2022 Roswell Award

The Roswell Award and Feminist Futures Award winners were announced on May 21, recognizing outstanding new works of science fiction by emerging writers from across the United States and worldwide, including the winner of this year’s feminist themed sci-fi story.

The program featured dramatic readings of the finalists by celebrity guests.

ROSWELL AWARD

  • First: “Astronomology: or How Elon Musk killed Neil deGrasse Tyson” by Ed Marsh [Read by Rico Anderson]
  • Second: “Dr. Harriet Hartfeld’s Home for Aging AIs” by Paul Martz [Read by Tim Russ]
  • Third: “Heart to Heart” by Susan Wachowski [Read by Chad Coleman]

Other finalists:

  • “Beauty is the Beast” by Ven Pillay [Read by Nana Visitor]
  • “Tyrannosaurus Mechs” by Gregory Norris [Read by Steven L. Sears]

HONORABLE MENTIONS

  • “Falling Giants” by Camilla Linde
  • “The Seventh Day is for Resting” by Florencia Hain
  • “Bob’s Your Uncle” by Larry Herbst
  • “Meat Ships Are the Worst” by Addison Marsh
  • 2022 FEMINIST FUTURES AWARD
  • “Salt Water,” by Jane Smith [Read by Karen Malina White]

FEMINIST FUTURES HONORABLE MENTIONS

  • “Maximum Potential Skill Level” by Didrik Dyrdal
  • “Chrysanthemums are made to bloom” by Emma Uren
  • “The Part of Paradise where our Anger comes from.” by Yuwinn Kraukamp

2022 Roswell Award Finalists

The Roswell Award and Feminist Futures Award: Celebrity Readings and Honors on May 21 will recognize outstanding new works of science fiction by emerging writers from across the United States and worldwide, including the winner of this year’s feminist themed sci-fi story.

The free virtual event starts 11:00 a.m. Pacific; Registration required. Use the Zoom Registration link: bit.ly/reg-roswell-ffa-2022

The program will feature dramatic readings by celebrity guests Following the readings, the authors will be honored for their writing.

  • First, Second, and Third place Roswell Award winners will receive $500, $250, and $100 cash prizes.
  • The First Place Roswell Award winner will receive a UCLA Extension Writers’ Program sponsored 11-week or shorter online course.

ROSWELL FINALISTS

  • “Beauty is the Beast” by Ven Pillay
  • “Dr. Harriet Hartfeld’s Home for Aging AIs” by Paul Martz
  • “Astronomology: or How Elon Musk killed Neil deGrasse Tyson” by Ed Marsh
  • “Heart to Heart” by Susan Wachowski
  • “Tyrannosaurus Mechs” by Gregory Norris

HONORABLE MENTIONS

  • “Falling Giants” by Camilla Linde
  • “The Seventh Day is for Resting” by Florencia Hain
  • “Bob’s Your Uncle” by Larry Herbst
  • “Meat Ships Are the Worst” by Addison Marsh

THE 2022 ROSWELL AWARD Finalist Judges

  • SB Divya
  • Nicholas Meyers
  • Danielle Costa
  • Clifford Johnson

2022 FEMINIST FUTURES AWARD

  • “Salt Water,” by Jane Smith

The Feminist Futures Award is an additional special prize category for a feminist themed sci-fi story. The winning story will be published by co-presenter Artemis Journal.

FEMINIST FUTURES HONORABLE MENTIONS

  • “Maximum Potential Skill Level” by Didrik Dyrdal
  • “Chrysanthemums are made to bloom” by Emma Uren
  • “The Part of Paradise where our Anger comes from.” by Yuwinn Kraukamp

Emerging Science Fiction Writers Worldwide Invited to Compete for The Roswell Award

The Roswell Award is back in its seventh season, and writers everywhere can submit their original short science fiction stories to the competition through December 21, 2021 at 11:59pm. Finalists’ stories will be read by celebrity guests live in May 2022 and the winners will receive cash prizes. A nonprofit program presented by the Omega Sci-Fi Awards, The Roswell Award is an opportunity for future-minded emerging writers to have their stories highlighted to a worldwide audience.

Each writer aged 16 and older may submit one story between 500 and 1,500 words. Past submissions have come from dozens of countries including Canada, Malaysia, Sweden, Malawi, Singapore, Indonesia, England, Kazakhstan, Brazil, and others. It is free to submit work.

The Roswell Award empowers diverse emerging writers globally to contribute their unique voices and perspectives to the art of science fiction story writing, while also tapping into the power of science fiction to serve as a lens for examining the greatest challenges and moral dilemmas humanity faces. Writers are encouraged to explore scientific, social, technological, environmental, moral and philosophical themes and issues in their writing and always, at the core, to master the art of great storytelling.

“Science fiction opens doors for writers of all backgrounds to explore how we relate to one another, to our world, and to our future and to write stories that are unique to them,” says Omega Sci-Fi Awards Director Rosalind Helfand.

Up to five finalists will be chosen and their stories read by celebrity guests live in the May 2022 culminating event. First, second, and third place cash prizes will be presented following the reading. The first place winner will also receive an online course from the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program.

“Feminist Futures Award” Recognizes Outstanding Sci-Fi with Feminist Themes: New to the Omega Sci-Fi Awards, the Feminist Futures Award recognizes a science fiction story that embraces feminist themes. Top entries will exemplify excellence in feminist storytelling and capture the complexities and other aspects of identity, as well as intersectionality, through the imaginative power of science fiction. This competition is open to people of any gender and/or no gender. The winning story will be published by co-presenter Artemis Journal.

The Omega Sci-Fi Awards are a program of Sci-Fest LA and the arts and education nonprofit, Light Bringer Project. Sponsors also include B5 Events, UCLA Writers’ Extension Program, and Artemis Journal.

Prizes Include: First Place – $500; Second Place – $250; Third Place – $100; Feminist Futures Award: Publication in Artemis Journal, additional prizes to be announced.

For more information and to submit stories, click here: Omega Sci-Fi Awards — Light Bringer Project.

[Based on a press release.]

Omega Sci-Fi Awards Are Taking Entries

The Lightbringer Project is taking submissions for its four Omega Sci-Fi Awards – the Roswell Award, Feminist Futures Award, Tomorrow Prize, and Green Feather Award – until December 21.

THE ROSWELL AWARD. The Roswell Award is an international short science fiction story competition from writers age 16 and older. The complete guidelines are here.

  • Selected finalists will be chosen to have their stories read in their honor by celebrity guests during the Culminating Event on May 21, 2022.
  • First, Second, and Third place Roswell Award winners will receive $500, $250, and $100 cash prizes.
  • The First Place Roswell Award winner will receive a UCLA Extension Writers’ Program sponsored 11-week or shorter online course.

FEMINIST FUTURES AWARD. The Lightbringer Project has announced a new feminist prize they are co-presenting with Artemis Journal — the Feminist Futures Award. The complete guidelines are here.

The Feminist Futures Award is an additional special prize category for a feminist themed sci-fi story. The winning story will be published by co-presenter Artemis Journal.

THE TOMORROW PRIZE. Los Angeles County high school students are invited to submit their short science fiction stories to The Tomorrow Prize. Full guidelines are here.

  • Selected finalists will be chosen to have their stories read in their honor by celebrity guests during the Culminating Event on May 22, 2022.
  • First, Second, and Third place Tomorrow Prize winners will receive $250, $150, and $100 USD cash prizes.
  • The First place Tomorrow Prize winner will be published in L.A. Parent Magazine

THE GREEN FEATHER AWARD. The Tomorrow Prize partner, the Nature Nexus Institute is co-presenting The Green Feather Award, which highlights an environmentally focused sci-fi story. For more details see the submission guidelines here.

  • The Green Feather Award is an additional special prize category for an environmentally focused sci-fi story. The winner will receive $250.00 & online publication by the Nature Nexus Institute.