Ally Condie sat down with William Kenower of Author Magazine at Cascade Middle School in Everett, WA to discuss her unicorn novels, teaching and the MATCHED trilogy.

Hollywood Crush: Did you know right away that you’d need to write “Crossed” from both Cassia and Ky’s perspectives. Did that pose any challenges?
Ally Condie: I knew right away. I just didn’t see how there was any other way to do it geographically. And their experiences were so important. I kind of thought of the first book as Cassia’s book and she changes a lot. But this book I always thought of as Ky’s book. Cassia is very important; she’s still definitely the main character in this series, but this is the book where we finally get to know Ky, and I knew there wasn’t any way to do it if it weren’t in his mind.

It was challenging. I feel like Ky keeps things close to the vest, even with himself in some ways, so it was kind of hard sometimes to get his voice down on paper and tell me a little bit. Otherwise it was easy. I feel like he’s a pretty straightforward guy. Mostly it was just fun to have a new perspective and discover him a little bit.

Find the rest of the interview at MTV’s Hollywood Crush

JC: Most of the action in the first book takes place inside the Society, where everything from the food people eat to the music they hear to the people they marry has been pre-selected. Why does Cassia need to escape the Society in “Crossed?”

AC: It’s one thing to say, “I choose love, I choose freedom,” but we need to see her doing something about that. Within the constraints of the Society, it’s hard. I wanted her to break free and sort of feel the pain and the difficulty of the choices she’d made and also the freedom.

JC: The choices Cassia faces are about obeying Society rules and also choosing her true love — Xander or Ky, both of whom are really likable. You’ve said you patterned both characters after your husband. Can you tell us more about that?

AC:In my own life, I’m pretty good at choosing between good and bad. It’s the choices between good and good I find the most difficult to make. I wanted the characters to be appealing and interesting so it would be a difficult decision, not just a shoo-in. One of the things I’ve always liked about my husband is he’s very good at lots of stuff. He was an English teacher when I met him. He wrote poetry and played the guitar. As time went on, he decided to go into economics, so he’s very analytical and mathematical in addition to his artsy side. I gave Xander the more analytical and charismatic characteristics and Ky is the more mysterious, Renaissance man.

Check out the rest of the interview to learn more about the Outer Provinces and more!

Matched recently came in at number 6 on the Teens’ Top Ten List this year and is featured as part of YALSA’s 31 Days of Authors!

Like many readers, I am anxiously awaiting the release of Crossed next month. Can you give us a hint about what is in store for Cassia?

Yes! Cassia is about to discover more of the world–and she’ll also learn more about herself, what she’s capable of feeling and accomplishing. We’re also going to hear Ky’s side of the story, as he tells the story in Crossed along with Cassia. I can tell you that things are not going to be easy for them, and that she’s going to question everything–including whether or not she correctly interpreted the poem that Grandfather gave her in Matched. 

You can read some of the other great questions Summer Hayes asked Ally Condie about Matched at YALSA!

Teen Read week started in 1998 by the Young Adult Library Service’s Association and to celebrate StorySnoops had the chance to interview Ally Condie about MATCHED and CROSSED.

We loved Matched, which struck us as part dystopian lit, part romance lit. The dystopian genre is a bit of a departure from your past work. Are you drawn to that genre in particular, or did the story that you wanted to tell lead you there?

All my other novels are contemporary YA, but when I got the idea for Matched, I knew it had to take place in a world that was a bit different from ours. So you could say that the story, and Cassia, led me to the dystopian genre for this novel.

Check out StorySnoops for the rest of the interview to find out what Ally’s favorite books to teach are, what book is on her nightstand now, and she answers a fan question as well!

Paperback Dolls recently interviewed Ally Condie about her involvement with the Smart Chicks Kick It tour

What made you decide to participate in the Smart Chicks Kick It Tour this year?

I admire the authors on this tour very much and LOVE the premise of the tour–that smart girls are important to read, write about, and be! I was very, very honored when they invited me.

To read the rest of their interview, visit Paperback Dolls!

“To be frank, I never thought about writing anything else,” she said of young adult fiction. “It was just when I sat down to write, it was always young adult stories that came out. I think part of that was because that was my world for so long. I really did love teaching. That was kind of a natural progression for me, to write for the kids that I used to teach.”

The Greenville News recently published an article about Ally Condie and the world of MATCHED. The article discusses everything from why she writes for teens, how she came up with MATCHED and more. Read the whole article at the Greenville News Online.

Head over to Spinebreakers to find out which character Ally would want to be, her inspiration behind the pills and more!

@MiaMamone: Will Xander be playing a large role in Crossed?
Xander definitely has a role in Crossed. That’s all I dare say. Don’t want to be too spoiler-y.

@Booksatruestory: What other YA dystopian novels have influenced you (if any)? Giver by Lois Lowry reminds me of Matched. Have you read it?
I have! I loved it. But the two dystopian novels that have influenced me the most are 1984 and Fahrenheit 451.

@YABookQueen: Why did you decide to write in dual POV’s (Cassia and Ky) for Crossed?
There was really no other way to tell the story. And I feel like Crossed is Ky’s turn to tell what’s happened to him.

@JJiReads: How did you come up with the idea of The Society?
I built the Society around the Match Banquet. I thought, “What gov. would exist for a world like this to take place?

@peachandblue: Do you know how the series is gonna end?
Absolutely!

@whoaaitskristi: Are there any scenes or characters that didn’t end up in published version of Matched? Anything you can share?
There are some scenes that were cut. All the characters stayed in. Will have to ask if I can share.

@beachtwin110: We just finished Fahrenheit 451 in Language Arts. What elements influenced you?
Mostly the creepy feel and the burning of books. The scene at the library in Matched is an homage to F451

@melissa1lbr: I’m wondering if we learn in Crossed how Ky’s image made it onto her screen 
I really really want to answer this but I think it might be too spoilery. Great question though!

@Yume_Kai: Was there an influence for the beautiful name Cassia?
My sister found the name for me. I love that it’s a botanical name and a name that’s classical but unusual.

@robbiebear03: Is the deal with some people being immune to the pill’s effects going to be explained soon?
I’m afraid you’ll have to wait and see!

@youngbooklove: Who would be your crush, Xander or Ky?
Both. I based them both on my husband.

@JJiReads: do you think “matching” and “sorting” would be beneficial in some real life applications?
In a way, we’re already doing it with online dating etc. I think it could be beneficial in some ways but it’s still scary

@beachtwin110: how do you outline (if you do)? do you believe in writing chronologically or out of order?
I write out of order and I don’t outline, but that’s just what works for me

@nikkipickles45: What was your favorite part about writing Crossed?
I loved writing Ky’s voice/telling his story and the setting of #Crossed

@peachandblue: do you already have a title picked out for book three?
Not that I can share yet. But will post it when I do

@xoDori: Is there really going to be a MATCHED movie?
We’ll see! Disney has optioned the rights and hired screenwriters but that’s as far as we’ve gotten.

@miamamone: Will there be another wise, thoughtful figure, someone like Cassia’s Grandfather, in Crossed?
Not so much. They are on their own a bit in this book.

@GSpiegelerbooks: what we can expect in the next book?
Two points of view, more action (of both varieties!)  and an awesome setting.

@Megzarooni: Who is your favourite charater(s) to write about?
I always liked Bram.  But Cassia’s voice is my fave to write in.

@XoDori: are you working on the 3rd book to the MATCHED series already?
Yes!

@Raidswindmills: What part of the Society do you personally find most haunting?
All the stuff that Cassia doesn’t yet know. Where are the animals? Why can only certain people mate? etc.

@mientraslees: What do you know about the upcoming movie adaptation of your novel? Any news?
Nothing new yet!

@forsomebody: How do you organize all of the information for your novels? Do you have special notebooks, or do you just go with the flow?
I have a giant word document that I keep everything in. That’s it. Not very efficient, I know.

@XoDori: are you team Ky or team Xander? 
Team Both. I know it’s a copout but it’s true. I love them both.

@WeLoveDystopian:I have a fictional crush on Ky  I love that he is artsy. Do you have crushes on any fictional book characters?
YES. Atticus Finch.

@GopherLibrarian: What made you decide on 100 books, songs, etc. Do you actually have a list of what they are?
I don’t!Because the Society’s list would be different than mine and I think making their list would B tedious.

@YABookQueen: Which supporting/secondary character was your favorite to write in Matched or Crossed?
In Matched, it was Bram. In #Crossed, it’s a new character named Indie.

@EverafterEsther: I loved the 2 POVs in Crossed; I wonder if you found it hard to write switching from Cassia to Ky’s POV?
Sometimes! I found that I had to either write in Cassia’s voice or Ky’s on a given day to stay in the right mode.

@Mockingjaypin: How did you pick your character’s names?
I look for names that are classical &have meaning for what the characters will do in the story. Then tweak spelling.

@AnnaLindsey: Do you use any particular writing software to organize your thoughts, or do you go old school with pen and paper?
Pretty old school. I take lots of notes on post its and just write notes right in the document too.

@tarajan98: Where did you get the idea for the society controlling all aspects of peoples lives?
I’m a parent and I’d love to control my kids/keep them safe, but I know it would be toxic.

@peachandblue: what color do you hope the cover of book three will be?
Red!

@whoaaitskristi: What would you say came first for you: the storyline or the characters? Or some blend of both?
Both. I had the opening scene and Cassia come to me at the same time.

@beachtwin110: Thanks! I write out of order and was wondering if it might end up disorganized but yours is so polished! Helped a lot.
Well, I do have to go through it literally hundreds of times to get it that way. I’m a very sloppy drafter.

@xoDori: what inspired you to write MATCHED?
The short answer: my husband.

@melissa1lbr: I know you said Crossed has scenes set in S. Utah – any particular locations that make an appearance?
I based parts of the geography on Capitol Reef, Zion Natl Park, Bicknell Bottoms, slot canyons, & my yard growing up.

@xoDori: what’s your fave scene from MATCHED? 
I’ve always really liked the kiss.

@ShadowGirl_: When are we going to find out the title of book 3?
I honestly have no idea. But will post as SOON as I can!

@Megzaroonie: Where did you get the idea of having people only live to 80?
It’s when my own grandparents started to decline. It was really hard to watch.

@JJiReads: how do you feel abt the current trend of movies based on YA lit? Do you think it encourages teens to read more?
I think it’s really, really fun. And yes, I think its does encourage teens to read more.

@nikkipickles45: What is it like writing about a futuristic society?
VERY fun. I love making up the rules of the Society (even though I would never want to live there)!

@MelysahBunting: Is Cassia based on you? Were you to be Matched so to speak? A “based on a true story?”
She’s not based on me. But I did get to choose my own guy, I love to run, and I had really wonderful grandparents.

@YABookQueen: When it comes to characters, do you usually know their names first or their personalities?
Personalities. I don’t know why that is.

@WeLoveDystopian: I loved seeing the poems/quotes throughout Matched. Will you continue using these in Crossed & book three?
Yes! Some of the same poems, and some new. And paintings play a big role in this one.

@forsomebody: Will the love triangle between Cassia, Xander, and Ky continue throughout the rest of the trilogy?
Yes, it will.

@vbartles: Are any of your characters based on people you know in real life?
Sometimes. The character Vick in #Crossed is based on a mashup of my brother and brother-in-law.

@xoDori: is there a playlist you made to help inspire certain parts of MATCHED/CROSSED?
Yes! The #matched playlist is on my website and I’ve started posting some of the #crossed songs on my blog too

@GSpiegelerBooks: what inspired you to write about dystopia?
I had the idea for the Banquet and I knew that it would have to take place in a dystopian society.

@xoDori: what do you do when you have writers block?
I go for a run or play with my kids or read something else (usually British murder mysteries)

@miamamone: Did any of your own children inspire Bram’s character, or others in Crossed?
Not really. My kids are all younger than Bram. But maybe they will grow up to be like him!

@danica_page: What was the most rewarding part of writing Matched?
Writing the ending.At that point I had no idea who would ever read it,but I felt happy I saw it through to the finish

@Emwatkins: When you first starting writing this trilogy, did you already have most events planned and what was going to happen in each book?
Not when I started writing! I was just playing and having fun and writing one book. I thought.

@peachandblue: do you listen to music or something when you write?
I like it quiet when I write, but I listen to music when I revise.

@Megzarooni: lf you lived in the Society what would your artifact and banquet dress be?
I’d pick my engagement ring and my dress would be blue.

@xoDori: were the characters inspired somewhat by people you actually know?
Some are. Like Vick in #Crossed and #Grandfather in #Matched !

@EverafterEsther: any reason you picked a green dress for Cassia to wear to her Matched banquet?
I thought it was a color not everyone picked. And I like the symbolism of green & it ties to the tablet.

@whoaaitskristi: Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
Keep going. Give yourself time to get good. And write what you care about most.

@aliciaisakimi: Why did you choose blue for the cover of crossed?
You’ll see.  And it has something to do with the tablet, and with water and rivers…

@DeathStarPsycho: When trying to get your 1st book published, did you get rejected? If so, how many times?
Yes, it was rejected dozens of times. I just liked writing too much to give up.

@xoDori: how did you come with the names Cassia, Ky and Xander?
I loved their meanings and the classical but modern feel of the names.

@CaryCheyenneXO: Who’s your favorite character that you’ve written? 
I really like Ky, Cassia, and Xander, but have found myself very intrigued by Indie. I never know what she’ll do.

@Nikkipickles45: What was your inspiration behind Matched? Where did you get the ideas for the book?
Long answer on my website. Short answer: my husband.

@miamamone: Have you read Delirium? I feel like that world is a crossover between Matched and The Hunger Games.
Haven’t read Delirium, but read Oliver’s Before I Fall and LOVED it

@MelysahBunting: If you could be Matched to a celebrity, who’d it be?
Ooh. I think Jake Gyllenhaal. He has those really sweet, sad eyes

@xoDori: how is there going to be a cliff hanger ending in CROSSED? 
Yes and no. I think there’s a strong sense of arrival, but everything isn’t tied up yet–we have another book to go!

@paperreader: Does the Enemy have something to do with pre-Society, or is the Enemy just that – an antagonistic group? 
I can’t tell you too much without being spoilery, but you will learn more and more about the Enemy as we go on

@nikkipickles45: Who is your favorite character and why?
I like Cassia. Because she’s just a normal girl making really brave decisions in kind of a quiet way.

@GSpiegelerBooks: Where do you get names for your characters? That would help me a lot!
I just think of them–or I look in baby name books. I love baby name books.

@WeLoveDystopian: Am I right in thinking the Society has ulterior motives for collecting samples for the Biol.Preservation Dept?
Yes, yes you just might be

@jenni_elyse: Do you have any plans for future series or books once Matched is complete? If so, can you tell us a little about them?
I have so many ideas for things I’d like to write next. I can’t wait! But I can’t tell you much about them yet.

@GopherLibrarian: I think reading dystopia can be like learning from your mistakes before they’re actually made
That is so true. And it’s a much more comfortable way to learn.

@aliciasakimi: Out of all the genres out there why did you chose to write dystopian?
It was the only one that fit the story I wanted to tell in the way I wanted to tell it. Hope that makes sense.

@melissa1lbr: Any particularly trends in our society that have you thinking we’re headed for a dystopian future of some sort?
Sometimes I get kind of freaked out by how much info random people have about our lives.

@JJiReads: did you always know Matched was going to be a trilogy, since you thought up the idea of the book?
Nope! I started it as a stand-alone. But by the time I finished it I thought, “There’s more here.”

@peachandblue: are you working on anything after the Matched trilogy?
Yes, but I’m not allowed to talk about it yet.

@Megzarooni: I love the idea of the three tablets! How did you come up with them and did they originally do what they do now?
The tablets surprised me. I was writing along and then they just sort of popped up in her compact.

@xoDori: do you have a preferred snack to eat while writing like other authors do?
Fernwood Mint Sandwiches. They seem to be only available here in Utah. I LOVE THEM.

@nikkipickles45: Did anyone inspire Cassia’s character?
Not anyone in particular, but I’ve always admired those quiet strong women who just do what’s right.

@xoDori: When writing MATCHED did you know you wanted the main character to have a love triangle dilemma?
No I didn’t.That actually came rather late in the game.At first I thought Xander was just a friend. But then he loved her!

@EverafterEsther: you probably can’t answer this yet  but does Cassia ever take the red tablet? (not whether it works on her or not)
I’m so sorry but I can’t answer. Great question though.

@xoDori: would you ever do a novel with a diff POV? Like a novel of how Ky or Xander felt? Or Grandfather before he died?
Yes, I would. And it’s called #Crossed.

@MelysahBunting: What was your inspiration for the location of Oria and other Provinces, or did you just imagine them up?
I think of Oria as kind of midwest-y. If you look at the names of the Provinces, you can get a hint.

@whoaaitskristi: If you had to work out the details for an entire novel, which would you choose to help: post-its or flash cards?
I love the stickiness of post its. You can put them anywhere!

@GSpiegelerBooks: Any advice for young writers?
Yes! Keep writing, every day if you can. Lead a life that is interesting to you.

@Megzarooni: What is your most memorable experience as an author?
A former student of mine found out I was an author and wrote me the nicest e-mail ever. That was a great one

@MLitteral: what are you hoping people will like about the next book
I hope they like hearing Ky’s story. I hope they like seeing Cassia grow and change.

@nikkipickles45: If there was one thing you could change about Matched, something you didn’t want to happen but did, what would it be?
I was really sad when they took the artifacts away.

@xoDori: are you doing a book tour for CROSSED? 
Yes! Details are over at my website.

@GSpiegelerBooks:when you write you hear your characters voice?
Yes I do! And it’s like I’m there watching what they do.

@DeathStarPsycho: Do you use paper or a computer to write
Both! I draft on the computer, and take notes on paper.

@JJiReads: do you have any actors in mind you’d like to play Cassia and Ky?
Not really. I’m too old! I’m 33 so I can think of people to play the parents.

@ShadowGirl_: Will we learn more about Ky’s mysterious background in #Crossed?
Yes, ABSOLUTELY.

@elaraesque: Has the Society found a way to control the weather yet? What exactly don’t they have control of yet?
They definitely cannot control the weather, or the natural environment. Great question!

Matched by Ally Condie is sold in over 30 countries and had a first run printing of 250,000 copies. So many fans have asked us about the mysterious cover model and the beautiful dress that she is wearing. The-Society recently had a chance to interview Samantha Aide, the cover model for both the Matched and Crossed covers, and we are delighted to share her answers with you!

First of all, how were you approached about being on the cover of Matched and Crossed?
Theresa from Penguin emailed me about possibly doing the photography for the book cover of Matched. The dress I wore for the cover of Matched is what caught their eye initially. They spotted this photo of mine on Flickr, wearing “The Dress” and well after a short wait, I was contracted to do the photography for the book covers.

Let’s get technical for a moment, Ally said in an article that you actually took this photo of yourself. What is that process like?
It’s really a process of trial and error at first, after that it’s all fairly easy.

I’m able to take these full body photos of myself, by myself, with the use of a wireless remote. I plug the transmitter into my camera and then I have the remote in my hand, and I’m all set, I press the remote’s shutter button and then 3 seconds later my camera takes a photo. I set my camera on a 3 second timer so that I have time to ‘hide’ my remote so I can put my hands where ever they need to be in the photo.

I take a lot of trial shots to figure out all the little details that make up the photo. From where I need to position myself, how I want props positioned, how I want my outfit to look, the lighting, the crop of the photos, etc. Once I have everything figured out, I just try to slightly change something between each shot and shoot away.

What are the photoshoots like for the covers? Where was it shot?
I did the photo shoots right in my home. Since there wasn’t a specific background needed for the photos, it was really just a matter of setting up my equipment, switching outfits and then shooting the photos. I just had to convince my dog that he wasn’t needed in the photo shoots as he sometimes thought a napping dog was needed in some of the [shots].
Since I’m not really showing my face in either of the current book covers, the fun and interesting part of the photo shoots was trying to convey the emotions of the Cassia only thru my body language.

Were you able to read the book beforehand or were you told what they wanted for the covers? Do you have creative control or was someone else there to assist?
I was given a small summary of the book, just so I could get a sense of the setting and feeling of Cassia. Which felt like such a tease afterward, because after doing the photos I really wanted to read the whole book.

There was already an idea of how the Matched book cover was going to look, so I was asked to just try different ways to express the ‘trapped’ emotion. So a lot of that emotion had to come from my body language since my face isn’t shown in either of the covers.

What kind of equipment do you use?
I am Canon girl so I use a Canon XSi that was given to me by my husband. For lenses I switch between my nifty fifty (50mm F1.4) and my 24-105mm. All my other stuff is basic photography equipment… tripod, remote, backdrop etc.
As for editing, I work my magic in Photoshop.

Have you had a chance to meet Ally condie?
Unfortunately I haven’t had a chance to meet her, though I’d love to. I’m hoping she comes to my area sometime so I can stop by and have [her] sign one of my copies of Matched.

Everyone is in love with that green dress! There have been a lot of fans wondering where they could get one for their prom. Recently, Ally said that it was actually a white dress that was later edited for the cover. Where did you find this beautiful dress?
I found the dress about 4 years ago, listed online by a wedding boutique. The dress is actually an ivory/light gold colored wedding dress by one of my favorite Dress Designers (Maggie Sottero). After I bought the dress, my crafty Mother-In-Law and I altered the dress so I could wear it to the Marine Corps Birthday Ball, without the long wedding train…

After the wearing the dress to the military ball, I hung onto it and began using it as an outfit for photo shoots. It has this almost princess feel to it, so it works out perfectly for the whimsical fairytale photos I try to create. If fans are really wanting to wear the dress to prom, I’ve seen the dress available at a couple online boutiques, otherwise if anyone has a super crafty relative, the could consider trying to replicate the dress. I thought the dress had a name, like most Maggie Sottero dress do however it seems it only has a dress number, #J8031.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
Inspiration comes from a lot of places. Sometimes I will be sitting at work listening to music and a lyric will catch my attention and an idea will pop into my head for a new image to create. So I’ll do a little doodle on paper of my idea so that I don’t forget it and then go later I’ll try to create the image. Other times I’ll be looking at an art magazine and I’ll see a color palette an artist used in a painting and I’ll try to figure out how to use those similar colors in an image of mine.

I’m also a big fan of whimsical, fairytale, mythical stuff…so I try to put a little whimsical almost princess like twist on my images…

What is your favorite book?
Oh, that’s a toughie. See I have this thing where when I go book shopping I sometimes just find a book that has an eye-catching cover. I’ll read the little story summary on the jacket and if it sounds interesting I’ll buy the book. So in a sense I’m going against the age old saying of “never judge a book by its cover”….its terrible, I know but its like a little surprise, cause sometimes I’ll come across a author I’ve never heard of before, and I’ll end up loving their book and then go searching for more of their books. Other times I’ll end up learning a whole lot from a book and other times I’ll be totally flabbergasted by a book.

However some of my favorite books have come from doing this exact process. Like The Host, by Stephenie Meyer(I read this book before I was aware she was the reason behind the Twilight craze), The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf, and one of my favorite books that I read when I was in 8th grade, Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O’Brien.

Do you have a website or other social media that fans can visit?
Right now my photography is only on Flickr. I’m working on starting my own website that showcases my photography as well as my hand-made items.

Fans are absolutely in love with the cover of both Matched and Crossed, will you also be on the cover of the third book?
I believe I’m still scheduled to do the cover for the third book. However I haven’t been given any of the juicy details as to what the direction will be for the cover.

Is there anything else you would like to say to all the Matched fans out there?
I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone from Ally, to the folks at Penguin, and to all the fans of books. I hope everyone enjoys the book covers as much as they enjoy the books!

Finally, if you have read the books, are you Team Ky or Team Xander?
I’m all about Team Ky.

Thank you so much for allowing us to interview you Samantha!