Writers & Illustrators of the Future Workshop Week
2026 – Day 1

Contributed by Kary English

Today the writer winners arrived at Los Angeles International Airport from Australia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and seven US states. They were met at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel by Joni Labaqui, Meliva Koch, John Goodwin, Emily Goodwin, Jody Lynn Nye, Tim Powers, and the staff of Author Services. After some chatting in the lobby, they checked into their rooms, then were whisked away to Ralph’s Supermarket to pick up supplies and snacks for the coming week.

After dinner, the winners assembled in the hospitality suite, where John Goodwin, President of Galaxy Press, introduced himself and welcomed the winners to the 42nd winners’ workshop. He laid out the structure for the week and discussed the Contest’s anti-harassment policy. Because of the Contest’s commitment to a respectful, inclusive environment, the contest prohibits harassment based on race, gender or gender expression, ethnicity, political leanings, nationality, or any other identifiable characteristic. He introduced Emily Goodwin, who talked about publicity and other facets of the events to come. They introduced Meliva Koch and Claude Sandoz, who will be photographing and creating promotional videos throughout the week.

Then Contest Director Joni Labaqui invited each winner to introduce themselves, giving everyone a chance to connect, break the ice, and meet each other face to face after weeks and months of giddy interaction online.

With the workshop officially underway, the writers headed back to their rooms to rest up for the busy and exciting week ahead.