Friendly Fire

Winner of the 1998 John Simmons Short Fiction Award'These stories about the common human experiences of romance, friendship, and family are rich with witty, devastating observations. They show us what it means to live where friendly fire is the real hazard. Kathy Chetkovich's touch is deft, affectionate, and very funny.'--Nancy Packer, author of Jealous-Hearted Me'I was once lucky enough to publish a story Kathy Chetkovich had worked on for fourteen years, at least that's what she claimed. To me the story felt like a bolt of fire, searing, delicious, made for the moment, all-devouring. She is the kind of crafty writer who makes it seem so easy. I read her the way I eat an apple--grateful something so close to home can be so exquisite.'--Howard Junker, editor, ZYZZYVA'This is a book that's genuine fun to read thanks in part to the comic vision that gives these stories a memorable charm. The humor in Friendly Fire springs more from keen observation than situation. It's a complex humor that seems absolutely natural to the predominantly youthful voices of these narrators; yet, beneath the quips, there's a wisdom that prevents the youthfulness from ever seeming callow and a sense of understated sentiment that's all the more affecting for its comic guise.'--Stuart Dybek, author of Childhood and Other Neighbors and judge of the 1998 John Simmons Short Fiction AwardFriendly Fire describes how we are sometimes brought down by those we love. Kathryn Chetkovich's stories detail the lives of women finding their way in a contemporary world where the traditional maps of love, family, and community are no longer particularly reliable.