Welcome to Issue 32 of IGMS. The staff had a few health challenges recently, so we're running a bit later with this issue than we had hoped. But life goes on and so do the stories.

Our cover story this issue is "The Temple's Posthole" by Megan Hutchins. In a tropical setting where healing magic is derived from the foundation of the architecture, deep in the jungle lies a secret temple with powers beyond imagining - and a totally different purpose.

"Notes on a Page" by Barbara Barnet-Stewart is a wonderfully whimsical yet thoughtful side trip into the world of music. And when I say "trip," I am being quite literal.

Michael Banker's tale "Through the Veil" is a fairy tale-type story with a Korean setting, waltzing back and forth through the thin gauzy barrier that separates the living from the dead.

Part II of the novelette "The War of Peace," penned by Trina Phillips, is the conclusion of a story begun in our last issue. Humans have planted their new town atop the breeding grounds of The Family, a race of six-armed aliens more than capable of physically forcing the humans to leave. But The Family's leader Ardam thinks an alternate plan of attack might be more effective.

And Ian Creasy's clever story "Winning Veronica's Heart" turns a comic from an alternative reality into the spokesman for anyone who's ever loved and lost . . . and lost, and lost, and lost.

Also in this issue, Darrel Schweitzer's InterGalactic Interview with James P. Blaylock, one of the earliest pioneers of Steampunk.

And since this is the first issue of 2013, it's time to reflect back on 2012 with our annual IGMS Reader's Poll. All subscribers can go to the voting page and vote for their favorite B&W interior illustrations, their favorite stories, and their favorite cover illustration. You'll be asked to rank your top 5 stories and your top 5 B&W interiors in order of preference, and then you'll be asked to select you single favorite cover illustration. It's that simple. It's also important, because the winners in each category get cash prizes. And if you need further incentive to support your favorite creators, everyone who casts a vote will also be entered into a drawing for one free hardback copy of Ruins, the second in Orson Scott Card's Pathfinder series, autographed by the author. So there's something in it for everyone. (Odds of winning depend on the number of entries, blah blah blah, etc etc etc, insert usual and customary contest disclaimers here_______). So . . . vote early, vote wisely; just make sure you vote. It's the only way to be entered into the drawing.

Enjoy.

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