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I’ve made myself a promise—and I’m following through on it. I’m running a Kickstarter for the next book in my Seka Torlak historical crime series. Not because it’s easy (it’s not), but because it pushes me to grow, to back myself, and to connect directly with readers who actually care about these stories. So… Book 2, Ghosts Among the Gumtrees, launches on Kickstarter on 1 December. 🎉 I’ve just opened the pre-launch page, and it would mean the world if you clicked “Notify me on launch.” This isn’t just about selling books. It’s about building an audience, step by step. It’s about carving out new opportunities that traditional publishing never handed me. It’s about finding readers who want survivor-centred historical fiction, who value the truth behind the stories, who want to walk with Seka through the aftermath of war and witness her fight for justice. I’m hoping each Kickstarter brings in new readers, new conversations, and new doors opening—and if it grows slowly, steadily, beautifully over the years, that’s exactly the kind of career I want. If you’ve supported me before: thank you. Truly. If you’re new here: welcome. 👉 Follow the pre-launch page: https://www.amrapajalic.com/ghosts Let’s do this. One book, one campaign, one community at a time. 💜 
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Massive thank you to Réka and Harriet for having me on Your Planet Needs You on 94.1FM. Loved our chat about why stories matter, how to call out injustice, and why elevating unheard voices isn’t just creative work — it’s political work. They’ve kindly shared the recording, so if you missed it live, you can catch the interview on my YouTube and Substack. We get into books, justice, the oddball twists in my career, Time Kneels Between Mountains, and the ongoing fight against genocide denial. Honestly, one of my favourite conversations this year. They have a show every Sunday 3-4 on https://www.3wbc.org.au/ so tune in. Today I talk to my best friend, Veronica Ho and as two longtime friends we trace a candid path from quiet teen years to midlife strength, exploring how weightlifting became therapy, why boundaries matter, and how perimenopause reshapes health goals. We share the unglamorous prep, the cost, the mindset shifts, and the power of saying no. • early body image and being a confidant • why lifting started and what changed • training stats, body composition, and safety • food prep, budgets, and time protection • stage experiences and doing it in her forties • attention, projection, and dressing for self • gym as therapy and routine under stress • perimenopause, bone health, and recovery • realistic goals, reasons why, and setbacks • boundaries that signal commitment to self Subscribe and follow for more inside stories and inspiration https://www.amrapajalic.com/veronica-ho.html  Usually, I don't share upcoming radio interviews because I'm too nervous, but I've had a few practice runs and I'm feeling confident, so here it is. The brilliant hosts Réka and Harriet from Your Planet Needs You on 94.1fm 3WBC invited me on to chat about the messy, determined, stubborn journey of being both a writer and a teacher — and how those two worlds collide in my work with Pishukin Press. We’ll dig into why stories matter, how they call out injustice, and why elevating unheard voices isn’t just a creative choice — it’s a political one. I'll be joining them right after the music break at 3:07 pm, Sunday 23/11. Tune in if you feel like hearing me ramble passionately about books, justice, and the strange career choices that got me here. 🎧 94.1fm 3WBC – Your Planet Needs You ⏰ Sunday 23/11, approx. 3:07 pm https://www.3wbc.org.au/  Thank you Australian Booklovers for featuring Time Kneels Between Mountains in the historical fiction feature. I'm so happy with the write up and spotlight. https://www.australianbooklovers.com/learn-more/time-kneels-between-mountains   Just got my Certificate of Appreciation from NEAP Education for vetting their Year 9 and 10 History exams — and honestly, it feels good to have the work recognised. I pour so much into teaching, editing, and making resources sharper and more accessible, so moments like this remind me why I do it. I love using my teaching brain outside the classroom too — analysing questions, strengthening scaffolds, and making sure assessments actually support students rather than trip them up. If you’re a teacher hunting for practice exams that won’t make you want to scream into a pile of unmarked papers, check out NEAP. They do solid work, and it’s worth having good material in your corner.  I’ve just wrapped up a late-night chat on ABC NightLife, and honestly, I’m still buzzing. We talked about the three books that shaped me, how stories carve out our identities, and of course I found my way back to Srebrenica, memory, and why I wrote Time Kneels Between Mountains in the first place. The episode drops next Friday, 28 November, and will be available as a podcast too. I’m oddly nervous and excited to hear it — there’s nothing like listening back to yourself at 1 a.m. to make you question every life choice, right? Can’t wait to share it with you. Thank you to Nicole Webb Publicity for arranging all these amazing media opportunities.
I launched my podcast this year, and honestly? It’s been a wild ride. A steep learning curve, a few swear-words into the void, and a lot of joy. Somehow, I’m about to wrap the year with 20 episodes live—which feels surreal. I’ve just moved all the episodes over to Substack, where I’m also writing companion posts that dig into the lessons behind each episode—what worked, what blindsided me, and what I wish someone had told me earlier. Episode 1 – Benefits of Residency (17/02/25) In this one, I unpack how writing residencies have shaped my creative practice—from the breakthroughs to the emotional resets. I talk through the practical side (applications, timing, choosing the right program), and the human side (community, connection, and why uninterrupted writing time can change everything). If you want to follow along, I’m now publishing everything here: 👉 https://amrasarmchairanecdotes.substack.com/ Or you can listen on your favourite podcast app—just search Amra’s Armchair Anecdotes.
My official book launch for Time Kneels Between Mountains was on 1 November at the Hunt Club Community Arts Centre, and I've received all the photos from my photographer, Shawn Smits. He's so amazing, and I'm rapt. So here follows a photo dump of all photos from the launch. I'll be tagging people as I go. If you teach upper primary or lower secondary, I’ve got something that’ll make your planning so much easier. My novel The Tree That Stood Still contains teaching resources at the end of the book. The answer key is available to my newsletter subscribers. This kit covers everything you need to run the novel in class without losing hours creating worksheets from scratch: ✨ Chapter-by-chapter comprehension ✨ Inferential + critical thinking tasks ✨ Cloze passages ✨ Verb tense practice ✨ Vocabulary banks ✨ Parts of speech sorting ✨ Conjunction challenges ✨ Adjective hunts ✨ Direct speech punctuation ✨ Prepositions of place ✨ And a full answer key to save your sanity during marking If you want to bring Seka’s story into your classroom with ready-to-go materials that actually support learning (and save you time), sign up and grab the full bundle. Perfect for Year 5–8 English, EAL, literacy intervention, or humanities-linked units. 📚 Subscribe here: https://www.amrapajalic.com/my-newsletter.html  |
AuthorAmra Pajalić is an award-winning author, an editor and teacher who draws on her Bosnian cultural heritage to write own voices stories for young people, who like her, are searching to mediate their identity and take pride in their diverse culture. She writes memoir, young adult and romance under the pen name Mae Archer. newsletterSign up and receive free books.
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