From the very first draft to the final publication, the author reveals the journey of Under the Same Moon. In this upcoming novel–due for publication in September 2025–nothing is what it seems. More than twenty years after moving to England, the protagonist, Jelena, must fight the demons of her past. Let’s find out more about how the seeds of an idea slowly blossomed into a novel.
Step 1: The writing process
The beginning of Andrejevic’s writing career
A.S. Andrejevic was inspired to start writing because of her dad. Once a theatre actor and dramatic writer, he encouraged her to put her ideas down on paper. She noted that “writing and written word generally always came very naturally” to her. As an avid writer, she consistently kept diaries, and she wrote poetry essays and pieces for her local newspaper in Serbia.
Under the Same Moon: first ideas
Before drafting her novel, A.S. Andrejevic, like most writers, had a few ideas that she then developed into a book. From the start, her biggest challenge was “separating real life from imagination.” At first, the book was highly autobiographical; however, this evolved during the writing process. The autobiographical aspects transformed the background context of the text.
Because she mainly drew from her own life, the author confessed that:
“Working out when to stick to things as they had really happened and when to use fiction to maximize on the storytelling potential has been tricky.”
Interestingly, drafting the novel polluted her own memories, as she based plot points on real events but altered most of them. She admitted that some of her memories “have been replaced with how something has been described in the book.” This represents how powerful storytelling can be.
Summary of the novel
When war breaks out in Serbia in the early 1990s, Jelena is in England, where her father sent her right after high school. She was only meant to stay for a year, but more than two decades later, she is still there. With a lovely husband and two children, Jelena seems to have everything. Soon, the reader understands that she had to forget her past and where she came from to be happy.
One day, Mladen, a Bosnian-Serb, shows up at her door. Jelena never expected to see him again. What happens next seems to bring back what she has left behind, leaving her no choice but to face the demons of her past. To find out more about the novel, stay updated and, when it comes out, get lost in Jelena’s story. (You won’t be disappointed!) In the meantime, let’s dive into its main themes.
Main themes
War is at the forefront of the novel, as Jelena moves to the UK to avoid it, but she realizes that it will stay with her anyway. The author herself was seventeen when she emigrated to the UK, just like Jelena, and “was completely unprepared for the strength of negative opinions about Serbs at that time.” As a Serb, she revealed that it was a hostile political climate because of how the media portrayed her country and people.
“Serbs were being routinely compared to the Nazis, and that was a huge shock and a source of enormous shame, especially as Serbia was instrumental in fighting against the Nazis in WWII.”
Immigration is another key pillar. It is intertwined with “the guilt of leaving your home, parents and culture.” In the protagonist and author’s life, pain is associated with their home country. Many Serbians moved abroad because of the wars and their aftermath, causing what is known as “an exodus.”
The book raises many questions about identity. Jelena spends years denying her Serbian roots to avoid judgement, and the fear “of being branded a war criminal or a nationalist” is explored in the novel.
Andrejevic disclosed that she had an experience related to the latter topic that she wanted to include ini the novel. When she worked at a nightclub in London in the late 1990s, she informed a customer that she was Serbian. His reaction was unpleasant, to say the least; he replied that they deserved to be bombed because “they were bastards.” Something similar happens in the novel, with the author aiming to highlight how normalized hate is.
The title
Originally, the book was called Jealous Moon Over Serbia. There were two issues with that title. The word “jealous” was tricky because it has many different layers and connotations. Moreover, the word “Serbia” in the title felt too narrow, as most readers wouldn’t feel that the book was made for them.
Under the Same Moon was the final decision. A.S. Andrejevic articulated that it “refers to this idea that two very different countries, ways of life, and perspectives on the war are ‘under the same moon.’ It’s also a metaphor for immigration.”
Step 2: Finding an agent
Once A.S. Andrejevic finished drafting her novel, she found an agent: Lorella Belli. She acknowledged the importance of having Belli as an agent throughout the publishing process. From the first draft to the finalized book, the agent played a crucial role.
Regarding this subject, A.S. Andrejevic declared that:
“I would definitely recommend to every writer that they at least try [to get an agent]. [Lorella’s] suggestions have been invaluable. […] She has given me huge amounts of time, help, support, encouragement.”
She has worked with her agent for three years, with their relationship growing over time.
Step 3: Editing process
A.S. Andrejevic’s next step was to wait for the right opportunity. Publishing a book can take a few months (if very lucky) but usually it takes up to a few years. The author of Under the Same Moon confessed that the process has taken her three years.
The first year after submitting the first draft was devoted to making her agent’s edits. Andrejevic is a single parent and has a full-time job, so she had to fit the editing within a busy schedule.
Step 4: Finding the right publisher
Following the editing process, both A.S. Andrejevic and her agent found it difficult to decide on the right publisher. The author reiterated the importance of having a good agent who protected her from unethical companies. Securing the right deal was not as easy as she thought it would be.
The other challenge she faced with the novel itself was the genre. She said:
“I always knew it would be a challenge because the book is mixed genre: the style of writing is pacy and full of suspense, in many respects like a thriller. But the themes are serious […] and this isn’t an easy sell for the publishers.”
Step 5: Hoping readers appreciate it
The final step of the publishing journey of Under the Same Moon is witnessing readers’ reactions. The author is aspiring to entertain her readers with what she calls “a good, exciting thriller.”
She likewise hopes that her readers will be intrigued “by questions such as, who is Mladen, is he a good guy or a bad guy, […] what will happen to [Jelena’s] family in the end and will her husband and her daughter forgive her?”
Her novel is also meant to be a wake-up call. Because so many wars happen all around us, the author would like to remember that “politicians and armies don’t always represent […] the citizens.” It’s important to talk about the experience of war, as it “can help to heal trauma.” In discussing this, Andrejevic reminds listeners of the formative impact that storytelling has on readers:
“Storytelling is a massively valuable tool for processing memories, emotions, and creating a coherent narrative in our mind of things that have happened to us and have shaped our lives.”
@userb639292832 part 5 🤍 #balkan #srbija ♬ Lejla – Hari Mata Hari
In conclusion, this book is “for every immigrant out there, everyone who has had to leave their home country for any reason and is experiencing the immense complexity of building a life and an identity in a new, foreign culture.”
The book has trigger warnings for sensitive content and is intended for adults. In addition to war and immigration, Under the Same Moon tackles themes of motherhood, friendship, love and family. Anyone with an interest in why human beings are the way they are should read this wonderful novel.
