Today I have Anna Carey, author of the Eve trilogy, here for an interview! The second installment of the series, ONCE, is hitting bookstores today. I love this series and am so glad book two is finally out in the world for everyone to enjoy. In addition to answering a few questions, Anna is also sharing an
excerpt and
playlist for ONCE. Be sure to check those out as well!
1. Twitter style: describe ONCE in 140 characters or less.
Eve <3’s Caleb, they’re reunited in the City & OMG the evil King is out for blood. NO! NO! WHY?!?! #postapocalpticvegas #kissing #love
2. What are three things you must have for a productive writing day?
Eight hours, earplugs, and a cup of Youthberry tea by Teavana. Though eight hours may seem like a lot, I generally need a full day to get five hours of real writing done. I’ve started using earplugs when I work in public because I’m so often distracted by stranger’s conversations. Writers are thieves—don’t forget that. I’ll notice someone’s speech pattern, what they look like, and then listen for awhile as they talk about their relationship with their sister. Everyone is a character, everyone has a story. Sometimes I use stuff I’ve heard or seen. And sometimes I just need to block everything out and focus on the story I’m creating.
3. I love the EVE covers and the way they complement one another so well. Did you have any input and were you pleased with the final outcome?
All thanks and credit goes to designer Elizabeth Clark. We’d talked briefly about imagery that could be used on the cover, but the bridge was ultimately her idea. I originally thought the image was striking, but when I received the physical book I was thrilled. There’s a metallic sheen to it that you can’t see online. It adds another layer to the packaging.
4. What were some of your writing inspirations?
There’s a lot of grey, bleak post apocalyptic worlds out there, and I knew I wanted trilogy to be different. I wrote the first book in the wake of a major move, from New York to California, where I now live. The landscape is naturally gorgeous here and people, for the most part, are very environmentally conscious. At the time I was fixated on the idea that the world might thrive without us in it—that the sky might be bluer, the ocean clearer. Ugly strip malls would be covered over with ivy and roads would disappear under layers of moss. I wanted Eve’s world to look like California on steroids—a natural paradise.
5. Interviews all ask general questions you must get tired of answering. What’s one question you wish people would ask?
I don’t know that I’ll ever get sick of talking about books, writing or reading. Because the young adult audience is primarily young women, I see the issue of feminism coming up again and again in reviews and online. What make a book feminist or anti-feminist? There seem to be a million and one definitions.
6. Any plans for life after EVE?
I just finished the final book, Rise, and now I’m reading all the books I missed while writing the series. I’m currently finishing The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, which has so much humor and heart. I’ve just started Unearthly by Cynthia Hand. After she blurbed Once Cynthia and I became friends. I’ve seen the giant inspiration board in her office, so it’s fun to see pieces of her (and her research) in the story. I’m also in the beginning phases of a new project…stay tuned for more details!
Thanks, Anna, for stopping by
bookmarked today! I wish you all the luck with you new release and am eagerly awaiting the final installment RISE.
Last Monday I went across the river and through the sugarcane to the place I call home. I grew up in a small town along the bayou, where I do not visit nearly enough. I made time last week to attend a memorial mass for my aunt who recently passed away. It was definitely a bittersweet day: sadness brought us all together, but visiting with long-lost family is always nice. Josh even got a few stories I'd never heard. I also spent some time wandering the cemetery where I used to ride my bike as a kid, saying hello to loved ones of the past as I made my rounds. Since then, I haven't been much in the mood for blogging. But I am reading. Hopefully I'll have some new posts for you soon.
