Happy New Year. Karin’s Book Nook is pleased to feature a Q & A with the author of EVE, Anna Carey for the first post in 2012.
1. Did you intentionally make the Trail similar to the Underground Railroad or did it just develop that way?
“The Trail”, the secret network of safe houses on the road to Califia, developed organically from the story. I loved the idea of this couple who would hide the girls and risk their own lives in the process. It felt real. I read more about the underground railroad as I was writing (which is where the Harriet Tubman quote came from). The more I wrote about this post apocalyptic future, the more it felt like I was writing about the past. The phrase “history repeats itself” has never felt more true.
2. Do you read books by other young adult authors? If so, which ones are your favorites? What are you reading right now?
I do! I finally read If I Stay by Gayle Forman and loved it. I haven’t cried like that (the UGLY cry) in a long time. Right now I’m reading Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley. I’m reading it slowly and really savoring each chapter.
3. You are currently working on a trilogy with Eve’s story so I’m sure that is the “world” you are living in right now. But, do you have other ideas floating around for future works? How do you keep track of your ideas?
There are so many ideas floating around in my head. Sometimes I’ll get an idea for an interesting character, other times I’ll think of a scene and start from there. Most recently I got an idea from a dream. I have two notepads (one in my purse and one on my nightstand) that I write things on. 99% of the ideas won’t turn into a full book, but I can usually use them in some way–for a scene or character (in Eve or elsewhere), a short story, etc…
4. Can you describe your writing process? Do you outline the story or just let it flow? Do you compose on the computer or write things out long hand? How do you go about developing the world of your characters before starting the story? Are you a Mac or a PC?
Whoa long hand! Do people actually do that? I could not imagine working that way. I use my trusty Macbook, and do extensive outlining before I start writing the first draft. The outline is usually twelve pages or so (single spaced) and gives a detailed description of what will happen in each chapter. Things change as I write, but it helps me see the overarching story.
Eve’s world was always vivid to me. I wanted it to look like a lush, overgrown paradise, with hidden dangers. I read a lot beforehand, about places like Chernoble–where plant and animal life are thriving after a disaster. Some additional details came as I was writing (the scene with the mountain lions was inspired by a nature documentary I’d seen).
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Keep up with Anna using the social networking tools below:
Official Eve website: www.theevetrilogy.com
Like Eve on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/
Follow @AnnaCareyBooks on Twitter: http://twitter.com/
Visit Anna Carey’s blog: www.annacareybooks.com