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As teachers we keep saying the same thing: “I’d love to bring new texts into the classroom… but who has time to build all the resources from scratch?” Honestly? They’re right. It’s one of the biggest barriers to introducing fresh, challenging books—especially when you’re already juggling marking, planning, wellbeing, yard duty, and the thousand other things schools quietly pile on. So, I went ahead and did the heavy lifting. I’ve created a full suite of teaching notes for Time Kneels Between Mountains—comprehensive, classroom-ready, and designed to support both teachers and students. Think: chapter activities, discussion questions, historical context, themes, drama activities, assessment ideas… the works. My hope? That this novel finds its way into secondary classrooms as a powerful entry point into genocide studies, ethical storytelling, and understanding the Bosnian war through a young person’s eyes. If you’re a teacher looking for a meaningful, research-backed text that opens up big conversations about justice, resistance, memory, and survival—this might be the one. If you're interested in checking them out go to my website and download: www.amrapajalic.com/time.html I'd love to see Time Kneels Between Mountains used in schools and would be happy to talk to teachers about undertaking school visits and help provide discounted class sets. 
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Hvala ti Aiša Hadžiahmetović što si me pozvala u program da govorim o svojoj knjizi "Vrijeme kleči između planina", koja se odvija u Srebrenici, i genocidu koji se tamo dogodio 11. jula 1995. godine. Amra Pajalić je nagrađivana književnica iz Melbournea, nastavnica engleskog jezika i doktorand univerziteta La Trobe, Australka bosanskih korijena, koja piše na engleskom jeziku, ali je ostala u jeziku svojih predaka. Nedavno je objavila roman "Time Kneels Between Mountains", čija je radnja smještena u Srebrenici tokom bosanskog rata. Roman je završen kao dio Amrine doktorske teze iz kreativnog pisanja na univerzitetu La Trobe, koja ispituje ulogu historijske fikcije u očuvanju i tumačenju sjećanja na genocid u Bosni i Hercegovini. https://www.sbs.com.au/language/bosnian/bs/podcast-episode/novi-roman-amre-pajalic-vrijeme-kleci-izme%C4%91u-planina/c6dmhckek   In this episode of Amra’s Armchair Anecdotes, I sit down with Dr Katherine Firth to unpack how the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) transforms complex research into clear, human stories — and why mastering that skill can change your academic career.
From department heats to university wins and the Asia–Pacific submission, I share my own 3MT journey and include the full performance that took me there. 🎓 What you’ll learn: • What 3MT is — and why it matters • How to craft a strong opening, middle, and ending • Cutting jargon and choosing clean, vivid language • Using one slide as your storytelling anchor • Rehearsing in the real venue and managing nerves • When to memorise vs. use cue cards • The value of feedback between heats • Why 3MT builds career confidence — in academia, industry, and media • Ethical storytelling for sensitive research topics 🔗 Listen now: amrapajalic.com/podcast 🎧 Subscribe and follow for more insights, stories, and inspiration. Had such an amazing day in Sydney launching my book Time Kneels Between Mountains at Better Read Than Dead. I want to thank Mirela Cufurovic for being such a thoughtful interviewer and helping to promote the event. I also want to thank Ernest Kulauzovic for all his help in promoting the event. There were so many amazing people I've connected with online and now in person who came to help me launch the book, and I'm so rapt to meet them. There were also Srebrenica survivors who attended, and I hope my novel honours them. Thank you Suzy Simic for the photos, and for bringing the entourage. Was so happy to see the Simic sisters Gordana and Zora. I feel so full of gratitude to everyone who came and all the amazing connections I've made in person and online as a result.    Had the joy of presenting my first paper at an in-person conference at the Anti-Racism Cross-disciplinary Conference 2025. I learnt so much by listening to all the other papers and have developed ideas for my post-doctoral fellowship application that I want to submit next year. Thank you to conveners Professor Nida Denson, Western Sydney University, Challenging Racism Project and Professor Karen Farquharson & Associate Professor Karen Block,University of Melbourne, Anti-Racism Hallmark Research Initiative. And for providing funding for me to attend this conference. My paper Narrating Genocide: Using Fiction and Essay to Challenge Dehumanisation and Preserve Memory. This presentation explores how historical fiction and narrative non-fiction can function as tools of anti-racism by humanising marginalised identities and preserving the memory of atrocity. Drawing from my novel Time Kneels Between Mountains and my accompanying essay collection Fragments of History, I examine how the Bosnian Genocide is both a racialised and gendered event—shaped by Islamophobia, nationalism, and the dehumanisation of Bosniak identity. By fictionalising historical events grounded in deep research, I argue that creative writing can contest dominant narratives, disrupt erasure, and serve as a counter-memory to historical denial. My work engages with how literature can illuminate the mechanisms of racial violence, particularly in contexts where state denial or revisionism is rampant. This presentation will contribute to a broader discussion about how storytelling, particularly from impacted groups or diasporas, may promote empathy, and create avenues for justice and acknowledgement. Amra Pajalić is an award-winning author, educator, and PhD researcher of Bosnian heritage exploring representations of the Bosnian genocide in fiction. Her work blends storytelling with historical analysis to confront dehumanisation and preserve cultural memory. Her novel Time Kneels Between Mountains and her accompanying essay collection explores the legacy of the Srebrenica genocide.  Amra Pajalić on her thrilling Balkan war murder mystery Time Kneels Between Mountains In this episode, Gregory Dobbs dives deep with author Amra Pajalić to uncover the tangled history and human stories behind her novel. They explore the brutal realities of the Bosnian War, the corruption and courage within the besieged town of Srebrenica, and how fiction can bear witness to truth when history is silenced. Amra shares her lived experience of Bosnia, her drive to honour the memories of those lost, and how writing a murder mystery became a form of remembrance and resistance. 💥 It’s raw, insightful, and deeply moving — perfect for lovers of historical fiction, war stories, and anyone curious about how storytelling can heal collective trauma. 🎙️ Listen now on the Good Reading Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. 👉 Or head straight to https://goodreadingmagazine.com.au/podcasts/amra-pajalic-on-her-thrilling-balkan-war-murder-mystery-time-kneels-between-mountains/  Today was my book launch. I just wanted to have a fun party and it was brilliant. I am so thankful to all the people who attended and everyone who supported me in helping to make it happen. Thank you to: Alice-thank you for being the MC and helping to run the event. Demet-thank you for the brilliant introduction to Time Kneels Between Mountains and for the great discussion. Thuan-for performing with his guitar and elevating my little shinding even more. Veronica-for organising the catering. Shawn Smits-for being the photographer and for these beautiful photos. Sofia-my beautiful daughter who did my make up and made me look so beautiful. Fikret-my amazing husband who helped me to organise the room, and was my seller on the day. The Hunt Club and Brimbank City Council for supporting with the venue and promotion. Thank you to Maria, Kerrie, and Annaliza. Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate with me. It means the world to me. Thanks you to everyone who messaged me who couldn't come. Am so happy to officially launch this book out into the world after seven years and celebrate this achievement.     |
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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