I am of Croatian and English descent and a cousin to DH Lawrence. I am the author of fifteen published books and the recipient of forty writing awards in the UK, Ireland, Finland and the USA.
I hold a Master of Creative Writing (hons) from the University of Auckland in New Zealand and have extensive training in manuscript assessment, proofreading and copy-editing.
I write in several different genres and I run workshops in the art of writing flash fiction.
If you want to employ me to assess, proofread and/or copy-edit your work, click on the tab for Proof-editing Services at the top right of this page where you will find details of my qualifications and plenty of references from my clients. My email address is barbaraunkovic@gmail.com
My current titles are available in kindle and paperback at Amazon worldwide. They are listed below:
My latest book The Author’s Companion (An Editor’s Guide to Editing Your Own Work) is available from Amazon worldwide. More information is available on My Books page.
The Ship of Death (George’s lifelong struggle with his sexuality).
Reviews for The Ship of Death:
George’s appealing nature seduces the reader, but the reader is in for a shock:
After I weathered the initial shock of the opening pages, I became engrossed with George and the people with whom he shared the trials and tribulations of his life. When I fell deeper into The Ship of Death, my sentiments towards George fluctuated dramatically. In truth, he left me feeling slightly addled, but love him or hate him, George will keep you immersed in his lifelong experiences until you turn the last page. In fact, you will not want to put the book down until you turn the last page! It is one of those books that keep you up all night.
A story for today:
This is a challenging book, well-written and examining the issues of today.
The characters are well portrayed, the plot races along and the dramatic moments are stunning/shocking.
The portrayal of the expats in rural France is stunning and revealing of the true reasons for their migration.
Loved this book even though it deals with sexual abuse.
A great read:
When I first began to read this novel after only a few pages I was shocked, but something made me keep reading. I just couldn’t help myself. Then I came to some humour which lightened an otherwise distasteful subject. I laughed. I cried. This well-written book brought out all my emotions as a great book should. Don’t be put off by the subtitle. Dive in and read it. Highly recommended. All praise to the author for having the courage to tackle this difficult controversial subject.
Eaten by the Night (An unforgettable tale of war in Yugoslavia).
Reviews for Eaten by the Night:
Compelling:
Anyone who has followed Barbara Unković’s work down the years will immediately realise that this is the book that she was always going to write. Her work over the years has shown a keen awareness of the misery caused by war by focusing on the conflict in the former Yugoslavia, tracing its horrendous impact on those who endured it. This book draws all those threads together into a truly compelling read. Ambitious in its intent, the book spans the years by showing how war can have long-lasting effects on people and colour the way families view the world. Laced with acute character observation, powerful sense of place and much tension and jeopardy, the novel grabs the reader from the start and does not let go until the last word has been read. At a time when Europe is tainted by the madness of the war in Ukraine, it’s a book that everyone should read.
A brilliant observation of life in the former Yugoslavia:
A superbly written tale of three generations living in Yugoslavia and Croatia.
An accurate depiction of the bitter struggle of WWII and the cruel disintegration of the former Yugoslavia.
This book joins Misha Glenny (The Fall Of Yugoslavia) and Andrew Lownie (Stalin’s Englishman) as essential reading for European history enthusiasts.
Croatia Blue: a journey to my paternal roots and my life on the island of Korčula in Croatia.
Reviews for Croatia Blue:
Telling it the way it is:
A courageous, sensual, colourful, evocative story that will last in my mind. Well written and told with delicacy. The author has dared to tell it the way it is underneath the glossy tourist exterior of Croatia. She has dared to expose the corrupt bureaucracy while she paints a colourful picture of island life. Absolutely enjoyed going with her on her journey bank to her paternal roots. One of the best memoirs I have read.
An insightful, beautiful story , funny, sometimes brutally honest , sometimes sad. Superbly crafted.
An insightful evocative story of an adventure that stretches from New Zealand and Australia to the Adriatic coast of Croatia.
Fascinating real life characters and vivid descriptions of Island life lived the same way for centuries.
Overheated: an award-winning collection of flash fiction.
Adriatic Blue: a bold collection of short fiction.
Moon Walking: long-listed for the Frank O’Connor Short Story Award.
Lady Chatterley’s Enemy (Tales from here and there). 316 pages of unforgettable short fiction.