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Writers of the Future 41
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Multicast Audiobook
Narrated by
Kirby Heyborne / Jim Meskimen / Tamra Meskimen / Taylor Meskimen
15 Illustrated Short Stories
Bonus short stories and art and writing tips by
L. Ron Hubbard / Orson Scott Card / Brian C. Hailes / Nina Kiriki Hoffman / Larry Niven
If 42 is the answer, these stories ask the questions worth thinking about.
Discover fifteen unforgettable science fiction and fantasy short stories—illustrated in full color—featuring twelve emerging voices alongside three acclaimed masters of the genre. From visionary sci-fi to emotionally rich fantasy and quiet horror, this collection delivers bold “what ifs” that linger long after the final page.
What if a perfect rescue went catastrophically wrong?
What if the “better you” doesn’t want to share your life?
What if love could survive inside a virtual reality?
Inside, you’ll encounter a flawless time-rescue gone wrong, a beauty treatment with terrifying consequences, a detective hunted by a body-hopping killer, and a homesteader uncovering a truth that rewrites Earth itself. You’ll also find dragons that defy myth, fairy-tale chaos, supernatural horror, and high-concept science fiction that blends heart, humor, and imagination.
From time travel and first contact to magical realism, monsters, and folklore-inspired fantasy, every story is paired with an original illustration—bringing these worlds vividly to life.
Featuring a classic story by L. Ron Hubbard and original stories by Orson Scott Card and Nina Kiriki Hoffman, alongside twelve rising stars shaping the future of speculative fiction. Writers of the Future Volume 42 is your gateway to bold ideas, fresh voices, and stories readers love to discover—and recommend.
Perfect for fans of:
Orson Scott Card, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Blake Crouch, Brandon Sanderson, V. E. Schwab, Naomi Novik, Michael Crichton, Ted Chiang, Ken Liu, and Black Mirror.
Includes:
• 12 illustrated science fiction & fantasy short stories
• 3 bonus stories by bestselling authors
• 3 articles on the craft and business of writing and illustrating from top creators
Selected from thousands of entries worldwide, Writers of the Future Volume 42 brings together a new generation of authors and illustrators—your launchpad into the future of science fiction and fantasy.
Watch
12 Award-Winning Authors—Story Synopses
The Next Generation of Science Fiction & Fantasy Start Here
“Form 14B: Application for Certification of Consciousness Transfer (Post-Mortem)” is for fans of Black Mirror and Severance: the digital consciousness of a recently deceased influencer needs a new body to restart his life, but must survive a memory audit first. —Written by Thomas K. Slee, Illustrated by Art Ikuta
“Saffron and Marigolds” readers who love whimsical, character-driven fantasy will adore this tale of a baker, a cheese-obsessed dragon, and the perilous fairy bargains threatening to tear their found-family bond apart. —Written by Kathleen Powell, Illustrated by Bafu
“Bloom Decay” is for fans of Severance and The Memory Police. A complicit architect discovers an artist the algorithm can’t optimize—and his quiet defection begins with a paperclip bent into a bird. Cerebral, devastating, luminous. —Written by Elina Kumra, Illustrated by Tray Streeter
“Shell Game” is for fans of The Adjustment Bureau, Memento, and Richard K. Morgan: this mind-bending noir thriller follows a detective caught in a deadly war between body-stealing immortals—while one of them controls him. —Written by Zach Poulter, Illustrated by Tracy Eire
“Canary” is for fans of Arrival and slow-burn sci-fi: A reclusive Arkansas homesteader wakes to a world upended by missing time, impossible seasons, and a bothersome boy who shouldn’t exist. —Written by Brenda Posey, Illustrated by Roddy Taylor
“The Triceratops Effect” is for fans of satirical sci-fi with a guillotine’s bite: a time-agent faking the dinosaur apocalypse, must risk his job—and the laws of causality—to protect the last triceratops from his bullying boss. —Written by S.J. Stevenson, Illustrated by Art Ikuta
“A Ready-Made Bubble of Light” is perfect for fans of cerebral sci-fi: Seb’s team saves lives by freezing time—until a deadly failure forces him to uncover the truth behind an impossible device. —Written by Thomas R. Eggenberger, Illustrated by Haotian Allen Zhang
“Thickly” fans of body-horror and feminist dystopias will devour this unsettling tale of a woman whose beauty booster begins crafting a second self eager to take over her life. —Written by Dorothy de Kok, Illustrated by Tracy Eire
“Ghost Dog” is for readers craving supernatural horror with a twist: a man and his dog face a terrifying intruder—and uncover a hidden power waiting to defend them. —Written by Mark McWaters, Illustrated by Anna Malone
“In Living Color” is a tense sci-fi thriller for readers of character-driven mysteries: a man who walks through images to solve murders discovers the killer is now hunting him. —Written by Michael T. Kuester, Illustrated by Nathan Deiwert
“As Long as You Both Shall Live” is for fans of Black Mirror and Upload, this tense sci-fi love story follows a man fighting to save a woman whose only remaining existence is inside a virtual world. —Written by Mike Strickland, Illustrated by Karah Richardson
“A Girl and Her Dragon: A Life in Four Parts” decades of letters, diary pages, and recorded conversations, reveals one woman’s enduring love for a dying dragon—a luminous portrait of courage, hope, and the magic we refuse to surrender. —Written by Joseph Sidari, Illustrated by Josie Moore
Art and Writing Tips:
“Artistic Representation” by L. Ron Hubbard: In this timeless essay, L. Ron Hubbard challenges creators to reject the lure of the “easy way” and instead pursue the most effective way—where care, effort, and responsibility define true professionalism in any art.
“Collaboration” by Larry Niven: Through stories of friendships, feuds, and famous partnerships, Larry Niven explores how collaboration can rescue stalled ideas, sharpen craft, and spark entirely new worlds.
“The Creator’s Journey” by Brian C. Hailes: Part memoir, part roadmap, Brian C. Hailes reflects on what it really takes to turn passion into a lifelong, professional craft.
3 Bonus Short Stories:
“Space Can”: readers of classic space warfare will be hooked by this story of courage under fire, as a crippled destroyer charges overwhelming Saturnian forces to defend the fleet’s vital fuel tankers. —Written by L. Ron Hubbard, Illustrated by Haileigh Enriquez
“Skinny-Shins” is for readers of visionary speculative fiction, this tale proposes a borderline-impossible yet scientifically grounded origin for a dragon in the Andes—reshaping evolution with one discovery. —Written by Orson Scott Card, inspired by Ciruelo’s The Fire Tribe
“Dragon Visits” is perfect for readers of emotionally rich fantasy, this story follows a boy whose violin melodies summon dragons that help him rediscover connection after loss. —Written by Nina Kirki Hoffman, Illustrated by April Solomon
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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
Mark Leslie Lefebvre
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
Sergey Poyarkov
Rob Prior
Irvin Rodriguez
Dan dos Santos
Shaun Tan
Tom Wood
Stephen Youll
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
“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
“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
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Available as Paperback, eBook, and Audiobook.