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L. Ron Hubbard Presents
Writers of the Future Volume 41
The Best New SF & Fantasy of the Year

Galaxy Press WotF 41 Website Banner

Writers of the Future
Volume 41

Writers of the Future Volume 40 trade paperback

15 Illustrated Short Stories

Bonus short stories and art and writing tips by

L. Ron Hubbard / Tim Powers / Robert J. Sawyer / Sean Williams / Tom Wood

Meet the newest and most exciting voices and visionaries of science fiction and fantasy with 12 strikingly original stories and illustrations―all winners of the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests. It also includes 3 bonus stories plus 3 articles providing art and writing tips from bestselling authors and internationally renowned artists.

The Contests were created by L. Ron Hubbard out of his lifetime commitment to helping new writers and artists, and are judged by a hall-of-fame roster of top professionals, including Orson Scott Card, Hugh Howey, Kevin J. Anderson, Larry Niven, Jody Lynn-N Nye, Nnedi Okofore, and many of your other favorites. The Writers of the Future anthology has provided a spectacular launching pad for emerging writers and illustrators for over 4 decades.

You are about to enter the Writers of the Future.

You’ll open a door to eternity, in a doctor’s office of all places, and through that portal you’ll see that love does indeed conquer all—even irreconcilable universes.

You’ll emerge from a gas giant, and in the process unravel an ancient cycle of survival, identity, and evolution—in short, you’ll solve life’s deepest, darkest mysteries.

You’ll follow a pizza delivery guy, caught between pepperoni and paradox, as he meets his time-traveling future selves and discovers that some conspiracies are harder to swallow than cold pizza.

From post-apocalyptic worlds to urban fantasy, from magical realism to cosmic comedy, discover the stories and illustrations that make the universe your oyster.

You’ll love this year’s collection of winning authors and illustrators because they push the bar to a new level—here is the future of sci-fi and fantasy.

Art and Writing Tips:

“Message” and “How to View Art” by L. Ron Hubbard: The essence of art lies in its message; this article reveals how to craft meaningful works by staying present and connecting with your audience.

“It Don’t Mean a Thing” by Robert J. Sawyer: Sawyer reveals how provocative themes make fiction relevant, transformative, and unforgettable.

“An Artist’s Path” by Tom Wood: He shares how ambition, patience, and embracing uncertainty led him from sketching dinosaurs to a thriving career in the fantasy art world.

3 Bonus Short Stories:

“Tough Old Man” by L. Ron Hubbard, illustrated by Dwayne Harris: A rookie constable on a desolate alien outpost faces the ultimate trial: proving himself under the guidance of the legendary Old Keno, whose training methods are as brutal as the terrain.

“My Name Was Tom” by Tim Powers, illustrated by Gigi Hooper: A man trapped on an endless ship searches for his wife amid strange, forgotten decks and haunting memories.

“False Colours” by Sean Williams, inspired by Craig Elliott’s Creature of the Storm: When a ship emerges from the depths of a gas giant, a solitary observer intervenes, unraveling an ancient cycle of survival, identity, and evolution.

Watch

The Sci-FI and Fantasy of Tomorrow Selected by Masters of Today

Stories selected by writer contest judges:

Kevin J. Anderson
Doug Beason
Gregory Benford
Orson Scott Card
Brian Herbert
Nina Kiriki Hoffman
Hugh Howey
Nancy Kress
Katherine Kurtz
Todd McCaffrey
Rebecca Moesta
Larry Niven
Jody Lynn Nye
Nnedi Okorafor
Tim Powers
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Brandon Sanderson
Robert J. Sawyer
Robert Silverberg
Dean Wesley Smith
S.M. Stirling
Sean Williams

Artists selected by illustrator contest judges:

Echo Chernik
Lazarus Chernik
Ciruelo
Vincent Di Fate
Diane Dillon
Bob Eggleton
Craig Elliott
Larry Elmore
Laura Freas Beraha
Brian C. Hailes
Brittany Jackson
Val Lakey Lindahn
Stephan Martiniere
Mike Perkins
Sergey Poyarkov
Rob Prior
Irvin Rodriguez
Dan dos Santos
Shaun Tan
Tom Wood
Stephen Youll

12 Award-Winning Authors—Story Synopses

Step into the extraordinary with L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 41—an anthology that promises the unexpected, the thought-provoking, and the unforgettable.

“Kill Switch” by Robert F. Lowell, illustrated by Jordan Smajstrla: When an obsolete police robot gets one last chance to avoid the salvage yard, he finds the line between justice and murder is as thin as a silicon wafer.

“Blackbird Stone” by Ian Keith, illustrated by Marianna Mester: When a door to eternity opens in a downtown doctor’s office, a man and a woman from opposite sides forge a marriage of love between irreconcilable universes.

“Storm Damage” by T.R. Naus, illustrated by Haileigh Enriquez: A beleaguered scientist discovers time travel is possible, but a brewing storm threatens to erase his legacy.

“Karma Birds” by Lauren McGuire, illustrated by Breanda Petsch: As Claire and her sisters are on the run to avoid the deadly birds, a stop for gas may throw them into mortal danger.

“The Boy from Elsewhen” by Barlow Crassmont, illustrated by Daniel Montifar: In a world of mandated technology, one boy’s defiance sparks intrigue, envy, and a desire for forgotten freedoms.

“Code L1” by Andrew Jackson, illustrated by HeatherAnne Lee: On an uncharted jungle world, a survey team meets an impossible horror from beyond death itself.

“Ascii” by Randyn C. J. Bartholomew, illustrated by Tremani Sutcliffe: A cheerful self-driving car gives a ride to a reclusive writer, and during the trip faces a choice with world-altering ramifications.

“Slip Stone” by Sandra Skalski, illustrated by Haileigh Enriquez: Carlos Buela doesn’t know where or when he is, or how to find the bus back home—but that rock he bought as a souvenir is to blame.

“The Stench of Freedom” by Joel C. Scoberg, illustrated by John Barlow: In a lightning-powered city, a father confronts the rotten truth of the man he has become as he discovers that no one is truly free in a society built on oppression.

“The Rune Witch” by Jefferson Snow, illustrated by David Hoffrichter: In the wake of a devastating tragedy, the last member of a magical sisterhood must choose between forgiveness or unleashing a vengeful demon.

“Thirty Minutes or It’s a Paradox” by Patrick MacPhee, illustrated by Cam Collins: When a pizza delivery guy meets his time-traveling future selves, he must juggle conspiracies, collapsing timelines, and cooling pizzas

“A World of Repetitions” by Seth Atwater Jr., illustrated by CL Fors: The world is trapped in a thirty-four-hour time loop where everything resets except memories. With reality fractured, humanity struggles to forge a new normal.

The anthology is a library between two covers—spanning the following genres and subgenres:

Fantasy
General
Contemporary
Historical
Collections & Anthologies
Paranormal
Urban
Dark Fantasy
Humorous
Romance
Dragons & Mythical Creatures

Science Fiction
General
Action & Adventure
Hard Science Fiction
Collections & Anthologies
Time Travel
Alien Contact
Humorous
Space Exploration
Crime & Mystery

Fiction
Medical
Technological
Alternative History
Fiction Writing

Critical Acclaim

“This is where the next stars are born.”
—Hugh Howey

“These are the people who are going to be creating trends.”
—Brandon Sanderson

“The Illustrators of the Future is an amazing compass for what the art industry holds in store for all of us.”
—Dan dos Santos

“See the best of the best culled for you, curated and selected in a single volume every year.”
—Robert J. Sawyer

“Writers of the Future is always one of the best anthologies of the year.”
—Tangent

“It’s an honor to present these amazingly talented individuals and their wonderful work in this anthology.”
—Tom Wood

“Verdict: Speculative fiction fans will welcome this showcase of new talent.”
—Library Journal

“I’m very happy to be able to lend my help to the Writers of the Future program. The more good writers there are, the more good readers there will be. We’ll all benefit‍—writers and readers alike!”
—Frank Herbert

“Writers of the Future is the gold standard of emerging talent into the field of science fiction fantasy that has contributed more to the genre than any other source.”
—Midwest Book Review

“The best new stories by new writers, anywhere.”
—Larry Niven

“Some of the most excellent speculative fiction that you can find anywhere. They’re cutting edge. They’re new.”
—Nnedi Okorafor

“From cutting-edge high-tech to evocative fantasy, this book’s got it all.”
—Tim Powers

“This is a fine collection that will appeal to both fans of science fiction and fantasy short stories and aspiring writers looking for ways to improve their craft.”
—Booklist

 

“Reading a Writers of the Future volume is like looking at the desert after the rainstorm—suddenly, when you least expect it, you’ll see an explosion of color and life in an amazing variety.”
—Kevin J. Anderson

“There’s only one reason to pick up Writers of the Future, and that’s because the stories are wonderful.”
—Orson Scott Card

“L. Ron Hubbard ignited the spark of imagination, which in the minds of these new artists has become a blaze.”
—Bob Eggleton

“The benefit of the Writers of the Future Contest is not only to individuals; it is to the community of SF writers as a whole, for such a program elevates the quality of SF writing by bringing on board talented future professionals.”
—Brian Herbert

“Always a glimpse of tomorrow’s stars.”
—Publishers Weekly

Merchandising Kits Available on Request

Contact Mitch Breuer, inquire for terms and order today: 323-466-3310 or [email protected]

Writers of the Future 41 Merchandising Kit

National Publicity & Marketing Campaign

TV Interviews

Radio Tour

Podcasts

In-Store Events with Authors

Blogs

Press Releases

Online and Print Ads

Book Trailers

Fantasy and Sci-Fi Convention Appearance

Book Festivals and Trade Show Appearances

Posters and Bookmarks

Social Media Promotion and Videos

Order Today

Baker & Taylor • Bookazine • Brodart • Follett • Ingram • Mackin • Galaxy Press

Available digitally through Overdrive, Hoopla, Bibliotheca EBSCO, and Follett.

On sale date: April 22, 2025 (US & Canada) / July 9, 2024 (UK, Australia, and South Africa)

EPUB ISBN: 978-1-61986-841-0 • $9.99

Adobe PDF ISBN: 978-1-61986-843-4 • $9.99

Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1-61986-844-1 • USD $22.95 • CND $29.95 • £16.95 • R350 • ANZ $39.99

Digital Audiobook ISBN: 978-1-61986-846-5 • $24.99

Page count: 472 pages

Edelweiss catalog: Writers of the Future

Free: Writing workshop

 

Edited by Jody Lynn Nye

16-page color gallery of artwork

Cover art by Craig Elliott

Audiences: sci-fi/fantasy readers / short fiction readers / aspiring writers

Interest level: Grades 7-up / Lexile 800 / GRL Z+

Discussion Guide for book clubs and reading groups

Electronic Advance Reader’s Copy available on request

Contact Mitch Breuer: 323-466-7815 or 877-842-5299 • [email protected]

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