In Episode 123, Nikki Erlick joins me to discuss (spoiler-free!) her debut novel, The Measure, and share her book recommendations. A both otherworldly and of our time story, in a symbolic way rather than a literal way. The Measure will absolutely be one of my favorite books of 2022!

This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).

Highlights

• Nikki’s inspiration for The Measure.
• How she incorporated Ancient Greek mythology about fate in her writing.
• The ways COVID-19 pandemic influenced and impacted her novel.
• How she decided to take her story to a place of healing, peace, and hope.
• Nikki’s path to publication as a debut author.
• The comparable books and authors Nikki names for read-alikes.
• Nikki’s process for weaving together the wide variety of societal implications into her story.
• Whether Nikki thinks she’d open the box featured in The Measure…and how she’d live her life if she were a short stringer.

Nikki’s Book Recommendations [29:18]

Two OLD Books She Loves

• Anxious People by Fredrik Backman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [29:35]
• Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang | Amazon | Bookshop.org [30:40]

Two NEW Books She Loves

• The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:06]
• End of the World House by Adrienne Celt | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:30]

One Genre of Books She DOESN’T LOVE  [36:33]

One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About

• Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson (September 27) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:12]

Last 5-Star Book Nikki Read

• The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:51]

Other Books Mentioned

• The Power by Naomi Alderman [14:48]
• The One by John Marrs [15:00]
• Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson [15:12]
• Beartown by Fredrik Backman [30:20]
• Exhalation by Ted Chiang [30:59]
• The Book of M by Peng Shepherd [34:11]
• Severance by Ling Ma [35:37]
• Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister [36:00]
• The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas [37:10]
• Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier [37:26]
• I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara [37:51]
• The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King [38:23]
• The Shining by Stephen King [38:43]
• Life After Life by Kate Atkinson [39:28]
• Rules of Civility by Amor Towles [42:15]

About Nikki Erlick

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Nikki Erlick is a writer and editor whose work has appeared on the websites of New York magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, Newsweek, Cosmopolitan, the Huffington Post, Indagare Travel, BookTrib, and the Verge. As a travel writer, she explored nearly a dozen countries on assignment—from rural villages in France to the arctic fjords of Norway. As a ghostwriter, she has lent her voice to CEOs, academics, and entrepreneurs. She graduated Harvard University summa cum laude and is a former editor of the Harvard Crimson. She earned a master’s degree in global thought from Columbia University. The Measure is her first novel.