The latest Liaden Universe novel, The Gathering Edge, is now out in hardcover, ebook, and audio. To accompany it, there is also a free short story on Baen.com, Cutting Corners.
The last couple of times, I’ve read the short story as soon as it came out, and then wished I’d left it until after the novel. So this time, I’m going to leave it until after the novel, and see how that goes. You, of course, may read them in whatever order suits you.
In this case, I’d recommend reading the story first. It’s not related to the novel, at least in plot terms, and is chronologically considerably earlier.
Too late now, I’ve already started in on the novel.