~The Author:
ELSIE CHAPMAN grew up in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada, before graduating from the University of British Columbia with a BA in English literature. She lives in Vancouver with her husband and two children, where she writes to either movies on a loop or music turned up way too loud (and sometimes both at the same time). Dualed is her first novel.
~The Interview:
1. What are you most looking forward to when your book hits the shelves?
I think just walking into a bookstore and having my kids being able to pick up my book off the shelf. I want them to see that no matter how crazy an idea might seem, it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. That moment is going to be amazing and probably a bit surreal, but I really can’t wait to experience that.
2. If you could have any character from any book hop into the story line of Dualed who would it be?
What role would they play to West? Gollum from Lord of the Rings. West needs someone to outcrank her crankiness. Maybe he could help her in terms of training, too. The guy is somewhat wily, after all.
3. If there was one piece of advice you could give any of the characters from the beginning what would it be and to whom would it be for?
I’d tell Chord to not stress so much over West and her attitude. As hard as it is for him to watch her be alone and then be pushed away when he wants to help, it’s just a part of the process through which she needs to work.
4. Because the author is the mind behind the character, do you/they have a special bond to your character that makes them more realistic to you?
I really like how West is such a flawed, broken character who has to find her way back from some pretty dark places. I think it’s interesting to have characters who mess up and have to deal with the aftermath.
6. How does one go about picking the name of their characters? Why did you choose the names West and Chord for example? Would you have named them anything else?
I am the worst at picking names. I use baby name sites a lot. If I get really desperate I’ll look for random names that happen to pop up anywhere—my tumblr dash, movie credits, anything. Usually I’ll know right away if a name is right. With West and Chord, both names just came to me and stuck. Most of the other characters in Dualed have gone through a few rounds of names before settling.
7. Have you started on the sequel, Divided?
I have, yes! The manuscript is currently in the editing process.
~The Book(s):
You or your Alt? Only one will survive. The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life. Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her. Elsie Chapman's suspenseful YA debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.{Goodreads}
~The Giveaway:
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~Jaiden
