It’s been seven years since we last published a story by the brilliant author Karen Joy Fowler (“Liserl,” July 1990), and we are delighted to welcome her back to our pages. Ms. Fowler has written a highly regarded short story collection, Artificial Things (Bantam 1986), and two novels (which were put out by Holt)— Sarah Canary, a New York Times 1991 notable book, and The Sweetheart Season. The latter novel is a story “packed with history, baseball, and useful housekeeping tips.” Published last fall, it was also listed as a 1996 New York Times notable book. The author is at work on a new novel, but we hope she will continue to find time for her remarkable short fiction as well