This Cake Is for the Party
Selecky’s debut short-story collection finds characters, mostly female, walking and testing the lines of love, fidelity, and friendship. Standing Up for Janey follows Bonnie as she learns that her soon-to-be-married friend, Janey, has been having an affair. While hostess Bonnie tries to keep afloat an awkward dinner party comprised of Janey, Janey’s fiancé, and Bonnie’s uninvited and intoxicated ex, she is forced to come to terms with the dissolution of her own relationship. In Where Are You Coming From, Sweetheart, 14-year-old Christine is thrilled to spend a weekend away from her controlling father. On the bus ride home, she explores her emerging independence only to return to a difficult reality. In Paul Farenbacher’s Yard Sale, Meredith, who sells cleansers out of her parent’s basement, attends the yard sale of her deceased neighbor, Paul, whose widow is selling his possessions so she can move in with her new boyfriend. As the day progresses, Meredith realizes the significance of her relationship with Paul while uncovering a secret. Selecky’s 10 slow-burning tales offer wry observations of relationships and regret. --Leah Strauss