The Baby Can Sing and Other Stories

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Judith Slater's debut collection, selected by Stuart Dybek as the 1998 Winner of the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction, introduces a unique voice in contemporary literature. Slater's prose dances through the lives of ordinary people seeking passion and connection amidst their loneliness. Her diverse characters—a floral clerk aspiring to ballet, a photographer at his ex-girlfriend's wedding, and a father reluctantly chaperoning a school dance—are all attuned to the moments of possibility and magic lurking beneath the surface of daily life. In her title story, a woman envisions a perfect baby, while "Phil's Third Eye" features a bizarre encounter at a Laundromat that escalates into a battle of wills. "Our New Life" explores the unexpected choices made by a former therapist, challenging notions of risk, and in "Soft Money," a corporate employee devises a creative solution to job insecurity amid downsizing. Through vivid and witty prose, Slater crafts a world where individuals navigate the oddities of existence and forge connections. Originally from Oregon, Slater holds an M.F.A. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Her work has appeared in various literary magazines, and she currently teaches English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, spending summers in Ashland, Oregon.