The stories listed here first appeared, in slightly different form, in the following publications:
“Singing Pumpkins,” “Hungry Hungry Hippos,” and “In a City With Dogs” (under the title “The Beautiful Ones”) first appeared in the New Yorker.
“Celibacy-by-the-Atlantic,” “Hot Plate,” “Ralph Goes to Mexico,” “A Lover’s Guide to Hospitals,” “Night of the Red Palm,” and “Ashes North” were published in Gentlemen’s Quarterly.“Ashes North” was reprinted in New Stories from the South, 1997.
“River of Toys” was first published in Southwest Review and was included in The Best American Short Stories, 1990.
“Burt Osborne Rules the World” first appeared in Story and was reprinted in the Sun.
“A Puddle of Sex Books” was first published in Alaska Quarterly Review.
“A Foolish but Lovable Airport” was first published in Antioch Review.
“How to Swallow” was first published in Boulevard.