Welcome to issue twenty-two of Lightspeed!

This month, our ebook-exclusive novella is “Cleopatra Brimstone” by Elizabeth Hand. Then we have original science fiction by new writer Kali Wallace (“The Day They Came”) and Steven Utley (“Test”), and SF reprints by award-winning authors Mary Rosenblum (“My She”) and Kathleen Ann Goonan (“Electric Rains”).

We also have original fantasy by S. L. Gilbow (“Alarms”) and David Barr Kirtley (“Beauty”), and fantasy reprints by bestselling author Karen Joy Fowler (“Halfway People”) and the legendary Gene Wolfe (“The Legend of XI Cygnus”).

All that plus our artist showcase, our usual assortment of author spotlights, and feature interviews with R. A. Salvatore and Ian McDonald.

You’ll also notice a new addition in our ebooks this month: We’re featuring an excerpt in this issue from a forthcoming novel: The Games by Ted Kosmatka. Long-time readers of Lightspeed will remember Ted from his story “In-Fall” (December 2010). Here at Lightspeed we’re excited about his debut novel, so we wanted to bring you this early look at the first fifty pages. Whether or not these novel excerpts become a regular feature remains to be seen, but meanwhile we hope you enjoy this one.

We’ve also got some good news to report: Lightspeed has three stories on this year’s Nebula Awards ballot! “The Old Equations” by Jake Kerr is up for best novelette, and “Her Husband’s Hands” by Adam-Troy Castro and “Mama, We are Zhenya, Your Son” by Tom Crosshill are both up for best short story. Additionally, “Her Husband’s Hands” is also up for the Bram Stoker Award for best short story. So we’d like to send a big congratulations out to Adam-Troy, Jake, and Tom, and to all of the other nominees.

Our issue this month is again sponsored by our friends at Orbit Books. This month, look for Timeless, the latest installment in steampunk-wunderkind Gail Carriger’s bestselling Parasol Protectorate series. You can find more from Orbit—including digital short fiction and monthly ebook deals—at www.orbitbooks.net.

It’s another great issue, so be sure to check it out. And remember, there are several ways you can sign up to be notified of new Lightspeed content:

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Well, that’s all there is to report this month. Thanks for reading!