Alix Ohlin on Dual Citizens

Alix Ohlin reads the first pages of her latest novel, Dual Citizens. We discuss how her choice of scene in her prologue prepares the reader thematically for the story of these two sisters as well as the complexities of their relationship, how she played with chronology, and how other writers might navigate the reminiscent narrator. For your own first pages, Ohlin recommends: “Think of your novel as a map of the world and of your opening pages as the legend that provides your reader with a key for how to engage with that world. That’s all you need.”Ohlin’s first pages can be found here.Help local bookstores and our authors by buying this book on Bookshop.Click here for the audio/video version of this interview.The above link will be available for 48 hours. Missed it? The podcast version is always available, both here and on your favorite podcast platform.Alix Ohlin is the author of six books, including Dual Citizens, which was short-listed for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. Her most recent book, We Want What We Want, appeared in 2021 and won Lambda award for bisexual fiction. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Best American Short Stories, and many other places. She lives in Vancouver, where she is the Director of the UBC School of Creative Writing.Thank you for reading The 7am Novelist. This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 7amnovelist.substack.com