Apr 25, 2023 | Editors' Blog, 1st pages, Sci-fi
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DRUM ROLL PLEASE…AND THE WINNERS ARE…??
GET READY FOR THE NEW VOLUME OF AWARD-WINNING TALENT!
Have you heard of Writers of the Future—the world's largest Science Fiction and Fantasy writing contest for aspiring authors? Imagine an anthology that publishes the best sci-fi short stories from new international authors each year!
And who would be qualified to hand-pick those entries that measure up? None other than famed authors Brandon Sanderson, Orson Scott Card, Nnedi Okorafor, Jody Lynn Nye, Kevin J Anderson, Larry Niven, and more of your favorites.
As author and contest judge Robert J. Sawyer says, “See the best-of-the-best culled for you, curated and selected in a single volume every year.”
While the Gold Award winners will be announced at the Gala Black-Tie Awards event on April 28th, I got a sneak peek and have outlined highlights and winning stories for your pleasure.
With unforgettable yarns ranging from aliens in your TV set to shapeshifters; from challenging your concept of how to decide what’s real to regaining your innate powers; and immortal tips from the great Masters, you’re sure to be entertained and expanded.
All you have to do is turn the page and enter your private multiverse of pure imagination. So grab a cup o’ joe, and let’s whet your appetite.
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Tips from the Top:
“Every year the Writers of the Future Contest inspires new writers and helps to launch their careers. The combination of reward, recognition, instruction, and opportunity for beginning authors is unparalleled. There is no contest comparable to the Writers of the Future.”—Rebecca Moesta Writers of the Future Contest judge
In every issue, you’ll find insights for writers from contest founder, L. Ron Hubbard. Here are his thoughts about the power of science fiction to change the world.
“Science fiction does NOT come after the fact of a scientific discovery or development. It is the herald of possibility. It is the plea that someone should work on the future. Yet it is not prophecy. It is the dream that precedes the dawn when the inventor or scientist awakens and goes to his books or his lab saying, ‘I wonder whether I could make that dream come true in the world of real science.’…
“You have satellites out there, man has walked on the moon, you have probes going to the planets, don’t you? Somebody had to dream the dream, and a lot of somebodies like those great writers of The Golden Age and later had to get an awful lot of people interested in it to make it true.” —L. Ron Hubbard Battlefield Earth, Introduction
And this from his introduction to the first volume launching the Contest:
“A culture is as rich and as capable of surviving as it has imaginative artists. The artist is looked upon to start things. The artist injects the spirit of life into a culture. And through his creative endeavors, the writer works continually to give tomorrow a new form.
“In these modern times, there are many communication lines for works of art. Because a few works of art can be shown so easily to so many, there may even be fewer artists. The competition is very keen and even dagger sharp.”
“It is with this in mind that I initiated a means for new and budding writers to have a chance for their creative efforts to be seen and acknowledged.” —L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Volume 1, Introduction
Welcome to the largest forum on planet Earth for inciting interest in speculative fiction!
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Tip from WOTF Podcast 44: Writing Short Stories that Sell, from Contest Judges
“Have a purpose for your story, know where you’re going with it, and don’t go off on tangents because you don’t have the real estate to do that [in a short story]. You need to keep in mind what your story is, what your character’s goal is and go there! Of course, don’t forget your twist at the end.” —Jodi Lynn Nye, Lead Contest Judge
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Tip from the King of Illustrators, Frank Frazetta:
“The definition of artist is a creative person who is totally honest and original. Bingo! If you want to appear to be an artist, if you want to convince me that you’re an artist, I don’t care how detailed it is, I don’t care whether it’s less than perfect. If it’s original, it comes from the heart and makes a statement that appeals to people like me emotionally, I’ll just love you to death. That’s my recommendation.” — “Advice from a Master: Frank Frazetta” on YouTube
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Ready for Volume 39 story teasers? Here we go!
Reserve your copy today. It will release in US and Canadian bookstores on May 16th and international markets on July 18th.
Art and Writing Tips from the Masters:
“Circulate” by L. Ron Hubbard: Do you ever wish for an effective cure for writer’s block?
“What Is Art Direction?” by Lazarus Chernik: How can artists realize their dream in the fast world of marketing?
“Prioritize to Increase Your Writing” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch: What does it mean for a creative person to take care of yourself?
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Bonus Short Stories:
“Fire in the Hole” by Kevin J. Anderson: Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I., ‘nuff said!
“The Unwilling Hero” by L. Ron Hubbard: What would you do if your editor ordered you to outer space?
“Constant Never” by S. M. Stirling: Knights and dragons, unexpectedly perverse.
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12 Award-Winning Authors—Story Synopses
“Kitsune” by Devon Bohm: A miracle? An omen? Or something else? One day, they arrived in droves—the foxes of the desert, the field, the imagination…
“Moonlight and Funk” by Marianne Xenos: When a vampire, a dragon and a shape-shifting Chihuahua meet on a beach in Key West, fireworks go off! But that’s just the background.
“Death and the Taxman” by David Hankins: The Grim Reaper, trapped in an IRS agent’s dying body, must regain his powers before he dies and faces judgment for his original sin.
“Under My Cypresses” by Jason Palmatier: In a metaverse future, a woman who exposes falseness in others must decide what is real to her—the love she lost or the love she may have found.
“White Elephant” by David K. Henrickson: Dangerous opportunities present themselves when an alien ship arrives in the solar system seeking repairs.
“Piracy for Beginners” by J. R. Johnson: With her spaceship at the wrong end of a pirate’s guns, a former war hero must face down her enemies and demons to save Earth’s last best chance for peace.
“A Trickle in History” by Elaine Midcoh: Years after the Second Holocaust, the last surviving Jews on earth attempt to rewrite the past.
“The Withering Sky” by Arthur H. Manners: When I said I’d do anything to pay off my debts and get back home to Earth, I didn’t mean survey a derelict spaceship at the edge of the solar system—but here I am.
“The Fall of Crodendra M.” by T. J. Knight: High-powered telescopes bring galactic life to our TVs, and network tuner Hank Enos figures he’s seen everything—until the day an alien boy stares back.
“The Children of Desolation” by Spencer Sekulin: Determined to save his wife, Tumelo takes an unlikely client through South Africa’s ruins to the heart of the Desolation—a journey that will cost or save everything.
“Timelines and Bloodlines” by L. H. Davis: When a terrorist smuggles a nuclear weapon into London, a team regresses in time to AD 1093 to assassinate a knight on the battlefield, thereby eliminating the terrorist a millennia before his birth.
“The Last History” by Samuel Parr: The Grand Exam, a gateway to power for one, likely death for all others—its entrants include ambitious nobles, desperate peasants, and Quiet Gate, an old woman with nothing left to lose.
Early Accolades!
The International Review of Book’s Gold Badge of Achievement:
The International Review of Books has conferred its gold badge of achievement on Volume 39!
Well done! No corner of the speculative fiction genre has been left untouched with these epic stories told by the hottest new authors and illustrated by the most talented within the industry.
Winning a spot in the Writers of the Future Contest is a serious career-making event for writers and illustrators, many of whom send in submissions for years. Upon winning they are ferried off to Hollywood to revel in their new fame and glory, rubbing shoulders with the greats of the past and present in a glittering lights and black-tied affair. They are chosen for their freshness and skill, offering the judges their rare stories and gifted illustrations.
The book was transcendent, and as my only focus should be on recommending it to fellow readers, that I can do with heart and soul, and argue that the worlds to which the stories teleport their readers are far more special and grand than a black tie event in Hollywood.
The true winners in the Writers of the Future Contest? Readers!
These stunningly talented authors and illustrators can have their well-deserved fame, and I will remain at home greedily devouring their stories a second time, and perhaps a third. The beauty of this compilation of short stories is the pure pleasure in the myriad writing styles, voices, characters, and worlds. Each story is completely different from all those that came before and after.
So for speculative fiction readers everywhere, this book represents the best and brightest upcoming authors and illustrators within the genre, and with this breakout introduction to their work, you’ll one day be able to brag that you were their devoted fans from the beginning!
Want to Enter the WOTF Contest? It’s quarterly!
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- First, you’ll want to peruse the anthology itself, to assess the market and get a feel for today’s standard in speculative fiction. Of course, also for fun while thinking outside the box.
- Next, look over the contest guidelines to be sure you qualify as an amateur writer.
- Then, write the story that’s inside you!
Personally, I felt thrilled to receive the Semi-Finalist Award the first time I entered a few years ago. It represented the validation I needed from top professional science-fiction authors, to keep on going! I also revere the handwritten note I received from top judge Dave Farland on my strengths and how to improve further. When I need inspiration, I remember his opening words, “I read every line of your story with great interest.”
Many who enter the contest regularly, say that the quarterly deadline gives them a calendar target to shoot for. Not to mention the carrot on the stick—a chance for attendance at a high-profile one-week workshop given in Hollywood by industry leaders on craft and marketing.
And all culminating with the annual Gala event to match up illustrators with authors, announce the winners on-stage, and marvel as the crowd lines up for your book signing!
Winners have gone on to grace the pages of New York Times bestseller lists; while illustrators have contributed to movies, comic books, and album covers.
Let’s get writing; and see you there!
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Bonus Gift when you purchase your Anthology!
This year, the publisher is offering a free e-Bundle bonus for anyone ordering the book!
They will send you the beautiful cover art by Tom Wood, “Wyvern Crucible,” for your phone and desktop, two free short stories from Volume 38 and several articles with advice from New York Times bestselling authors, including Brandon Sanderson, Orson Scott Card, L. Ron Hubbard, Algis Budrys, Tim Powers, Kristine Katherine Rusch, and Mike Resnick.
Redeem bonus by sending your receipt to customers@galaxypress.com
You will love this collection of the best new voices in science fiction and fantasy because, as Locus magazine puts it, “Not only is the writing excellent…it is also extremely varied. There’s a lot of hot new talent.”
Get it now and scoop up your bonus!
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By Dr. Lee Carroll
Working abroad in 10 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America, both as a doctor and teacher, has shown me life as a prism of viewpoints. That experience has enriched my writing to the point where I enjoy showcasing the admiration I feel for varied cultures. For example, my WOTF Semi-finalist entry is published for Kindle as Death Clearinghouse: The Novelette, featuring Apache ingenuity. When I'm not writing, I'm yanking swords out of stones around the world. (Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07TRC1F4V/about)
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You searched for market – SFWA
Jan 1, 2020 | 1st pages, Expert
Editing Untangled Workshop
Happy new Year Everyone.
Robyn and I are privileged to have been selected to do our Editing Untangled Workshop at this year’s Dublin Writers Conference.
So, what’s so special about our workshop you ask?
Let’s start with the fact that it’s tailored to you, the writer.
As professional editors and writers we’ve attended many conferences and writer events. Those, combined with the wide variety of edits we’ve done, have shown that many writers, especially first time writers, have little experience with editing.
Questions we often hear are:
- Why do I need an editor?
- What is an editor going to do that I can’t do?
- What is a developmental edit?
- I have spell check, why do I need an edit?
- Why are there so many types of editing?
- What is proofreading?
- Why is editing so expensive?
And on and on and on.
Based on our observations and discussions with other writers,
we’ve designed our workshop to try and address as many of these issues as time permits.
***
We’ll begin with a very brief introduction of who we are, our backgrounds and experience.
Then we will tell you our opinion of:
- the purpose of editing
- why you need an editor
- what an editor should do
- what an editor should not do.
And our counter as to why writers think they don’t need an editor.
Next up we’ll very briefly cover the different types of editing. Here we’ll explain the typical status of a manuscript that each applies to and the type of things (listed below) we look for in each.
Developmental Editing – where we work with the author to provide guidance and feedback by critiquing the following areas:
- Structure
- Characterization/character arc
- Goals, motivation, conflict
- Correct point of view
- Show don’t tell
- Plot
- Pace
- Genre specific and appropriate form
- Believable and genre specific dialog
- Balance between narrative and dialog
- Scene descriptions
- Provide templates and checklist as requested or needed
Copy or Line Editing – Copy editing can be light, medium or heavy. Things we will make sure are correct and proper are:
- Light
- Spelling
- Punctuation
- Grammar
- Capitalization
- Number usage
- Abbreviations
- Typographical errors
- Omitted or repeat words
- Overall story accuracy
- Medium
- Consistency of American or British English, colloquialisms, accents
- Sentence construction and run on sentences
- Elimination of unnecessary words
- Syntax
- Proper and consistent tense
- Over used words and adverbs, clichés, purple prose
- Logic or plot holes
- Character/time inconsistences
- Style sheet/guide adherence (if applicable)
- Heavy or Full – Suggestions for:
- Cuts
- Additions
- Rewrites
- Revisions to unclear passages
- Replacement words
- Rearranged sentences and scenes
Proofreading – The final review on a completely edited manuscript will check for:
- Typographical errors
- Punctuation
- Grammar
- Spacing
- Print quality and font consistency
- Sufficient white space – margins, paragraph spacing, indenting.
Other types of Edits such as Substantive or Content Edit and Production Edit will not be covered.
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But wait!
The next section in our workshop will cover what we believe are the three most important, yet misunderstood and misused, tools in an author’s toolbox.
- Show don’t tell
- Treating your scenes as you would a character
- Using dialogue to enhance your story
This is likely where we’ll spend as much time as we can.
Why? Because these three areas will likely enhance your story the most with often simple changes or additions.
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Finally, we’ll close with:
- Some tricks to use when self-editing
- Tips on how to choose an editor
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If you plan to attend the conference, jot down any questions you might have and we’ll try and cover as many as we can, time permitting. Otherwise, email them to us and we’ll be happy to answer them as soon as we can.
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Bob Boze lives in the south bay area of San Diego and his writing partner, Robyn Bennett, lives in Blenheim, on the south island of New Zealand. They are both published romance and non-fiction authors, editors, speakers and bloggers.
They offer a variety of writer and business services through their business website, Writing Allsorts. To find out more about the services they offer, go to https://writingallsorts.com/ and follow the links to their web sites to learn more about their books.
Something in particular you’d like to know about? We speak, write and do workshops on a ton of writing and business stuff. (Well, okay not a ton but a lot.) Just let us know. If it’s about social media or internet advertising or marketing, we’ll steer you to Laurence at BooksGoSocial, our expert. Anything else is fair game.
John Vamvas and Olga Montes
Apr 20, 2018 | 1st pages, Featured, Horror
Chapter 1
Do you want to read more? Get Wherewolves: A Realistic Werewolf Horror By John Vamvas and Olga Montes
The Ending – Werewolves?
Dilly runs. The deafening beat of her panting isn’t enough to drown out the monstrous growls and trampling that rumble behind her. Though she can’t see well enough to dodge the naked branches slicing into her, the full moon’s rays help her find the path. This way, the young woman tells herself, and takes a left. Now right! Her body veers. She slams her beaten shoulder against the thick trunk of a sugar maple. Ah, fuck! The pain electrifies her cells. Like sticking a finger in a thousand volt socket. She falls to one knee. Don’t you fucking stop! Move! Move! Move! She forces herself up and implores her feet to barrel forward.
There it is! The fallen stump that looks more like a giant claw! She makes a mad dash for it, hurtles over the trunk, lands on all fours, and snaps her head back. She gasps, “Yes!” eyes on the nest-like bundle cradled between the two lower branches of the tall yellow birch before her.
She can hear whatever is out there tearing through the brush.
She leans against the tree’s peeling, gray bark and kicks at the dead leaves on the ground. Come on! she screams in her head. And at last feels the line dig into her ankle. She yanks it back hard. Click.
A thunderous roar!
She throws herself to the ground and in the next instant, a burlap sack swooshes over her.
Slam!
A canine screech rips through the forest.
Dilly jolts, feels the ground, and snatches a heavy rock. She thrashes her head from side to side and strains to hear the danger, but hears only the sack’s long suspended rope creaking as it swings. She gets to her knees. A branch snaps, she spins to pitch the rock— Nothing’s there. “Breathe, girl, breathe,” she reminds herself. And inhales deeply. The prominent scent of balsam firs transports her to the weekend she spent with Brian in a cozy bed and breakfast last May. Her eyes well. Brian … She scans the beech, spruce, and birch tree outlines, caressing her ring—its diamond lost to the forest. We should have never … ahh … She brushes off tears. Be strong, she compels herself. She staggers to a stand and lumbers off.
A harrowing growl booms—her feet are in the air, her face smashes to the ground.
“No! Nooooo!” she screams, as she’s dragged across the underbrush.
Pebbles, leaves, and branches cut into her. Her fingernails claw a trail into the earth as she tries to grip at something—anything—that will anchor her long enough to turn over and hurl the rock she still has gripped in her hand. A trio of saplings gashes her chin and she grabs onto them, jerking to a stop.
She fears she’ll be rent in two as she's tugged savagely. But she doesn’t let go. I’ve got to … She tries to twist—turn my … fucking arm … over …
Light shines through from approaching high beams. Distant, but just enough of a distraction. Yes!
She whips the rock.
A painful yowl!
“Fuck you!” she bellows as she scrambles to her feet and darts for the auspicious lights. She pushes her way through a thicket of juniper shrubs, waving and hollering—“Hey! Hey!”—and scarcely manages to catch herself. Shafts of light from the oncoming vehicle reveal there is nowhere to go but down. Down a ridiculously steep hill, she discovers.
The charging footsteps close in.
Shit! She glances over her shoulder—Fuck!—and drops to the ground. She gropes the ridge, clasps a sturdy root, and slides over the edge. Splinters stab into her hands. “Ahhhh!” she squeals—Shut up!—and hangs on. She cocks her head east to west. I need … something … else … to grab on … to.
The thicket rattles and cracks.
She winces. No! The rocks beneath her feet crumble. Oh my God, oh my God. Don’t you fucking let go. Her feet dangle. The roots dig deeper into her palms. “Ahhhh!” She presses her mouth into the dirt and feels the earth above vibrate. A pebble bounces off her head.
Beastly snorts and growls turn into sniffing and heavy panting.
She holds her breath. Go away, go away, go away!
The noises above her suddenly fade; all she hears is an eerie, unsettling breeze.
Oh my God! She listens hard. They’re gone. Breathe, she reminds herself again. She inhales and looks down. The slope is too extreme. She needs another path. She waits a long moment—God help me!—takes another mouthful of air, then musters the strength to pull herself up. Please don’t be there. Please don’t be there. Please—Fiery breath steams her forehead, and a snarl swells into a ferocious roar.
Dilly glimpses the blur of black, indigo, royal blue below. And lets go.
Daniel Sugar
Apr 20, 2018 | 1st pages, Featured, Horror, Paranormal
PROLOGUE
Do you want to read more? Get Salem Burning by Daniel Sugar
ISLE OF SKYE, SCOTLAND. 1550
The late-afternoon sun was slipping away and storm clouds and darkness were rapidly approaching as the happy eight-year-old girl carrying a straw basket filled with freshly-cut roses ran towards Delaney Castle.
Suddenly out of breath, Sarah Delaney stopped, sat down on the soft green grass and looked at her home. Delaney Castle was truly beautiful. Its stone walls and turrets so white they almost shimmered in the rapidly setting sun. It was hard to believe that a magnificent castle perched on top of a hill was actually her home. Hers! How lucky she was to live there and how blessed she was to have such wonderful parents. Parents who loved her so much they were making a magnificent birthday party for her that very evening. Overcome with happiness, Sarah could not help herself and as she stood up and ran into the castle she started to sing. “The birth day is the loveliest day. The birth day is filled with charm.”
Sarah’s beautiful, dark-haired mother, Evelyn Delaney, was clad in a breathtaking saffron gown and she was waiting for her daughter as Sarah ran into the castle.
Evelyn smiled, lifted a rose from Sarah’s straw basket and inhaled the flower’s scent. “Come along, Sarah. Everyone wants to see the birthday girl.”
Sarah kissed her mother on the cheek and said, “I am ready, mother.”
Sarah took her mother’s hand and together they walked into an enormous dining hall which was filled with relatives and friends who began to clap and cheer the moment Sarah entered the room.
Sarah scanned the room. The crowd was thick. There were so many people, too many people – but she only wanted one of them. Yet she could not find him. It was so frustrating. Where was he? Where was he? Suddenly she spotted him – her tall, handsome, blond father, Patrick Delaney, (clad in his finest tartan kilt and a velvet jacket). Sarah rushed into her father’s arms and he laughed and tossed her playfully into the air as Sarah squealed with delight. “Now we eat!” Patrick yelled. “Now we sing and dance as we let it be known to all that eight years ago, on the first of June, fifteen hundred and forty-two, my daughter, this young beauty named Sarah Delaney, was born in Scotland!”
Doug Swenson
Feb 6, 2018 | 1st pages, Non Fiction
“Pioneering Vinyasa Yoga” is a holistic presentation – endorsed by many world-renowned yoga teachers. This book is unique: offering more than just yoga practice, to include intriguing stories, creative vinyasa, and heartfelt philosophy. The beautiful photos and drawings are mindfully offered with a message of wisdom, and clarity to instill a feeling of inspiration.
This amazing book shares Doug’s knowledge through practical, down-to-earth instructions and moving, thoughtful stories. He guides the reader through an array of tools for self-discovery and encourages us each to tread our own path.
Take this book off the shelf and dive into it. Swim through the life currents of Doug’s over fifty years of living, and breathing yoga as a genuine healthy pathway of self-discovery. You will be refreshed and inspired to discover new light shone upon the steps of your own yogic-life-journey!
Pioneering Vinyasa Yoga: The Adventure and Daily Practice is available now on Amazon!
Anna Belle Rose
Nov 16, 2017 | 1st pages, Romance
Devon tilted his head. “You got reprimanded?”
Maggie sighed, “Yeah, a formal verbal reprimand. And was told I’m lucky it wasn’t a formal written reprimand that would go in my personnel file.”
“I don’t get it. Why were you reprimanded?” Mike asked, as he poured more merlot into all three glasses.
Devon smiled, then asked, “So, start again. Start to finish, what happened today with the Dean and President?”
Maggie stiffened. “Stop sounding like a lawyer.”
“I am a lawyer. And knowing you, I may have to defend you in a labor lawsuit at some point, so I want to make sure I have my facts straight.”
Maggie took a sip of wine. “It’s a long story.”
Devon looked at Mike, who shrugged, “We’ve got time.”
She smiled, “Does it ever occur to the two of you that our social lives suck? That this is the extent of our social lives?”
Mike chuckled, “You mean that after almost twenty years of friendship, our big social event is getting together every month to eat pizza and drink wine?”
Devon’s eyes clouded with sadness, “It used to be the four of us.”
Maggie squeezed his hand, “And she specifically told us she’d come back to haunt us if we didn’t continue the tradition.”
Devon continued, “So explain what happened.”
“Oh, the whole day sucked. It started badly…”
***
The day had started badly. Maggie awoke in a fog, smelling coffee. She usually woke early to work out, her coffee pot set to start automatically while she showered. Smelling coffee clearly meant she was already running at least an hour behind. Damn!
Twenty minutes later, she poured the liquid java into a travel mug. As she stepped over the toys scattered across the rug, her heart constricted. It always felt so weird when the boys were away. But, at least this morning, she could probably still make her meeting relatively on time, since she wouldn’t have to stop at daycare.
Five minutes later, she pulled into the lot and grimaced to see another car occupying her normal spot. After three futile circuits, she finally pulled onto the grass at the side of the lot, hoping Security would ignore her car this one time.
She hopped out of the car and yanked her bag from the passenger seat, breaking into a jog toward the Commons Building. How could she be late for the most important faculty meeting of the year? With any luck at all, she could duck in the back door and find a seat without anyone noticing.
