is a free spirit. She is the kind of person who ...
C.L. Kagmi, author of “The Drake Equation”
C.L. Kagmi is a woman in blue. Lipstick, that is. “It’s part of the uniform anymore,” she told me when I asked about it. She wore the blue lipstick to an event, and it caused such a positive stir that ...
Book Bomb for newly published authors
With the release of L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 33, we are proud to introduce 14 talented new authors and artists of science fiction and fantasy. These short stories are a creative mix of ...
Sean Hazlett, author of “Adramelech”
If you want something done, as the old saw goes, give it to a busy person. This probably goes a long way toward describing Sean Hazlett. He’s ex-military, having spent time driving tanks in the army. He’s got a pair of ...
Andrew L. Roberts, author of “Tears for Shulna”
It doesn’t take long after meeting Andrew L. Roberts to know that this is a man who looks for layers in life. He’s a man of gratitude, and a guy who can find meaning in ...
Jake Marley, author of “Acquisition”
To meet Jake Marley is to encounter joy in its purest form. First there is the smile that comes to his face, and then the fact that the first thing you’re likely to hear from him is something like ...
Doug Souza, author of “The Armor Embrace”
Doug Souza hails from Modesto, California. He is a teacher of young children, a father, and a person in the process of discovering that ...
Writers & Illustrators Workshop Wrap-Up
At the beginning of the week, I had said that this was a contest like no other and that remains true today, as this is the largest on-going contest for Writers and Illustrators in Science Fiction and Fantasy. In 2013 I was a winner in Volume 29, it was my first entry and ...
Writers & Illustrators of the Future Awards Event 2017
This is, of course, the day of the achievement awards ceremony. It’s held at the Wilshire Ebell Club Theatre, which is an amazingly cool place. At one point, a little later in the night, I found myself standing in the big room where ...
Writers of the Future Workshop – Day 6
Saturday is essentially a “Cavalcade of Stars.” For the winners, this means that today they don’t have to go anywhere except the classroom, but about every hour or so a new judge stops by to give them ...
Illustrators of the Future Workshop 2017 – Day 5
Day 5. Portfolio day. The winners have been through the gauntlet. They pushed through their assignments and have the tools to succeed. Larry Elmore started the day giving his ...
Writers of the Future Workshop – Day 5
The group is dragging a bit today. If you’ve read yesterday’s blog, you’re not surprised by this. It’s been a couple jam-packed days and late nights in a row. “I think I hit a wall today,” said Ziporah Hildebrandt (2nd place, Q4). Of course, you couldn’t tell it by ...
Illustrators of the Future Workshop 2017 – Day 4
Writers of the Future Workshop – Day 4
Welcome to Due Date Thursday. Stories are to be turned in no later than 4:00 PM. No exceptions. That’s the tough news. The super-cool news is that this is also ...
Illustrators of the Future Workshop 2017 – Day 3
It was an early start for the winners and based on the look on their faces they didn’t get much sleep. They were busy working on their assignments. Some worked digitally and some worked traditionally. Lazarus began the morning early and ...
Illustrators of the Future Workshop 2017 – Day 2
On day 2 the Illustrator Winners started bright and early, meeting down in the lobby of the Loews Hotel. They began with a tour of the famous Author Services building. Floor to ceiling, the sheer prolific nature of L. Ron Hubbard’s career is always ...
Writers of the Future Workshop – Day 3
A subdued tension hangs in the air this morning. Yesterday’s conversations about craft have been absorbed, and the collection of this year’s winners have spent the night with the knowledge ...
Illustrators of the Future Workshop 2017 – Day 1
Illustrators of the Future is a contest like no other. There’s prize money sure, but what is truly inspiring and unique is the week-long workshop where you will meet with many artists who have established themselves and learn ...
Writers of the Future Workshop – Day 2
I came back to the Writers of the Future this year because I admire the contest itself, and because I love the idea of paying forward into an event that has enriched my life so much. I absolutely love helping these new winners. It’s a total blast. But when I look ...
Writers of the Future Workshop – Day 1
After as long as a year’s wait, fourteen writers (and one illustrator!) from around the world descended on Los Angeles today as the 33rd Annual Writers of the Future workshop commenced. They came from Finland, and from Utah. From Poland, and Kentucky. From the United Kingdom ...
L. Ron Hubbard’s Battlefield Earth Nominated for Audie Awards
It was announced by the Audio Publishers Association (APA) that the unabridged multicast audiobook for L. Ron Hubbard’s bestselling novel, Battlefield Earth has been nominated for two Audie Awards, the premiere competition for the audiobook industry....
Battlefield Earth by L. Ron Hubbard Selected as Medalist in Benjamin Franklin Awards
Independent Book Publishers Association – has just announced their finalists for this year’s Benjamin Franklin Awards which included Battlefield Earth.
Why Is It Not an Adventure Worth Telling If There Aren’t Any Dragons?
This heading, of course, is referring to the famous J.R.R. Tolkien quote: “It simply isn’t an adventure worth telling if there aren’t any dragons.” Dragons have been with us in myths tracing back as far as ...
The Story Behind L. Ron Hubbard’s First Sci-Fi Story
By 1938, L. Ron Hubbard had become a marquee name among adventure writers and his work was in demand by magazine editors, book publishers and movie studios. In the words of author and critic Robert Silverberg, Ron had also become ...
Sir Winston Churchill’s Essay on Alien Life Has Been Located
The fascination with aliens does not seem to reduce no matter how many times "authorities" give explanations when some random person captures mysterious clips of unidentified flying objects on their cell phones. When someone like Sir Winston Churchill pens a rather large essay on the subject of alien life ...
Are all Romance Writers Female?
Whether your flair for romance reading lies in Historical or Regency brands, or perhaps the previously popular Gothic or True Confession story, or today’s more popular Romantic Suspense, I had pretty much always assumed these were female writers....
Dragon Art Inspiration for New Story
The cover for the latest volume in the L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future anthology, which features the best new SF & Fantasy short stories of the year, has just been released and it features a stunning dragon by artist and illustrator Larry Elmore. Larry’s list of work includes ...
A New Entrant to the Hollywood Christmas Parade – Battlefield Earth
Eager fans packed both sides of the three-mile route along Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards for the 85th anniversary of the Hollywood Christmas Parade benefitting the US Marine Corps Toys for Tots. The magic of the parade once again proved itself in bringing Hollywood together as it ...
L. Ron Hubbard Predicted the Kindle–Nearly 25 Years Before Its Invention
In Battlefield Earth, which was first published in 1982, the evil Psychlo Terl gives the book’s hero, Jonnie Goodboy Tyler, a “learning machine.” The user places disks on various subjects onto a rod on top of the machine–similar to putting a CD in a boom box ...
Galaxy Press Celebrates L. Ron Hubbard’s Birthday
We are very excited to announce that the Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 audiobook was recognized as a winner of the Independent Press Award in the category of “Audiobook Cover Design: Fiction.”
Frank Frazetta’s “Battlefield Earth” Artwork is Big Draw at Long Beach Comic Expo
L. Ron Hubbard called Frank Frazetta the “King of Illustrators” when he commissioned the legendary artist to paint the cover illustration that now graces the upcoming edition of Battlefield Earth.
When Stars Align, Artistic Perfection Happens
What does one get when 65 talented actors, spanning TV, film, animation and video games, join forces to create an audiobook? In short—magic! Then blend into the mix cinematic sound effects and original musical scores by award-winning producers and composers. The end result is one of the largest and highest quality audiobook productions soon to be released.
Writers of the Future 4th Quarter Winners Announced
Writers of the Future 4th Quarter Winners Announced
Typewriter in the Sky Celebrates 75th Anniversary
Typewriter in the Sky Celebrates 75th Anniversary
Declaration of Peace
In 1980, in celebration of his 50th anniversary as a professional writer, L. Ron Hubbard returned to fiction and completed one of the biggest and most popular science fiction novels ever published: Battlefield Earth. After completing Battlefield Earth he wrote the music and lyrics for an accompanying album—the first soundtrack ever composed for a book.
5 Great Gift Ideas for Book Readers on Your Holiday List
The Hero from “Under the Black Ensign” on the Red Carpet
Tom Bristol, the swashbuckling hero in L. Ron Hubbard’s pirate adventure, Under the Black Ensign, walked the red carpet in the 84th annual Hollywood Christmas Parade. Standing over five stories tall, Bristol was seen by an estimated one million fans who packed the parade route along Hollywood and Sunset Blvds.
Most People Don’t Realize How Dark and Gripping this Novel Is…
Did you know that Final Blackout received much fanfare when first published in 1940, but even the most avid reader today doesn’t realize how pivotal a novel it was …
The Making of “Fear”
Originally published in July 1940, L. Ron Hubbard’s immortal Fear has riveted readers for 75 years and will continue to do so in the years and decades to come.
The Real True Detectives
Gritty, raw, detectives stories, like those portrayed in the HBO series, True Detective didn’t happen overnight.
Zombies—Fact or Fiction?
Are zombies real? And what separates the facts from the fiction? Here are the facts from Hollywood to Haiti and in literature on zombies.
FEAR’s 75th Anniversary
Seventy-five years after its 1940 publication, Fear by L. Ron Hubbard remains one of the foundations of the contemporary horror genre, widely influential and powerfully effective.
Salt Lake Comic Con 2015
The 3rd annual Salt Lake Comic Con is in full swing and you can stop by and see us at our booth (#3510). With over 130,000 attendees, Salt Lake Comic Con is a world-class pop culture phenomenon with guests from TV shows and films such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Firefly, The Walking Dead and more. It’s the ultimate fan celebration and more.
The Code of a Pirate
Arr! Saturday, September 19th is Talk Like a Pirate Day. In order to talk like a pirate it would be helpful to understand more about a pirate’s life. For example, how did one become a pirate?
Yo-Ho-Ho-Ho, a Pirate’s Life for Me!
Saturday, September 19th, is International Talk Like A Pirate Day. The height of the pirate culture, often referred to as the Golden Age of Piracy, was from the 1650s to the 1730s. Probably one of the most famous pirates was ...
Dragon Con 2015
We just got back from Dragon Con 2015 which was held over the Labor Day Weekend in Atlanta, Georgia. This year there were more than 80,000 people in attendance.
Writers of the Future Workshop
The famous Writers of the Future Workshop, previously only provided to Contest winners, has been made available to anyone wanting to attend. The first workshop was taught by David Farland (Wolverton), Orson Scott Card, Kevin J. Anderson, Rebecca Moesta and the Winner Twins (Brittany & Brianna). We had a great turnout with attendees from 13 different states and from novice to established writers.
The Art of Storytelling
The Art of Storytelling
Announcing the Illustrators of the Future Winners
Finding the Meaning in Art — My Story
The Practice of Writing
I first heard about the Writers of the Future contest in 2012, when I went to a writers workshop and two women I met in the class told me about it.
Dreaming Up Fabulous Places
Picture me: I’m nine years old, lying on my back beneath the skylight in my bedroom, rough carpet biting into my shoulders. I’m reading The Hobbit, enthralled. It’s summer. My mom is somewhere downstairs, yelling for me to get outside and play.
The Journey to Win
It was in the late summer of 2011 when I first found Illustrator of the Future Contest. I was in a great stress caused by not being able to find a decent place to live less than a month before my years-long master program started and trying to adapt to a whole new environment and American culture which was the first foreign country I had ever traveled to.
From Stray Dog to Bestseller
Zu’ar is the antagonist in my short story “The God Whisperer.” He’s violent. He’s territorial.
The Win
It was 2009 when I first entered the Writers of the Future (WotF) Contest with my short story, “Apostate,” a tale that takes place, interestingly enough, in the same universe as my winning story, “Switch.”
Rob Prior, International Award-Winning Artist, Named as Illustrators of the Future Judge
Rob Prior, best known for his art provided for Spawn, Heavy Metal comics and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as his rare ability of painting with both hands at the same time.
Why do people read?
Ask a number of book readers why they read and you will inevitably get a variety of answers. So recently we did just that.
Writers of the Future Volume 31 a National Bestseller
The latest edition in the Writers of the Future anthology hit Publishers Weekly‘s Sci Fi bestseller list at #7 on their w/e July 6, 2015.
Comic-Con Wrap Up
This past weekend we attended Comic-Con in San Diego and as always everyone had a great time.
Winner Twins Writing Panel at Comic-Con
The Winner Twins, Brittany and Brianna, multiple award-winning, national bestselling sci-fi authors, script writers, and producers,
A Bit of History
The first Writers of the Future Awards ceremony took place at the famous Chasen’s restaurant in Beverly Hills, California on February 6, 1985.
Tennis, Anyone?
What, you may ask, does tennis have to do with writing?
Writers of the Future 1st Quarter Winners Announced
This is my first post on Writers of the Future Volume 32, a title which is releasing next June, 2016. So why the post?
Orson Scott Card
If you say the words “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card to most people, their minds will often automatically jump to Orson Scott Card
Tom Doherty
Few casual readers may know of Tor Books, but almost anyone who has ever read a science fiction or fantasy book will have held one of Tor’s innumerable novels,
Krystal Claxton & Amit Dutta
Krystal Claxton is readily willing to admit there are a few things a little
Illustrator, Gary Meyer
While an Illustrators of the Future judge since 2013, Gary Meyer’s legacy goes back to 1960
Author Amy M. Hughes & Artist Taylor Payton
The first sign of Amy M. Hughes’ predilection for storytelling and imagination might’ve come during her childhood in Alberta, Canada.
Zach Chapman & Trevor Smith
Zach comes from a pastoral background—by that, we mean he grew up on a ranch, seeing cows outside his childhood bedroom window and camping many nights during the summer.
Martin L. Shoemaker, author of “Unrefined”
Martin L. Shoemaker who considers himself a “writer with a lucrative programming habit.”
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Today I want to spotlight Kristine Kathryn Rusch who is not only one of the judges, but is a very prolific writer
Cliff Nielsen – A Life of Dreams
Cliff’s viewpoint on the Contest is this: “Through this competition, L. Ron Hubbard’s great legacy of supporting young creative talents is without equal in the world today.”
Tim Napper, Author & Quinlan Septer, Artist
When Tim Napper first got the call that he was a Writers of the Future winner, he actually argued with the person who was delivering the news—he refused to believe it!
Auston Habershaw Writes Magic
Some of our new authors seem to create magic with their writing.
Meet the Authors & Illustrators
Now that the Writers of the Future Volume 31 has officially released, the newly published authors and artists are starting their in-store book signing tour.
Available Everywhere — Writers of the Future Volume 31
Today is certainly a big day for all the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Winners who are published in the latest anthology, Volume 31, as it is now available everywhere fine books are sold.
Daniel J. Davis and Alex Brock
The story, of course, isn’t about a real death god, but is inspired by Daniel’s pet dog.
Seeing Double!
Last night director and narrator Phil Proctor must have thought he was seeing double after the show when he was congratulated for another fine performance of “Dead Men Kill” at the L. Ron Hubbard Theatre.
Spotlight on Sean Williams
Every year we publish the Writers of the Future anthology of winning stories. This is our 31st year and it seems that with each volume, the authors and illustrators are just better and better. This year is no exception.
Kary English & Megen Nelson A Winning Pair
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Kary English is one of the latest new writers published in the L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future anthology. In addition to winning the Writers of the Future Contest, Kary has been nominated for a Hugo for her story, Totaled. What an impressive start to her writing career!
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Kary English is one of the latest new writers published in the L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future anthology. In addition to winning the Writers of the Future Contest, Kary has been nominated for a Hugo for her story, Totaled. What an impressive start to her writing career!
Author & Artist Collaboration
Steve also said “Switch” was inspired by his novel, Godnet. Both stories are set in the same universe.
Rebecca Moesta
Star Wars author, Rebecca Moesta, who helped an entire generation embrace reading through her Junior Jedi Knights and Young Jedi Knights series
Zombies Invade Hollywood!
Last night we had a confirmed sighting of ZOMBIES!
New Story Inspires Award-Winning Art
My story ideas usually start with a concept (rather than, say, a character, setting, or conflict)
The Conquest of Space – Easy!
William Pomerantz, VP for Special Projects at Virgin Galactic and keynote speaker at this year’s annual Writers and Illustrators of the Future gala event has some definite views on space travel. He brilliantly and very enthusiastically made every winner, judge and guest in attendance yearn to board the next Virgin Galactic spaceship to the stars and beyond …
Scott R. Parkin
Scott Parkin takes us through the inspiration process of the fundamental limits of communication, and overcoming them
Dave Dorman
Dave is now one of the venerable Illustrators of the Future Contest judges, most known for his Star Wars artwork; having done covers for numerous Star Wars comics, books and magazines.
Another Author in the Family, Sharon Joss
William Pomerantz, VP Special Projects Virgin Galactic, gets his book signed by Sharon Joss at the annual awards event after-party
The Editor
Coordinating Judge for Writers of the Future Contest.
Saturday Night at the Theatre
Voice actor and the narrator of the 80 volumes in the Stories from the Golden Age Audiobook series, R.F. Daley, narrated and directed the live theatrical reading of “The Automagic Horse,” a science fiction spoof on life in Hollywood, at the L. Ron Hubbard Theatre last night. He was joined on the stage by Vince Caso, Skip Harris, Colleen McNamara and Richard Reich.
L. Ron Hubbard presents Writers of the Future Vol 31
Through decades of an ever-changing publishing industry, one thing will never change—the prize winning printed words and illustrations in our annual L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future anthology.
Toughest Wranglers Gather at Pinnacle Peak In Arizona
Over 500 cowboys and cowgirls gathered at the Pinnacle Peak to enjoy performances by Jesse Colter, Jerry Riopelle and the live performance of the L. Ron Hubbard wild west story, “Reign of the Gila Monster,” starring Marty Kove (Karate Kid), Paul Pape (Saturday Night Fever), Lee De Broux, Jesse Kove, Rob Word, Rex Hardin and Buck Montgomery.
Writers of the Future Bundle Special
Theatre: No Greater Love—Feb 14
This weekend we have an exceptional Valentine’s Day show for radio theater enthusiast—the romantic air adventure entitled “No Greater Love.”
L. Ron Hubbard Theatre presents: The Carnival of Death
Experience the spinning wheels, the pleasure-seeking crowds and the screams of horror as “The Carnival of Death” takes you on a roller-coaster ride of suspense.
WeBundle.It — Writers of the Future
Galaxy Press Announces the Release of the First “Writers of the Future Bundle”
Hollywood Christmas Parade
Under the Black Ensign by L. Ron Hubbard features Captain Tom Bristol who will be seen—all 60 feet of him—in the annual Hollywood Christmas Parade.
Loot of the Shanung Best Audiobook of the Year
The audiobook version of Loot of the Shanung by L. Ron Hubbard—part of the 80-title Stories from the Golden Age series begun in Fall, 2008—has been named an Earphones Award Winner as well as Best Audiobook of the Year for Audio Theater category by Audiofile Magazine.
