Thank you for purchasing L. Ron Hubbard Library Presents Writers of the Future Volume 40
To receive special offers, bonus content and info on new fiction releases by L. Ron Hubbard, sign up for the Galaxy Press newsletter.
Visit us online at GalaxyPress.com
© 2024 Galaxy Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Any unauthorized copying, translation, duplication, importation or distribution, in whole or in part, by any means, including electronic copying, storage or transmission, is a violation of applicable laws.
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
For information, contact Galaxy Press, Inc. at 7051 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 200, Los Angeles, California 90028.
“The Edge of Where My Light Is Cast” © 2024 Christopher Moran; “Son, Spirit, Snake” © 2024 Garret Nash; “Nonzero” © 2024 Tom Vandermolen; “On Writing and Science Fiction” © 1983, 2009 L. Ron Hubbard Library; “The Last Drop” © 2008 L. Ron Hubbard Library; “The Imagalisk” © 2024 Michael Kortes; “Life and Death and Love in the Bayou” © 2024 Stephannie Tallent; “Five Days Until Sunset” © 2024 Lance Robinson; “Shaman Dreams” © 2024 S.M. Stirling; “The Wall Isn’t a Circle” © 2024 Chloe and Lucy Murphy; “Da-ko-ta” © 2024 Amir Agoora; “Squiddy” © 2024 John Eric Schleicher; “Halo” © 2024 Nancy Kress; “Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber” © 2024 James Davies; “Summer of Thirty Years” © 2024 Lisa Silverthorne; “Butter Side Down” © 2024 Kalpana Mahendran.
Illustration for “The Edge of Where My Light Is Cast” © 2024 Carina Zhang; illustration for “Son, Spirit, Snake” © 2024 Pedro Nascimento; illustration for “Nonzero” © 2024 Jennifer Mellen; illustration for “The Last Drop” © 2024 Chris Arias; illustration for “The Imagalisk” © 2024 Arthur Haywood; illustration for “Life and Death and Love in the Bayou” © 2024 Ashley Cassaday; illustration for “Five Days Until Sunset” © 2024 Steven Bentley; illustration for “The Wall Isn’t a Circle” © 2024 Guelly Rivera; illustration for “Da-ko-ta” © 2024 Connor Chamberlain; illustration for “Squiddy” © 2024 Tyler Vail; illustration for “Halo” © 2024 Lucas Durham; illustration for “Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber” © 2024 May Zheng; illustration for “Summer of Thirty Years” © 2024 Peggy Hooper; illustration for “Butter Side Down” © 2024 Selena van den Nieuwendijk.
Cover artwork Starcatcher and illustration for “Shaman Dreams” © 2024 Dan dos Santos.
WRITERS OF THE FUTURE and ILLUSTRATORS OF THE FUTURE are trademarks owned by the L. Ron Hubbard Library and are used with permission.
EPUB ISBN 978-1-61986-771-0Kindle ISBN 978-1-61986-772-7Print ISBN 978-1-61986-774-1
This anthology contains works of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the authors’ imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Opinions expressed by nonfiction essayists are their own.
To honor the international winners of the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests, we have retained their native spelling styles—British, Canadian, and Malaysian.
Special acknowledgments go to these first readers and beta readers: Kary English, Joe Benet, Bret Booher, James Davies, Victoria Dixon, Andrew Ericsson, Wendy Fawcett, Cara Giles, Jane M. Kaufenberg, Michael Kortes, Chloe Murphy, Lucy Murphy, Leah Ning, John Eric Schleicher, Martin L. Shoemaker, Lisa Silverthorne, Eric James Stone, Don Sweeney, Stephannie Tallent, Mike Wyant, Jr.