Children’s author Judy Blume says she was diagnosed with breast cancer over the summer but is “feeling stronger every day” after surgery.

The 74-year-old Blume wrote on her blog earlier this week that she learned in June that she had cancer and underwent a mastectomy and reconstruction in late July. She writes that she now walks a couple of miles each morning and dines out at night. Blume hopes to begin writing again soon.

She noted that her cancer hadn’t been detected by a mammogram or regular physical exam because she has dense breast tissue. Her message for women in a similar situation: Get a sonogram.

Bloom’s books include Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Tiger Eyes.

More about Roth

A prize-winning biographer of John Cheever and Richard Yates is taking on a living subject: Philip Roth.

Blake Bailey is working on a biography with the cooperation of the celebrated author of American Pastoral and other novels.

Bailey and Roth’s agent, Andrew Wylie, made the announcement Wednesday. Bailey doesn’t yet have a publisher.

Bailey’s Yates biography, A Tragic Honesty, was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle prize in 2004. His Cheever: A Life won the book critics prize in 2010 and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

Looking ahead

The Dave and Mary Alper Jewish Community Center has announced the line-up for its 32nd annual Jewish Book Festival, which kicks off Oct. 11 with Kati Morton, author of the memoir Paris: A Love Story, and runs through Nov. 8, with the Women’s Day luncheon with novelist Delia Ephron, sister to Nora Ephron, who died earlier this year.

Other participating authors include novelists Nathan Englander, Francesca Segal and Bellwether Prize winner Naomi Benaron; performer Michael Feinstein; and Rabbi Hershel D. Becker. For a full schedule and for tickets, visit alperjcc.org