Special Author Quill Today release of Writers and Illustrious of the Future volume 42

12 Award-Winning Authors—Story Synopses The Next Generation of Science Fiction & Fantasy Start Here “Form 14B: Application for Certification of Consciousness Transfer (Post-Mortem)” is for fans of Black Mirror and Severance: the digital consciousness of a recently deceased influencer needs a new body to restart his life, but must survive a memory audit first. —Written by Thomas K. Slee, Illustrated by Art Ikuta “Saffron and Marigolds” readers who love whimsical, character-driven fantasy will adore this tale of a baker, a cheese-obsessed dragon, and the perilous fairy bargains threatening to tear their found-family bond apart. —Written by Kathleen Powell, Illustrated by Bafu “Bloom Decay” is for fans of Severance and The Memory Police. A complicit architect discovers an artist the algorithm can’t optimize—and his quiet defection begins with a paperclip bent into a bird. Cerebral, devastating, luminous. —Written by Elina Kumra, Illustrated by Tray Streeter “Shell Game” is for fans of The Adjustment Bureau, Memento, and Richard K. Morgan: this mind-bending noir thriller follows a detective caught in a deadly war between body-stealing immortals—while one of them controls him. —Written by Zach Poulter, Illustrated by Tracy Eire “Canary” is for fans of Arrival and slow-burn sci-fi: A reclusive Arkansas homesteader wakes to a world upended by missing time, impossible seasons, and a bothersome boy who shouldn’t exist. —Written by Brenda Posey, Illustrated by Roddy Taylor “The Triceratops Effect” is for fans of satirical sci-fi with a guillotine’s bite: a time-agent faking the dinosaur apocalypse, must risk his job—and the laws of causality—to protect the last triceratops from his bullying boss. —Written by S.J. Stevenson, Illustrated by Art Ikuta “A Ready-Made Bubble of Light” is perfect for fans of cerebral sci-fi: Seb’s team saves lives by freezing time—until a deadly failure forces him to uncover the truth behind an impossible device. —Written by Thomas R. Eggenberger, Illustrated by Haotian Allen Zhang “Thickly” fans of body-horror and feminist dystopias will devour this unsettling tale of a woman whose beauty booster begins crafting a second self eager to take over her life. —Written by Dorothy de Kok, Illustrated by Tracy Eire “Ghost Dog” is for readers craving supernatural horror with a twist: a man and his dog face a terrifying intruder—and uncover a hidden power waiting to defend them. —Written by Mark McWaters, Illustrated by Anna Malone “In Living Color” is a tense sci-fi thriller for readers of character-driven mysteries: a man who walks through images to solve murders discovers the killer is now hunting him. —Written by Michael T. Kuester, Illustrated by Nathan Deiwert “As Long as You Both Shall Live” is for fans of Black Mirror and Upload, this tense sci-fi love story follows a man fighting to save a woman whose only remaining existence is inside a virtual world. —Written by Mike Strickland, Illustrated by Karah Richardson “A Girl and Her Dragon: A Life in Four Parts” decades of letters, diary pages, and recorded conversations, reveals one woman’s enduring love for a dying dragon—a luminous portrait of courage, hope, and the magic we refuse to surrender. —Written by Joseph Sidari, Illustrated by Josie Moore Art and Writing Tips: “Artistic Representation” by L. Ron Hubbard: In this timeless essay, L. Ron Hubbard challenges creators to reject the lure of the “easy way” and instead pursue the most effective way—where care, effort, and responsibility define true professionalism in any art. “Collaboration” by Larry Niven: Through stories of friendships, feuds, and famous partnerships, Larry Niven explores how collaboration can rescue stalled ideas, sharpen craft, and spark entirely new worlds. “The Creator’s Journey” by Brian C. Hailes: Part memoir, part roadmap, Brian C. Hailes reflects on what it really takes to turn passion into a lifelong, professional craft.