Like stated earlier in the month, today we will be having an interview with the author Elsie Chapman. We asked her a few questions about her debut novel, Dualed, which came out in February. We read Dualed as our March Read for the Just Read It! Book Club, and many of us enjoyed the intense dystopian novel.
1. What was the hardest scene in Dualed for you to write?
I find dialog heaving scenes really demanding. You want to sound natural, but sometime sthat borders on boring, so it's a fine line.
2. What was your favorite scene to write?
A scene that came quite naturally was when West sees her Alt for the first time. I know it sounds cheesy, but it really did pop into my head the way it's written in the final version.
3. We really liked that scene too! Do you share any similarities with any of the characters you created?
I'm told I'm stubborn, almost detrimentally so, so maybe that came out in West, too. She doesn't always make it easy on herself, being so hardheaded.
4. Where did the idea for your novel come from?
My son asked me about everyone possibly having doubles and simply not being aware of them. It all started from there!
5. Your son seems pretty imaginative! Good for you! Where does the title Dualed come from?
Actually, my editor and pub team at Random House came up with it. The original title was The Assignment, which I never really liked that much, but couldn't come up with anything better before deciding to submit it. I still have a very hard time with names for characters and locations.
6. What can we expect in the sequel, Divided?
West went through a lot in Dualed, and the book is very much about her personal battle for survival. Divided is about West struggling to come to terms with all she had to do to stay alive, as well as facing another life-threatening challenge. And lots more Chord!
7. WOO! More Chord! Where did your inspiration for West come from?
I wanted a female main character who didn't need to rely on a guy to save her. She can find strength from having him in her life, but when it came down to it, I wanted her to have to do it on her own. I'm a big fan of the characters Jason Bourne from the Bourne movies and Lisbeth Salander from the Millennium series, so I'm sure West was inspired by them.
8. Who was your favorite character to write?
West. I enjoyed being in her head and feeling out her thought processes as she dealt with everything.
So there you go! Thank you Elsie for coming to our blogs, and we all enjoyed your novel!
