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When You Think You’re Done With a Story, Sometimes the Story Isn’t Done With You

Posted on by Posted in Between the Worlds, Book recommendation, Books, eBooks, Ella Rees, New blog post, Press Releases

Between the Worlds:  Reimagined, Rewritten, and Finally Here

A few years ago, I published a novel called Between the Worlds: The Story of Us under my pen name, Ella Rees.

I loved the idea behind the story. I loved Sarah and Jack. I loved the thought of two souls finding one another again and again, across different lives and different worlds.

But somewhere along the way, I realized something.

I wasn’t finished with their story.

So I went back.

What began as a revision quickly became something much bigger. I rewrote chapters, removed storylines that no longer belonged, created new ones, changed the ending, and explored the connection between Sarah and Jack in a way I hadn’t been able to the first time around.

And slowly, the book became something new.

The heart of the original story is still there, but this version is deeper, quieter, and much closer to the story I had always wanted to tell.

At its heart, Between the Worlds asks a question I’ve probably wondered about for most of my life:

What if the person you can’t forget is someone your soul has been remembering all along?

It’s a story about love, but also about timing. About the people who enter our lives and change us, even when they aren’t meant to stay. About sacrifice, free will, memory, and those strange connections we sometimes feel but cannot explain.

And, as with most things I write, there are pieces of real life hidden between the lines.

Some are obvious.

Some aren’t.

I’ll let you wonder about those. 🙂

Today, I’m happy to say that the completely revised edition of Between the Worlds is officially live on Amazon, in paperback and Kindle.

It has a new story, a new ending, a new cover, and, in many ways, a new beginning.

This time, I’m finally ready to let Sarah and Jack go out into the world.

Well…

At least until I start translating all 64,301 words into Bosnian. 😂

— Sanela

 

About the Author

View Ella’s complete profile

 

 

From One Heart to Another

Posted on by Posted in Book recommendation, Books, eBooks, New blog post, Purchase Books, Remember Me, Reviews, Sanela Ramic Jurich

 

Every once in a while, a message arrives that reminds you why you chose to share your story with the world. Today, my heart was touched by one of those messages about my novel Sjeti me se (Remember Me).

“Dear Sanela, yesterday I read your book, Remember Me, in one sitting. I cried more than ever before while reading a book. Especially during the scenes when Selma gave birth to her child and refused to let the baby go after everything she had survived. Warmest and heartfelt regards.”

As an author, there is no greater gift than knowing that something you wrote touched another person’s heart.

When I sat down to write Remember Me, I wanted to tell a story that would honor the experiences of those whose voices were lost in the noise of history. I wanted to write about loss, survival, love, grief, and the strength it takes to keep going when life asks the impossible of us.

The scene this reader mentioned was one of the hardest for me to write. Even now, years later, I can still remember the emotions that poured onto those pages. To know that those feelings reached someone else so deeply is both humbling and moving.

Writing is often a solitary journey. We spend countless hours alone with our thoughts, our memories, and our characters, never really knowing how our words will be received once they leave our hands.

Then a message like this arrives.

And suddenly, all those quiet hours feel worthwhile.

To the reader who took the time to write to me, thank you. Your words touched me just as much as my story touched you.

With gratitude,

Sanela

About the Author

Sanela Ramić Jurich is a survivor of the Yugoslav war and the 
author of several novels inspired by lived experience. 
She writes to remember, to honor, and to ensure that even 
the darkest chapters are never erased.

View Sanela's complete profile

 

 

When Spring Remembers

Posted on by Posted in Audio Books, Book recommendation, Books, Bosnia, eBooks, Haunting from the Past, Holidays, New blog post, Prijedor, Purchase Books, Remember Me, Sanela Ramic Jurich

Some springs arrive in silence. Others arrive in fire.

 

March 1st. The first day of a new month, bringing us closer to spring—renewal, hope, life. But for Bosnia and Herzegovina, March 1st marks something far more profound. On this day in 1992, my homeland declared independence from Yugoslavia… and that’s when all hell broke loose. What followed was hell on earth, a darkness that shaped my past and found its way into my stories.

It shaped the child I was, the woman I became, and the writer I had to be.

📚 Remember Me (Sjeti me se), Haunting from the Past are more than books—they are my truth, my memories, my way of ensuring that what happened is never forgotten.

But even after the harshest winter, spring always comes. And so, we remember, we honor, and we move forward. 🌿✨

 

About the Author

Sanela Ramic Jurich is a survivor of the Yugoslav war and the 
author of several novels inspired by lived experience. 
She writes to remember, to honor, and to ensure that even 
the darkest chapters are never erased.

View Sanela's complete profile

 

When the Smile Feels Heavy

Posted on by Posted in Audio Books, Book recommendation, Books, Haunting from the Past, Purchase Books, Remember Me, Sanela Ramic Jurich, Short stories

“All it takes is a beautiful fake smile to hide an injured soul and they will never notice how broken you really are.” —Robin Williams

I’ve spent a lifetime learning how to survive. No one told me surviving could hurt this much.

Lately, I’ve been feeling like I’m fading behind my own smile. The older I get, the harder it is to keep pretending I’m okay. I show up at work, answer emails, make small talk, and laugh when I’m supposed to — but inside, I feel like I’m running on empty.

At this stage in my life, I thought I’d have more peace by now. More understanding of who I am, more calm in my mind. Instead, anxiety and depression have settled in like old ghosts that refuse to leave. They sit quietly in my chest while I talk to people, whispering that I’m not doing enough, not being enough, not keeping it together well enough.

Most days, I wake up already tired. Not from lack of sleep, but from the effort it takes to be fine. I get dressed, put on makeup, and tell myself, you can do this, even when all I want is to hide somewhere no one can find me. There are moments at work when the tears come out of nowhere — that deep, heavy sadness that doesn’t ask permission. And I have to swallow it down, breathe through it, and keep smiling. Because that’s what functioning adults do, right?

But pretending takes its toll. I’ve learned that smiling for the world doesn’t mean I’m happy. It just means I’m trying — trying to survive another day, to hold on to some kind of normal.

I can’t afford therapy. There’s no professional help waiting around the corner for me. So, I try to help myself the best I can. I go for walks. I eat healthy when I can. I remind myself to breathe. Sometimes, I just sit outside and let the sun touch my face, hoping it burns through the fog, even just for a minute.

And then, there are my sons. They are my reason. When I’m with them, I remember that there’s still love and laughter in this world — that there are people who need me, even when I feel useless. They remind me that I still have a place here, even when my thoughts try to convince me otherwise.

Still, some days it feels like too much. I pray for peace, for relief, for just one morning where I wake up and don’t feel this heavy. I pray for strength to keep going, to keep showing up for the people I love, and for myself — even when I don’t believe I deserve it.

Maybe part of this weight comes from where I came from. I grew up in the former Yugoslavia — a country that no longer exists, destroyed by war. I survived things no one should have to survive. The fear. The loss. The silence that followed. I became a refugee, and even after finding safety, the memories never really left. They live under my skin, quiet but constant.

That’s what my books Remember Me and Haunting from the Past are about — not just the ghosts of war, but the ghosts we carry inside us. Writing them was my way of letting the pain speak, of giving it a shape and a voice. Every page is a piece of the healing I never found in therapy, a way to understand how trauma reshapes us, how it lingers long after the world has moved on.

Life kept throwing obstacle after obstacle my way — each one heavier than the last — and somehow, I kept jumping, climbing, crawling my way through. But the truth is, even when you survive everything, survival itself can be exhausting. Sometimes, I think that’s what my depression really is — the echo of a life spent fighting to stay alive.

I don’t have advice or answers. I don’t have a way out of this fog. I just know that for now, I’m still here — and maybe, for now, that has to be enough.

“Readers will discover that Jurich writes with the credibility and authenticity of a person who witnessed and experienced what took place in the Balkan countries during the 1990s.” –Gregory S. Lamb, Author of The People in Between

The day I left my home country forever was August 26, 1992 — my sixteenth birthday. As I stood on the street, waiting for a bus to take me away to an unknown hell, I was feeling ashamed of my own thoughts. I was brooding over my birthday. I was being a typical sixteen-year-old; a teenager. I wanted a birthday party. I wanted my friends and family to fuss over me. I wanted the sweet in the “sweet-sixteenth.” Why couldn’t I have all that?! Why was I being robbed of that?! For whom?! Instead of getting a birthday party, I was being forced out of my home. Being forced to watch as evil men killed my family, friends, neighbors. Being forced out of my freedom! Had to stay quiet as they called me names and tried to touch me inappropriately — had to let them do it! Had to keep quiet as they stole every single possession my parents and I owned. Why?! For whom?! For what?! CONTINUE

 

 

Thirty-Two Years of Love at First Sight

Posted on by Posted in Book recommendation, Books, Haunting from the Past, Remember Me, Sanela Ramic Jurich

Thirty-two years ago today, I stepped off a plane at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. 

It was August 10, 1993 — sixteen days before my seventeenth birthday — and it was love at first sight.

The skyline looked like a dream. The air felt different. I had come from a war-torn country, carrying more questions than answers, and a heart full of hope I didn’t yet understand. I didn’t know it then, but this city would become my safety, my second chance, my forever home.

Throwback to 1993: bad perms, bad decisions — but great memories.

One of my earliest Chicago memories is from Montrose Beach on Lake Michigan. My aunt took me there, and it was my first time seeing the glorious lake. I had learned to swim in the Adriatic Sea in Croatia — the most beautiful, blue water you could imagine — but something about that day on the lake pulled at my heartstrings. Maybe it was the sense of a new beginning. Maybe it was simply time with my aunt, who, like me, had survived the war. Her husband had been held in a concentration camp and lived to tell about it — though I can only imagine the memories he carries.

In the photo from that day, my aunt is hugging me and I’m pretending to push her away, convinced she’s trying to shove me into the water. I’m wearing a bathing suit from the Sears that once stood on the corner of Lawrence and Damen — a store that’s long gone now, but somehow lives forever in that snapshot. Fun fact: that Sears store was the very first Sears to open in Chicago, way back in 1925.

Over the years, Chicago gave me countless moments — my first American grocery store visit, where kindness came from an unexpected source; my first “Welcome to Chicago,” which felt like it was meant just for me; lakefront sunsets, noisy streets, and the quiet comfort of belonging.

Life’s greatest treasures aren’t things you can keep on a shelf. They’re moments you carry in your heart.

Thirty-two years later, I’m still hopelessly in love with this city. And if you ask me, it’s the best love story I’ve ever lived. 💙✨

About the Author

Winner of the 2025 International Impact Book Awards

I was born on August 26, 1976, in Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia. I loved my home, my family, and my friends. Like most people, I often imagined what my future might look like, but the events that unfolded when I was fifteen and sixteen were far from anything I could have planned.

Living through war was the hardest experience of my life, but it taught me one unforgettable lesson: never plan too far ahead, because tomorrow is never promised.

The Yugoslav war in Bosnia destroyed countless lives, yet for reasons I may never fully understand, mine was spared. On August 10, 1993—just 16 days before my seventeenth birthday—I arrived in the United States with the help of my two aunts, Nefira and Hida. I didn’t speak a word of English. CONTINUE

“Sanela is a powerful speaker, with the ability to mesmerize her audience with every word she says as she relays 
her horrific personal struggles during the Bosnian War. In addition, her ability to take the true life stories of 
the people she knew, and incorporate them into a love story, is amazing. 
I highly recommend this outstanding author to present to any student or community group, and I encourage anyone needing to know that something good can come from something horrible to read her book Remember Me.  
You will not be disappointed!” – Judy Kingsbury, Executive Assistant to the President 
Rochester Community and Technical College

“Remember Me” Wins an International Book Award!

Posted on by Posted in Book recommendation, Books, New blog post, Remember Me, Reviews, Sanela Ramic Jurich

“She wrote her pain into pages, and the world called it beautiful.”
— Unknown

Today, I received news that left me speechless. Remember Me, a book that holds so much of my heart, has been honored with an award from the International Impact Book Awards.

To say I’m grateful would be an understatement. Along with a beautiful certificate and a digital sticker, they’ve invited me to attend their awards gala this November in Phoenix, Arizona. There, I would have the unique opportunity to step onto the stage and receive a trophy engraved with my name.

Whether or not I’m able to attend in person, just knowing that my story touched others enough to be recognized like this means the world to me. Writing Remember Me was one of the most emotional journeys I’ve ever taken. It was a story I needed to tell—about memory, loss, survival, and love. To see it now honored on an international stage… I’m still letting it sink in.

Thank you to everyone who believed in my words, who read my book, shared it, and felt something because of it. And thank you to the judges who saw something meaningful in my work.

For once, I’m letting myself soak it all in—and it feels incredible.

 

 

 

With gratitude,
Sanela

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Available in Audio

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Year New Chapter

Posted on by Posted in Between the Worlds, Book recommendation, Books, eBooks, Haunting from the Past, Holidays, New blog post, New Year, Purchase Books, Remember Me, Reviews, Sanela Ramic Jurich

A New Year, a New Chapter: 2025 Begins with Promise

This book was awarded the AudioBookReviewer’s Choice Award as it was deemed to deserve a higher rating than the standard 5-star review allowed. —Reviewer’s Choice at Reviewer.com

 

 

As the calendar turns to a fresh page, I find myself reflecting on the beautiful duality of new beginnings: the excitement of what lies ahead and the quiet gratitude for the journey that brought me here. Each New Year feels like a blank canvas, waiting for us to paint it with our dreams, our efforts, and even our stumbles. This year, 2025, feels especially significant. It marks the beginning of a new chapter in my life, one that I’ve been quietly anticipating for a while now.

While I can’t share all the details just yet, I can say this—there are incredible things on the horizon. It’s a strange and wonderful feeling to hold a piece of good news close, knowing it will soon unfold into something even more meaningful. For now, let’s just say that 2025 has already surprised me in the best way, and I can’t wait to see where this year takes me.

One of the greatest joys of stepping into a new chapter is looking back at the love and support I’ve been fortunate to receive. Recently, a few reviews for my books reminded me why I embarked on this writing journey in the first place. One reader wrote: “Listening to Remember Me by Sanela Jurich was an emotional rollercoaster that left me feeling shaken, heartbroken, and deeply moved.” Another said, “Sanela Ramic Jurich has a gift for sharing the very real feelings of her characters with the reader.”

Knowing my stories resonate with readers, especially those who have shared their own reflections with me, fills my heart with gratitude. Writing can be such a solitary endeavor, but moments like these remind me of the incredible connection stories can foster.

As I look ahead, I’m filled with hope. Hope for the stories I’ve yet to tell, the journeys I’ve yet to take, and the opportunities waiting just around the corner. This year, I’ll continue to write, to dream, and to embrace the challenges and triumphs that come with any new chapter.

Thank you for being part of my journey. Whether you’ve read one of my books, left a kind review, or simply cheered me on from afar, your support means more than words can express. I hope 2025 is a year of new beginnings for all of us—a year filled with growth, love, and the kind of magic that makes life so extraordinary.

With all my love,

Sanela ♥

 

 

 

 

A Christmas Day Review to Remember

Posted on by Posted in Audio Books, Book recommendation, Books, Purchase Books, Remember Me, Reviews, Sanela Ramic Jurich

A Christmas Day Review to Remember

“After nourishment, shelter, and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” — Philip Pullman

This Christmas brought a truly special gift: a heartfelt five-star review for the audiobook version of Remember Me. 🎄

As an author, there’s nothing more rewarding than hearing how my story resonates with readers (or listeners). To receive such kind words on Christmas Day feels like a little miracle—one that fills me with gratitude and joy.

Here’s a snippet of the review that warmed my heart:

 

“Absolutely Amazing!”

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 December 2024

“Listening to Remember Me by Sanela Jurich was an emotional rollercoaster that left me feeling shaken, heartbroken, and deeply moved. From the very start, I was drawn into Selma’s world, a young girl whose first love is abruptly overshadowed by the horrors of the Bosnian War. As her life crumbles, I was overwhelmed by the raw pain and despair she endured. The narrator is absolutely amazing and she made every moment feel personal, amplifying the anguish and helplessness that seemed to seep through the story, and I found myself holding my breath, hoping for a glimmer of relief. At some point I wasn’t even sure whether this was a real story or a novel.

Yet, amid the brutal violence and heartbreak, I also felt moments of hope and strenght that kept me going. Selma’s journey through trauma, loss and unimaginable suffering is gut-wrenching, but her resilience left me with a sense of awe. By the end, I was left emotionally drained but inspired, contemplating the healing power of love and faith. This audiobook was not just a story–it was an experience that stays with me long after the final words, forcing me to reflect on the strnght it takes to survive and rebuild after such devastation.”

 

 

To everyone who has taken the time to read, listen to, or review Remember Me, thank you. Your support means the world and keeps me inspired to write stories that matter.

If you haven’t had a chance to explore Remember Me, now’s the perfect time to dive in—or give it a listen!

Thank you for being part of this journey, and I hope the holiday season has brought joy, love, and memorable moments to your life as well. 💖

Warm wishes,
Sanela

About Me

Author Sanela Ramic Jurich

View my complete profile

 

 

 

A Beautiful Blend of Fantasy and Emotion

Posted on by Posted in Between the Worlds, Book recommendation, Books, eBooks, Ella Rees, New blog post, Purchase Books, Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Blend of Fantasy and Emotion

 

Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2024

Verified Purchase

A fantasy novel about romance, deep connections, and enduring emotions, it blends fiction with personal insight. A beautifully written and captivating read.

With every stroke of her pen, Ella Rees casts a spell woven from the raw fibers of emotions, entwining readers in a spellbinding dance of heart and mind.

 

 

 

 

Click to Buy!

Have you ever met someone for the first time and felt like you’ve known them forever?

Against all odds, you know deep inside that you know them. They feel familiar and comforting. You are drawn to them, but you only just met them. How can that be? Could it be some kind of a karmic connection? Soulmates? Could it all be just a figment of your imagination, or could there be an actual rational explanation for feeling this way? Is there a scientific explanation or is it fate?

Sarah Wilson’s existence takes an unexpected turn when her ex-husband’s violence leads to her untimely demise. It’s in that moment of passing that Sarah ventures to a place she recognizes as home, where memories of her true self and her soulmate, Jachin—now known as Jack Adams—resurface.

Throughout the tapestry of time and myriad incarnations, one steadfast presence endured—their undying love for each other.

 

Between the Worlds: The Story of Us is free on kindleunlimited. 

Also available in paperback on Amazon.