The Authors Quill author Robert F. Lowell illustrator Jordan Smajstrla of Boerne

Robert F. Lowell’s complicated relationship with reality began when he was born between two movie studios in Burbank, California. In previous professional lives he researched and wrote about international relations, weapons of mass destruction, and terrorism. He taught at universities in the U.S., Costa Rica, and Switzerland and was kissed by a dancing horse in Siberia. Now he expands the universe of online learning as an instructional systems designer and writes about swords, sorcery, robots, aliens, and magic rabbits as a member of the Wulf Pack writer’s group. He, his wife, and at least one dog live in a town with very expensive weather on California’s Central Coast and travel in search of enchantment. Step into his universe at www.worldsofrobertflowell.com.

Lowell wrote "Kill Switch" as a love letter to a once-great city that broke his heart. Its hard-boiled hero embodies Lowell's belief that even if we take the high-speed train to dystopia, we can still find hope waiting for us at the end of the line.

The Contest, one of the most prestigious writing and illustrating competitions in the world, is currently in its 42nd year and is judged by some of the premier names in speculative fiction. Jordan Smajstrla was born in 2003 in Houston, Texas, and has been drawing for as long as she can remember thanks to the encouragement of her parents. She attributes her admiration of fantasy art in particular to her childhood interests, which included reading any book she could get her hands on, as well as repeatedly rewatching a wide library of fantasy films. That love for fantasy was strengthened when she began to play Dungeons & Dragons in high school, as well as finding other creatives with similar interests. Though she began her creative journey as a traditional artist, she always admired the work of digital illustrators and finally got her chance to jump into the digital medium thanks to her high school animation class. Always having known that art would be her future, Jordan ultimately decided to pursue concept art and illustration for video games when she got accepted into the Savannah College of Art and Design. While studying there, she discovered a whole new community of incredibly creative people and has eagerly taken any opportunity that comes her way to continue learning and creating. Jordan is currently finishing up earning her BFA in Illustration and looking forward to what life after graduation will bring.

The Illustrators of the Future Contest judges include, Bob Eggleton (11 Chesley Awards and 9 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 (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.