so, about that tagline for DUALED. if you’ve seen pics of the cover or actually have a physical ARC, you’ll note the tagline on the front cover is this:
you or your alt?
only one will survive.
there’s been a lot of love for this tagline; i love it, my publisher loves it, bloggers and readers thus far seem to love it, too.
but sometimes that’s not enough. especially when it comes to book buyers–the guys who decide what to buy to sell in their stores. and while the word “alt” makes perfect sense within the context of DUALED’s plot, for someone who doesn’t know the plot, it’s been decided the word falls on the vague side.
to be honest, i was a bit disappointed at the idea of losing the tagline. but the thing is, just like the guys in charge of cover art know what works and doesn’t work for a jacket, buyers know a helluva a lot more than me when it comes to stuff like this. and taglines? it’s incredibly hard to come up with one that’s succinct, memorable, fitting–and having to fit within tight space constraints at the same time, too. so to the team at random house children’s books who came up with not only one great tagline but two? you guys are brilliant. the new tagline that will be on the covers of the finished copies:
two of you exist.
only one will survive.
i think it’s absolutely perfect. thanks so very much to those who worked on coming up with it!
also, i found out that voice actress alicyn packard will be narrating DUALED for the audio edition! we’ve talked on twitter and she’s just lovely and talented and i cannot wait to hear the finished product. i know there was an audition process to find the perfect voice for west, and i think she is going to be fantastic!
randomness: oh, this band. so where have i been that i’ve missed ONE OK ROCK this whole time? discovering a band whose music i instantly fall in love with is, for me, the same as picking up a book by an author i’ve never read before and being unable to stop myself from getting sucked into the world within its pages. my heart actually beats a little faster, i get all giddy, and i just want to leave real life for a bit and explore whatever crazy goodness they’ve created. and these single-take videos will always amaze me!
That was a goood choice Elsie.
I do like the first version as well, but it IS confusing. The first time I saw it I thought of “alt” as the alt key on my notebook, and it took me a few seconds to find the true meaning.
Thanks, Mars! That’s really interesting, I never thought of the ALT key. Glad to hear you like the new line
oh man, I love his voice!!! Very cool!
And YAY for the new tagline!!!
Thanks, Ellen!! Great news all around
Love, love, love the new tagline. I think it fits perfectly while adding clarity for new readers.
Also, can’t wait to hear the new voice of West! 
Congrats!
Thanks so much, Jenn! I agree, it’s still very true to the story and nothing’s been lost. And yay for audio
It’s a cool idea, to hear your book being narrated, and I can’t wait to hear it!
I’m so excited for DUALED on audio! Oh who am I kidding, I’m just excited for DUALED in general…haha.
I like the new tagline, too! It definitely gives people more insight into what the story is about, and those of us in the know will always have “You or your alt?”
Congrats :0)
Hi Sarah! And thanks so much
Since you’ve already read it, it’s hard to *not* know what it means, but it definitely makes sense for those still new to the plot.
Love the new tagline (although I thought the other one was amazing too!). It’s so stark and chilling. And what an awesome song!!
Hi Emma! Thanks, I’m really happy with the new tagline, too! And YES C.h.a.o.s.m.y.t.h is such an amazing song!!! We are twins in both writing AND love for this song!
Congrats on your upcoming book release! I’ve reviewed an ARC of DUALED. It’ll come out on my blog on February 13th, so I hope you’ll stop by.
Hi Erin! Thanks so much! And thank you for taking the time to read and review–I’m looking forward to it!