No Bread Tomorrow – Interview and Giveaway

Howdy friends! Each month I’m aiming to introduce you to some of my indie writer friends and people who read my newsletter get a chance to win great books, like the one you’re going to hear about today. Details about the giveaway are at the end. Enjoy!

 

Lisa: Hi Mila. Tell us a little something about yourself and your book, No Bread Tomorrow.

Mila: Hello! I’m Mila Evanovich and it’s lovely to meet all of you.
Over the years, Lisa and I have had the pleasure of being critique partners, and I’m delighted to share with you some information about my historical fiction novel No Bread Tomorrow. It’s a sweeping drama about the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in World War II that describes the tale of the
Nikolić sisters who fought hard to make women seen in the Balkans. The novel portrays the immense sacrifices, hardships, and enduring spirit of the Serbian people, particularly through the lens of the protagonist, Zora Brković. It also includes a dangerous secret, if uncovered, would
extinguish Zora’s entire family. A mother of seven and a healer, Zora is married to a lackluster husband, who foolishly loses his
job in a fight with a co-worker. Zora must make do with little as she navigates the challenge of putting food on the table, while juggling two jobs. When Hitler suddenly attacks the Kingdom of
Yugoslavia, Zora’s first thought is: How can I protect my sons from this war?

Lisa: One of my protagonists (Fiona) in my series, To Rescue a Witch, is also healer who fiercely protects her sons. Of course, my book is set in the 1730s and yours is set two hundred years later. What was the most interesting thing you learned from your World War II research?

Mila: The research I mined for this novel has been fascinating. Over the past five years, I have read
hundreds of scholarly journals and 153 books to deepen my understanding of the diverse
ideologies that emerged during WWII. I collaborated with nine historians and traveled
extensively between Serbia, Great Britain, and Washington, D.C. My research included visits to
Churchill’s Imperial War Museum and the Library of Congress.

Lisa: That sounds intense! Was that your most challenging part of writing this book?

Mila: The biggest challenge I encountered writing No Bread Tomorrow was translating. Most of the
books I needed to read were written in Cyrillic. Since I’m not proficient in reading Cyrillic, the
translation process became painstakingly long. I relied on friends and historians in Serbia to
translate key chapters on my behalf.

Lisa: Well, your research and writing skills have paid off. Didn’t your book win an award?

Mila: In January 2025, No Bread Tomorrow won the International Impact Award in the category of
Historical Fiction—Historical War and Military.

Lisa: Congratulations! And thanks for doing the giveaway this month. Anyone who signs up for my newsletter at www.LisaTraugott.com and answers: What do you love about historical fiction? by April 30, 2025, has a chance to win a free ebook version of No Bread Tomorrow.

If you are already signed up for my newsletter (thanks-you’re awesome!) you just need to answer what you love about historical fiction. I can’t wait to read your answers!

Back to you, Mila. What are you working on next?

Mila: I’m currently working on my second novel in this trilogy, which focuses on the plight of
thousands upon thousands of Yugoslav refugees stranded in Displaced Persons Camps strung
across Europe. After World War II, Yugoslavia transitioned from a monarchy to a communist
country. Interestingly enough, the Yugoslav resistance fighters, fearing severe reprisals, have to
flee Yugoslavia on foot. Their journey became extremely complicated the moment they arrived
in Italy. They were stopped by the British Army and required to turn over their weapons. This
shift in circumstances occurred because Winston Churchill and the British Government had
altered their strategy mid-war, forming an unusual alliance with Marshal Josip Broz (Tito), the
communist leader and head of the Partisans. By 1945, the US and Great Britain were aligned
with the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, creating a troubling and confusing time for many.

Lisa: That sounds like a real page turner! If people want to follow you and learn more about your books, what’s the best way to reach out?

Mila: Look for me at  www.milaevanovich.com, where I share blogs, essays, and more. I’m on
Facebook – @milaevanovichauthor,  Instagram – @mila.evanovich, and LinkedIn-
@milaevanovich.

 

Hey reader – Do you enjoy content like this? I’d love to hear from you so I blog about topics you find interesting.

Lisa 😉

P.S. – Here’s my book:

Copyright (c) Lisa Traugott 2025. All rights reserved. No portion of this blog post may be used for AI training.