The twentieth issue of Intergalactic Medicine Show is out, with the following stories:

• “The Never Never Wizard of Apalachicola” by Jason Sanford: An astronaut suffers a heart attack while on a spacewalk, causing him to remember the truth about his childhood — and magic.
• “Sympathy of a Gun” by Gary Kloster: A woman who survived after aliens wiped out most of humanity tries to deal with the aliens.
• “The Vicksburg Dead” by Jens Rushing: A Confederate soldier is miraculously healed and must find the best use for his life during the Siege of Vicksburg.
• “Beneath the Shadow of the Dragon” by Erin Cashier: A young woman on a failing colony planet deals with the death of her mother. (Also in audio.)
• “The American” by Bruce Worden: A Polish family encounters a post-singularity American soldier.

Bonus Christmas stories:

• “Wise Men” by Orson Scott Card: The Christmas story as you’ve never heard it before.
• “Miracle on Massachusetts Avenue” by Maureen Power: At Christmastime, a girl learns she has a special gift.

The stories by Sanford, Rushing, and Worden are ones I read as submissions and recommended to Edmund.  I particularly want to recommend “The American” as the best story about the technological Singularity that I have read.