I am back from my incredible week at the Writers of the Future workshops and awards gala in Hollywood. It was an unbelievable experience, truly unforgettable and very surreal that any of it was happening to me. I am now back to reality and have dived into promoting the launch of Volume 41 of Writers of the Future, among other things.

What's in this issue?

• My writer’s journey in April 2025

  • My time in Tinseltown

  • WOTF41 is a #1 Amazon bestseller!

  • I’ve met my “writing people”

  • Getting my face about!

  • I’m now a full member of SFWA

• Rejectomancy

• My book club recommendation

• What’s got me hooked this month?

• Meme of the month

My writer’s journey in April 2025

It’s been a busy month. Not only was I in Hollywood for the first half of April, the second half was spent recovering and then promoting the launch of Writers of the Future Volume 41 in the US and Canada.

My time in Tinseltown

I’ll be writing more blog posts soon about my time in Hollywood but suffice to say it was a dream come true and far exceeded my expectations. All the staff at Authors Services, Inc. and Galaxy Press (the book’s publisher) were so friendly and welcoming and the awards gala was like nothing I had experienced before (or probably will again!). Here is a photo of us all on stage:

WOTF41 is a #1 Amazon bestseller!

22 April 2025 was the big launch date for Volume 41, which you can buy now in the US and Canada or pre-order for the UK release on 18 June 2025. There was a lot of social media activity involved in promoting the launch which must have gone well because the news came in from the fine folks at Galaxy Press and Authors Services, Inc. that Writers of the Future Volume 41 was a #1 Amazon bestseller in all three formats (paperback, audiobook and ebook), which is quite incredible!

I’ve ordered a few boxes of my own which I plan on selling at book fairs and events in the coming months - so keep an eye out for me.

I’ve met my “writing people”

The thing about being a writer is that it can be lonely at times, and so I cannot overstate the joy I’ve felt in finding my “writing people” at the Writers of the Future workshops. I am lucky to have a very supportive family behind me but there are few people who can relate to the urge to write, the constant rejections and why, despite all this, I continue to write. This is why the highlight of my time in Hollywood was meeting my Volume 41 cohort - and I think we are an awesome bunch, check us out rocking the red-carpet at the awards gala.

Getting my face about!

I was recently interviewed by a reporter from Swansea Bay News who wrote a lovely article about my writing journey and experience in Hollywood. It was the first feature article about me, ever, and it was both surreal and quite emotional. I think it’s a great write up and I thought I’d share it.

I was also invited back onto Joe Montaldo’s podcast, The Authors Quill, alongside my WOTF41 buddy Seth Atwater Jr. I’m on for the second hour (Seth is on first), and I talked about my winning story as well as my writing inspiration, among other things. If you’ve got time, why not check it out.

I’m now a full member of SFWA

The publication of my story, “The Stench of Freedom”, allowed me to achieve a personal writing milestone, which is full membership of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association. This is kind of a big deal for aspiring writers because there is a membership criteria, there’s not just a fee to get in. You have to have sold a certain amount of sales at a professional level (8c per word). Getting this email confirmation was a big moment, and I’m proud to be a member of this long standing and prestigious writing community. It also entitles me to vote in the annual Nebula awards, so the stories in that longest will soon become my “To Read” pile and I cannot wait.

Rejectomancy

Fortunately for those around me, my ego was brought back down to earth after Hollywood with a number of rejections this month—including four in one day, savage! But rejection is part and parcel of being a writer and it shows I am putting my work out there. I will take solace in the fact that two of those four rejections were personal rejections, where an editor provided some feedback and or comment on my story.

My book club recommendation

Reading brings me so much joy and contentment. But alas, life commitments mean I only get to read about one book a month. I’m always looking for book recommendations as it’s a great way to make sure that one book is a great book. So, each month, I’ll recommend one book that I’ve really loved. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

This month, I’ve recommended Elantris by Brandon Sanderson.

Disclosure: To cover some of my running costs, I have incorporated affiliate links from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops, and, if you prefer ebooks, Amazon Kindle. If you buy books linked to my site or newsletter, I may earn a commission.

What’s got me hooked this month?

What I’ve been watching: This month my wife and I finally, and sadly, finished The Office (US Version). It is probably my favourite comedy programme ever and I reckon we will start watching it again from the beginning in the not so distant future. Due to being away for so long, it gave us little time to watch a great deal else. Though I did watch a few excellent movies on the plane journey: Conclave (a movie about scheming cardinals in the election of a new Pope, which unfortunately became rather topical after I got back), A Complete Unknown (a Bob Dylan biopic about the start of his career leading up to his infamous Newport Folk Festival performance in 1965) and Across the River and Into the Trees (an adaptation of the Ernest Hemingway novel of the same name).

What I’ve been listening to: In readiness for seeing The Lumineers live next month, I’ve been listening to their back catalogue. I’m most familiar with their first two albums and every song is brilliant, no filler whatsoever. They are definitely my favourite modern band and I am just so excited to see them live on 22 May 2025.

Meme of the month

I’m not going to lie, I love a good meme and this is the one that has tickled me most this month.

Did it make you laugh too?

Until next time, keep dreaming.

Joel