Time and Time in Sarajevo is inspired by the years I lived in Sarajevo – a place rich in beauty and history. I was 24 when I moved there in 2007, eleven years after the end of the long and brutal siege of the city.

 

After returning to Australia in 2011, I couldn’t stop thinking about everything I’d seen and heard, asking myself – how do I find hope in a world that can feel beyond repair? What does it mean to have given up on a future?

 

One morning before work in 2016, I found myself writing a scene that took me by surprise. By the time I was running for my bus, I had figured out the basics of a story that took me several years to solve, like a puzzle.

 

Set over a few days, I think it's about friendship, loyalty and finding your place in the world. I hope it captures the city's warmth, humour, and atmosphere. The protagonist Evelyn is similar in age and background to me, but responds to life very differently than I do. Through her, I got to experience the city again with a fresh perspective. I think it’s deepened my understanding of Sarajevo, and maybe even given me some answers to those questions.

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For more about me, click here. For more resources and tips about writing, click here.