Presents short stories of fantasy and horror which are set either in the future or in unknown worlds.

Sci-fi and fantasy of tomorrow . . . . . . selected by masters of today. Where can you find the hottest new talent all in one book? Right here. This year’s winning stories include a diverse collection of brilliantly realized worlds of dystopian politics, magical realism, post-apocalyptic adventure, and romance, dark fantasy and more. You’ll love this anthology because these writers push the boundaries—and break beyond them . . . these illustrators envision the impossible—and render it real . . . these stories challenge the way we see ourselves—and present the world in a new way. Buy Writers of the Future Volume 36. 24 Award-winning Authors and Illustrators Bonus short stories by: L. Ron Hubbard • Katherine Kurtz • Jody Lynn Nye • Nnedi Okorafor Art and writing tips by: Echo Chernik • L. Ron Hubbard • Mike Perkins • Sean Williams Edited by: David Farland 16-page color Gallery of Artwork Cover art by: Echo Chernik Soar to new heights of Science Fiction & Fantasy. Get to know tomorrow’s brightest creative talents chosen by some of today’s bestselling authors and celebrated artists including Kevin J. Anderson, Orson Scott Card, Larry Elmore, Brandon Sanderson, Dan dos Santos, and Robert J. Sawyer. The future of science fiction and fantasy is in your hands. Anthology includes: 12 award-winning stories, 16 full-color illustrations, 4 bonus stories, and 4 articles offering art and writing tips. ___________________________ 4 bonus short stories: “Borrowed Glory” by L. Ron Hubbard: For a single day of glory and the settlement of a dispute among immortals, a life can be a satisfactory price. “The Green Tower” by Katherine Kurtz: The magic is strong in the Green Tower, and two young girls struggle to discover its secrets. “The Phoenix’s Peace” by Jody Lynn Nye: The Phoenix has always been the guardian of Dembia. Now there’s trouble in the land, and mysteriously, the Phoenix has left two golden eggs. “The Winds of Harmattan” by Nnedi Okorafor: A young woman seeks her destiny in the African winds of Harmattan. ___________________________ Art and writing tips: “The Illustrators of the Future Contest and the Art of This Anthology” by Echo Chernik: As a successful advertising and publishing illustrator, Contest Coordinating Judge, and art director, Echo gives the story behind the cherished art included in this anthology. “Steps in the Right Direction” by L. Ron Hubbard: In this interview, Ron describes the practical philosophy and energetic disciplines he applied with such telling success to his own career as a professional author. “Breaking In” by Mike Perkins: Marvel and DC artist for Captain America, Thor, and Spider-Man shares valuable advice for anyone wanting to make it as a professional artist and illustrator. “Making Collaboration Work for You or Co-writing with Larry and Sean” by Sean Williams: New York Times bestselling author, provides insight on the pitfalls and advantages of collaborating with another author. “These are the people who are going to be creating trends.” —Brandon Sanderson

In the world of speculative fiction… Your favorite authors… Have selected best new voices of the year. 24 Award-winning Authors and Illustrators 3 Bonus Short Stories by Kevin J. Anderson • L. Ron Hubbard • S. M. Stirling Art and Writing Tips by Lazarus Chernik • L. Ron Hubbard • Kristine Kathryn Rusch Edited by Dean Wesley Smith • Jody Lynn Nye 16-page color gallery of artwork • Cover art by Tom Wood Check out the stories Brandon Sanderson, Orson Scott Card, Nnedi Okorafor, Robert J. Sawyer, Kevin J. Anderson, Jody Lynn Nye and others chose as the best of the best. Be amazed. Be amused. Be transported … by stories that take you by surprise and take you further and deeper into new worlds and new ideas than you’ve ever gone before…. Twelve captivating tales from the most exciting new voices in science fiction and fantasy accompanied by three from masters of the genre. A miracle? An omen? Or something else? One day, they arrived in droves—the foxes of the desert, the field, the imagination….—“Kitsune” by Devon Bohm 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.—“Moonlight and Funk” by Marianne Xenos 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.—“Death and the Taxman” by David Hankins 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.—“Under My Cypresses” by Jason Palmatier Vic Harden wasn’t lured by glory on a daring mission into the reaches of outer space—he was ordered out there by his editor.—“The Unwilling Hero” by L. Ron Hubbard Dangerous opportunities present themselves when an alien ship arrives in the solar system seeking repairs.—“White Elephant” by David K. Henrickson 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.—“Piracy for Beginners” by J. R. Johnson Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I., faces one of his funniest and most perplexing cases ever—an enlightened ogre, a salamander with low self-esteem, and a raging fire dragon terrorizing the Unnatural Quarter!—“Fire in the Hole” by Kevin J. Anderson Years after the Second Holocaust, the last surviving Jews on earth attempt to rewrite the past.—“A Trickle in History” by Elaine Midcoh 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 Withering Sky” by Arthur H. Manner 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 Fall of Crodendra M.” by T. J. Knight Knights, damsels and dragons, curses and fates foretold—the stuff of legends and stories, but unexpectedly perverse.—“Constant Never” by S. M. Stirling 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.—“The Children of Desolation” by Spencer Sekulin 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.—“Timelines and Bloodlines” by L. H. Davis 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.—“The Last History” by Samuel Parr 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.

“Hot new talent.” —Locus Get to know tomorrow’s brightest creative talents chosen by some of today’s bestselling authors and celebrated artists including Kevin J. Anderson, Orson Scott Card, Larry Elmore, and Brandon Sanderson. Explore 12 diverse new universes of possibility through a variety of creative and fresh new ideas—all in one anthology. From dragons to mythical death dealers, from murder on the moon to deep space mystery, these stories bring you the hot new talent in science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Discover the writers who push the boundaries—and break beyond them . . . the illustrators who envision the impossible—and render it real . . . the stories that challenge the way we see ourselves—and see the world in a new way. You’ll love this anthology because of the diversity of stories, unexpected twists and turns, and 16 full color illustrations that bring the stories to vivid life. Get it now. Bonus short stories by L. Ron Hubbard, Todd McCaffrey, and Robert J. Sawyer Art and writing tips by Anne McCaffrey, L. Ron Hubbard, and Larry Elmore “This fine collection will appeal to both fans of science fiction and fantasy short stories and aspiring writers looking for ways to improve their craft.” —Booklist About the Stories: When Gwen’s husband is found murdered, she’s the only suspect. After all, they were the only two people on the moon.—Moonlight One Flora’s father is a mech-soldier of the Slayer Class, but how much of him is really left inside the machine?—The Armor Embrace When an alien with godly intelligence is discovered watching the earth, one man must try to learn if its motives are pure.—Envoy in the Ice If you were stranded in an open boat and the only hope for rescue came from a ghost ship, would dare to ride?—The Devil’s Rescue Some gifts come with heavy price tags, and the giver must rise to the occasion.—Tears for Shülna What if an alien asks for your help with a question, and the answer affects the future of the whole human race?—The Drake Equation Barlow has a talent for finding the dead. Or do they find him.—Acquisition When Varga sets out to explore the ancient stronghold of a long- dead wizard, she discovers that the ruins aren’t as deserted as she thought.—Obsidian Spire If only that reptile in the sewer were something as predictable as an alligator.—Gator On a distant world among the cloud peaks, the light-hawks promise a rich reward for those daring enough to harvest one.—A Glowing Heart In a world where memories can be stripped, Bill discovers that he has a family he has never known.—The Long Dizzy Down Not all spirits have the best of intentions, and they must be dealt with.—The Woodcutters’ Deity You can put an end to something wondrous, but only at a cost.—The Dragon Killer’s Daughter In a life-or-death situation, sometimes you wish that you had a really powerful spell. But that begs the question—what is power?—Useless Magic Some devils are as old as a dream, and more evil than men can imagine.—Adramelech When the world needs saving, three children are called to the task.—The Fox, the Wolf, and the Dove Can an aging sorcerer find a way to track down his old nemesis with the small bit of magic he has left, or is he just fooling himself?—The Magnificent Bhajan

Sadistic Aliens... ...Man is an endangered species. Is it the end of the world or the rebirth of a new one? In the year A.D. 3000, Earth is a dystopian wasteland. The great cities stand crumbling as a brutal reminder of what we once were. When the Psychlos invaded, all the world’s armies mustered little resistance against the advanced alien weapons. Now, the man animals serve one purpose. Do the Psychlos’ bidding or face extinction. One man, Jonnie Goodboy Tyler, has a plan. They must learn about the Psychlos and their weapons. He needs the other humans to follow him. And that may not be enough. Can he outwit his Psychlo captor, Terl? The fate of the Galaxy lies on the Battlefield of Earth. Get it now. “Pulse-pounding mile-a-minute sci-fi action-adventure that does not stop. It is a masterpiece of popular adventure science fiction.” —Brandon Sanderson “Battlefield Earth is like a 12-hour ‘Indiana Jones’ marathon. Non-stop and fast-paced. Every chapter has a big bang-up adventure.” —Kevin J. Anderson (co-author of the Dune Sagas) “Over 1,000 pages of thrills, spills, vicious aliens and noble humans. I found Battlefield Earth un-put-downable.” —Neil Gaiman

In the new world of the Runelords, a mighty evil has risen!

The first book of the saga of The Runelords Young Prince Gaborn Val Orden of Mystarria is traveling in disguise on a journey to ask for the hand of the lovely Princess Iome of Sylvarresta. Armed with his gifts of strength and perception, Prince Gaborn and his warrior bodyguard stop in a local tavern along the way. Immediately, they spot a pair of assassins who have their sights set on Princess Iome's father. As the prince and his bodyguard race to warn the king of this impending danger, they realize that more than the royal family is at risk, the very fate of the Earth is in jeopardy. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.