I am a Jewish immigrant, born in Ukraine and ultimately made my way to the U.S. for college. I have a PhD in Social Psychology and currently work as an Associate Professor. I have published a textbook on Social Psychology and numerous academic articles on gender inequality, sexual double standards, and public breastfeeding.
I wrote my first story in sixth grade, but didn’t spend much time exploring writing during that time. I was too busy dancing, and even after two decades, my toes still haven’t forgiven me for the one year I tortured them with pointe ballet. In high school, I found my way back to writing, spending my summers crafting stories until 3 a.m., then reading them over the phone to my best friends. Somewhere in there, I’m pretty sure I dabbled in a variety of fanfics.
When I started college, I set aside writing again, refocusing my energy on earning my psychology degrees and eventually landing a tenure-track job. But after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer while pregnant with my third child, I couldn’t stop wondering if the characters and scenes that had been living in my head all these years were finally ready to be heard.
So I started writing, and haven’t stopped since…
When I’m not working or writing, I spend my time with my wonderful husband, our three little kids, and a puppy named Lego—who, given the resemblance, must have ancestral ties to the dragon from The NeverEnding Story.
Recent Favorite Books:
- Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- The Wedding People by Alison Espach
- Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez
- Heartless Hunter and Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli
- The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon
- Queen of Shadows and A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
All-Time Favorite TV Shows:
- Roswell (This show was literally my personality in high school)
- Gilmore Girls
- The Newsroom
- Ted Lasso
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Friends
Contact: yuli.zaikman [at] gmail [dot] com
Yuliana Zaikman 