R.J. Julia Booksellers Blog

Will I sound too much like I’m bragging if I tell you about a really fabulous event last night? The wonderful Amy Bloom was at the store to talk about her new book, Where the God of Love Hangs Out. Love, in its many forms, is the theme:

Given the range of both narratives, this work of extravagantly fine fiction cannot really be called a short-story collection. It’s more of a reunion, or a set of successfully completed jigsaw puzzles. Each of the two quartets has been pieced together into a time-traveling novella filled with hindsight and passion and ever-evolving emotions.  – New York Times

Lily, our new (well, I guess not-so-new – she survived a Christmas season with aplomb) store manager, is possibly one of Amy’s most ardent fans. Roxanne treated Amy to a pre-event dinner, and Lily managed to cadge a seat. It’s rare when you get to tell an author how important her work is to you, especially over a leisurely glass of wine. And Roxanne even borrowed from Lily’s shelftalker for the introduction:

What I love most about Amy Bloom’s writing is the compassion and insight with which she regards her characters – and the way in which she honors the complexity of their emotional lives, and refuses to judge – how refreshing! These beautifully crafted stories are alive with honest feeling and characters that are fully realized and captivating.

Lily was thrilled: “Amy’s audience doesn’t like her, they love her. Although I could be projecting.” The audience was rapt and the questions flew.

Thank you, Amy, for coming to R.J.’s. And if you missed the event, well, now, do you get our e-mails? No? I’ll make it easy for you – simply click here. And we hope to see you soon!