L. Ron Hubbard International Writers of the Future Contest Calls for Someone from Antarctica to Submit

As the contest just received and entry from the 160th country on Earth, organizers in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future speculative fiction contest noted that there are entries from every continent on Earth, except for Antarctica.

Contest director Joni Labaqui said, "Since there are only between 1,000 and 5,000 inhabitants, depending upon the time of year, and none are indigenous it is not surprising. They are scientists or astrophysicists, and my guess is they don't have much down-time to write, but I bet they have enough to bang out a short story, or at least get a great idea from down there that they can then write later."

"Several of my judges would love to talk to someone who has been to Antarctica," Labaqui continued. "Our winners do get to meet the judges at our annual awards event, so if you are a big fan of any of our judges, this is your chance."

"If you know of someone in Antarctica let them know we are looking for their story. I bet they would have very creative ideas for speculative fiction stories just from the experience of living there."

Each year the contest awards all winners with cash prizes, free travel and accommodations, week-long professional workshop, and guaranteed publication in their best-selling annual speculative fiction anthology.

Throughout the Contest's 30-year history, 348 writers and 276 illustrators have been recognized as winners, according to Labaqui. They've gone on to publish over 700 novels and 3,500 short stories as well as hundreds of thousands of published illustrations, sfx art for 31 major motion pictures and an academy award for best animated short. Former Writers of the Future Contest winners listed on the New York Times best-seller's list include: Jo Beverley, Tobias S. Buckell, Nancy Farmer, Eric Flint, Karen Joy Fowler, Tim Myers, Patrick Rothfuss, Lisa Smedman, Dean Wesley Smith, Elizabeth Wein, Sean Williams and Dave Wolverton.

Well-known contest judges include multiple Nebula and Hugo Award winners and finalists such as Kevin J. Anderson, Orson Scott Card, Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Tim Powers, Robert J. Sawyer, and Mike Resnick.

Inspired by best-selling author L. Ron Hubbard, the merit-based Writers of the Future Contest was initiated 29 years ago to discover and encourage talented beginning writers of science fiction and fantasy.

For more information about the contest, please visit the website at http://www.WritersOfTheFuture.com

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