The Eva Series Box Set (Books 1-3)

by Wilde, J. M.

  I’m not entirely vegan, I still eat eggs and cheese, but I am vegetarian. After what I saw, I could never eat meat again.

  Is your life more exciting than it was before? Would you be able to adjust to normal life again?

  I wouldn’t say my life is more exciting than before, but it’s safer, and that’s still all I care about. I hoped I would be able to adjust to normal life, but it’s proving harder than I thought.

  If you could take back one thing that you did in the Australian apocalypse, what would it be?

  I would go back and save everyone that I couldn’t.

  If Jo, Wyatt or Ben were infected and you could only choose one, who would it be and why?

  Oh God, that’s so hard to answer. I love Wyatt, of course I do, but I would save Jo. I know he would understand this, too, because he knows Jo and I are like sisters. She has been there through everything, we grew up together, she held me together when my parents died, and we made it out of Australia together. She’s my sister.

  If there is one thing that you could have that you could not get during the apocalypse, what would it be?

  Safety. Whether that came in the form of a boat to escape the country, or a fortress to survive the outbreak, I’d take it. Safety was all I ever wanted.

  Don't you think it was a bad idea to bring those zombies on medic ships?

  Worst. Idea. Ever. But, I understand that they thought they were doing the right thing. They thought they were in control, but now they know that when it comes to that virus, no-one is in control.

  If you saw Wyatt, Ben, and Jo as a zombie would you able to kill your own best friend and boyfriend?

  I honestly don’t know. If they were an immediate threat to myself or someone else, then I would have to. But it would break my heart.

  If you ever had the chance, would you go back to Australia to live again?

  I’ve thought about this, and I still don’t know. If I was guaranteed that it was safe, then maybe I would. I think I will go back there one day, but I don’t know if I could live there again, not with all the terrible memories.

  What one thing has kept you going the most during this disaster?

  Hope. And my friends.

  If you could change anything that has happened, what would it be? (Other than the apocalypse itself).

  I would save all the people that I lost along the way. I would make Priya leave the field hospital with me.

  If Wyatt and Jo died, would you relive your experiences if it meant that they would live again?

  Yes.

  Why did you choose to become a volunteer on the boat and why risk your life to save others?

  After leaving so many people behind, I wanted to save someone, anyone. I wanted to know that even though I couldn’t save everyone, I did save some, I did make a difference.

  Do you think that the Commander will let you go back to Dr. Desai and save them?

  At the moment, no-one is allowed back to Australia until it’s been cleared. We just have to hope that anyone still alive there will be strong enough to get through the next five to ten years, until we can go back for them.

  If you could have saved one person you've met over the course of this journey, who would you pick?

  It’s so hard to pick just one. At first, I thought of Priya, but then I thought of Wyatt’s parents, or Ben’s parents. Ben hasn’t been coping very well. He is still holding on to a lot of anger and rage from it all, and he’s struggling even more than I am. Maybe, if his parents were still alive, he would be healing, but at the moment I’m not sure he wants to heal. I think he wants revenge.

  How have you stayed so brave and strong through all of this?

  Honestly, I have no idea. I don’t know if I was strong, or just stubborn. I definitely didn’t feel brave, I was terrified every day. But I knew I had to keep going, or die.

  How do you see yours and Wyatt’s future?

  We’re just taking it day by day. We’re not making any plans for the future yet, as we’re still recovering from our ordeal. But we see each other every day, we are supporting each other through our recovery and helping each other through the media frenzy, and we comfort each other in our weakest moments. Right now, we just love being together and cherish every moment we get to just be a normal couple.

  Do you see yourself having a wedding in the near years? Do you think it will always be this way, could you ever forget this past three weeks or so?

  I don’t have any desire to get married anytime soon. That doesn’t mean I don’t love Wyatt or don’t see a future with him, I do. But right now, we’re still trying to be a normal couple, without zombies chasing us. We’re both very happy with just being together, being alive. After everything we’ve been through together, a wedding just doesn’t seem important. We’ve been through more than any other couple does, and we made it out together, I think that shows more commitment than anything else ever could.

  Do you think you’re immune now because of the treatment?

  At the moment, I’m not sure. A lot of research and testing is still being done, and the long-term effects of the treatment is still unknown. I could be immune, but there’s no real way to test that.

  Do you think you will have a life and a family with Wyatt, Ben and Jo?

  We are starting our life together, and it’s slowly starting to feel a little normal. I don’t know if Wyatt and I will have a family together, I never really thought about before the outbreak, and now with everything that has happened, it’s just not something I want to think about. Wyatt, Ben and Jo are all the family I need right now.

  Do you think that one day everything would be normal again?

  I don’t know if I’ll ever be completely normal. It’s hard to move on, and it seems like everywhere I go, people know who I am – and that just reminds me of the horrors all over again.

  Do you wish you could have another life? Even if your friends and the people you know now aren't in it?

  Lately, sometimes I have wished I had a different life. But then I see someone in line at the supermarket, complaining to the cashier about the price of milk, and I just want to scream and tell them how lucky they are, and that little things like the price of milk just isn’t something to get angry about. If I had another life, I wouldn’t appreciate it like I do now. Seeing people die, and almost dying myself, has made me grateful for every moment I have. It’s made me see how lucky we all are just to be breathing, to be able to go about our day without worrying if we’re going to survive.

  What kept you alive, what was the one thought that kept you from giving up even though you were going through hell?

  I just kept imagining myself on that ship, seeing Australia fade away until it couldn’t hurt me anymore. I just kept thinking that if I kept going, I would be free.

  Would you do it all again to save the people you love?

  Yes. I would do anything to save the people I love.

  Why do you fight for survival, and what are you fighting for?

  I was fighting for freedom, for safety, for the people I love. I was fighting to live just one more day.

  What was it that kept you alive in the situation? Was it luck, karma, or something else?

  I think luck definitely played a part in it all. But mostly, it was hope. There was a moment, when I was alone in the middle of nowhere, when I almost lost hope. I was very close to giving up. But it was hope that made me get back up and keep going.

  How were you able to even sleep at night knowing there were undead creatures roaming around killing people?

  I didn’t sleep much at all, and when I did, it was plagued with nightmares. I think the only time I slept was when I was too exhausted to stay awake.

  How do you deal with all the loss you have suffered? And what's it like to think you'll never live in Melbourne again?

  I’m dealing with the loss one minute at a time. I have moments when grief hits me hard, and it feels so painful that I can’t breathe, but if I just wait it out, it passes. It
comes back, but I try to focus on those moments when I feel okay. It’s odd to think I’ll never live in Melbourne again. Sometimes, when I wake up, there’s a second where I think I’m in my bed, in my apartment, in Melbourne. And then I remember. I remember everything, and it’s hard. But it’s getting easier. I’m still hopeful that, one day, I’ll wake up and feel okay. It’s funny, it was hope that helped me survive, it was hope that got me out of Australia, and now it’s hope that helps me heal. It’s always been hope.

  BONUS: INTERVIEW WITH J.M. WILDE

  The following is an interview with me, answering questions from fans. Enjoy!

  How do you think of titles for your books?

  I thought about the titles for months before I finally settled on As They Rise, While We Fall and Before It Fades. I had a list of titles that I liked, but they just didn’t feel right. Then I had the idea for As They Rise, and the other two just stemmed from that.

  What makes you stick to your books/plot lines when writing a story?

  For The Eva Series, I wrote detailed outlines of each chapter before I started writing the story. That kept me on track. For my next series, I’ve just spent about three weeks figuring out the plot. I worked on it every day, writing pages and pages of notes, crafting a story that was layered and made sense. Then I wrote a scene outline for the first book, and finally, I started writing it. Having that plot and outline ready makes it so much easier to write.

  How are you so good at writing strong characters?

  I think I just really try to get into their heads, to see what they see and feel what they feel, and write it as though I was experiencing everything myself.

  Will there be a new series for Eva?

  No, not a new series. I’d like to write a spin-off book about Lea, and I might decide to write a fourth Eva book, but I’m not sure when that might be. Right now, I’m writing a few different stories in different genres, but I’d love to return to Eva one day.

  If you could bring one character from your story to life, who would it be?

  Hunter.

  Do you encourage people to write books?

  Absolutely! I encourage everyone to write, or to do whatever it is that makes you truly happy.

  What kind of stories will you write and what kind are you into?

  I think I will continue to write YA supernatural/paranormal stories, and maybe some more horror, and more romance. I’ve always been fascinated by the supernatural, such as zombies, ghosts, vampires, witches, etc. I like reading dystopian stories, but actually, most of the books I’ve read have been non-fiction.

  Since writing The Eva Series, I’ve written the first book in a new YA Paranormal Romance series called Awakened, and I’ve also written a geeky Contemporary YA Romance. And I have many more stories in the works, so stay tuned!

  How do you work up the effort to start writing a new story?

  When I’m really excited about a story idea, it’s pretty easy to start. It’s going back and continuing to write every day that’s the hardest part. To do that, sometimes I go over my story outline or notes and get inspired that way, other days I make myself sit at my laptop until I write. Some days are good, and I write 2,000 words, other days suck, and I only write 100, or none at all. But the important thing is that I keep going back to it. That’s how things get done.

  What would be your plan of survival if any type of apocalypse did happen?

  I would probably die of a panic attack on day one, haha! I think the best plan is to gather a ton of supplies and weapons, find a boat and sail as far away as possible.

  Your zombie dystopian series is a hit, what genre do you think you will be focusing on now? And will you miss writing about Eva's journey and if so, what will you miss the most?

  The next genre for me is YA Contemporary Romance, but I also want to keep writing in Paranormal. I think I will miss writing about Eva’s journey, but I’ll miss the characters the most. I really liked Eva and Jo’s friendship. But, I have new characters to hang out with now in my new stories!

  How did you come up with this amazing story, the characters, and such?

  For years, I’d thought about writing a story, but I didn’t think I’d be any good. In fact, I didn’t even think I’d be able to finish one book. But one day, I just decided to try it. I thought a zombie story would be fun. Plus, my husband is a huge zombie fan, so I thought I’d write a fun story for him to read. I actually never liked zombies until I started writing about them. And as I started writing As They Rise, the story just came together.

  Were the characters Eva, Jo, Wyatt and Ben actually inspired from someone in real life?

  A little. Eva and I have a few things in common: we’re both make-up artists, and we both worked in a fifties diner in Melbourne. And I added in qualities that I would like to have. Wyatt shares a few similarities with my husband, and Ben isn’t really like anyone I know in real life.

  I would really like to know how you thought up such creative diversions between the characters ending. (Jo falling off a bridge onto a boat, Eva getting washed down a river, Eliiot. etc) They are really creative and unlike some books they aren't far fetched and they seem believable. How?

  Thank you! I’m so glad you think it’s believable, I hoped it would be! Basically, I just asked myself “What’s the absolute worst thing that could happen to Eva/Jo/etc right now?” and then I wrote that. As everyone who reads my stories knows, I’m a big fan of twists and cliffhangers, so I like to be creative with them as much as possible.

  Would you make them go back in another book ten years later? Or would you just say that they blow up Australia with nuclear bombs?

  If I ever write a fourth book, I think Eva would go back to Australia five to ten years later. I don’t think nuking Australia would be the smartest idea, as there are still a lot of natural resources there that the world relies on, not to mention all the people still there.

  Where would you like to travel?

  Everywhere! I’ve already been to the USA, China, Bali, Singapore, and Fiji. I’d love to go to Europe, and see more of the USA and Canada. I’d also love to spend some more time in Beijing, I love that city so much. I really love to travel and I plan to visit many, many more places.

  Have you always known what the ending of the story will be or have you thought of multiple, going back between them?

  I always thought it would end with Eva, Wyatt, Jo and Ben on the ship, sailing away from Australia. But then I decided to write a bit about life on the ship, too, and have the series end with the ship arriving in the UK.

  Did you do any research about the zombie apocalypse before creating The Eva Series? If so, what (in your opinion) was the most useful piece of information you found?

  I did a bit of research, but not much. Most of my research was for Before It Fades, when I was writing about the field hospital and all the different ships. I think the most useful was the information about medical treatments for outbreaks, which helped me create the field hospital, with the antiseptic shower, biohazard suits, treatment, etc.

  Why did she fall for Wyatt?

  They had been friends and worked at the diner together for a while, and I think their love just grew naturally over time. The more they got to know each other as friends, the more they started to fall in love.

  How did you create the zombie virus in this story? Did you make it up? Or did you use different symptoms from other illnesses to create the zombie virus?

  Some of it is made up, other parts of it are from the rabies virus and the flu.

  How do you deal with negative critics?

  It’s okay if it’s polite, useful opinions, but I don’t understand people who leave rude, nasty comments or hate speech. I have never, and will never, leave a nasty comment for anyone about anything, ever. I just couldn’t be so mean or hurt someone like that. Besides, leaving a nasty comment or message for someone only shows the world that you’re a nasty person, it doesn’t mean what you say is true.

  I’m a huge supporte
r of equality in all its forms, and I really believe that you should treat others how you want to be treated, and I live by that belief. In all honesty, I think people who leave mean comments, troll others online, or bully others, must be very unhappy, and I feel sorry for them. Happy people don’t feel the need to be mean.

  Do you ever doubt your writing?

  Yes. I have moments when I feel like giving up completely because I think I just can’t do it. But I love writing too much to ever stop, even if no-one ever reads it.

  What is your favorite part of having written a book?

  Hearing from readers. I love talking to my readers and getting to know everyone. I don’t even mean talking about my stories, I love talking to readers about our favorite TV shows, movies, whatever. My readers are the coolest, kindest, funniest people!

  What tools do you use to develop your characters?

  For The Eva Series, I wrote short character bios for Eva, Jo, Wyatt and Ben. For my more recent stories, I went a bit deeper and wrote bios, and also wrote about their external and internal goals, motivation, and conflict.

  Do you map it out before you start writing your book?

  Yep! For The Eva Series, I had an overall outline and short chapter outlines, plus research notes. I’m doing even more mapping and plotting for my new stories. I create scene by scene outlines that details the main character’s goal, motivation and conflict and also notes what happens in that scene, and I also write the plot points in my overall outline. I’ve found that the more I plot and map out the story, the easier and quicker I can write it, and the less time I spend staring at a blank screen not knowing what to write.

  Do you use any recording devices?

  Nope. I’m a very visual person and need to see my ideas on paper. I write a lot of notes on notepaper and in notebooks, and in the Notes app on my iPhone. I write my stories in the Scrivener app on my MacBook Air.

  Do negative critics ever make you doubt your writing skills?

  Sometimes, but it will never stop me from writing. I love it too much to ever give up, and the more I write, the better my stories will be. Besides, it doesn’t matter what you do in life, there’s always going to be someone who doesn’t like it, so you may as well do what makes you happy.