Friday, December 3, 2010

Q&A with Ally Condie

I love it when author friends stop by and indulge the weirdness of my brain! Here's my Q&A with Ally Condie, author of Matched.

The opening scene of your book describes the matching event, and Cassia has chosen a green dress to wear (which is also on the cover). Green is my favorite color and I love that dress – the story intimates that her choice of color says something about her, but what made you decide her dress should be green?

*I wanted Cassia’s dress to be green for a couple of reasons. One of the reasons is very superficial—I wanted it to match her eyes! More importantly, I also liked the symbolism of the color green and its traditional connections with growth, spring, etc. And finally, I liked that it had a connection with the green tablet, which is important to the story.

It’s fascinating that culture has been limited to the 100 lists – did you actually create a list of each 100 books, songs, etc. If so, what was that like?

*I didn’t create the lists in their entirety. I do know a few items on each list. The list the Society created would be very different from my own personal list, so it would be a little daunting to create theirs. They wouldn’t include anything subversive, they would limit the diversity of the list, etc.

In the Society, it’s dangerous to be exceptional. Do you think our world ever tries to limit originality?

*Yes, I do. I think we have a lot of cultural ideas about what beauty and success should look like and we like people to fit those molds. However, we do also live in this time of unparalleled freedom of expression, so that is pretty amazing.

This is totally random, but does the Society allow people to have pets?

*No, they don’t! And you’re the first person to notice that! I thought it was this sort of creepy thing that there are no animals on the streets or in the yards, etc. It’s just another way the Society exercises control. The people in the Farmlands have farm animals, but there are no actual pets.

If Cassia were to step into our world for a day, what do you think she would be the most surprised by?

*I think she would be most surprised by the way we can listen to and write and read whatever we want, and she would also be surprised by how much we take that for granted.

I’m dying for more of the story – what are you working on now and what can I bribe you with to get it early (chocolate?)?

*I’m working on the sequel right now. I’ve been working on the sequel for a year! I wish I could write more quickly. But I’m like you in that the story can take over my mind (when I’m not with the kids). I was leaving to go write earlier today and I backed into my husband’s car with my car. He was thrilled. I really need to finish this book. ;)

But you could possibly bribe me with a copy of Wolfsbane. ;)

Ha! Thanks, Ally :)

Thanks for letting me stop by, Andrea! And huge congrats on the success of Nightshade!

Thanks to Ally for being here and thanks also to Penguin, which is giving away two copies of Matched to blog readers. Just leave a comment below and you will be entered in the giveaway!!!

57 comments:

  1. Great interview! I just finished Matched and I hadn't really thought about the whole pet thing. It was kind of eerie how absent sound was in their neighborhood. I already have the book, but that would be an amazing Christmas present for my someone. :)

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  2. Hi :)
    Thank you for the great interview with Ally and to Ally for sharing here. I learned a lot more about the book than I had read before. It is a very intriguing story.
    All the best,
    RKCharron

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  3. Awesome interview!! I liked the pet question, as I didn't even pick up on on the fact that they're aren't any pets.

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  4. Wonderful interview! Thanks so much for taking the time to interview and post! I can't wait to get my hands on Matched!!

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  5. Sorry, forgot my e-mail: amandatheaker@gmail.com. Thanks :)

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  6. I have had matched on my radar for awhile now. The cover looks spectacular. I love the concept of the story and am very interested in reading it for myself.

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  7. Ohh, I cannot wait to read Matched! Thank you for the wonderful interview and the amazing giveaway!

    -Linds, bibliophile brouhaha
    bibliophile[dot]brouhaha[at]gmail[dot]com

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  8. Great interview. I don't think I consciously noticed the lack of pets, though now that it's been mentioned it totally makes sense!

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  9. Thank you for the great interview!! and the chance to win...I would love to read this book:)

    foxchick0323(at)live(dot)com

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  10. So excited to read Matched! Thanks for the awesomesauce interview!

    gillieneong[at]gmail[dot]com

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  11. I would love to win a copy! I'm looking forward to reading it.

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  12. I cannot wait to read this book! I am desperately looking forward to another Katniss heroine! ;)

    cwtigerlily@yahoo.com

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  13. What a fun interview! I can't wait to read this book! Thanks so much for the interview and giveaway! :)

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  14. Great interview! Love the questions :) I've really been looking forward to reading this one.

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  15. This book sounds very similar to Delirium by Lauren Oliver, I have read Delirium and cannot wait to read this one! And she is having her Opening Party right here in my town! yay

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  16. I'dve totally picked a purple dress for the matching event. Or maybe blue...or a deep green. :)

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  17. I really really REALLY want a copy of matched, you know.

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  18. I've been waiting to read Matched for awhile, been on my TBR list for a long time!

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  19. Great interview Andrea, I haven't heard that there were no animals yet, sounds creepy. I'm basically living off of interviews and reviews of Matched until I can either scrape up enough spending money to buy it OR do more dishes and earn more points... long story. Thanks for the interview and giveaway! :)

    smartin_90 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com

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  20. I am so excited to read Matched! Thanks for posting this interview! :)

    Emily ebdye1(at)gmail(dot)com

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  21. I can't wait to read this book. Thanks for the interview!

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  22. Great interview! I cannot wait to read Matched, it looks sooooo good :) Thanks for the great interview and the chance to win!

    jaidahsmommy(AT)comcast(DOT)com

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  23. Great interview I can't wait to read it heard great thingd about it. Thank you for the chance!
    tishajean@charter.net

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  24. Heard so many great things about this one. Can't wait to read it.
    vlfink@msn.com

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  25. Matched looks to be an interesting book. I can only imagine living in a place where you have no control over yourself. I wouldn't want to live there. Can't wait to read the book :)

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  26. Pick me up, please! I wanna read Matche so badly. :D meli_963@hotmail.com

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  27. I would love to win a copy! THanks!

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  28. I really love this interview. Such a great insight to behind the scenes book writing. Plus, I'm a little inspired right now because it takes me so long to get to writing too. I've never even finished a novel and I've started so many. I'm glad to know even published authors take their time writing!

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  29. Please enter me, I'm dying to read Matched!
    juiceb0xx at hotmail dot com

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  30. Lovely interview! Really want to read Matched, thanks for the opportunity to win it!



    Van
    Littopandaxpress(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  31. I really liked this interview! I also LOVE the cover of the book! Also the no having pets rule. I would be so upset. I can't wait to read the book!

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  32. I have been dying to read this book since the first day I heard about it!! Awesome interview. Can't wait to see if this book is waiting for me under the Christmas tree!! If not...it WILL be bought after Christmas!! :D

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  33. Interesting to know about the green dress. Sad to know about the pets! I can't imagine a life without pets.
    If this giveaway is international, then I would like to be entered. If not, then that's okay, too! I don't have any problems with buying the book myself after reading all the positive reviews on it.

    ayleejaine@gmail.com

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  34. I can not wait to read this book! I have a totally irrational fear of running out of good books to read, and it sounds like if I lived in Cassia's world, I'd have reason to be afraid!

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  35. awesome interview:)thank u for doing this:):)
    Please enter me in the giveaway it would be amazing:)Keep up the great work:)Even If I dont win the giveaway the book is going to be under my Christmas tree for sure:)

    olgara18@hotmail.om

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  36. Great interview! I can't wait to read Matched! I've only heard good things about it.

    minas_1989(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  37. The Society kinda reminds me of Hitler and his plan to takeover peoples lives and stuff during World War 2

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  38. Your book, Matched, sounds AH-MAY-ZING! I can't wait to read it (:

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  39. This book is sounding more and more fabulous! Can't wait to get it!

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  40. Great interview:) Now I can't wait to read Matched and know more about the said Society! Thanks for this contest!:)

    sylvia_uy4(at)yahoo(Dot)com

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  41. Wow! I've been seeing rave reviews and mega bunches of chats about this latest great hit! Would love the chance to win!

    mleger0546ATrogersDOTcom

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  42. Awesome interview! It really got me interested in the book; now I'm going to have to go add it to my long list of books to read (:

    E-mail: hunangirl33(AT)msn(DOT)com

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  43. Great interview! I was already interested in the book beforehand but I'm even more interested now! Definitely going in my wishlist, and so is the sequel! :)

    E-mail: crystalnote0428@hotmail.com

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  44. I am DYING to read this book! (:
    Thanks for the interview! :D
    It'd be awesome to win the giveaway <3

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  45. I've heard reviews of this book a lot, and I've really wanted to read it!

    Email: victoria.z8@hotmail.com

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  46. Thanks for the interview! I can't wait to read this. The cover looks amazing.

    Email: skizzoid123(at)aim(dot)com

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  47. oh! oh! pick me! pick me!

    clderwee at gmail dot com

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  49. Really looking forward to this one - thanks for the giveaway!

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  50. Sounds like this is a fantastic read... thank you for the opportunity to win a copy!! Can't wait!

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  51. So excited to read this book.
    squirelgirl94 (at) yahoo (dot) ca

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  52. I'm really looking forward to reading this! I think the idea of the 100 item list is fascinating to contemplate. With all the millions of works available, both in printed word and visual/audio, how could one begin to choose? Especially when that choice effects an entire society. That, right there, is straight up evil, if you ask me.

    zandila at gmail dot com

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