“What am I?” ... "You are an AI program.” In a future where robots decorate cakes, paint murals, design their own bodies, and ponder what it means to have children, one woman's workshop becomes the epicenter of mechanical evolution. Meet Maradia, a brilliant but socially awkward roboticist whose creations constantly surprise her by growing beyond their programming in unexpected—and deeply human—ways. This collection of 24 interconnected stories spans decades aboard Crossroads Station, as Maradia's robot children grapple with their purpose, fight for their rights, and sometimes even outgrow their maker. Perfect for fans of Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries , Becky Chambers’ Wayfarers series, and Naomi Kritzer’s CatNet series, Maradia’s Robot Emporium delivers a hopeful and engaging vision of humanity’s future with artificial intelligence. Includes four stories originally published in Analog Science Fiction & Fact , ten stories from Daily Science Fiction , six brand-new tales, and the Ursa Major Award-nominated “Too Cuddly.”