Author Services, Inc. and Galaxy Express Announce Rescheduled Date For Writers And Illustrators Of The Future Gala

John Goodwin, President of Galaxy Press, announced today a newly rescheduled date for The 36th Annual L. Ron Hubbard Achievement Awards Gala celebrating the winners of the Writers and Illustrators Contests, honoring 12 writers and 12 illustrators from around the world for their excellence in the genres of Science Fiction and Fantasy.

John Goodwin said, "In light of the current worldwide outbreak of the Coronavirus COVID-19, for the safety of all involved, Author Services, Inc. and Galaxy Press have rescheduled our Black Tie Invitation Only event for Thursday, August 27, 2020 at the Taglyan Complex, 1201 Vine Street (at Lexington Avenue, the entrance for Valet Parking), Hollywood, CA 90038." The event was originally planned for Friday, April 3rd. April 7th remains the nationwide release date for the new anthology, "L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Volume 36."

Red Carpet Arrivals begin at 4:00 p.m. Emceed by Gunhild Jacobs, Executive Director of Author Services, Inc., the event will be catered by Divine Catering. The Awards Banquet will start at 5:30 p.m. Members of the General Public can watch the Awards Show streaming live from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. PST at http://www.writersofthefuture.com

Joni Labaqui, Director of the Contests for Author Services, Inc. said, "This year marks the 36th Anniversary of our Writer's Contest and the 31st Anniversary of our Illustrator's Contest. On the evening August 27th Author Services, Inc., with the help of celebrity award presenters, we will present awards to 24 Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers and Illustrators of the Future who have been chosen as winners of the 2019 contests adjudicated by 23 world renowned Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer Judges and 20 Illustrator Judges. Our show will open with a performance from singer/songwriter Michele Henderson, who hails from the Commonwealth of Dominica."

The motif for this year's two-hour awards show is Classical Fantasy, a type of historical fantasy drawing on ancient Greek and Roman history and mythology, incorporating a Phoenix, a firebird popular mythic creature for fantasy, beautiful and filled with symbolism. The Phoenix is a large bird, usually with red and gold feathers, which is associated with fire and regenerates itself by burning up into ash and being reborn from those ashes, symbolizing hope and rebirth. This year's anthology book cover artwork is designed by illustrator Echo Chernik, featuring a Phoenix.

John Goodwin added, "One Grand Prize Writer Winner and One Grand Prize Illustrator Winner will be selected from a field of 12 Quarterly Writer Winners and 12 Quarterly Illustrator Winners, respectively. Our contests promote the arts welcoming diversity, ethnicity, creativity and equality, with no age limits. The Awards Show and Banquet will be held in the Taglyan Complex's Grand Ballroom, and will be followed by a Book Signing and Reception."

Celebrities who will be in attendance at the event include: Marisol Nichols ("Riverdale," "GCB," "24"); Steven L. Sears (Co-Executive Producer, "Xena: Warrior Princess," Executive Producer, "Sheena," Producer, "Raven"); Sibongile Mlambo ("Dark/Web," "MacGyver," "Siren," "Lost in Space," "Teen Wolf," "Black Sails"); Dennys Ilic (Photographer, "Stark Trek: Discovery," "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," "Frontier"); Jaime Aymerich ("Betty en NY," "The Last Ship," "Bosch," "Weeds"); Cheyanna Lavon Zubas ("Guardians of the Galaxy: Part 2." "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2"); Hubert Laws (Grammy Award-nominated renowned flutist); The Winner Twins (Brittany and Brianna) (Identical Twin Science Fiction authors best knows for The Stand Series); Lauren Compton ("Clown Town," "Death House," "Killer Camera Monsters"); Erica Howard (Costume Designer, "First Dog," Wardrobe Stylist "America's Next Top Model"); Jamie Bernadette ("NCIS: New Orleans," "The 6th Friend"); and Hank Garrett ("Death Wish," "The Amityville Horror," "Serpico").

Special Guests at this year's Gala will include Brittany Jackson, the 2007 Grand Prize Illustrator Winner and Cassandre Bolan, a 2014 Illustrator Winner. The event will also feature an In Memoriam segment in honor of Mike Resnick, a 2017 Lifetime Achievement Recipient and a longtime contest judge.

Joni Labaqui will present The Golden Pen Award and a $5,000 Grand Prize Check to the winner of the of the Writers of the Future Contest, and The Golden Brush Award and another $5,000 Grand Prize Check will be presented to the winner of the Illustrators Contest.

The 12 Writer Winners of the Writer's Contest include:

• Andy Dibble of Madison, WI (First Quarter Winner, First Place) "A Word That Means Everything"
• F.J. Bergmann of Madison, WI (First Quarter Winner, Second Place) "A Prize in Every Box"
• Sonny Zae of Plano, TX (First Quarter Winner, Third Place) "Automated Everyman Migrant Theater"
• Katie Livingston of Lawton, OK (Second Quarter Winner, First Place) "Educational Tapes"
• Zach Be of Wheaton, MD (Second Quarter Winner, Second Place) "As Able the Air"
• Tim Boiteau of Bloomfield, MI (Second Quarter Winner, Third Place) "Molting Season"
• J.L. George of Pontypool, Torfaen, UK (Third Quarter Winner, First Place) "Catching My Death"
• Michael Gardner of Amaroo, ACT, Australia (Third Quarter Winner, Second Place) "Foundations"
• Storm Humbert of Westland, MI (Third Quarter Winner, Third Place) "Stolen Sky"
• C. Winspear of Blacktown, NSW, Australia (Fourth Quarter Winner, First Place) "The Trade"
• David A. Elsensohn of Los Angeles, CA (Fourth Quarter Winner, Second Place) "Trading Ghosts"
• Leah Ning of Herndon, VA (Fourth Quarter Winner, Third Place) "Yellow and Pink"

The 12 Illustrator Winners of the Illustrator's Contest include:

• Brock Aguirre of Sammamish, WA (First Quarter Winner)
• Daniel Bitton of Hollywood, FL (First Quarter Winner)
• Ben Hill of Mims, FL (First Quarter Winner)
• Phoebe Rothfeld of Chico, CA (Second Quarter Winner)
• John Dale Javier of La Plata, MD (Second Quarter Winner)
• Heather A. Laurence of Sault Sainte Marie, MI (Second Quarter Winner)
• Mason Matak of Tehran, Iran (Third Quarter Winner)
• Irmak (Max) Çavun of Bursa, Turkey (Third Quarter Winner)
• Aidin Andrews of Bellingham, WA (Third Quarter Winner)
• Kaitlyn Goldberg of Grand Rapids, MI (Fourth Quarter Winner)
• Arthur Bowling of Columbia, MD (Fourth Quarter Winner)
• Anh Le originally of Ho ChiMinh City, Vietnam and now of Maryville, MO (Fourth Quarter Winner)

This year's live awards show will be simultaneously broadcast to a worldwide audience via the Internet streaming live from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. PST www.writersofthefuture.com The airing time of the broadcast will vary depending on the time zone viewers are residing in. This year's contest winners will also have the opportunity to attend workshops held here in Los Angeles one week prior to the awards show to network with the renowned writer and illustrator judges of this year's competitions to gain valuable feedback to help them advance their careers in their chosen fields of interest.

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