Writers & Illustrators of the Future Workshop Week
2025 – Day 7

The Gala!

Contributed by Leah Ning

The winners and judges spent the morning preparing for the evening’s festivities. They visited stylists and then donned their gowns and tuxedos, embracing the glamour of a Hollywood extravaganza. In the afternoon, they made their way to the beautiful Taglyan Complex, stepping onto a splendid red carpet and entering a fantastical scene inspired by Craig Elliott’s cover art—a floating castle ship.

On the red carpet, winners and judges gathered for photos, interviews, and lively conversations as they awaited the start of the grand event. When the doors finally opened, they were welcomed into the celebration, beginning with a sumptuous dinner shared with family, friends, and fellow creatives. It was a fitting capstone to a week of learning and discovery—but only the lead-in to the evening’s main event: the gala celebrating the 41st anniversary of L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers and Illustrators of the Future.

Following a dazzling magic performance by Naathan Phan, Gunhild Jacobs, Executive Director of Author Services, opened the ceremony with a look back at the incredible history of the Contests, including video highlights from previous years. John Goodwin, President of Galaxy Press, then took the stage to introduce and formally release L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 41.

Between the awards for writers and illustrators, guests enjoyed special presentations: director, screenwriter, and producer Ron Clements spoke on transforming ideas into unforgettable films; Contest Director Joni Labaqui presented the L. Ron Hubbard Lifetime Achievement Award to Tim Powers; and astronaut Dr. Sian Proctor delivered an inspiring talk on using your space to inspire others.

The climax of the ceremony was the presentation of the top honors: the Golden Brush Award went to Jordan Smajstrla for her illustration of “Kill Switch”, and the Golden Pen Award went to Randyn C. J. Bartholomew for his story “Ascii.” Gunhild Jacobs then brought the celebration to a close, wrapping up another amazing year.

The evening concluded with a joyous book signing, where winners and judges celebrated with everyone in attendance.