You are listening to a Clarks World magazine podcast with your host and robot overlord Kate Baker.

Greetings Clarks's World Citizens. I hope you're enjoying your first day of 2012.

Of course, the first order of business is the package you should have received by Courier

today.

No signature or return required.

It's just the rules on how to live under my regime and mama always said that she was

raising the ruler of a universe and well now that 2012 is upon us, I'd like to welcome you to mine.

In the coming year, you can expect the following.

Aliens will return to Earth, yes, you will get jet packs on your backpacks.

And I might just introduce that flying car that we've had in research and development for a couple of years.

And starting on January 6th,

every Friday will be Cupcake Friday.

That's right, you can indulge yourself,

even on the town green where we're flogging

a banker every 15 minutes. So the second order of business in my new

world order is the first story for Clarks World magazine. Issue number 64.

Or again January 1st, 2012.

Our first piece comes from established and wonderful author, Alyet de Bodard, who lives in works in Paris

where she has a day job as a computer engineer. In her spare time, she writes speculative fiction.

She is the author of the Obsidian and Blood trilogy of Aztec-Noir fantasies.

And her writing has been nominated for a Hugo Award, a Nebula Award, and the Campbell Award for Best New Writer.

This is her first sale to Clark's World, and hopefully we'll see many, many more.

...