Year in Review for Writers & Illustrators of the Future for 2024

Summary

Writers & Illustrators of the Future Winners and Judges added their creativity and flair to 2024, leaving a long list of accomplishments for the year. We have been assembling the list with the information sent in. If we have missed something, please write to Joni and we will get it added to the list.

First, congratulations to the 2024 winners of L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers & Illustrators of the Future. The anthology made 4 Amazon bestseller lists and won 2 industry book awards!

TV and Film

• Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert (judges) not only released Dune: Part 2 of which they were executive producer and co-producer, but their Sisterhood of Dune book was released as the HBO series Dune: Prophecy.
• Hugh Howey (judge) Silo season 2 aired on AppleTV based on his bestselling books Wool, Shift, and Dust.

Novels

• Jody Lynn Nye (Writer Contest Coordinating Judge) released The Weaver’s Code in the 1635 series.
• Nnedi Okorafor (Vol 18, now judge) released She Who Knows. And she was inducted into the Museum of Pop Culture’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.
• Brandon Sanderson (judge) published The Way of Kings: Book Summary, The Most Boring Book Ever, Wind and Truth, and Tress of the Emerald Sea.
• Robert J. Sawyer (judge) released The Downloaded, which hit several Canadian bestseller lists and earned a starred review in Publishers Weekly.
• Brian C. Hailes (Vol 18, now judge) released The Prophet’s Bodyguard and Illumi-Naughty A Conspiracy Club’s Unfortunate Mishap. 
• Julie Frost (Vol 32) published Cry Havoc.
• Laurance Davis (Vol 39) released The Dead Can Be Stubborn.
• James Glass (Vol 7 Grand Prize winner) released Wormhole to War.
• Desmond Astaire (Vol 38 Grand Prize winner) released Epoch-1.
• Preston Dennett (Vol 35) released Not From Here Volume One.
• Steve Pantazis (Vol 31) released books 4, 5, & 6 in the fantasy series The Light of Darkness.
• Scott T. Barnes (Vol 28) released Memories of Lucinda Eco, which Booklife named an Editor’s Pick.
• Erik Bundy (Vol 34) released The Plowman’s Plight.
• John Haas (Vol 35) released Stay Out and Prophets of Death and Madness.
• Lisa Silverthorne (Vol 40) released two novels from her A Game of Lost Souls series: The Angelic Anniversary Hour and The Perdition Picture Show.
• David Hankins (Vol 39) released Death and the Dragon.
• Ron Collins (Vol 15) released Outfield Magicked.
• Brian Trent (Vol 29) signed a contract to write a full-length novel in the New York Times bestselling Black Tide Rising series.
• Elizabeth Chatsworth (Vol 37) released The Brass Queen II and Grand Tour.
• Tim Boiteau (Vol 36) released his third novel, The Nilwere.
• William Mitchell (Vol 28) released The Still and Silent Stars.
• Corry L. Lee (Vol 28) released the first 2 of their Bourshkanya Trilogy, Weave the Lightning and The Storm’s Betrayal.

Short Stories & Anthologies & Collections

• Nina Kiriki Hoffman (Vol 1, now judge) “Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction,” “Metis in the Belly of the God,” and several of her classic short stories were reprinted in Pulphouse Magazine by publisher Dean Wesley Smith (Vol 1).
• Mike Jack Stoumbos (Vol 38) edited Murderbugs; Unhelpful Encyclopedia Vol. 2, which featured several Writers of the Future winners, including Desmond Astaire (Vol 38), Ryan Cole (Vol 37), David Hankins (Vol 39), N.V. Haskell (Vol 38), and Rebecca E. Treasure (Vol 38).
• David Hankins (Vol 39) published “The Devil’s Foot Locker” in Amazing Stories: Best of 2023, “Milo Piper’s Breakout Single that Ended the Rat War” in the Troubadours and Space Princesses anthology, The “Missing Music in Milo Piper’s Head” in Offshoots: Humanity Twigged, “The Measure of Alex” in Solstitia Magazine, “Gladys Tuttle” and “The Iguana Incident” in the anthology Here There Be Dragons, and “To Catch a Foo Fighter” in DreamForge Magazine. He also edited a Grimsworld Tales collection of short stories, including a story, “Light, Lies and Last Words,” by Contest winner Brittany Rainsdon (Vol 38).
• John Haas (Vol 35) released “Ghost of a Chance” in the Behind the Shadow anthology and “Saving Sarah” in the Ruth and Ann’s Guide to Time Travel anthology.
• Wulf Moon (Vol 35) released “Pink Pickled Pixies in the Offshoots: Humanity Twigged” by Third Flatiron Anthologies, and “Precious Treasure” was published in the Wink anthology.
• Storm Humbert (Vol 36) edited the Intergalactic Rejects, A Calendar of Fools anthology, which included several Contest judges, Robert J. Sawyer, Kevin J. Anderson & Rebecca Moesta, and an essay by Robert Silverberg.
• Elise Stephens (Vol 35) was published in the Thyme Travellers anthology with the story “Remembrance in Cerulean.”
• James Dorr (Vol 8) released a collection of 12 stories, “Avoid Seeing a Mouse and Other Tales of the Real and Surreal.”
• Arthur H. Manners (Vol 39) released “Empty Nest” in DreamForge Magazine, which was published by Scot Noel (Vol 6).
• John M. Campbell (Vol 37) released three short stories this year. “Pickens Reward” appeared in Dragon Gems Summer 2024, “An Expedition to Enceladus” appeared in Dragon Gems Winter 2024, and “Crop Circles and Werewolves” appeared in What Really Happened.
• Jason Palmatier (Vol 39) published three short stories. “Soul Mate” was published in the Familiars anthology, “The Gift” in the Ampyrium anthology, and “The Name” was published in BattleTech: Shrapnel, Issue #19.
• Lance Robinson (Vol 40) released a collection of his short stories “Chasing New Suns” and a short story in Analog Science Fiction and Fact.
• Martin Shoemaker (Vol 31) was also published in Analog Science Fiction, as was Howard V. Hendrix (Vol 2) and Contest judge Robert Silverberg.
• Dean Wesley Smith (Vol 1, now judge) published several winners this year, including Stephannie Tallent (Vol 40), David H. Hendrickson (Vol 39), and judges Kristine Katherine Rusch, Kevin J. Anderson and Nina Kiriki Hoffman in PulpHouse Magazine.
• Spencer Sekulin (Vol 39) was published in Space & Time Magazine #146 with his story “Her Father’s Daughter.”
• J.E. Schleicher (Vol 40) was published in The Colored Lens Issue # 52.
• Jack Nash (Vol 40 Grand Prize winner) released “Abide With Me in No Cats, No Coffee: Writing for the Rest of Us.”
• Marianne Xenos (Vol 39) released three stories this year: “NonBinary Review” by Zoetic Press, “Old Friends,” and “Rituals.”

Illustrator Projects

• Bea Jackson (Vol 24 Grand Prize winner, now Contest judge) published two cover and interior illustration books this year: From My Head to My Toes, written by Aly Raisman, and Summer is Here by Renee Watson.
• Michael Talbot (Vol 30) produced eight new mural projects, including one for the New England Patriots, and was the featured artist in Suboart Magazine, Issue #19.
• Bruce Brenneise (Vol 34) had three illustrations in the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide, a few magic cards, and other illustrations for Dungeons and Dragons.
• Paul Peterson (Vol 28) created the cover art for Paul L. Centeno’s award-winning novel Tabula Rasa.
• Arthur Bowling (Vol 36) illustrated the cover art for Kate Julicher (Vol 37) and Dan Julicher’s novel Sergeant Golem.
• Sarah Morrison (Vol 39) illustrated three book covers this year: Shadow Scent by Michael B. Fletcher, Jonty’s Unicorn by Rebecca Fraser, and Adam Brink’s Sex Bunker Apocalypse trilogy.
• Tim J. Myers (Vol 17) published eight pieces of visual art.
• Chris Binns (Vol 39) created the cover art for Paul L. Centeno’s The Marvelous Adventures of Lucas Bard.
• Craig Elliott (judge) did the designs for the Disney series Iwaju.
• Dan Dos Santos (judge) has been the cover artist for author Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson Series, and this year, they released Winter Lost.
• Bob Eggleton (judge) signed a deal for five covers for the upcoming IDW Publishing Godzilla comic series.

Illustrators in Shows/Conventions

• Finley’s View Farm Artist Residency selected two Contest winners this year, Jennifer Bruce (Vol 37) and Anthony Morovian (Vol 34).
• Jennifer Mellen (Vol 40) displayed her art in the gallery hall at the On Pitch Performing Arts Center in Utah and at the Dragon Steel Nexus 2024 convention.
• Arthur Haywood (Vol 40) displayed several of his mural-size pieces with the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition.
• Michael Talbot (Vol 30) had three exhibition showcases: While We’re Still Here I & II and More Than Acquaintances.
• Bruce Brenneise (Vol 34) continues to attend conventions across the US—14 in total this year selling his art.
• April Solomon (Vol 39), Lucas Durham (Vol 29), and Nick Jizba (Vol 39) have also been attending conventions across the country throughout the year selling their art.

Guests of Honor

• Nancy Kress (judge) was the Literary Guest of Honor at Dragon Con in Atlanta.
• Jody Lynn Nye (judge) was Guest of Honor at Congregate in Winston-Salem, at Gary Con in Lake Geneva, and Special Guest at Windy Con 50th Anniversary in Chicago.
• Larry Niven (judge) was the Author Guest of Honor at the 50th Anniversary of Los Con Science Fiction convention in Los Angeles.
• Laura Brodian Freas Beraha (judge) was the Artist Guest of Honor at the 50th Anniversary of Los Con Science Fiction convention in Los Angeles.
• Sarah Morrison (Vol 39) will be the Artist Guest of Honor at Arisia Con in Boston.

Awards

• Tim Powers (judge) won an Inkpot award at San Diego Comic-Con.
• Kristine Kathryn Rusch (judge) won a Best Novelette Asimov’s Science Fiction Readers’ Award for “The Nameless Dead.”
• Craig Elliott (judge) won Bronze in the Infected by Art Volume 12 Digital / Photoshop category for Offworld Encounter.
• Zack Be (Vol 36) won the Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award.
• Chris Arias from Costa Rica (Vol 39) won the Palacio Municipal Award.
• Two of our winners were among the SciFidea Dyson Sphere Contest winners, Brian Trent (Vol 29), for his story Watchman, What of the Night? and Brittany Rainsdon (Vol 38) for A Forbidden Shade of Green.
• David Hankins (Vol 39) won a Critters Readers’ Poll for Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Short Story for Death and the Taxman. He also won the 2024 Book of the Year for Humor/Comedy/Satire from the Independent Author Network. He was also a finalist for Book of the Year for First Novel under 80K Words. David was also a 2024 Baen Fantasy Adventure Award Finalist for his story, Drinking Plot Hole.
• Aliette de Bodard (Vol 23) was nominated for Best Short Story for The Mausoleum’s Children and Best Series for The Universe of Xuya in the Hugo Awards.
• Omar Rayyan (Vol 8) won a Chesley Award for Best Interior Illustration for his work on Animal Farm.
• F.J. Bergmann (Vol 36) was awarded the title of the 2024 Grand Master from the Science Fiction Poetry Association. She also won third Place in the Dwarf Stars Award of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association for “Nikola Tesla.”
• Frank Wu (Vol 16) won the Analog Anab Award, 1st Place for Best Novella for his story Poison. Howard V. Hendrix (Vol 2) won 3rd Place in the Best Science Fact for The Passenger Pigeon and the Great Filter. Mary Turzillo (Vol 4) took 1st Place for Best Poem, How to Conquer Gravity, and Eldar Zakirov (Vol 24) took 2nd Place for Best Analog Cover.
• Elizabeth Wein (Vol 9) won Best Young Adult Novel in the International Thriller Awards for her story Stateless.
• Tobias S. Buckell (Vol 16) was nominated for the 2024 Frank R. Paul Awards for Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance.
• Eldar Zakirov (Vol 24) was nominated for Best Magazine Cover for both Analog and Asimov’s.
• Stephen Kotowych & Toni Pi (both from Vol 23) were nominated in the Aurora Awards from Canada, Best Related Work category Year’s Best Canadian for Game On! Stephen was also nominated in the same category for Fantasy and Science Fiction Volume One as editor of this anthology, and he won first Place in the category.
• Erik Bundy (Vol 34) won the Global Book Award and the Paris Book Awards for his medieval mystery The Plowman’s Plight.
• Wulf Moon (Vol 35) won Best of Year Awards in the Critters Annual Readers Poll, including Best Nonfiction Book for How to Write a Howling Good Story.
• Scot Noel (Vol 6) won the SciFidea Dyson Sphere Contest for “The Eight Pillars of Void and Future.”
• Steve Pantazis (Vol 31) received an Honorable Mention in the Writers Digest Self-Published Book Awards.
• Laurance Davis (Vol 39) won the Florida Writers Association 2024 Royal Palm Literary Award for Published Young Adult Novels for his book The Dead Can Be Stubborn.
• Sarah Morrison (Vol 39) received a Judge’s Choice award for her cover art of Death and the Taxman at Boskone.
• Ven Locklear (Vol 16) won Honorable Mention in the Infected by Art Volume 12 Digital / Photoshop category for Dreamwalker.
• Karawynn Long (Vol 9) won a Best Short Story Asimov’s Science Fiction Readers’ Award for “Hope Is the Thing with Feathers.”
• The Locus Awards were presented this quarter, and several winners/judges were on the shortlist. Aliette de Bodard (Vol 23) was nominated for Best Science Fiction Novel, A Fire Born of Exile, and Best Short Story, “The Mausoleum’s Children”; judge Tim Powers in the Best Fantasy Novel for My Brother’s Keeper; judge Nnedi Okorafor was also nominated in the Best Short Story category for Stones. Best Collection category had Tobias S. Buckell (Vol 16) for Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance and Other Stories. Finally, judge Bob Eggleton was nominated for Best Artist.

Congratulations to a very productive group of talented individuals!