The Authors Quill illustrator Arthur Haywood second author Galen Westlake

Tulsa, Oklahoma artist Arthur Haywood is a winner in the L. Ron Hubbard Illustrators of the Future Contest and was honored along with eleven other artists and twelve other writers at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood, California on April 25th. He illustrated the story, "Imagalisk" by Galen Westlake who is a Writers of the Future winner himself. The illustration and story, along with the other writers' and illustrators' stories and art are published in the international bestselling anthology, L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 40 which were officially released on May 7th.

Arthur Haywood was born in 1990 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Arthur's father is Pennsylvania State Senator Art Haywood. Creating graffiti murals as a teenager with his teacher, Pose 2, inspired him to share his work publicly in murals. Having a father who has organized reading camps as a State Senator, and a mother who has been president of the local school board showed him the influence of reading on the lives of students. Being an avid reader, who judged books by their covers, led him to sharing stories he loves with others through illustration. He is focused on making book covers, murals for libraries and schools to engage youth in reading.
He earned a B.F.A in Illustration from The Maryland Institute College of Art, before furthering his study of classical art at Cambridge Street Studios in Philadelphia and
Grand Central Atelier in New York.
His paintings are seen in Space and Time Magazine, murals for the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, St. Joseph’s University, Elkins Park School, Summer of Soul film, and his book, The Great Library.
He is a recipient of the 2020-2021 Harriet Hale Woolley Scholarship at the Fondation des États-Unis in Paris. There he developed murals with students at Lycée Paul Lapie, Ecollectif and André Malraux Elementary school depicting students of diverse origins reading and the stories that have engaged them to encourage learning and cultural appreciation.
He is a recipient of the 2022 - 2023 Tulsa Artist Fellowship where he is continuing his series of paintings for public schools and book covers to inspire reading.
The Illustrators of the Future Contest judges include, Bob Eggleton (11 Chesley Awards and 7 Hugo Awards), Larry Elmore (Dungeons & Dragons book covers), Echo Chernik (graphic designs for major corporations including Celestial Seasonings tea packaging), Rob Prior (art for Spawn, Heavy Metal comics and Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Ciruelo (Eragon Coloring Book).

The Writers of the Future Contest judges include, Tim Powers (author of On Stranger Tides), Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert (Dune prequel series), Robert J. Sawyer (Quantum Night), Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn series, The Stormlight Archive), Larry Niven (Ringworld), Orson Scott Card (Ender’s Game), Nnedi Okorafor (Who Fears Death), David Farland (Runelords), and Katherine Kurtz (Deryni series) to name a few.

Following the 1982 release of his internationally acclaimed bestselling science fiction novel, Battlefield Earth, written in celebration of 50 years as a professional writer, L. Ron Hubbard created the Writers of the Future (writersofthefuture.com) in 1983 to provide a means for aspiring writers of speculative fiction to get that much-needed break. Due to the success of the Writers of the Future Contest, the companion Illustrators of the Future Contest was inaugurated five years later.

In the 40 years of the Writers of the Future Contest, there have been 559 winners and published finalists. The past winners of the Writing Contest have published 2,000 novels and nearly 6,300 short stories. They have produced 36 New York Times bestsellers, and their works have sold over 60 million copies.

In the 35 years of the Illustrators of the Future Contest, there have been 406 winners. The past winners of the Illustrating Contest have produced over 6,800 illustrations, 390 comic books, graced 700 books and albums with their art, and visually contributed to 68 television shows and 40 major movies.

Mississauga, Ontario writer Mr. Galen Westlake is a winner in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest and was honored along with eleven other writers and twelve artists at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood, California on April 25th. His story, "The Imagalisk," is published along with the other writers' and illustrators' stories and art in the international bestselling anthology, L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 40 which was officially released on May 7th.

Born and raised in Canada, Galen practices law in Toronto and spends his days talking a great deal to a great many people. His family of four, however, confidently assures him the less he says the better. To this end, he more quietly expresses himself by writing stories during his daily commute on the train. When the stranger sitting next to him stops reading over his shoulder, he knows his tale needs a little something extra.

Galen’s fiction has appeared in Galaxy’s Edge and Unidentified Funny Objects. His most recent legal writing may be found in Advocates’ Quarterly, if someone were so inclined.

Galen was awarded the Silver Play button by Google (they have yet to ask for it back) and he once competed in a Mud Hero-Ultra race event without dying. For a decade, Galen alternated as the VP and treasurer of a nonprofit, operating a nursery school for inner-city children in Toronto. He has been a janitor, a camp counselor, and once spent a summer mining a cryptocurrency that may or may not have actually existed. His laser tag score is outstanding.

A strong proponent of paragraphs, Galen claims to have invented the word “cacophony,” and is most proud that he has incorrectly memorized pi to one hundred decimal places. Galen is forever indebted to the Writers of the Future forum and to his beloved writer’s group: the One Ring. But right now, he needs to go chase some kids off his lawn.

The Contest, one of the most prestigious writing and illustrating competitions in the world, is currently in its 41st year and is judged by some of the premier names in speculative fiction.

The Writers of the Future Contest judges include, Tim Powers (author of On Stranger Tides), Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert (Dune prequel series), Robert J. Sawyer (The Oppenheimer Alternative), Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn series, The Stormlight Archive), Larry Niven (Ringworld), Orson Scott Card (Ender’s Game), Nnedi Okorafor (Who Fears Death), Hugh Howey (Wool), and Katherine Kurtz (Deryni series) to name a few.

The Illustrators of the Future Contest judges include, Bob Eggleton (11 Chesley Awards and 7 Hugo Awards), Larry Elmore (Dungeons & Dragons book covers), Echo Chernik (graphic designs for major corporations including Celestial Seasonings tea packaging), Rob Prior (art for Spawn, Heavy Metal comics and Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Ciruelo (Eragon Coloring Book).

Following the 1982 release of his internationally acclaimed bestselling science fiction novel, Battlefield Earth, written in celebration of 50 years as a professional writer, L. Ron Hubbard created the Writers of the Future (writersofthefuture.com) in 1983 to provide a means for aspiring writers of speculative fiction to get that much-needed break. Due to the success of the Writers of the Future Contest, the companion Illustrators of the Future Contest was inaugurated five years later.

In the 40 years of the Writers of the Future Contest, there have been 559 winners and published finalists. The past winners of the Writing Contest have published 2,000 novels and nearly 6,300 short stories. They have produced 36 New York Times bestsellers, and their works have sold over 60 million copies.

In the 35 years of the Illustrators of the Future Contest, there have been 406 winners. The past winners of the Illustrating Contest have produced over 6,800 illustrations, 390 comic books, graced 700 books and albums with their art, and visually contributed to 68 television shows and 40 major movies.

The Writers of the Future Award is the genre’s most prestigious award of its kind and has now become the largest, most successful, and demonstrably most influential vehicle for budding creative talent in the world of speculative fiction. Since its inception, the Writers and Illustrators of the Future contests have produced 40 anthology volumes (with this event) and awarded upwards of $1 million in cash prizes and royalties.

For more information about the Contests, go to www.WritersoftheFuture.com.