Time & Location
07 Nov 2025, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Better Read Than Dead, 265 King St, Newtown NSW 2042, Australia

https://www.betterreadevents.com/events/time-kneels-between-mountains-amra-pajalic-in-conversation-with-mirela-cufurovic

​About The Event
​In a town where survival is a daily battle, there are those who seek justice...

Overnight, Seka T orlak's life as a regular teenager is upended as Srebrenica, her once peaceful town, falls under siege and she faces starvation, shelling, and sniper attacks. When desperately needed antibiotics and food disappear and are sold on the black market, Seka vows to investigate the corruption and bring the culprits to justice.

As the war ravages Srebrenica, Seka's resilience is tested as she navigates loss, fear, and the harsh realities of war. Yet, amidst the devastation, she finds a glimmer of hope as her relationship with Ramo blossoms from friendship to love. But as she fights for justice and love, will Seka triumph, or will the brutal war tear everything she holds dear apart?

Meticulously researched this is a masterful blend of historical fiction and murder mystery, bringing to life one of the most devastating and underrepresented chapters in modern history: the Srebrenica genocide.

The town of Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina made history on 11 July 1995, when 8,372 men and boys were slain and buried in mass graves, making it the biggest massacre on European soil since World War II. As a result, this event is historically significant as it is first genocide conviction in Europe since the Holocaust.

Our event space is wheelchair accessible via a stair lift. For any other accessibility questions, please email [email protected].

Amra Pajalic is an award-winning author, educator, and researcher. Her debut novel, The Good Daughter, won the 2009 Melbourne Prize for Literature's Civic Choice Award, re-released as Sabiha's Dilemma (Pishukin Press, 2022). The anthology she co-edited, Growing up Muslim in Australia (Allen and Unwin, 2014, 2019), was shortlisted for the 2015 Children's Book Council of Australia Eve Pownall Award for Information Books. Her memoir Things Nobody Knows But Me (Transit Lounge, 2019) was shortlisted for the 2020 National Biography Award. As a Bosnian author, Pajalic draws on her heritage to craft an own voices narrative that brings authenticity and sensitivity to this harrowing topic. This novel was completed as the creative of component of PhD in Creative Writing thesis examining the role of historical fiction in preserving and interpreting memories of the Bosnian Genocide.

Mirela Cufurovic researches Australian Muslim history at Charles Sturt University and teaches Australian history and literary studies at Western Sydney University. She is one of the current book review editors for History Australia, is part of the Sweatshop Literacy Movement, and sits in the National Assessor Pool for Regional Arts Australia. Mirela has published with Griffith Review, Sudo Journal, and Mona Magazine as well as Public History Review, Chicago Journal of History and The Australian Journal of Islamic Studies. When she is not writing with a large cup of coffee by her side, Mirela spends her time in conversation with Australian authors and historians about their writing lives on Instagram as part of Tea Time with Mirela.

This weekend I had the absolute pleasure of running a self-publishing workshop at Sandringham Library for a room full of 27 enthusiastic and curious writers. From the first question to the last, their energy was electric. We talked everything from editing and formatting to marketing strategies and getting those first sales.
Self-publishing can feel like a maze—ISBNs, metadata, print vs. ebook, cover specs, distribution channels—but when you break it down, it’s a creative business like any other. Watching the penny drop as participants realised Yes, I can do this is the part that never gets old.

As an author and small-press publisher, I love sharing the hard-won knowledge that’s helped me bring my own books into the world. Mentoring emerging writers and supporting them to make their publishing dreams come true is a privilege—and, honestly, the best kind of fuel for my own creative fire.
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A huge thank you to Sandringham Library for the warm welcome and to everyone who came with their questions, ideas, and passion for storytelling. The future of indie publishing is bright when so many writers are ready to take charge of their own work.

Here is my speech that I won first prize in the La Trobe University 3 Minute Thesis Competition, standing out among 10 talented competitors. I won a $4,000 prize, which I’ll be investing in creating a podcast on research around Srebrenica, building on my book of essays, and furthering my academic journey.

Also attached are some photos of the day. So happy that I have all these photos and video to commemorate this moment. Thank you to La Trobe University, my supervisors Claire Knowles and Catherine Padmore, and my previous supervisor Paddy O'Reilly who was instrumental in the creative component. Also thanks to Katherine Firth in helping me refine this speech for this heat.

I have now proceeded to the next heat for the 2025 Asia-Pacific competition and have had lovely support with Dan Bendrups helping me refine my entry for this. This will be online and I'll be posting when it's up.

I’m thrilled to share that I was just awarded first prize in the La Trobe University 3 Minute Thesis Competition, standing out among 10 talented competitors. This incredible recognition comes with a $4,000 prize, which I’ll be investing in creating a podcast on research around Srebrenica, building on my book of essays, and furthering my academic journey.
 
The experience was a whirlwind—receiving the prize, battling imposter syndrome, and realising just how much my work has impacted me over the years. Presenting my thesis in just three minutes helped me clarify my arguments and renewed my confidence after seven intense years immersed in research.
 
Here are three key takeaways I’d love to share:
 
Stepping out of your comfort zone leads to clarity. Summarising years of work in three minutes challenged me, but it ultimately made my arguments sharper and my mission clearer.
 
Recognition and support matter. Winning a competition like this not only boosts confidence, but also provides critical resources and motivation to continue meaningful research.
 
Imposter syndrome is real—even in moments of success. Acknowledging your doubts doesn’t make achievements any less real; embracing your journey makes the milestone even sweeter.
 
Next up: I’ll be representing La Trobe at the next national heat against other universities. Here’s to pushing boundaries and growing through every unexpected challenge! 🚀
 

We’re in the final stretch of the Time Kneels Between Mountains Kickstarter—sitting at $812 pledged so far.

This novel isn’t just a story. It’s inspired by real events, drawn from the truth of Srebrenica during the Bosnian War. It explores themes of survival, justice, and memory in the face of genocide—and the cost of carrying history inside us.
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If you’ve been waiting to join, now is the time. Every pledge makes a difference—not just in bringing this book to life, but in amplifying the voices and stories that should never be forgotten.
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🎥 Watch the trailer (above) to step inside Time Kneels Between Mountains.
👉 Back the project here: www.amrapajalic.com/time
This link will re-direct to my Kickstarter
Let’s make these final hours count. 💙

I’m thrilled to be heading to Perth for the Festival of Fiction—my very first event promoting my new novel Time Kneels Between Mountains!

📚 You can choose your friends, but…
Families are messy, and I’ll be joining an incredible line-up of authors who dig deep into the loyalties and fractures of close relationships: Sally Hepworth, Christos Tsiolkas, Amy Matthews, and me, with Amber Cunningham as our moderator.

🗓 Saturday 18 October, 1:00–1:45 PM
📍 Perth
https://festivaloffiction.com.au/saturday-18-readers-theatre/

I can’t wait to connect with readers and writers, and to share this milestone with so many inspiring voices.

🎉After seven years of intensive research and writing for my PhD, I'm thrilled to announce my upcoming book launch on November 1st at the Hunt Club! 📚 As part of this milestone, I'm running a Kickstarter campaign for an early release, and every backer is invited to the celebration event.
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Sharing stories of hardship, reality, and history has been at the heart of my journey—making these experiences accessible and inspiring for all. Plus, I've included a variety of teaching resources to accompany the books.

🔑 Key Takeaways:
·       Nearly a decade of dedication: These books represent seven years of PhD research and personal growth.
·       Community celebration: Back the Kickstarter campaign to receive an early release and an exclusive invite to the November 1st book launch.
·       Educational value: The release comes with a wealth of teaching resources, supporting deeper historical understanding.
I invite you to be part of this special journey—let’s inspire and uplift through the power of storytelling! 🙌

www.amrapajalic.com/time
This link will re-direct to my Kickstarter

I’m thrilled to share why launching a Kickstarter for my latest book is so meaningful to me—and what I hope to achieve. My biggest goal? To see the project funded and open up new possibilities for my readers!

Here are a few key takeaways from my journey so far:
·       Kickstarter Goal: The initial funding target is $500. Reaching this ensures the project becomes a reality! Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen.
·       Stretch Goals: Additional support will go toward fantastic stretch goals, like producing an audiobook version.
·       Accessibility Matters: With extra backing, I’ll be able to work with my talented longtime narrator, Nina Nikolic, to make the book accessible to even more people through audio.

Every pledge helps bring this dream closer, and I’m so grateful for each supporter. Thank you for being part of this adventure!
www.amrapajalic.com/time
This link will re-direct to my Kickstarter

Today I want to talk about my journey writing The Tree that Stood Still, a prequel set against the backdrop of the Bosnian war. This novel dives into the complexities of conflict, nationalism, and how propaganda can fracture even the closest friendships.

Here are 3 key things to know:
·       Personal Stories Make History Real: The Tree That Stood Still focuses on the friendship between Serka (a Bosnian Muslim) and Zara (a Serb), showing how geopolitical conflict seeps into ordinary lives.
·       The Power of Othering: The episode explores how communities that once celebrated together can be pulled apart by nationalist propaganda, turning neighbours into enemies overnight.
·       Nuance Matters: By highlighting this nuanced friendship, I’m challenging listeners to look beyond black-and-white narratives and consider the human cost of political conflict.

Get the book through my Kickstarter for a moving, thoughtful exploration of friendship, war, and resilience. There are also teaching resources for late primary/early secondary students.
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www.amrapajalic.com/time
This link will re-direct to my Kickstarter