Enhanced received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Candace Kade.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Enhanced, published March 14th 2023
What’s the book’s first line?
“Urban marched into Gene-IQ, cursing new Beijing’s summer heat.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
Enhanced is Gattaca meets Divergent—in a futuristic Asian society.
Lee Urban is living a lie. In a society where everyone’s DNA determines their destiny, being a Natural means automatic relegation to the gritty and dangerous Outskirts. With the harnessed power of gene-editing, the ability to create a super-human race has transformed the world and offered the opportunity of a genetically enhanced life. But only to those who can afford it.
Born a Natural, Lee Urban was adopted into the Enhanced high society of the Asian Federation and forced to conceal her genetic roots. When her dream of attending Peking University becomes a reality, she is determined to go despite a warning from a mysterious source.
Targeted by a hacker bent on exposing her true DNA, Urban faces off with an Artificial Intelligence Game that puts her—and her lies—to the test. What was supposed to be a dream come true turns into a lethal gamble of hide-and-seek with her genetics. Can Urban continue the act, or will the cracks in her story expose her and endanger her family?
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
Learning about CRISPR gene editing technology and how it’s going to change our world inspired the initial spark of an idea. I couldn’t stop asking myself what our world will look like one hundred years in the future if everyone can select the exact genetics for their future children. Also, working in tech and learning about trends in AI, social credit scores, and cyber security. But mostly, my family moving from Ohio to Changsha, China when I was four inspired the book. I’ve spent nearly half of my life living overseas. I’ve always wanted to write a book loosely inspired by Asian culture. When I moved back to China, this time to Beijing, as an adult, I finally took the opportunity and wrote Enhanced!
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
The heart of Enhanced is about belonging. If you’ve ever felt like an outsider, I think you’ll resonate with the themes in the book. As far as tropes go, you can expect a face-paced book, AI games, underground futuristic motorcycle races, forbidden romance, rich world building, Asian vibes, and plot twists that will blow your mind! Also, while my book is technically considered YA sci-fi, I’ve had countless people tell me they don’t usually read in that genre but they were surprised to find they loved Enhanced! Enhanced is really closer to dystopian, almost fantasy, novels.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
Urban is someone caught between two worlds. As a Natural, aka someone not genetically altered, living among the Enhanced elite, she never quite fits in. But when she visits the Naturals living in the Outskirts, she also doesn’t feel she belongs. As tension between Naturals and Enhanced grows, she finds herself at the epicenter of it all.
When did you first decide to become an author?
I decided to become an author when I was sixteen. I had just read Eragon and realized the author was only fifteen when he wrote it. That opened my eyes to the fact that I didn’t have to wait to become an adult to start writing! I sat down that very day and started my first novel. I immediately fell in love with writing and have crafted stories ever since.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
Enhanced is the second book I ever wrote. That first book was definitely a sharp learning curve and I made all the classic mistakes. I will come back to it some day! Just not right now.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I used to work at Dell in their marketing and consulting departments. I quit my job at the height of COVID to pursue publishing. Crazy, I know. While people were getting laid off, I voluntarily left my well-paying job. It was a huge and terrifying risk but I don’t regret it. I just wish I could have made it financially work sooner. Now, I write full time, am a mom of two baby muggles, and market my books. Cause let’s be real, marketing is another full-time job…
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
It totally depends on the season. Sometimes I’m super productive and write for three hours a day. Right now, I have a newborn and I haven’t written at all in weeks. I’m terrified of deadlines though so those usually help me to consistently write an hour every day.