Bulkin was born in Indonesia to a Muslim father and Christian mother. Her parents decided to leave Indonesia soon after the death of
Suharto. She moved to
Nebraska with her family when she was 11. She graduated
summa cum laude from
Barnard College with a degree in political science before earning her master's at
American University's School of International Service. Bulkin currently works as a consultant in
Washington, D.C. She is a senior associate at
The Asia Group, a strategy and capital advisory group. Short stories by Bulkin have been published in
ChiZine,
Strange Horizons,
Three-lobed Burning Eye, and the
Simon Strantzas-edited anthology ''Aickman's Heirs''. ==Awards and recognition==