Zoe’s Tale is the subject of the most recent installment of “Tea in Space,” a podcast from Ingram Library Services in which four female fans of science fiction (including my pal Alethea Kontis) talk books and enjoy a hot beverage.

I’m happy to say that by and large they seem to be happy with the book; oh, there were quibbles here and there, to be sure (including about the cover, which, despite the good reasons for it, I suspect I’ll continue to hear about until the end of time), but in the end they’re pretty happy with it. Which makes me happy. What also makes me happy was that each of them was a new reader, so ZT’s standalone-ability was tested by their reading. Did it stand up? You’ll have to tune in to find out.

SCENE OPENS on SCALZI HOUSEHOLD. Husband JOHN sets down his eyeglasses. Wife KRISTINE picks them up and puts them on her face.

JOHN
They’re too small. Your head’s too big.

KRISTINE
You’re actually saying that you don’t have the biggest head in the family.

JOHN
Metaphorically, I do. But you’re taller and bigger than I am. Physically speaking, everything’s bigger on you. I have only one thing that’s bigger, because you don’t have one of them.

KRISTINE
You’re talking about your penis there.

JOHN
I am.

KRISTINE
Well, sweetheart. Your penis may indeed be bigger. But I have the bigger set of balls.

The GOP was right! It is a problem! And finally someone will pay.

Because in this universe, the Phillies and the Rays are going to the World Series.

Come on, admit it. We’re way off the main sequence of possible universes, here. The Rays average 97 losses a year for the first ten years they exist, and then suddenly they win 97 and go to the series? And as for the Phillies, well. Losingest baseball team in the history of losing; took nearly a century to win their first Series, and that was 28 years ago. And the two of them are going to the World Series? At the same time? Madness.

We’re on the other side of the looking glass, people. I hope you enjoy your topsy-turvy freakadoodle world.

Also: Rays in six. Because, hell. If you’re living in an alternate universe, you might as well go all the way.