Welcome to IGMS Issue 21, the first issue of 2011. Personally, I'm going to go buy a bunch of lottery tickets with a lot 2s and 1s. Now, I'm not a financial advisor, and I don't play one on TV, but rather than buying lottery tickets, I'd have to say IGMS is actually a much better investment.

Okay, now that I've gotten that out of my system . . .

First, our cover story: "Brutal Interlude" by Wayne Wightman. Reality TV was never so intrusive, never so scary, never so thoroughly put in its place. I dare you to look away, if you can.

Next, fan-favorite Cat Rambo brings us "A Frame of Mother-of-Pearl," a fantasy tale about life and death, magic and family, and the way they can all come together to make life difficult.

Then Steve Stewart makes his debut with "Go Home, and Be With Your Families," a tale of an alien civilization long gone and its powerful effect on one man here on earth.

"The Devil's Rematch," by regular IGMS columnist Spencer Ellsworth, is a dark look at one small southern town, and how it doesn't take the Devil to bring out the worst in people, nor the best.

Finally we have "Ratoncito's Last Tooth," an Orson Picks story (selected by Uncle Orson himself) about the life of strongest man in the world. It's a man's entire life in under 3,000 words and it will have you brushing and flossing for the rest of your life.

Well, not quite "finally," because we also have an Orson Picks for our audio bonus this issue: "Breakout" is the tale of an astronomy professor who finds haven in the strangest of places. I forget who wrote it, but it's read beautifully by Stuart Jaffe, of "The Eclectic Review" podcast fame. Okay, I wrote it, but you shouldn't hold that against poor Stuart.

Then in the interview department, Darrell Schweitzer is at it again, this time interviewing a personal favorite of mine, Patricia McKillip. Her Riddle-Master of Hed trilogy was my introduction to fantasy, but as Darrell's interview shows, she's done so much more than just that.

What's that, you say? Despite my advice, you went and bought a lottery ticket anyway? Well, you got lucky this time: Subscribers voted for their favorite stories appearing in IGMS during 2010, and the winners of the First Annual InterGalactic Awards (who all get cash awards) aren't the only winners; all the winning stories are free for all to read for as long as issue 21 is live. Go and tell all your friends that the winners are:

Stories
1^st place: "Trinity County, CA" by  Peter S. Beagle
2^nd place: "Sister Jasmine Brings the Pain" by Von Carr
3^rd place (tie): "The American" by Bruce Worden
"The Ghost of a Girl Who Never Lived" by  Keffy Kehrli

Interior Art
1^st place: "Wise Men" by Nick Greenwood
2^nd place: "Sister Jasmine Brings the Pain" by Nicole Cardiff
3^rd place: "The Vicksburg Dead" by  Kevin Wasden

Cover Art
"The Never Never Wizard of Apalachicola" by Julie Dillon

Congratulations to all the winners, and many thanks to the many readers who voted for their favorites.

Edmund R. Schubert
Editor, Orson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine Show

P.S. As usual, we've collected essays from the authors in this issue and will post them on our blog (www.SideShowFreaks.blogspot.com). Feel free to drop by and catch The Story Behind The Stories, where the authors talk about the creation of their tales.