My two friends Cait (@PaperFury) and Sky (@SkyOfTheTiger) do this cool link-up every October (#NaNoPrep month for many of us writers) where writers can share their latest book projects. So, I’m going to do this for The Matchmakers (even though I should’ve had this done months ago and already be working on Shattered Glass by now).
1. What inspired the idea for your novel, and how long have you had the idea? I’ve had this idea since senior year of high school when I was at a mandatory health seminar about the neuroscience of attraction. The lecturer was talking about dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin, and an experiment where an injection of oxytocin caused voles to mate for life after being exposed to each other right after.
2. Describe what your novel is about! It’s a dystopian world where science has become law of the land. There’s no more religion, superstition, or the worry about “falling in love.” Through arranged marriages, the government maintains the post-WWIII peace and everyone gets Matched to someone without any heartbreak. 3. What is your book’s aesthetic? Use words or photos or whatever you like!
Very modern, kind of like The Hunger Games‘ Capitol meets Starfleet Headquarters. It’s futuristic, more than a bit fascist, and a seemingly perfect utopia with lots of different types of technology depending on the country.
4. Introduce us to each of your characters! Rosemary Katherine Young, also known as “Romy,” is the main character. She is the daughter of a lawyer and politician. Unlike so many other dystopian heroines, she doesn’t want to believe that anything is wrong in the society, and never fully takes up arms like Katniss or Tris.
Henry Alden Clark is the President’s son, is next to be in line, and Romy’s Match. He is a good son, is kind and understanding to Romy, and equally as ignorant as her of The Heartland’s dark secrets at the start of the book.
5. How do you prepare to write? (Outline, research, stocking up on chocolate, howling, etc.?) I outline, research on the fly, and eat a lot of chips and chocolate. I’m a college student with a fast metabolism, what can I say?
6. What are you most looking forward to
7. List 3 things about your novel’s setting. International, urban, futuristic.
8. What’s your character’s goal and who (or what) stands in the way? Rosemary’s goal is to clear her sister of high treason. Evidence, the government, and her own doubt stand in her way.
9. How does your protagonist change by the end of the novel? She’s disillusioned, is more practical, and more assertive.
10. What are your book’s themes? How do you want readers to feel when the story is over? The two main themes are emotions give us our humanity and knowledge is power (for better or worse). A third is everything is not what it seems.
DYSTOPIAN SCIENCE/CHEMICALLY ENGINEERED SOULMATES, YESSS. This sounds like a great project, I wish you luck with it!
Thank you! Whenever I hear someone else is excited about this project, it just makes me even happier to write it. If you want to be a beta reader for me, you can sign up on the Hoffman Helper page (http://zarahoffman.com/Hoffman-Helpers)
Ooh, sounds interesting! I love that you’re going from the POV of someone who thinks society is fine. That’s a really unique twist on the old dystopians, right?! 😀 And I totally relate to outlining but researching on the fly. Me tooo. (If I even research hahhah. I usually save that for crying over second drafts. I’m so bad!) And YES to chocolate! It’s crucial for the writing experience 😉
Thanks for joining in and best of luck writing this!
I’m glad you think so! As to the new twist, it’s one compared to all the dystopians I’ve read (and that’s a lot). I save research for crying in EVERY subsequent draft *bows head in shame.* What type of chocolate do you like best?