I’m so excited to bring you this interview with powerhouse young adult author Candace Kade, author of the YA sci-fi ENHANCED and HYBRID, from the Hybrid series.
Candace is a recovering over-achiever who spends her time dreaming up stories typically involving tech, psychology, culture, and/or swords. She’s a certified Krav Maga assistant instructor and loves writing action-packed martial art scenes. A third culture kid, she considers Chengdu and Oklahoma City to be her homes. When she’s not exploring new countries, she enjoys hiking in national parks, moving, teaching her husband Mandarin, and keeping two baby humans alive. She can be bribed with boba tea, fluffy puppies, and breakfast tacos. You can find her at CandaceKade.com and connect with her on Instagram and via her super fun newsletters here.
Candace is here to tell us a bit about her newest release, HYBRID. I can attest that it is a roller coaster ride of ups, downs, and some twists that will leave you breathless and shouting “WHAT?!” I could not put this one down! And I wanted more when I finished the last page.
Jenn: How long did it take you to write Hybrid?
Candace: It took me a year to write Hybrid—the fastest I’ve written anything yet! My first novel took over a decade. Enhanced took three years. So I was blown away and very pleased when Hybrid was finished so quickly.
Jenn: Tell us a bit about HYBRID.
Candace: After narrowly surviving several attempts on her life, Lee Urban retreats into hiding. Driven by desperation, Urban accepts a position within the elite Dragons AI team, a high-stakes gamble that will propel her into the heart of the turbulent Western Federation. The journey takes her closer to uncovering the truths about her own origins. In a world fast crumbling under the threat of civil war, the answers Urban seeks might cause more than one Federation to fall.
Jenn: Where did you get the idea for this book?
Candace: Hybrid came to me as an idea for a scene over a decade ago. I won’t share the details to this scene it has spoilers, but I wrote several chapters capturing it and then set it aside. I had no idea how this scene came about or what happened next but I was fascinated by the predicament Urban found herself in. Ever since then, I’ve been trying to figure out and write how someone ended up in this situation (Enhanced) and what comes after (book three in my trilogy).
Jenn: Which character is your favorite and why?
Candace: In Hybrid, I really like Lucas. He’s a prankster and flawed in many ways, but I hope by the end of the series, loveable. I was a prankster growing up and so Lucas is a fun outlet for me to exercise my old ways of trolling people. Mwahahaha!
Jenn: If MC could travel anywhere, where would she go, and what would she do?
Candace: Urban is desperate to find her birth origins. So when she finds a lead linking her roots to the Western Federation, she wants nothing more than to travel there. Hybrid also maaaaay have some fun scenes set in a futuristic cyber punk Texas.
Jenn: What advice would you give to pre-published writers?
Candace: Never give up! It takes most authors a long time to get published. So take time to enjoy the journey and don’t get discouraged.
A bit more about HYBRID:
Lee Urban’s search for truth could destroy everything.
After narrowly surviving several attempts on her life, Lee Urban retreats into hiding, seeking refuge with her family for the Lunar New Year. But the relaxing holiday turns into a heist when someone crashes the party with intel on the hybrid’s identity.
Driven by desperation, Urban accepts a position within the elite Dragons AI team, a high-stakes gamble that will propel her into the heart of the turbulent West. As she follows the elusive clues to the hybrid, the journey takes her closer to uncovering the truths about her own origins and the odd circumstances surrounding her adoption.
Tensions between the Enhanced and Naturals grow increasingly violent, and the Western Federation teeters on the brink of civil war. Urban’s choices threaten to tear her family apart, and the secrets she unearths just might shatter the delicate balance of society.
And don’t forget to check out her stunning first book in the Hybrid series, ENHANCED:
A few more of my thoughts on HYBRID:
Candace Kade has delivered her second page turner in HYBRID. Enhanced was fabulous, but she stepped it up even more for HYBRID. It will leave you breathless, and it’s a great escape. Some things I loved (with no spoilers):
📕Questioning everyone.
📕No one is safe.
📕Urban makes daring choices.
📕Twists.
📕Cool tech.
📕No idea what will happen next.
📕Left me wanting more.
📕Fake dating.
📕Vivid scenery descriptions.
📕Danger on almost every page.
Want more? You can purchase HYBRID at all your major retailers, but if you’d love a personalized and signed copy, you can purchase one (or more!) here:
