Nicole Nathan was born in Montreal. She grew up in Toronto and studied English Literature at the University of Western Ontario. After graduating, she worked as an editor and then moved to advertising where she was a copywriter specializing in travel. Excited by the adventure and romance of this job, Nicole pictured herself roaming the world, notebook in hand. That image was shattered when she had to write about Alaskan winters during steamy summers while sweating in an office cubicle; and then wax about Costa Rican rainforests as icicles formed above her office window. Nicole has since developed an unusual talent for writing about places she has never visited.

Always searching for higher mountains to ascend, steeper trails to climb and increasing depths of meaning, Nicole became a trekker, mountain biker and ba’alat teshuvah. She happily embraced her spiritual renewal with Judaism and continues to learn, taking classes in Tanach and Jewish philosophy.

Looking for another challenge, she brought her family on aliyah in 2005. She envisioned being fluent in Hebrew, but soon realized the longer she lives is Israel, the worse her Hebrew gets. Nicole gave up ulpan to focus on English and now works with her husband in new media. She runs around with her laptop, hoping to find time for writing. Nicole is often seen writing in her car and on sunny park benches while waiting to pick up her kids from after-school activities.

She now lives with her husband and children in Ra’anana and spends much time in spiritual Tsfat where she is infused with Chasidut, a touch of Carlebach, plus glorious hiking and biking in the surrounding mountains. She currently works in new media. This is Nicole’s first novel.