Urbani’s first book, the memoir "When I Was Elena" (The Permanent Press, 2006) documents the years she lived in Guatemala during that country’s civil war. It describes her personal experiences with assaults and illness, as well as political maneuverings such as the self-coup or "autogolpe" staged by then-President Jorge Serrano Elías who was quickly ousted with help from the CIA. Shortly after publication, the syndicated talk show, The Montel Williams Show, inquired as to whether Urbani would be willing to return to Guatemala to reunite on-camera with the women about whom she wrote. Urbani declined to do so, citing concerns for the safety of the individual women and their families if their true identities were revealed.