California's Best:

Tom's short story, "Winter in Los Angeles," is featured in this kaleidoscopic anthology of stories, essays, poems, and novel excerpts about living in California.  The story became part of Tom's novel, Goodnight, Nebraska, and describes Marcy Lockhardt's attempt to transform her life in Hollywood: "Marcy knows she shouldn't take the apartment, but says she will.  She takes out her folded cash, counts out the first two months' rent, and presents it to Harmon Martin, who, moving as if to take it, instead reaches forward and gently slides off Marcy's sunglasses.  In the change in his face, she sees what he sees: a swollen eye almost the color of eggplant with a yellowish subsurface.  He slides the glasses back and steps away.  "Who's the party responsible for this?"

Marcy answers quickly, as if there is only one answer.  "A guy."  She looks away.  "My husband, actually."

The anthology was edited by Peter Fish, and features Jack London, Harriet Doerr, John Muir, Wallace Stegner, Robert Louis Stevenson, Frank Norris, John Steinbeck, Joan Didion, Bret Harte, Mark Twain, Herb Caen, Anne Lamott, Amy Tan, Ron Hansen, Tobias Wolff, and many others.  Visit the publisher at www.farcountrypress.com.

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