Join us for the launch of Jelena Curic's debut novel, Sing To Me.

1980. Pero is a Croatian immigrant, father, husband, philanderer, who drinks too much and gambles the family’s income. No longer a brilliant musician he now plays only for himself in the cellar of his house deep in the suburbs of Western Sydney with a bottle of rajika within arm’s reach. When Yugoslavia’s President Tito dies and his mother’s health fails, Pero feels he must return ‘home’. He touches down in Zagreb to one of the country’s most bitter winters. Traversing villages and cities hushed by the communist regime, Pero is compelled to face a past that he has tried to forget. His father won’t talk to him; he can’t find the best friend he betrayed. He feels the scars of the people living with the memory of dictatorship, Croatian nationalism, and years of deprivation …

From the opening pages Jelena has woven together the reconciliation of family legacy, history and culture with deftness, profound humanity, humour and empathy. It is the story of reclaiming life and heritage, and how to belong, how to live, in two countries at once.

Pre purchase your copy here.

About the Author

Jelena Curic is a writer of literary fiction, crime and comedy. Along with writing novels, short stories and comedy pieces, she is also the resident Diva in the Croatian community singing most weekends. Her stories can be found in BAD Western Sydney and BAD Western Sydney: The Second Case, Living Stories: The Other City, Short Stories Unlimited Leaving Home Anthology, and she was short-listed for the Born Writers Award 2023 and 2024. Sing to Me is her debut novel.