Author Interview: Anna Carey

Today I am excited to have author Anna Carey stop by the blog to celebrate the release of the last book in her "Eve" series, "Rise"! 

How does it feel to have officially wrapped up the EVE trilogy?
It’s strange…it doesn’t feel like it’s over. I obviously wrote the last pages and have seen the final book, but the characters are still alive to me, still very real. It’s as if we all graduated and went our separate ways. I’m waiting to see pictures of Eve and Caleb on facebook.

What is your favorite scene in your series?
I have several, but I especially love the scene in Once when Eve sees Caleb for the first time (that’s all I can say without being too spoilery). The second book was the most challenging to write, but it also contains one of the biggest twists, which I love hearing people’s reactions to.

Which character did you have the hardest time saying goodbye to?
It was hardest to say good-bye to Arden. She experiences a lot over the course of these books, much of which we don’t see. I feel like her story hasn’t been fully told (that would take another book…or three).

What was the most difficult thing you encountered when writing the series?
I found the sequel incredibly challenging to write. There’s always this fear that you’re painting yourself into a corner. You can feel the story moving towards its end, and that’s sometimes scary. I ended up cutting apart the third draft of the book, rewriting big sections, and putting it back together.

How much research went into writing the series? What was the most interesting (or random) fact that you encountered?
I know way too much about the shelf life of canned food, wild boar populations in Northern California, and Grizzly bear attacks. I was constantly looking up maps of the roads Eve travels, or researching medical conditions (How do you set a bone? What does a gunshot wound look like?). There’s a funeral in Rise, and I had a strange, surreal moment when I googled “How deep do you have to bury a body for it never to be discovered?”. The internet is a strange place.

Do you have any more books (or ideas) up your sleeves? If so, can you tell us a bit about them (for instance, are you looking to write outside of post-apocalyptic)?
I’m writing a new series called Blackbird. Official details will be announced soon!

From Goodreads: "How far will you go when you have nothing left to lose?

When she lost her soul mate, Caleb, Eve felt like her world had ended. Trapped in the palace, forced to play the part of the happy, patriotic princess of The New America—and the blushing bride of her father's top adviser—Eve's whole life is a lie. The only thing that keeps her going is Caleb's memory, and the revolution he started.

Now, Eve is taking over where Caleb left off. With the help of Moss, an undercover subversive in the King's court, she plots to take down The New America, beginning with the capital, the City of Sand. Will Eve be able to bring about a new, free world when she's called upon to perform the ultimate act of rebellion—killing her father?

In Rise, Eve must choose who to leave behind, who to save, and who to fight as Anna Carey's epic tale of romance and sacrifice in the chilling dystopia of The New America comes to a stunning conclusion."

About the Author: Anna Carey has been a gift wrapper, face painter, nanny, horrific cocktail waitress, sofa saleswoman and children's book editor. She graduated from New York University and has an MFA in fiction from Brooklyn College. She currently lives in Los Angeles, where she can be found writing, reading, and doodling on the giant chalkboard in her kitchen.