Interview with Anna-Maria Franković, Author of Bargained With Life For A Penny

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?

This book was born from a period in my life when I realized how often people bargain away pieces of themselves for approval, survival, love, or success. On the surface, the story follows corporate pressure, power dynamics, high-stakes deals, and emotional survival. But underneath it all, it’s really about self-worth. I wanted to write not only about the experience itself, but also about what helped me heal from it. What helped me stop overextending myself for others? What helped me recognize toxic people, unhealthy dynamics, and the patterns that quietly destroy your sense of self over time.

For a long time, I thought being “good” meant giving more, understanding more, and tolerating more. Eventually, I realized that constantly abandoning yourself is not kindness; it’s self-destruction. Writing this book became a way to put those realizations into words, both for myself and for readers who may see parts of themselves in the story, too. At its core, the book is about learning that self-worth should never be negotiated, no matter how convincing the world may be when it asks you to.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of your book, what would they be?

For Anna, I would choose “The Door” by Teddy Swims and “Someday Soon” by ClockClock. “The Door” represents the moment when someone finally chooses themselves after losing themselves for too long. The line “Tonight I saved my life when I showed you the door” fits Anna’s emotional journey perfectly because her story is deeply about learning to stop sacrificing herself for people and situations that slowly destroy her sense of self-worth. “Someday Soon” captures the quieter, emotional side of her character: the exhaustion, reflection, loneliness, and hope that maybe one day the pain, confusion, and attachment will finally let go.

For Lukas, I’d choose “Too Sweet” by Hozier. I love that song for him because it reflects his calm, emotionally guarded, and slightly detached personality perfectly. Especially the lines about not being an early bird, drinking whiskey neat, and telling someone, “you’re too sweet for me.” It has the exact energy of someone who feels deeply but hides it behind control, irony, and emotional distance..

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I love books that make you think deeply and shift your perspective in some way. I’m especially drawn to psychological books, emotionally honest stories, and books about human behavior, the mind, the body, and the way everything functions beneath the surface. I enjoy reading things that stay with me long after I finish them: the kind of books that make you pause, reflect, and look at life differently. What I write is very similar in that sense. Even though my book explores themes like self-worth, psychology, emotional healing, and human patterns, I didn’t want it to feel like a typical self-help book. I wanted it to feel alive.

That’s why I wrapped those deeper messages inside an intense corporate story filled with pressure, complicated relationships, power dynamics, emotional survival, and situations that most people never experience in everyday life. Some parts are intentionally a bit controversial and out of the box because I wanted the story itself to keep readers emotionally engaged. My goal was that even someone who normally doesn’t read self-help books could still genuinely enjoy the book because of the story it contains, while quietly walking away with a completely different perspective afterward.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I read everything from bestsellers to indie authors because I’m naturally curious, and I enjoy discovering new themes, perspectives, and writing styles. I don’t really limit myself to one specific genre. That being said, I always find myself returning to books about psychology, human behavior, emotional patterns, self-worth, and the deeper side of life. Those are the kinds of books I reread often because they tend to stay with me and make me reflect long after I finish them. At the same time, I also enjoy reading lighter or more entertaining books sometimes, simply for fun. I like stories that either make me think deeply or completely let me escape for a while, and I think both kinds of reading are valuable in their own way.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The scenes between Anna and Lukas were probably my favorite ones to write. Their conversations were intense, layered, psychologically engaging, and sometimes a bit spicy in their own way. There’s a constant tension between them that made those scenes feel very alive while writing them. I also deeply loved writing the introspective parts of the book; the quieter moments where Anna reflects on life, self-worth, emotional exhaustion, and human behavior. Those parts came very naturally to me because they reflect the kinds of thoughts many people carry every day but rarely put into words. Honestly, with the entire book, I felt like my biggest task was finding the exact words that would emotionally strike where they were supposed to. I wanted readers not only to understand certain emotions, but to actually feel them. But overall, the scenes between Anna and Lukas were the most fun to write because of their chemistry, emotional tension, and the way they challenge each other throughout the story.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I rewrite sentences endlessly until they “feel” right emotionally; that’s why I needed 2.5 years for 170 pages. I also tend to write best late at night when everything is quiet. And coffee is absolutely part of the process.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

Probably the old saying: “Live and let live.” I strongly dislike judgmental behavior, especially when people feel the need to interfere in someone else’s life, choices, happiness, or privacy. I believe every person carries struggles, experiences, and reasons that others may never fully understand. As long as someone is not harming others, I think people should be allowed to live in the way that feels right and authentic to them. That philosophy also connects deeply to my book because part of healing is learning to stop living according to other people’s expectations, opinions, and demands. Sometimes peace begins the moment you stop trying to become acceptable to everyone else.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

That they are allowed to let go. To let go of people, expectations, guilt, pressure, unhealthy dynamics, and the constant feeling that they must carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. I would want readers to remember that they can choose themselves again. They can choose to feel like themselves again. They can choose freedom, peace, authenticity, and a life that actually feels like their own instead of one built entirely around pleasing others or surviving emotionally exhausting situations. At its core, I hope the book reminds people that self-worth is not something they have to earn through suffering, overgiving, or losing themselves for everyone else.