Nicole Bokat
Nicole Bokat's first novel, Redeeming Eve, was published by The Permanent Press. It was nominated for both the Hemingway Foundation/PEN award and the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for Fiction. What Matters Most, her second novel, was published by The Penguin Group. Her third novel, The Happiness Thief, was published by She Writes Press. It was a 2021 Foreword Indie Awards Finalist.
WIll End in Fire, her latest novel, was published in October 2024 by She Writes Press
Nicole has a Masters in Creative Writing and a Ph.D. in literature (both from New York University) and is the author of a scholarly book: The Novels of Margaret Drabble: “this Freudian family nexus.” She’s taught writing and literature at NYU, the New School, Hunter College, and Mediabistro and has written essays and articles for a variety of national publications including The New York Times, Parents, and The Forward.
She lives in Montclair, New Jersey, with her husband and dog, Ruby, and has two sons.
Facebook: @nicolebokat
X (Formerly Twitter): @NicoleBokat
Instagram: @nicolebokat
What’s the oddest thing a reader has ever asked you?
At a recent book signing for Will End in Fire, an older man asked me if I prefer to write about inner or outer structures. I didn’t understand the question, so I politely replied, “Do you mean do I write inside my home or in coffee shops?” to which he responded, “What do you think of café life.” I nodded and that was all I could offer him.
Favorite non-reading activity
I get invigorated when I’m lucky enough to travel. One place I unexpectedly fell in love with was Edinburgh. It’s glorious: the landscape, the architecture, the people. I’m also a huge fan of Scandinavian tv. My favorite Danish show is Borgen—which is about a politician—and both the acting and scripts are incredible. After that, I developed a passion for Nordic Noir. For example, The Bridge is fabulous. I’d love to visit Stockholm, Copenhagen and Bergen, Norway—be on the lookout for my favorite actors.
Not all books are for all readers. . . when you start a book and you just don’t like it, how long do you read until you bail?
In graduate school, I finished every book assigned in class or for my final exams. After that, I vowed not to stick with a book (that wasn’t for an editing job) if I couldn’t get past the first fifty pages. There are a few novels by renowned, literary authors, who have won major awards, that don’t click for me. I’m happy to acknowledge the author’s talent but stop reading.
Is there another profession you’d like to try?
Sometimes, I wish I could have stuck it out as a college professor. But, I was juggling raising two young children and didn’t want my family to have to relocate. Plus, it takes years to get tenure, during which I’d have to teach four classes a semester while trying to publish scholarly articles/books. I wasn’t willing to give up that much time with my kids. I do miss teaching literature and would like to do it again.
What brings you great joy?
Knowing my sons are thriving in a tough time in our nation’s history. I’m so proud of them for their work ethic, values, and contributions to society. I derive such pleasure conversing with, and learning, from them. But I will never understand Calculus or how to read Japanese (my younger son is fascinated by languages).
