Paula Bomer's Blog, page 3

Rachel Sherman asks me questions at About.com

Thanks so much to Rachel Sherman, a writer I greatly admire, for asking me questions at About.com.

Lily Hoang reviews Inside Madeleine at Review of Contemporary Fiction

Lily Hoang shares her thoughts on Inside Madeleine at the Review of Contemporary Fiction. Click here to buy it.  I feel so grateful to have the appreciation of readers from all genders, races, and ages, but when young women connect to this particular book, I feel a unique satisfaction. I don't write with an audience in mind, but sometimes after the fact, I realize I was trying to write to, speak to, not exclusively, but geared in my head at the time, to my old self- a young woman. This does not take away from how many men and people of all ages have been amazing readers and reviewers of my work. In fact I use the word unique to describe my feelings and the same word, unique, is also a word I would describe my feelings when men really seem to get what I'm trying to do. Different kinds of gratitude, I guess.

"Dynamite and obscene, Paula Bomer’s third book Inside Madeleine is a collection unapologetic stories. They are stories of feminine defiance without shame."

Tweed's Magazine Review of Inside Madeleine

Derek Parsons at Tweed's Magazine reviews Inside Madeleine.  He didn't like it. But he read it and thought about it and that's good news.

Two More Interviews

Thanks to Brendan Keily and Jen Michalski for taking the time to read my latest book and for your thoughtful questions.
Tweed's Magazine Interview with Brendan.
Baltimore Fishbowl Interview with Jen.

Third Book, Very First New York Times Review.

Here it is. 

Third Book, Very First New York Times Review. Freaking Out.

Here it is. 

Library Journal on Inside Madeleine

This second story collection from Bomer, also author of the novel Nine Months, offers a study of women who make all the wrong choices for all the wrong reasons. Bomer focuses on young women, from small Midwestern towns and big-city suburbs, who struggle for control over their own lives. This struggle often has heartbreaking results, including anorexia, date rape, and alienation. For instance, the narrator of “eye socket girls” says, “You may think that I don’t know I’m emaciated. I know every curve and angle of my rib cage.” In “outsiders,” Ruthie enters prep school with “a suitcase full of wrong clothes and heavy metal albums” and ends up being called white trash despite her efforts to fit in.VERDICT The stories are often brutal, disappointment being the mildest outcome, with Bomer capturing her characters’ anger and helplessness in a graphic and gritty style. For readers who enjoy their short fiction explicit and tough.—­Joanna Burkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Libs., Providence

Talking With The Amazing Edward Champion

This was the third time I had the great pleasure and honor to discuss my work with Edward Champion on the Bat Segundo show. Listen here on our thoughts on Inside Madeleine and many other topics.

Emma Cueto at Bustle calls Inside Madeleine a "Must Read"

Very pleased to share that Emma Cueto wrote about Inside Madeleine at Bustle.

Thanks BookMarke Shoppe, for picking Inside Madeleine as a summer read!

I love this bookstore in Bay Ridge. It's a vibrant community of readers. So happy they picked Inside Madeleine for a summer read. They also suggest my books might need warning labels with which I agree! And Flavorwire's Jason Diamond was kind enough to ask me along with some other writers to write briefly about my favorite short story. Others made great picks and there are some great links.

For a longer essay on my pick, you can read this.