You should write a book about that! People with extraordinary life stories have probably heard this sentence several times. As a refugee and survivor of the Bosnian Genocide, Aida Mandic's life story is definitely not ordinary. And she did write a book about it - but not just one!

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While it takes some authors years to finish their books, Aida has written over 100 books in a span of only five years, with 56 published so far. Her publications thematize war, love, bullying, heartbreak, triumph, social justice, women's rights, human rights, mental health, and more. In addition to her career as an author, Aida is also the Founder and CEO of Searchkey and a founding member of IdeaGist Blockchain Incubator. We talked to her about inspiration, time management, goals, and of course books!Start by sharing with our readers what your company Searchkey is about and why you created it.Searchkey is an education technology platform and database. It empowers students to achieve their academic and financial goals by presenting them with information about resources such as scholarships, awards, fellowships, grants, hackathons, cups, bowls, and competitions.As the author of more than 55 books and many more to come, where do you find the inspiration for all your publications?My life story of being a refugee and immigrant. Being the “new kid in town” my entire life. Escaping Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, my birthplace, in a bulletproof vest to avoid getting killed by the Serbian Chetniks. My father was shot in his ankle by a sniper during the Bosnian genocide. He barely survived. He has mental and physical problems because of his injuries. My grandmother had a bullet graze by the side of her head. My uncle was a soldier. He hid in a cave with other soldiers at one point. He scribbled out days of the week to try to not go insane. My entire family was thrown across the world. I have family everywhere: Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. At one point, my cousins were living in Mexico. War is an extremely disruptive, merciless, chaotic, painful, and stressful experience. People die out there. Kids get shot in the head, pregnant women get stabbed, and little girls get raped. It’s beyond anything one can imagine. In addition, I must say that I draw inspiration from the extraordinary strength of Bosnian women. They survived so much but came out on top. Girl power!With all that you do and have accomplished at such a young age, you must be a pro at time management. How do you manage your day-to-day life? What helps you stay organized and get things done?I listen to classical music every single day. I meditate. I walk. I constantly utilize Microsoft products like Spreadsheet and Excel. I avoid clutter in emails, documents, and folders on my laptop. Work, discipline, and order is my approach. I do have to say that burnout is something I consciously seek to avoid. My health and self-care are my first priority no matter the deadline or project. If I can’t function, there will be dysfunction. I won’t allow that to happen.What is the last book you read, and which one did you read most often?“Songs of Innocence and of Experience” – William Blake. I love to read Emily Dickinson very often.Tell us about your goals for 2023. Any upcoming projects you'd like to share with us?I plan to publish many more books. I’m striving towards gaining a considerable TikTok and YouTube following. I want to gain a larger amount of followers on these sites: Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, Medium, and Twitter. I want to change the world!Let our readers know where they can follow along with you and find out more about the work that you do.YouTube/ TikTok/ Medium.com: aidawesomeInstagram/ Facebook: aidamandicbooksTwitter: Aidawesomeeeaidamandic.comgoodreads.com/aidawesome

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