Logline:
May Bahar, a gifted young woman, tries very hard to build a life on post-war destruction and amidst wide-spread corruption, yet, when all said and done, failure proves to be the best thing that could have happened to her.
Pitch: We all have at least one clear memory of some random moment in our lives, a moment our mind chose to preserve for some reason. We’ve all wondered about the enigma (why that moment), but it is just one split second that pops up every so often, and then it’s gone. However, what if our mind chose to remember more than a moment with that level of intensity and keeps reminding us of it on regular basis?
May Bahar remembers one period of her life so vividly that she is compelled to write it. During that time she built a new life in her war-torn country. Initially, things went well, just as they had always done in her life. She spent most of her time in Café River, where the locals met to talk about anything that mattered to them, including concerns about the state of the society and the world. She took part in those conversations, her views valued as always.
But then her society became corrupt and selfish. She had to choose to change and adapt, or to leave. But where could she go?
By the time May puts pen to paper, in her old age, she knows she made the right decision. The way the world changed proved that she was right all along even when no one agreed with her. However, younger generations kept making comments that made May wonder if she had done all she could. And if not, what should she have done differently, what did she miss?
Just Another Life – 2nd Edition
Just Another Life is a novel about an old woman who is haunted by a seemingly irrelevant memory from her youth that she must share to find peace.
The news
The second edition of literary fiction novel, Just Another Life, has recently been released. The book, inspired by true events, looks at how ordinary people are concerned about the state of the world, and how there is very little they can do about it. The core issue that the author and activist, Meliha Avdic, addresses is the importance of dialogue in our society.
Press Release
Back Cover
Everything in life is relative, so is it any wonder that the way we judge our life is in comparison to others? May knew some amazing people so to her, her life was ordinary. To make matters worse, she cannot figure out why one seemingly insignificant part of her life keeps haunting her so much that she is compelled to write it all; every conversation she can still hear though they happened many decades ago.
Reader’s reviews:
This book is a unique and amazing work of art. If May’s life is ‘Just Another Life’, then there is no such thing as an extraordinary life, we can all just relax. I love the characters, and it’s been a pleasure to eavesdrop on their conversations.
The story is great. The characters are great. The messages are inspiring. Loved the inspiration; at times I had to close the book and think about things I just hear Benjamin say. Loved it.
Unique plot built around the moral of the story, with well-developed characters holding everything together, yet they fail to hold their own lives. Unique delivery of a unique message, yet they fail to hold their own lives, changing to fit into their new environment that is changed by outside forces. Unique delivery of a unique message.
Onlinebookclub.com review: Click here
A bit of a background
The first edition of Just Another Life was published ten years ago. During that time I wrote 14 other books, and numerous articles and stories. When it came to going through this book, I was dreading it. I thought I’d hate everything about it. However, life is nothing if not surprising.
After all this time, after all the other books and stories I’ve written, I love this book. I am still so proud of this book.
I don’t want to give away too much, but I think I handled May’s state of mind through the years really well. It’s not by accident. I listened to old people, especially my grandmother, may she rest in peace.
Whenever my grandmother spoke about an event that happened recently she spoke in a nonlinear fashion, breaking up her own thought, getting lost and confused very often. But, when she spoke about something that happened to her when she was young, about something that happened like 50 years ago, she spoke clearly, concisely, never drifting away. I found that amazing. I wanted to show it in my book. And I think I did. The difference between chapter 1 and the rest of the chapters, and then the way later chapter just give a hint that May’s mind is heading in the direction of what we saw in chapter 1… I think I did a good job, even if I do say so myself.
Also, I think I showed dialogue and the beauty of dialogue really well. Some readers have said that I did a good job using dialogue to show differences between the characters, and the way people change, and not change. I have to admit, I didn’t focus too much on that, probably because I trusted that I know my characters and I know people. However, I did focus on showing how beautiful a conversation can be when we listen and simply respect one another even when we disagree. I have to admit, I like that. I still believe in that idea as something every important to a peaceful and prosperous society.
I’ve used my protagonist to show that life can be so ironic. I know, this is nothing new, but I like the fact that I am contributing to this idea. May has her most courageous decision in an act of leaving. Her love-life goes as smoothly as can be, yet her father is as complicated as can be. Because this is how it happens in life. And the way she handles loss… In real life, moments of loss are so powerful, and we all handle them the same and differently, at the same time. This has always fascinated me.
I am currently trying to figure out if being inspired by my own book is ‘normal’. Because I really am inspired to write a whole bunch of stories and articles based on this book. Thank God I don’t have to worry about copyrights.