New York City Big Book Award for Best Anthology Awarded to L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 40

The NYC Big Book Award recognized L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 40 as a winner in the category of Anthology. Experts judge the competition from different aspects of the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, designers, booksellers, librarians, and professional copywriters. Winners and distinguished favorites are based on overall excellence.

L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 40 is the bestselling and widely influential anthology of its kind, bringing 12 original stories and illustrations by the best new creative talent in speculative fiction—as selected by a hall-of-fame roster of top professionals.

NYC Big Book Award received book submissions from all over the world. Journalists, well-established authors, small and large press, and first-time indie authors participated in record numbers. This year’s entries were received from the United States and countries including Australia, Canada, China, Cyprus, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

Publishers included Atmosphere Press, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Beaufort Books, Beyond Words Publishing, Blackstone Publishing, Familius Publishing, Flatiron Books, Galaxy Press, Hachette Go, HarperCollins Leadership, Oceanview Publishing, Old Stone Press, Rowman & Littlefield, Simon & Schuster, Ulysses Press, Watkins Publishing, and Westminster John Knox Press.

“We were delighted to see so many quality publishers and authors worldwide participate this year. I can’t wait to share these books with a global readership,” said awards sponsor Gabrielle Olczak.

Included in the book and listed by winning story, author, and illustrator are:

“The Edge of Where My Light Is Cast” by Sky McKinnon
Illustrated by Carina Zhang

“Son, Spirit, Snake” by Jack Nash
Illustrated by Pedro N.

“Nonzero” by Tom Vandermolen
Illustrated by Jennifer Mellen

“The Imagalisk” by Galen Westlake
Illustrated by Arthur Haywood

“Life and Death and Love in the Bayou” by Stephannie Tallent
Illustrated by Ashley Cassaday

“Five Days Until Sunset” by Lance Robinson
Illustrated by Steven Bentley

“The Well Isn’t a Circle” by Rosalyn Robilliard
Illustrated by Guelly Rivera

“Da-ko-ta” by Amir Agoora
Illustrated by Connor Chamberlain

“Squiddy” by John Eric Schleicher
Illustrated by Tyler Vail

“Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber” by James Davies
Illustrated by May Zheng

“Summer of Thirty Years” by Lisa Silverthorne
Illustrated by Gigi Hooper

“Butter Side Down” by Kal M.
Illustrated by Selena Meraki

With additional stories and essays:

“The Last Drop” by L. Ron Hubbard and L. Sprague de Camp
Illustrated by Chris Arias

“Halo” by Nancy Kress
Illustrated by Lucas Durham

“Shaman Dreams” by S.M. Stirling
Inspired by Dan dos Santos’s cover art, Starcatcher

“On Writing and Science Fiction” by L. Ron Hubbard

“Forty Years of Writers of the Future” by Gregory Benford

“It Seemed Like Just Yesterday” by Dean Wesley Smith

L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 40 is available globally in its digital format, as a trade paperback, and as a digital audiobook wherever books are sold in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and South Africa.

L. Ron Hubbard initiated the Writers of the Future writing contest in 1983 to provide “a means for new and budding writers to have a chance for their creative efforts to be seen and acknowledged.” Based on its success, its sister contest, Illustrators of the Future, was created five years later to provide that same opportunity for aspiring artists.

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

To view the list of NYC Big Book winners and distinguished favorites, please visit www.nycbigbookaward.com.