1. What inspired the story of your new novel?
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 we find hope in a world that can feel beyond repair? What does it mean to have given up on a future?
My novel follows a young Australian teacher in Sarajevo who gets caught up in a crisis. Set over a few days, it’s about friendship, loyalty and finding your place in the world. I hope it captures the city’s humour, resilience and atmosphere. The protagonist 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.