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Arkady is the author of 'A Memory Called Empire'. 'Ambassador Mahit Dzmare arrives in the center of the multi-system Teixcalaanli Empire only to discover that her predecessor, the previous ambassador from their small but fiercely independent mining Station, has died. But no one will admit that his death wasn't an accident—or that Mahit might be next to die, during a time of political instability in the highest echelons of the imperial court.'

We discuss: • How to create/write truly believable alien cities/societies• The importance of catchy linguistics • The machineries of empire - real and imagined.

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Follow Arkady on twitter: @ArkadyMartineAnd Danny: @madquills

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