L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 40 Audiobook Releasing May 7

“L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 40 will release on May 7 with a unique companion audiobook,” announced Galaxy Press President John Goodwin. The talented Meskimen family, Jim, Tamra, and their daughter Taylor, will reprise their roles for the many and varied voices in the audiobook, along with UK actress Victoria Summer, with her British accent providing the needed authenticity to a story set in the UK.

Galaxy Press recorded and published Volume 39—a first-time endeavor—to critical acclaim. Library Journal audiobook review editor Sarah Hashimoto wrote, “Listeners are treated to a range of science fiction, speculative fiction, classic and urban fantasy, and more in this anthology.…” She concluded, “This panoramic collection offers something for everyone, with sci-fi and fantasy stories that are both inventive and creative. A solid addition to any SFF collection and a delight for genre fans.”

When asked to comment on being invited back to record volume 40, Jim Meskimen stated, “To be asked to reprise our narrator roles for this latest collection is a huge honor and one of the most fun things I can think of. It’s great to be the first to read and record works by men and women destined to become the future stars of SF and fantasy!”

Science fiction and fantasy audiobooks allow narrators to use their voices to create new worlds and races. And with short stories, as in the case of this year’s Writers of the Future anthology, there are 15 unique worlds to be created. Volume 40 features the 12 winners of the 40th Annual Writers of the Future anthology and additional stories from L. Ron Hubbard, Nancy Kress, and S.M. Stirling.

“Having worked with hundreds of accomplished Hollywood actors for our Stories from the Golden Age and Battlefield Earth audiobooks, as well as our live theatre performances in Hollywood, we tried something that, to the best of our knowledge, had never been done before,” stated Goodwin. “We selected a family of actors, each member an accomplished voice talent, to record the stories in volume 39. And to our delight, it worked!” Goodwin concluded.

Jim Meskimen is an actor, improviser, and voice artist whose work is well-known to TV and film audiences. Tamra Meskimen is a seasoned theater, screen, and television actor and co-founder of The Acting Center in Los Angeles. Their daughter, Taylor, has performed improv for over a decade when not recording audiobooks. Victoria Summer is an English actress, model, and singer.

“This latest batch of winning stories are among the best I’ve ever read,” Jim Meskimen stated. “The quality just continues to rise. I love bringing original, unusual characters to life as well as known figures from history; I got to do just that in this anthology. I share a love of good storytelling with my talented family, and we love collaborating onstage, in front of a hot mic, and in our daily lives!“

Meskimen concluded, “I can’t wait to meet these terrific writers whose words it has been my pleasure to bring to life! I know Tamra and Taylor feel the same!”

You can preorder your copy of L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 40 at your store of choice by visiting galaxypress.com/new-release/writers-of-the-future-volume-40.

L. Ron Hubbard created the Contest in 1983, writing in the Introduction to Writers of the Future Volume 1, “It is with this in mind that I initiated a means for new and budding writers to have a chance for their creative efforts to be seen and acknowledged.”

Based on the Writing Contest’s success, its sister Contest, Illustrators of the Future, was created five years later to provide that same opportunity for aspiring artists.

The success of the Contest is measured by the success of its winning authors and illustrators.

The 559 winners and published finalists of the Writing Contest have published over 2,000 novels and 6,300 short stories, and their works have sold over 60 million copies. In addition, 16 winners have 41 New York Times bestselling books combined.

The 406 past winners of the Illustrating Contest have produced over 6,800 illustrations and 390 comic books, graced 700 books and albums with their art, and visually contributed to 68 TV shows and 40 major movies.

For more information on the Writers of the Future Contest, visit www.writersofthefuture.com.