Croatian writer and journalist Vedrana Rudan has received a posthumous tribute with the publication of her final book. Titled Kao da me ima (As If I Exist), the collection brings together nearly 30 years of her writing. Her son, Slaven Hrvatin, helped prepare the book during the final months of her life.
Rudan died on August 18, 2026, at the age of 76 after a serious illness. She reviewed the first version of the book and approved its contents before her death.
The collection features columns from Feral Tribune, Nacional and her personal blog. It also includes lesser-known writings that reveal a more personal side of the author.
Vedrana Rudan’s Final Book Was a Family Project
Hrvatin discussed the project in an interview with the Serbian weekly NIN. He explained that the idea emerged earlier this year while his mother was receiving treatment.
He suggested collecting some of her best writings. The project, he hoped, would help take her mind off her illness.
Rudan accepted the idea with her trademark dark humor.
“It will sell well when I die,” she told him.
Her son searched through newspaper archives, old columns and blog posts. After reviewing the material, he prepared the first version of the collection.
Rudan approved the title Kao da me ima. She also chose the final text in the book and left the remaining decisions to her son.
The collection includes work dating back to the late 1990s. Readers will also find pieces she wrote during her final months.
The publisher has not yet announced when Croatian bookstores will begin selling the book.
She Continued Writing Despite Her Illness
Writing remained an important part of Rudan’s life, even as her health declined.
When she could no longer use a computer, she turned to her mobile phone. She continued writing and sent her texts to Hrvatin through WhatsApp.
Mother and son had worked together for years. Hrvatin managed her websites and helped publish her columns.
Some of Rudan’s articles suggested that the two often disagreed. Yet Hrvatin said their relationship was much warmer than readers might have imagined.
They even laughed when newspapers used her provocative columns to create dramatic headlines about their family.
Hrvatin also shared one of his mother’s lessons about work and money.
She encouraged him to ask for fair payment and never hesitate to request more. He admitted that he still struggled to follow her advice.
Above all, Hrvatin hopes people will remember his mother for challenging powerful figures. He wants readers to recognize her courage in expressing opinions that others feared to share.
Rudan was born on October 29, 1949, in Opatija, Croatia. She worked as a journalist, editor and columnist before becoming a novelist.
Her first novel, Uho, grlo, nož (Ear, Throat, Knife), appeared in 2002. Other notable books include Ljubav na posljednji pogled, Ples oko Sunca and Doživotna robija.
Publishers translated her works into several languages, helping her reach readers beyond the Balkans.
Throughout her illness, Rudan continued sharing her experiences with the public. She wrote openly about her struggles and maintained the sharp humor that defined her career.
After her death, her official website shared a farewell message:
“Vedrana has gone to a place without signal.”
Her final collection preserves the distinctive voice that made her one of the Balkans’ most recognizable writers.
