Email: matt@mattbloom.com
author of adult literary fiction and children's fiction books
"A rollicking, funny, surprisingly thoughtful sendup of the current climate of political discontent." Kirkus Reviews
About Matt
An author's journey
The various jobs Matt Bloom has worked over the years have supported and informed much of his fiction writing. Kitchen hand, freight elevator operator, migrant laborer, truck driver, bartender, and anti-money laundering investigator, to name just a few. A Vassar College graduate, Matt has spent most of his life in New York City, but has also lived in Australia, Mexico, Montauk, NY, Jersey City, NJ, and Ohio. He’s now settled in the beautiful Hudson Valley with his wife, Shelley Simmons-Bloom.
Matt’s first published work was a short story in the Westside Spirit, a free weekly newspaper that still exists several decades later! His novels are Blue Paradise (1998), A Death in the Hamptons (2002), The Last Romantic (2005), and Salt of the Nation (2019), which have earned Matt fellowships at Sewanee Writers’ Conference, Breadloaf Writers’ Conference, and a residence at MacDowell Artists’ Colony. While Matt is primarily an adult fiction writer, he has also been inspired by his adored tuxedo cat, Bunny, who stars in Matt’s award-winning young readers chapter book series so far comprised of Hello, My Name is Bunny! New York City (2016), Hello, My Name is Bunny! London (2018), Hello, My Name is Bunny! Paris (2022), and Hello, My Name is Bunny! Tokyo (2023). The Hello, My Name is Bunny! books have won New York City Big Book, Independent Press, Moonbeam, and Nautilus book awards. Hopefully, more to come!
Photo credit: Peter Meitzler
Adult Literary Fiction by Matt Bloom
Salt of the Nation (Adelaide Books, April 2019)
"A rollicking, funny, surprisingly thoughtful sendup of the current climate of political discontent." Kirkus Review
Salt of the Nation is the story of Harry McBride, a disillusioned gravel plant worker who impulsively slugs the Republican presidential nominee during a campaign photo-op and instantly becomes America’s most famous fugitive and newest hero.
Harry’s vicious punch is caught on camera and immediately goes viral as he flees the scene of his crime and heads for Mexico. While being pursued across the country by a zealous born again private investigator, Harry is taunted via the airwaves by Grover Budd, a Rush Limbaugh-like radio host who doggedly portrays Harry as a subversive agent of the "socialist" Democratic Party.
Despite Grover Budd’s efforts, Harry soon becomes a role model to working-class men and a sex symbol to disaffected women longing to escape their unfulfilling lives. To a single mother he meets, Harry is a healer with the power to cure her chronically-ill son. College professors start teaching ad-hoc courses on Harry, a song about him goes to number one, and radio stations stage Harry McBride Punch-Out Contests to raise money for the troops. That’s not to mention the Harry McBride Society, hastily contrived to cash in on the free-floating rage and frustration to which Harry has given a name and a face.
Set during the run-up to a pivotal presidential election, Salt of the Nation is more than a road story; it’s a novel about a land riven by broken promises, thwarted dreams, and populism gone awry. It’s the story of a contemporary America equally divided and galvanized by an ordinary man’s rash act and desperate journey.
Readers have called Salt of the Nation "smartly written and enormously enjoyable," "darkly comedic," and "a true page-turner."
Blue Paradise (Red Brick Press, 1998)
"...this novel introduces a talent whose ability to create interesting characters and drive them through a narrative marks him as an author to watch." Publishers Weekly
In a style reminiscent of James T. Farrell and Lawrence Block, Blue Paradise takes the reader into a lonely world of heavy drinkers, prostitutes, bar fights, scam artists, and losers…and to a world where the indomitable human spirit can always be redeemed.
From behind the bar at Blue Paradise, Nick Gallagher has seen it all. His one hope of getting away from the rundown tenements and grimy streets of Hell’s Kitchen is his next boxing match, the biggest of his career. Jimmy, the local bookie, has a different idea, though.
From Hell’s Kitchen to Times Square to the casinos of Atlantic City, this stunning literary debut delivers a knockout punch.
A Death in the Hamptons (Hatherleigh Press, 2002)
“A good read...Bloom captures both sides of the Hamptons brilliantly." Hollywood Insider
It’s getting hot in New York City, and the chic, elite, and well-to-do are headed to their favorite summer retreat on the East End of Long Island. But this year it’s not a celebrity or Wall Street mogul who starts tongues wagging and the scandal sheets rolling. It’s local fisherman, Andrew Kane, who has the misfortune of reeling in the headless body of a second-rate actor along with his morning catch. This is just the start of Andrew’s descent into the darkness, danger, and intrigue lurking just beneath the glitz and glamour of the Hamptons.
Children's Fiction by Matt Bloom
Hello, My Name is Bunny! NYC (2016)
"A charming and simply told story with a clear message." —Kirkus Reviews
Winner of a New York City Big Book Award, this enchanting children's fiction chapter book is inspired by Matt's real-life rescue cat named Bunny. Hello, My Name is Bunny! is the tale of a small kitty with a big heart who's finally found her fur-ever home. Yet Bunny can't seem to enjoy her good luck knowing other animals aren't as fortunate as she is.
This desire to help those in need compels Bunny to escape her safe, comfy apartment and embark on a wild adventure that takes her through Manhattan's busy streets and over its towering skyscrapers in a daring attempt to rescue a mistreated carriage horse.
Features 15 original illustrations by artist Pippa Mayell.
$2 from every book sold on hellobunnybloom.com is donated to KittyKind, the group who rescued Bunny in 2014, and other U.S. rescue groups.
Hello, My Name is Bunny! London (2019)
"...this beautifully illustrated and equally beautifully written story will charm children and adults alike. I was pulled into the story from the very first page. As was the case with the first book, the antics of Bunny and her friends had me smiling throughout the book." Ingrid King, The Conscious Cat
Foxes in peril! No problem. Bunny Simmons-Bloom to the rescue!
Hello, My Name is Bunny! London is the tale of a small kitty with a big heart, who's finally found her fur-ever home and is on a mission to pay forward her good fortune. In this second story in the Hello, My Name is Bunny! series, Bunny teams up with 10-year-old Lily Hayward, Rocky, the lazy tabby cat, and Goldy, the adorable and mischievous golden labrador puppy, on a daring adventure that takes them through nighttime London in a bold attempt to save the city's foxes.
Features 22 beautiful color illustrations by artist Pippa Mayell. Suitable for ages 6+ and cat-lovers of every age.
$2 from every book sold on hellobunnybloom.com is donated to KittyKind, the group who rescued Bunny in 2014, and other U.S. rescue groups.
Hello, My Name is Bunny! Paris (2022)
"Bunny's newest adventure continues to inspire readers to treat others with kindness and respect." —Kirkus Reviews
Mona Lisa—the world's most famous painting—has been stolen and is being held for ransom by a pair of dastardly art thieves. Never fear! Bunny Bloom and her loyal friends, Violette the lovable Jack Russell, Sam the Swallow, Spidey the Spider, Carl the Catfish, and a pair of ridiculously cute rats named Renoir and Renata are there to save the day!
Hello, My Name is Bunny! Paris is the third book in this illustrated chapter book series, which also includes Hello, My Name is Bunny! New York City and Hello, My Name is Bunny! London.
Features 22 beautiful color illustrations by artist Pippa Mayell. Suitable for ages 6+ and cat-lovers of every age.
$2 from every book sold on hellobunnybloom.com is donated to KittyKind, the group who rescued Bunny in 2014, and other U.S. rescue groups.
Hello, My Name is Bunny! Tokyo (2023)
"A sweet and simple tale of forgiveness that teaches kids and adults alike the value of helping others." —Kirkus Reviews
Bunny Bloom—international feline adventurer and all-round do-gooder—is now living in the beautiful city of Tokyo. Her curiosity and kindness lead her to be a peacemaker between two rival cat gangs, friend to a blind elderly poet, protector of a vulnerable kitten, and ray of light for a sad falcon.
Hello, My Name is Bunny! Tokyo is the fourth book in this illustrated chapter book series, which also includes Hello, My Name is Bunny! New York City, Hello, My Name is Bunny! London, and Hello, My Name is Bunny! Paris.
Features 22 beautiful color illustrations by artist Pippa Mayell. Suitable for ages 6+ and cat-lovers of every age.
$2 from every book sold on hellobunnybloom.com is donated to KittyKind, the group who rescued Bunny in 2014, and other U.S. rescue groups.