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Friday, September 23, 2016

Interview with Daniel Sweren-Becker, debut author of The Ones

Hey guys, today I want to introduce you to Daniel Sweren-Becker, debut author of The Ones! If you haven't checked out his book (shame on you), check out the info below and I hope you enjoy our interview! ^_^


The Ones by Daniel Sweren-Becker
Publisher: Imprint/Macmillan
Pub. Date: September 6, 2016
Buy it: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Cody has always been proud of being a One. She and her boyfriend James were two of the lucky babies from the 1% of the U.S. population that were randomly selected to benefit from genetic engineering. Now, she and the rest of The Ones are excelling. They are healthy, beautiful, and talented. They aren't otherworldly, just perfect. And to some, that's not fair. The Equality Movement, capitalizing on the growing fear and jealousy, gains political traction and actually outlaws their existence. Society shows its darker side as The Ones are marginalized. The line between right and wrong blurs in the face of injustice and Cody becomes closer to a group of radical Ones intent on fighting back. James begins to fear just how far she is willing to go for the cause.





When did you first know that you wanted to be an author?

Daniel: Maybe it was around three years old, when I thought I could “read” picture books, but was really just narrating my own version of the story.  And then many more times, whenever I finished a book that made me put it down and just say “whoa.”

What is the scariest thing you’ve ever done for fun?


Daniel: Go down a natural “water slide”, which is really just a crazy stretch of rapids that you go down without a boat.

What authors and/or books have influenced you the most, and in what way?

Daniel: When I was young: S.E Hinton, Roald Dahl, Gary Paulsen.
When I was little older: Larry McMurtry, Flannery O’Connor, Tim O’Brien.
Nowadays: Don DeLillo, Cormac McCarthy, Elizabeth Kolbert.

I don’t know if there is a grand unifying theme here, but many of these authors do a great job of
blending really serious subjects with a dark sense of humor.

What are your favorite and least favorite types of scenes to write, and why?

Daniel: To paraphrase another writer whose name escapes me, I love writing scenes when two characters are arguing, and both of them are actually right.  Not only is this great fun for the reader, but it’s also easier for to write!

Least favorite is exposition.  Not only is it boring to read and write, but if you find yourself doing it too much, it’s also a sign that you have problems elsewhere.

Which of your own characters do you identify with the most? 

Daniel: I probably identify with James.  We are both cautious and deliberate and love playing devil’s advocate.

What fictional character (could be from a book, movie, or TV show, etc) that is not your own do you identify with the most?

Daniel: I could pretend otherwise, but anyone else would insist on Jerry Seinfeld, for good and for bad.

What is your favorite non-spoilerly line from you own book?

Daniel: Good question!  I’d have to pick two, one poetic: “To see these two run together was like watching a pair of hawks carve through the air or two dolphins crest a wave.”
And one angry: “the accommodators, the collaborators, the silent cowards, and the naked perpetrators: they were all the same now.”

Do you have any advice to aspiring authors out there? 

Daniel: Write as often as possible.  Read the news everyday – truth is stranger than fiction.  Try forms you don’t even know you’re interested in.  Join a writers group to hold you accountable and provide some low-stakes critiques.  Most of all, remember that every writer has many, many bad ideas and bad drafts that they have to get rid of.  Try getting through all that junk as quickly as possible!



Daniel Sweren-Becker is a New York-born, Los Angeles-based television writer, author and playwright. He honed his craft at fine institutions like New Horizons Daycare Center, The Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Wesleyan University, and NYU. His handwriting has yet to stop him.
Connect with Daniel: Twitter | Instagram




Thank you, Daniel, for being on Brittany's Book Rambles today! 

Did you guys like our interview? Have you heard of The Ones? Is it on your TBR? Let me know ^_^

6 comments:

  1. I hadn't seen this book until a few days ago and I have come across it being talked about several times since then, so it is definitely gaining momentum quickly! Thanks for the author interview. :)

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  2. This is a book I've been interested in for awhile! I love hearing the authors suggestions for aspiring writers as well. That is something I always want to ask authors. Thanks for sharing this!

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  3. This is such a great interview! I read The Ones and really enjoyed it! It's kind of scary how relevant it is and what a fabulous social commentary it is. I love books that, while fiction, can really make you think about things that are actually happening in the world, and be eerily plausible. Thanks for sharing this fabulous interview :)

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  4. Lovely post Brittany :D Thank you for sharing about this book. <3 Not for me, but looks pretty awesome :D

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  6. The annotation sounds pretty interesting for me. Usually we face with different situation: when the outcasts fight with the pseudo-utopia society. And here the perfect one needs to fight. Something new and I like it. Hope I could pick this book as one f the topics for narrative essay for my college

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