Jennifer Oko: On the Community Focus of Indie Publishers
In this interview, author Jennifer Oko discusses the benefits of working with an independent publisher for her new literary novel, Just Emilia.
Jennifer Oko is a writer, journalist, and filmmaker. Her memoir, Lying Together, was a New York Times Book Review "Editor's Choice." She is also the author of two previous novels; Gloss, a satire of morning television, which was a USA Today “ Hot Summer Read,” and Head Case, a comic mystery about psycho-pharmaceutical trafficking which she swears is not autobiographical in any way. She lives in Washington, DC with her family. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
In this interview, Jennifer discusses the benefits of working with an independent publisher for her new literary novel, Just Emilia, her hope for readers, and more.
Name: Jennifer Oko
Book title: Just Emilia
Publisher: Regal House
Release date: June 10, 2025
Genre/category: Literary Fiction / Upmarket Fiction
Previous titles: Lying Together (published under maiden name, Jennifer Beth Cohen); Gloss; Head Case
Elevator pitch: Just Emilia is a time-traveling dark comedy about three women—a depressive teenager, a struggling middle-aged writer, and a lonely elderly woman—stuck inside a Washington, DC Metro elevator. As hunger, panic, and exhaustion set in, they come to realize that they are the very same person, each struggling with an unresolved trauma that continues to impact them at different stages of their shared life. Darkly funny and deeply moving, Just Emilia is a gripping tale of identity, regret, and self-discovery.
What prompted you to write this book?
The idea initially came to me when I was briefly stuck inside a Washington, DC Metro elevator with a couple of strangers. I doubt it lasted for more than a minute, but that was enough time for me to wonder about who those people were and, should the doors fail to open, how we might be able to help each other get out. The doors did open, of course, but the idea tickled me, and I wrote the first sentence of what would become Just Emilia as soon as I got home.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
As I started to get deeper into the idea, it occurred to me that—for me anyway—the most difficult person to be stuck in a situation like that would probably be myself. So, the first sentence I wrote all those years ago is probably the only sentence that hasn’t changed.
The writing of the novel took place over many years, in fits and starts. That fateful elevator ride was almost a decade ago. It took a pandemic lockdown for me to finish the full first draft of the story. It took a few more years after that—and a small army of generous friends and early readers—to get it to the place it is now.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
My books have been published by a university press, a big commercial press, and self-published. This is my first experience working with an independent publisher. One of the best things about Regal House is how they value and promote community. They connect the seasonal frontlist cohorts together very early on. It’s made the experience so much richer. Our Summer 2025 cohort meets up regularly and we have a steady stream of emails going all the time. The group consists of writers of a mishmash of ages and experience—some have published numerous times and won awards, some have never had a book in the world before—and all of the novels are wonderful, each and every one (seriously! check them out!). The wisdom and support these other writers have given me has been tremendous.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
There were some surprises about where my mind took me, but it would require a spoiler alert to say much about that. Suffice it to say, there were plenty of days when I would finish writing and think to myself, “Where the hell did that idea come from?”
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
One early reviewer wrote that reading Just Emilia was a “thrill and a treat,” and I can’t really ask for more than that. (Well, someone else said “this is honestly one of the best books I have ever read.” That was nice to hear, too!). But more seriously, I hope reading Just Emilia opens up some conversations about the expectations and pressures we put on ourselves. If you could talk to your younger and older selves, what would you want to discuss?
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Writing is mostly a solitary activity, but it is so much better when you have a strong community of writers together on the journey.
