 Science Fiction Grand Master, international bestselling author and 24-year judge for the “L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest,” Anne McCaffrey (Dragon Riders of Pern series), will be attending this year’s silver anniversary Hubbard Achievement Awards Ceremony, announced Joni Labaqui, the Contest director. The event will take place in Hollywood, California on August 29, 2009 at Author Services, Inc., the headquarters for both the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests, and will honor the 24 winners featured in the upcoming L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 25.
Ms. McCaffrey, a judge since 1985, will be flying in from her home in Ireland and will address the writing contest winners and will be on hand at the awards ceremony as one of the most accomplished attendees and presenters. She has long been a Hubbard fan and ardent supporter of the Contest, as she states here, "A very generous legacy from L. Ron Hubbard—a fine, fine fiction writer—for the writers of the future."
“This year will see the total number of aspiring writers and illustrators who have won the Contests over the past quarter century hit the 600 mark,” stated Labaqui.
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“No one else has taken the kind of care for the future of science fiction and fantasy that Mr. Hubbard has done with these Contests.”
Other writing contest judges who will be attending this year’s gala will include: Kevin J. Anderson, Frederik Pohl, Doug Beason, Rebecca Moesta, Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Sean Williams, Tim Powers, Robert J. Sawyer, K.D. Wentworth and Dave Wolverton. Illustrating contest judges include: Bob Eggleton, Stephen Hickman, Ron Lindahn, Val Lakey Lindahn, Judith Miller, Stephan Martiniere and Cliff Nielsen.
Every quarter, three writers and three illustrators are selected by a panel of leading authors and artists of science fiction and fantasy. With no entry fee and judging done on an anonymous basis, the criterion is strictly merit. Beside first time publication, benefits include over $30,000 in cash prizes and royalties, a week-long workshop with top professionals of the genre as well as book signings, radio and TV interviews organized by the contest administrators to assist the winners to launch their careers.
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Ian McHugh won the Grand Prize in the Writers of the Future Contest in 2008 with his story, "Bitter Dreams."
"Robert is a perfect example of why we started the Illustrators of the Future Contest to help along the most promising talent—young or old—in the highly competitive field of professional illustration," said Joni Labaqui, Illustrators of the Future Contest Director.
