Writers of the Future – serie

In the world of speculative fiction…

Your favorite authors…

Have selected best new voices of theyear.

24 Award-winning Authors andIllustrators

3 Bonus Short Storiesby Kevin J. Anderson • L. Ron Hubbard • S. M. Stirling

Art and Writing Tips byLazarus Chernik • L. Ron Hubbard • Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Edited by DeanWesley Smith • Jody Lynn Nye

16-page colorgallery of artwork • Cover art by Tom Wood

Check out the stories Brandon Sanderson, Orson Scott Card, NnediOkorafor, Robert J. Sawyer, Kevin J. Anderson, Jody Lynn Nye and others choseas the best of the best.

Be amazed. Be amused. Be transported … by stories that take you bysurprise and take you further and deeper into new worlds and new ideas thanyou’ve ever gone before….

Twelve captivating tales from the most exciting new voices in sciencefiction and fantasy accompanied by three from masters of the genre.

A miracle? An omen? Or something else? One day, they arrived indroves—the foxes of the desert, the field, the imagination….—“Kitsune” by DevonBohm

When a vampire, a dragon and a shape-shifting Chihuahua meet on a beachin Key West, fireworks go off! But that’s just the background.—“Moonlight andFunk” by Marianne Xenos

The Grim Reaper, trapped in an IRS agent’s dying body, must regain hispowers before he dies and faces judgment for his original sin.—“Death and theTaxman” by David Hankins

In a metaverse future, a woman who exposes falseness in others mustdecide what is real to her—the love she lost or the love she may havefound.—“Under My Cypresses” by Jason Palmatier

Vic Harden wasn’t lured by glory on a daring mission into the reaches ofouter space—he was ordered out there by his editor.—“The Unwilling Hero” by L.Ron Hubbard

Dangerous opportunities present themselves when an alien ship arrives inthe solar system seeking repairs.—“White Elephant” by David K. Henrickson

With her spaceship at the wrong end of a pirate’s guns, a former war heromust face down her enemies and demons to save Earth’s last best chance forpeace.—“Piracy for Beginners” by J. R. Johnson

Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I., faces one of his funniest and most perplexingcases ever—an enlightened ogre, a salamander with low self-esteem, and a ragingfire dragon terrorizing the Unnatural Quarter!—“Fire in the Hole” by Kevin J. Anderson

Years after the Second Holocaust, the last surviving Jews on earthattempt to rewrite the past.—“A Trickle in History” by Elaine Midcoh

When I said I’d do anything to pay off my debts and get back home toEarth, I didn’t mean survey a derelict spaceship at the edge of the solarsystem—but here I am.—“The Withering Sky” by Arthur H. Manner

High-powered telescopes bring galactic life to our TVs, and network tunerHank Enos figures he’s seen everything—until the day an alien boy staresback.—“The Fall of Crodendra M.” by T. J. Knight

Knights, damsels and dragons, curses and fates foretold—the stuff oflegends and stories, but unexpectedly perverse.—“Constant Never” by S. M.Stirling

Determined to save his wife, Tumelo takes an unlikely client throughSouth Africa’s ruins to the heart of the Desolation—a journey that will cost orsave everything.—“The Children of Desolation” by Spencer Sekulin

When a terrorist smuggles a nuclear weapon into London, a team regressesin time to AD 1093 to assassinate a knight on the battlefield, therebyeliminating the terrorist a millennia before his birth.—“Timelines andBloodlines” by L. H. Davis

The Grand Exam, a gateway to power for one, likely death for allothers—its entrants include ambitious nobles, desperate peasants, and QuietGate, an old woman with nothing left to lose.—“The Last History” by Samuel Parr

You willlove this collection of the best new voices in science fiction and fantasybecause, as Locus magazine puts it, “Not only is the writing excellent...it isalso extremely varied. There’s a lot of hot new talent.”

Get it now.

Experience these powerful new voices—vivid, visceral, and visionary—as they explore uncharted worlds and reveal unlimited possibilities.This 40th anniversary edition of the L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, the bestselling and most widely influential anthology of its kind, brings you 12 strikingly original stories and illustrations―by the best new creative talent in speculative fiction, all winners of the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests. The collection is rounded out with 3 bonus stories plus 4 articles providing art and writing tips from bestselling authors and internationally renowned artists.

Be carried away by stories—and illustrations—that will make you think, laugh, and see the world in ways you never imagined.

“When her owner goes missing, a digital housecat must become more than simulation to find her dearest companion through the virtual world.—“The Edge of Where My Light Is Cast” by Sky McKinnon, art by Carina Zhang

No one came to his brother’s funeral. Not even the spirits. Étienne knew it was his fault.—“Son, Spirit, Snake” by Jack Nash, art by Pedro N.

Man overboard is a nightmare scenario for any sailor, but Lieutenant Susan Guidry is also running out of air—and the nearest help is light years away.—“Nonzero” by Tom Vandermolen, art by Jennifer Mellen

Mac wanted to invent a cocktail to burn itself upon the pages of history—but this one had some unexpected side effects.—“The Last Drop” by L. Ron Hubbard and L. Sprague de Camp, art by Chris Arias

Dementia has landed Dan Kennedy in Graydon Manor, and what’s left of his life ahead seems dismal, but a pair of impossible visitors bring unexpected hope.—“The Imagalisk” by Galen Westlake, art by Arthur Haywood

When a teenage swamp witch fears her mama will be killed, she utilizes her wits and the magic of the bayou—no matter the cost to her own soul.—“Life and Death and Love in the Bayou” by Stephannie Tallent, art by Ashley Cassaday

Our exodus family awoke on the new world—a paradise inexplicably teeming with Earth life, the Promise fulfilled. But 154 of us are missing.…—“Five Days Until Sunset” by Lance Robinson, art by Steve Bentley

Spirits were supposed to lurk beneath the Lake of Death, hungry and patient and hostile to all life.—“Shaman Dreams” by S.M. Stirling, art by Dan dos Santos

A new app lets users see through the eyes of any human in history, but it’s not long before the secrets of the past catch up with the present.—“The Wall Isn’t a Circle” by Rosalyn Robilliard, art by Guelly Rivera

In the shadows of Teddy Roosevelt’s wendigo hunt, a Native American boy resolves to turn the tables on his captors, setting his sights on the ultimate prey—America’s Great Chief.—“Da-ko-ta” by Amir Agoora, art by Connor Chamberlain

When squids from outer space take over, a punk-rock P.I. must crawl out of her own miserable existence to find her client’s daughter—and maybe a way out.—“Squiddy” by John Eric Schleicher, art by Tyler Vail

Another outbreak? This time it’s a virus with an eighty percent infection rate that affects personality changes … permanently.—“Halo” by Nancy Kress, art by Lucas Durham

Planet K2-18b is almost dead, humanity is enslaved, and it’s Rickard’s fault. Now in his twilight years, he’d give an arm and a leg for redemption. Literally.—“Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber” by James Davies, art by May Zheng

What if magic could undo the unthinkable, and undo Death itself? Would you use it no matter the cost? What would you sacrifice for love?—“Summer of Thirty Years” by Lisa Silverthorne, art by Gigi Hooper

Joe is a prospector tasked with exploring the cosmos on behalf of an all-powerful government. Breadna is a toaster. There have been weirder love stories, but that’s unlikely.—“Butter Side Down” by Kal M, art by Selena Meraki