Dženefa Kauković, student of Preschool education at the Pedagogical Faculty of the University of Bihać, is better known by her pen name Džana, which she used for her first book titled “Have I Survived?”. The book, according to Džana, really describes her survival because, as she says, she does not look at life through age. Making sense of her emotions, she found the poetry that is in her book.

With her book, she wanted to help other young people find themselves by reading her survival story and the way she dealt with her emotions.

Freedom is a very important segment of her life, and she infuses this into her writing.

“Life consists of little things and moments that we have to notice, love and capture.”

Publishing the book was a difficult path, primarily due to financial difficulties. As she did not have enough money to finance the book on her own, she started collecting money on social networks at the suggestion of a friend. Numerous acquaintances and friends responded to the action and jumped in to help, knowing that publishing the book is Džana’s long-term dream, and she is very grateful for this.

“Bringing to light all that is hidden inside us is courageous because emotions are the most fragile part of us. Publishing a book, in other words – realizing my dream, is not a small thing and through the whole process, I was not aware of what was really happening, but when the book came exactly on my birthday it was only then that I became aware of everything and emotions got the best of me. Unselfishly, I am really proud of myself because I know what I have invested, especially the most valuable thing I have, myself.”

Džana confirmed to our Editorial Board that the book “Have I Survived?” may be translated into English and printed outside the borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina. She is already working on writing another book that should soon be in the hands of the readers.

To all writers, regardless of their field of interest, Džana says the following:

“If this is what you want, if this is what will make you happy, never give up, always get up and repeat to yourself why you want it, because when you want something with every atom of your being, you should give it to yourself and the world.

In the end, my message would be the same one I used to finish my book:

I believed in my heart, it never betrayed me.

You need to believe too…”

Una Karabeg