Once an English Lit Major...always an English Lit Major

Amy Bloom is one of my favorite authors. I discovered and fell in love with her collection of short stories Come to Me years ago. Tonight she read from her new novel Away at Barnes and Nobel on 22nd and 6th. Her work is witty, nostalgic and sexy. She seems so approachable; she has this quality that makes you want to have her as a best friend.

After she read, she did a short Q and A. Someone asked her how she "ran" her creative writing class at Yale.

• I can't teach talent, but I can teach what a good sentence looks like and what a bad sentence looks like
• I tell them that just because it happened doesn't mean it is interesting.
• I have a few rules...men cannot write about smashing beer cans against their heads because of a woman, and women cannot write anything about throwing up.
• The class is more about laying bricks than anything creative.

Other soundbites:

• She said that the key to writing short stories is to not include any diversions. Every action much propel the plot and illuminate the characters.
• She was most influenced by Superman comics and Charles Dickens.

Afterwards, I met the sweetest girl named Laurel. She is an actor, originally from California. She had such an interesting background. Like all nyc meetings, we exchanged card and talked about getting together for coffee.

Tomorrow is Halloween, so I need to get to bed so I am ready for the biggest holiday of the year in the Village.