On August 19th, Seattle’s Science Fiction Museum hosted the 21st Annual L. Ron Hubbard Writers and Illustrators of the Future Awards honoring the best new talent in the genres of science fiction, fantasy and horror. Distinguished authors and artists in attendance included Contest judges, Kevin J. Anderson, Stephen Hickman, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Eric Kotani, Anne McCaffrey, Larry Niven, Frederik Pohl, Jerry Pournelle, Tim Powers, Sergey Poyarkov, Robert J. Sawyer, K.D. Wentworth, Bob Eggleton, Judith Holman, Sean Williams, Ron Lindahn and Val Lakey Lindahn.

Contest winners from as far away as New South Wales in Australia, Iqualuit in the Arctic Circle, and Kiev in the Ukraine were awarded an all-expenses-paid trip to attend the ceremonies and participate in workshops led by many of the foremost professionals in the book publishing industry.

Contest judge and fantasy fiction master Tim Powers and science fiction author and former Contest winner, K.D. Wentworth, led the Writers of the Future Workshop held at the futuristic looking Seattle Public Library. 

The winners underwent an intense week of learning about the craft and business of writing, and then wrote a short story in 24 hours using all that they had learned. Other professionals addressing the workshop and offering valuable advice to the winners included the editor of Locus magazine, Charles Brown and bestselling authors Anne McCaffrey, Jerry Pournelle, Robert J. Sawyer, Sean Williams, Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta. 

Judges Ron and Val Lakey Lindahn were the lead instructors for the Illustrators of the Future Workshop. Contest judges Bob Eggleton, Stephen Hickman, Sergey Poyarkov and Judith Holman also shared their hard-won experience with the talented new illustrators, reviewed their portfolios and gave them valuable advice on how to succeed as professional illustrators and artists.

On Thursday, all the winners, judges and special guests came together for the first time for a sunset buffet at The Fisherman’s Restaurant on the waterfront.

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