“The turkey. The sweet potatoes. The stuffing. The pumpkin pie. Is there anything else we all can agree so vehemently about? I don’t think so.” – Nora Ephron
I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you purchasing, reading, and reviewing my books. Thankful for You.
The weather did a swift 180 from perfect to downright chilly, making it a challenge to convince myself
that it’s still prime leaf-peeping time in the good ol’ USA. Yet, despite the sudden cold snap, there’s a silver lining – and it’s not just the frost on the pumpkins. Drumroll, please… enter Thanksgiving, the pièce de résistance of this glorious autumnal saga!
Sure, I’m thankful for the pumpkin pies and apple delights, but let’s not forget the real MVPs – the friends and family who gather around the table to tackle those desserts with me. And topping the gratitude list? The sheer privilege of calling this country home.
As I mentally brace myself for the impending winter blues, I’m determined to squeeze every ounce of joy out of fall.
Winter may be knocking, but for now, let’s soak up the fall vibes like there’s no tomorrow – or at least until the turkey coma kicks in. 🍂🦃
So, as I bid a not-so-fond farewell to the thought of winter’s icy grip, I’m raising a pumpkin-spiced latte to autumn and all its glory. Let’s cherish these moments, from the laughter around the dinner table to the crunch of leaves beneath our boots.
Here’s to embracing the warmth of gratitude, the joy of fall, and the anticipation of a holiday season that promises not just cozy nights by the fireplace but an abundance of love and laughter.
Wishing you a Thanksgiving filled with warmth, joy, and a whole lot of pumpkin-flavored everything! 🍂🍁🦃
Just thought I’d send a little extra love your way today—Halloween hugs from me!
Fun fact:
Jack Nicholson’s divorce inspired a scene in “The Shining”?
According to today.com, there’s a scene in “The Shining” that writers — including Nicholson — know all too well: Wendy approaches Jack at his typewriter and he scolds her for trying to get in the way of his writing process. Nicholson later revealed that his character’s reaction, although exaggerated, stems from his own personal experience.
“That scene at the typewriter — that’s what I was like when I got my divorce. I was under the pressure of being a family man with a daughter and one day I accepted a job to act in a movie in the daytime and I was writing a movie at night and I’m back in my little corner and my beloved wife, Sandra, walked in on what was, unbeknownst to her, this maniac — and I told Stanley [Kubrick] about it and we wrote it into the scene,” the actor told The New York Times.
Hope you don’t have a scare in the world this Halloween!
On Halloween you get to become anything that you want to be.
“If Human Beings Had Genuine Courage, They’d Wear Their Costumes Every Day Of The Year, Not Just On Halloween.”– Douglas Coupland
What is Halloween to you? For some, October is the time for moody reads that take place in dark mansions or fog-shrouded country lanes. For others, Halloween means slasher horror films, vampire reads and creepy Stephen King novels. Some, however, prefer stories of real monsters that live among us disguised as humans.
Remember Me and Haunting from the Past are available as eBook downloads.
Within minutes you can be reading these books on your computer, PDA, cellphone or a stand-alone eBook reader–at a reduced cost!
Click the “Digital eBook Download” below to purchase today!
“Ms. Jurich is a master story teller with a historically important background that must be read in its entirety to be appreciated – Don’t worry, once she’s introduced, you’ll hang on every word.” – iSTAR
The very first Easter taught us this: that life never ends and love never dies.
Easter season has finally arrived, so grab your baskets for festive egg hunts!
Somebody once told me that the earth laughs in flowers and I cannot agree more. In a couple of weeks, I’ll be hitting my favorite nursery for plants—I can’t wait! The storm has finally passed. The spring has come. Love, hope, and renewal are in the air. It is time for a second chance!
I haven’t done many blogs over the last few months because not much has been going on. My life is finally calming down after a storm that hit it so hard and lasted for so long — a storm I thought I would not survive, but here I am. Reborn again. Some day I will tell you all about the latest storm that was determined to destroyed me, but not today. Today, I am happy. I’m happy to report that not much has been going on. I write, work-out, cook. On the weekends I clean and make it a point to visit my parents.
That’s pretty much how it goes.
The rest of my time is spent with these two gorgeous humans.
My sons
Tomorrow I’m making beignets, my guilty pleasure.
So, while celebrating with the yummiest Easter candy and snapping pictures of you and your family looking your Sunday best, it’s also important to remember what this springtime holiday is really about: the season of renewal. This day marks rebirth in so many different ways, whether you celebrate the religious origins of the holiday or not, one thing is for certain, spring will come and so will happiness. Hold on. Life will get warmer.
“Easter is the only time when it’s perfectly safe to put all of your eggs in one basket.”
And with that being said, I’m going to curl up with a book for awhile. Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and safe Easter weekend.
Today marks seven years since the release of my first novel, Remember Me (Sjeti me se). It was the proudest day of my life; I wrote a book about the hardest time of my existence; time that I would rather forget, but I dug deep, found the courage, and put it all on paper. Now I know that as long as my books are out there–and books are forever–what happened in Prijedor back in 1992, is not going to be forgotten and to me, that fact, is the biggest accomplishment of my life. I did not forget!
All the characters in my book are fictional, but every single one of them was inspired by someone I knew and loved who didn’t make it out. I wanted to bring them back to life and so, I wrote a book about them.
My book, Remeber Me (Sjeti me se) can be purchased in both English and Bosnian anywhere books are sold.
…. I was speechless at first, a little flustered by the sudden closeness … and then we both started laughing. I laughed between gulps of air until the sides of my cheeks ached. I looked at Johnny who was also laughing and glancing at me. Our gazes met and our laughter stilled. Continue reading →
As Selma tries to move on and recover from the horrible experience she had went through while living in Bosnia in 1992—where she and her parents had found themselves targets of the Bosnian war and where Selma had lost nearly all those she loved, was abused by those whom she once trusted, and had witnessed prejudice at its ugliest—the hell from which, she thought, she had finally escaped, found her in America and started haunting her again, reminding her that there was unfinished business some place else.
Selma is a respected business woman, living in Chicago with the love of her life and their son. From the outside, it looks as if she finally has it all; career and family many people could only wish for. She thinks she is the luckiest person on the planet who had survived and escaped hell. One day she receives a phone call that forces her to go back to the place she had left behind almost two decades before. She had promised never to go back there, but now, she finds herself in a desperate situation from which there is no way out. She goes back to face her demons once again.
Will this trip finally, push Selma over the edge and be the end of her? Who knows, it might even help her get some kind of conclusion. Follow Selma’s journey back to the past through despair, hatred, love, hope, and peace in author Sanela Jurich’s Haunting from the Past.
Experience the brutality of the Bosnian Genocide and understand the courage it takes to face your attackers and relive the pain in the name of justice.
Sanela Ramić Jurich is a distinguished author and accomplished public speaker with a compelling background. Hailing from Prijedor, Bosnia, she entered the world in 1976, just as the complex tapestry of the Yugoslav war began to unfold in the early 1990s. Precociously navigating the challenges of those tumultuous times, Sanela was merely fifteen years old when the conflict erupted.
Her literary contributions, exemplified by notable works such as “Remember Me” and “Haunting from the Past,” stand as poignant testaments to her lived experiences during the war. These masterfully crafted books not only showcase her prowess as an author but also serve as powerful conduits through which she shares her personal recollections of the era.
Currently residing in the vibrant city of Chicago, Sanela Ramić Jurich has established a harmonious life alongside her two cherished sons. Her journey from the ravages of conflict to her present abode is a testament to resilience, determination, and the indomitable human spirit. Through her words and public addresses, she continues to captivate audiences, shedding light on her remarkable narrative and the broader lessons that can be gleaned from her compelling journey.
At the innocent age of fifteen, Selma is just beginning to experience the power of her first love.
Unfortunately, living in Bosnia in 1992, Selma and her parents soon find themselves targets of the Bosnian War, and her father is arrested by the Serb Army and held for questioning. In an attempt to protect her daughter, Selma’s mother sends Selma to stay with her aunt, but that seems to be a mistake.
`
Days after arriving, the city is attacked, her family members are murdered before her eyes, and Selma is thrown into a concentration camp where she lives out her worst nightmare. After losing nearly all those she loves, being abused by those whom she once trusted, and witnessing prejudice at its ugliest, Selma isn’t sure she even wants to stay alive. Will Selma ever escape from room ten alive? And if she does, will her broken spirit ever recover? Will she have any family to return to? Will she ever find love again?
`
Follow Selma’s journey through love, despair, hope, and peace in author Sanela Jurich’s Remember Me. Experience the brutality of the Bosnian Genocide, but see how God’s hand restores Selma’s life tenfold. Understand the courage it takes to face your attackers and relive the pain in the name of justice. Discover whether love can blossom from beneath the rubble of war.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Unforgettable!” -Five out of five stars -Reviewed by Alice D. for Readers Favorite
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“Remember Me” is a thought-provoking novel about a dark time in recent history when “ethnic cleansing” was carried out by psychotic mass murderer Milosevic. The characters of Selma, her parents, grandparents, neighbors and friends who lost a lovely way of life are well-created and believable. The reader will agonize over the way innocent people were killed, their homes destroyed, their surviving families get grief-stricken but somehow carry on. That Selma survives and goes on to regain her life is a tribute in novel form to a people who survived against all odds. “Sjeti Me Se”, Johnny’s last words to Selma, is a novel that should be widely read and remembered. Unforgettable!”
From the Author
When I was fifteen years old, my whole life changed in a blink of an eye. The world I saw through my fifteen-year-old eyes was not innocent and pretty. It was filled with death, sadness, and hatred.
Author Sanela Ramic Jurich was born in Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1976. She moved to the United States of America in 1993. She now lives in Chicago with her husband, Todd Jurich and their sons, Denny and Devin. Remember Me was Sanela’s first novel.
Second (Revised) edition of this book is now available on kindleat a reduced cost. You can also read this title for free with kindle unlimited at www.amazon.com.
Prime members can borrow this book and read it on their devices with Kindle Owners Lending Library.
Book Description:
At the innocent age of fifteen, Selma is just beginning to experience the power of her first love.
Unfortunately, living in Bosnia in 1992, Selma and her parents soon find themselves targets of the Bosnian War, and her father is arrested by the Serb Army and held for questioning. In an attempt to protect her daughter, Selma’s mother sends Selma to stay with her aunt, but that seems to be a mistake.
Days after arriving, the city is attacked, her family members are murdered before her eyes, and Selma is thrown into a concentration camp where she lives out her worst nightmare. After losing nearly all those she loves, being abused by those whom she once trusted, and witnessing prejudice at its ugliest, Selma isn’t sure she even wants to stay alive. Will Selma ever escape from room ten alive? And if she does, will her broken spirit ever recover? Will she have any family to return to? Will she ever find love again?
Follow Selma’s journey through love, despair, hope, and peace in author Sanela Jurich’s Remember Me. Experience the brutality of the Bosnian Genocide, but see how God’s hand restores Selma’s life tenfold. Understand the courage it takes to face your attackers and relive the pain in the name of justice. Discover whether love can blossom from beneath the rubble of war.
Start reading Remember Me: Revised edition on the free Kindle Reading App or on your Kindle in under a minute.
celebrating Christmas.
About the author
