In Going Down, debut novelist Jennifer Belle introduces readers to Bennington Bloom, a coed call girl working her way through New York University. Already one of the most talked about first novels of the year, Going Down has received tremendous advance praise. Tama Janowitz calls the novel "a kind of twisted version of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes...Delightfully, sickeningly, hilariously enthralling." And Jay McInerney compares Belle to Lorrie Moore and rocker Liz Phair, labeling the book "a funny, sad, nasty little gem of a novel."

With a sharp eye for satire and a keen comic sense, Belle chronicles the adventures of nineteen-year-old Bennington Bloom as she wanders between the upscale brothels of New York City and the unsuspecting arms of her new boyfriend. With a father who loves his dog like a daughter, a shrink who is hard of hearing, an ulcer, and tuition (paid in cash) to worry about, Bennington is working overtime to keep it all together. Whether spending the night in an abandoned hotel pool or punching pushy old women on the subway, Bennington is doing what she can to survive*starting at an all-time low, only to find herself going down from there.

With sly humor and an unerring gift for capturing the absurdities of day-to-day life, Jennifer Belle offers a witty take on making it in the city. Honest and observant, Bennington Bloom is a charming narrator who will captivate readers — young and old alike. Funny and intelligent with an endearingly skewed take on life, Belle is the real thing — a literary star in the making.

"Belle's riotous, vivid debut has the energy and gritty appeal of New York City itself." Publishers Weekly

"Belle is clearly a writer to watch." Library Journal

"Though finely detailed, and appealing in its madcap manner, this flurried portrait of city hustles and heartbreaks offers only a limited, eviscerated view of the perils of a life on the make." Kirkus Reviews

"Belle's sharply observed characters and keen sense of the absurd mold movie-of-the-week material into a raw, funny, and compelling slice-of-life. Some of the dialogue is priceless, particularly in the scenes of working girls killing time between tricks." Booklist

Born and raised in New York City, Jennifer Belle turned to writing several years ago after a successful stint as an off-Broadway actress. Belle dropped out of high school and college, but did graduate from elementary school. Her first novel, Going Down, was named "Best Summer Novel" by Time Out New York and a "Top Ten Book of the Year" by the New York Post, and has been translated into eleven languages. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, MS., The Independent Magazine (London), Harper's Bazaar, Mudfish, and several anthologies. She lives in New York City.