Lately I’ve been reading Deborah Willis’s wonderful collection Vanishing and Other Stories. The characters in “This Other Us” reminded me about that fantasy dinner party game. Which famous people would you invite to dinner?

Researching potential publishers is like playing the fantasy dinner party game. Who do I want sitting next to me? Who will be interested in hearing about this quiet, meandering literary memoir I’ve written about mothers, mothering and malignant melanoma?

I’ve added a new column to my worksheet of prospective publishers called “Dinner Party.” Now, to prepare the menu, polish the silverware. And yes, send out the invitations.