Author Amy Bloom Talks about Writing and Compassion

The New York Times bestselling author shared insights on her life as a writer

New York Times bestselling author Amy Bloom recently delivered a message about writing, hope, empathy and the importance of failure to Sacred Heart University students, faculty and staff.

Bloom is the author of novels, White Houses, Lucky Us, Away and Love Invents Us, and she has written three collections of short stories, Where the God Of Love Hangs Out, Come to Me (finalist for the National Book Award) and A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You (finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award). Her memoir In Love, is a New York Times bestseller. She has also written for publications like The New Yorker.

Michelle Loris ’70, director of SHU’s Center for Catholic Studies, introduced Bloom to the crowd, saying, “Sacred Heart University is honored to have such an accomplished and captivating guest join us tonight.”

Following the introduction, Bloom read the opening passage to her upcoming novel, I’ll Be Right Here, an epic story of love, loss and triumph set to hit the shelves in June. After the reading, she spoke to the audience on a range of topics, from language and literature to life itself.

Bloom began by addressing the aspiring writers in attendance who were looking to break into the field. “Writing is a gift in that it provides us with the chance to reach people we’d never dream of meeting,” she said. “Use your language not to be exclusionary, but to communicate with a wide variety of people. And, perhaps most importantly, be unafraid to fail.”

Bloom’s final message to the crowd was simple and resonated with all in attendance, not just those interested in writing. “To be a good person or a good writer, you need one crucial thing: empathy,” she said. “To do this, you must read. Read something written from a different point of view than yours, on a subject you’re not traditionally interested in; books that challenge how we think are a guide to how we can be better people.”

I’ll Be Right Here can be preordered at Penguin Random House.