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 has stopped by to answer some questions about the inspiration and writing of DUALED. Welcome Elsie!
Share with us some of the inspiration behind DUALED! How long did it take you to write and sell DUALED? And now that you are a 2013 debut author, how does that effect your writing schedule?
The first draft of DUALED took me five weeks, but revisions and took me much longer. In the end, almost everything evens out, it seems. And I think it took me about three months to sell DUALED.
I couldn’t be happier with how it all worked out! But I’m definitely feeling more of a time crunch now that there’s one book already in the works. Because with follow-up books that you might be drafting or editing, you’re still having to edit or promote your first book at the same time. I’m still struggling with better time management, and I’ve learned it is wholly possible to survive on four hours of sleep a night.
You or your Alt? If you lived in Kersh, who do you think would win the dual? What would you use to fight your Alt (weapons, strategy, fighting skills)?
I hate to say it but I think my Alt would probably kick my butt. Not only do I know my own tendencies and weaknesses, I also couldn’t imagine she’d be any worse. But of course it would still have to come down to a battle, so I think if I stood any chance at all, I’d probably have to rely on doing something sneaky.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elsie grew up in Prince George, BC, before
graduating from the University of British Columbia with a BA in English
Literature. She currently lives in Vancouver with her
husband and two kids, where she writes to either movies on a
loop or music turned up way too loud (and sometimes both at the same
time).She's repped by The Chudney Agency, and her debut novel, DUALED, published by Random House is out NOW! The sequel, DIVIDED, will be published February, 2014.
Find Elsie on Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.
She's also a contributing member of Friday the Thirteeners and The Lucky 13s group author blogs.
Dualed Blog Tour Stops
2/25/13 Sarah @ The Book Life – Tour
kick-off and Intervieww/ Elsie
2/26/13 Jenna @ Making the
Grade
2/27/13 Kristan @ Lost Amongst the
Shelves -
Review
2/28/13 Anna @ Literary
Exploration - Guest
Post
3/1/13 Inky @ Book Haven
Extraordinaire -
Review
3/2/13 Joli @ Actin’ Up with
Books
3/4/13 Sara @ Forever 17 Books
- Review
3/5/13 Tara @ Hobbitsies - Guest
Post
3/6/13 Lilian @ A Novel
Toybox
3/7/13 Kayla @ Bibliophilia,
Please - Review
3/8/13 Emily @ Emily's Crammed
Bookshelf -
Review
3/9/13 Michelle @ Passionate
Bookworm
This one just came in my box to read! I can't wait to dive in!! And just so she doesn't feel alone, my dualed would kick my ass.
ReplyDeleteHeather