Happy Thursday, friend! Welcome to an interview with author Evelyn Arvey about her latest novel,The Architect of Grayland. Let’s welcome Evelyn and learn more about this Science Fiction story!
Get to know the author: Evelyn Arvey
Hi Evelyn! Welcome to Armed with A Book. Tell me and my readers a bit about yourself!
I am thrilled to be a guest on Armed with a Book! My name is Evelyn Arvey, and I live in Seattle, WA, with my husband and our four insane cats, one of whom wants to be best friends with everyone who comes through the door, and the other three who want nothing to do with visitors. I am curious about everything and want to learn to do every creative thing I see – as well as being a writer, I am an artist, a metalsmith, a weaver, and a musician (I play the classical guitar.)
What inspired you to write this book?
I asked myself: what would I do in a place that had nothing in it? How would I survive? What would I do to keep myself sane, and would it work?
How long did it take you to write this book, from the first idea to the last edit?
It took several years. I wrote and re-wrote it, and did multiple revisions, and many editing rounds.
What makes your story unique?
I believe there aren’t any stories where scientists from the future (Historical Anthropologists) run horrific experiments on people from our current age, which draws the parallel observation that WE also run experiments on sentient beings, and perhaps we are not all that different from the Historical Anthropologists.
Who would enjoy reading your book?
Anyone who likes science fiction, and thinking about things that “could happen”, and any reader who enjoys strong character development perhaps more than they like action.
Did you bring any of your experiences into this book?
Yes! The characters do many of the things I love to do, such as knitting, playing music, drawing…
What’s something you hope readers would take away from it?
That perhaps the future people who are our descendants will not be such great people, and maybe we ought to think about that while we still can.
Do you have a favourite quote or scene in the book that you find yourself going back to?
My favorite scene is the big confrontation scene at the end, involving the main character, Elaine, and her captor, the Historical Anthropologist Professor Mirri Daaha.
What is something you have learned on your author journey so far?
It is amazing to create a world, and populate it with amazing people that I would love to meet.
What’s the best piece of advice you have received related to writing?
Practice. It takes practice.
If you could give a shout out to someone(s) who has helped in your writer journey, please feel free to mention them below!
My writer’s group has been a strong influence for me. We have been writing together for many years, and my book would not be what it is without their careful critiques.
Where can readers find you on the Internet?
- Evelynarvey.com
- Arveyfrancis.com
- Vivid-arts.com
The Architect of Grayland
Science Fiction, 2024
SCIENTISTS FROM THE FAR FUTURE KIDNAPPED HER.
THREW HER INTO A HORRIFIC EXPERIMENT.
SHE REFUSED TO DIE.
Elaine, a modern-day woman, is abducted by elite Historical Anthropologists of the far-distant future. Spirited forward through time to their university laboratory, she is locked into a vast, empty, gray habitat built for the study of “primitive” humans.
Elaine awakens in this appalling place, alone, naked, and terrified. She has no idea that a hidden audience of university students is studying her every move. Forced to create food, clothing, and shelter using nothing but her ingenuity and her bare hands, she fights a constant battle to maintain her sanity.
Desperately lonely, Elaine searches for other people. After a journey across the featureless gray landscape, she locates two fellow captives: Marc, who might be her soulmate; and Adam, a brilliant but troubled fifteen-year-old. Together, they form a precarious yet vibrant and supportive community of three.
But now Elaine is about to lose it all. The Historical Anthropologist in charge of the experiment, Professor Mirri Daaha, is methodically destroying Elaine’s carefully constructed world to study how her “primitive” test subjects will react to escalating threats to their existence. Elaine must confront the Professor and ultimately bring herself, Marc, and Adam safely home.
“GRAYLAND has left a big impression in my mind and heart.
It’s truly an original, fascinating, and inspiring piece of work.”
—Alan Rinzler, former Associate Editor of Rolling Stone Magazine
Content notes: None declared by the author.
Book Excerpt from
The Architect of Grayland
Setting: It is halfway through the novel. Elaine has been kidnapped by scientists of the future and locked into an empty habitat where she must make everything with her bare hands, using the pliable “Gray” of the ground as building material. In this scene, Elaine has found another prisoner, Marc, and, using the Gray to build with, they are beginning to create a village together by making a staircase.
Elaine and Marc stopped for lunch and a nap-and-snuggle at Marc’s place, where they still lay sprawled on his bed. She yawned. “Let’s go make stairs between your place and mine.”
“Fine,” Marc said, stifling his own huge yawn.
“But they ought to be wider. So we don’t have to go single file.”
“Fine,” he said again.
When they arrived at the ridge, she threw off her jacket, leaned over, and touched her hands to the Gray. She felt the familiar tingle. Marc did the same on his side. They worked silently from opposite sides, building one step after another. When the steps were done and met in the middle at the ridge, they started on handrails.
“Wait. Let’s do something fancy with the rails,” he said with a sly glance in her direction. “A competition. Are you in?”
“That’s not fair. You had time to think of something. And you’re an artist!”
“Well? Are you in?” he asked again, grinning slyly at her.
Of course she was. She made a pretty railing by fitting vertical twisted lengths along her handrail at two-inch intervals. It was quite nice, she thought. If she could only turn the whole thing black, like Marc could do with color, it would look very much like wrought iron. But she couldn’t. She stood up, finished.
“Ready to compare them?” Marc asked.
“Yep.”
She looked at his handrail, shaking her head and smiling. The contest was over before it had begun. His railing was an elegant, corkscrewing vine studded with green leaves and delicate yellow flowers. She looked closer. Were those butterflies hiding in the leaves?
“How did you do this so fast? You win,” she said, laughing. “Was there ever any doubt?”
“Nope.”
Their works of art still needed to be joined. She sighted down her rail toward the end of Marc’s vine and closed one eye. Marc coaxed his handrail toward hers. They met. With small, delicate motions, Elaine and Marc worked to smooth the joining spot between her Gray and his Stuff, admiring the novelty of the two distinct colors abutting each other, touching but never blending.
“Look!” said Marc. “They’re oozing. Something is coming out of them.”
A dark, viscous liquid seeped from the spot where the two rails met. Within minutes, it had hardened and darkened; a barrier between the two rails, like the barrier walls that separated the eight areas, but tiny. A miniature ridge, being formed before their very eyes. Elaine ran her index finger over the hardened line. She scratched at it with her fingernail. “They don’t want to touch each other. I wonder why?”
“Maybe they can’t. Maybe it hurts them?”
Elaine looked out at the expanse of Gray surrounding them. “Do you know what? I think the Grays were put here, like we were. This isn’t their natural place any more than it’s our natural place. I think they were cutinto these pie shapes. And then forced into position…forced, Marc.”
Marc shuddered. “Cut? Ugh. That’s horrible beyond words. I can’t imagine something big enough to do such a thing.”
“That’s not all. If they were cut, the ridges might be scabs. Over a wound. Poor things. That’s torture. They’ve been tortured, I know they have. Oh, my poor, poor Mr. Gray.” She swiped at her eyes. “I’m crying. What’s gotten into me?”
He reached for her balled-up fist and held it. Their eyes met.
He squeezed her hand with both of his. “Elaine. There’s nothing wrong with tears. Besides, you didn’t do anything wrong.” He kissed her once, lightly and sweetly, on the cheek. “Your Gray knows that.”
He was right. There was nothing she could do for her Gray. The damage, whatever it was, had happened long ago. All she could do was be its friend.
“Elaine. Listen.” He kissed her other cheek. “I am so very glad you came to find me.”
They sat together at the top of their new steps, his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him and felt the comforting warmth of his body. She sighed deeply and felt the beauty of the moment. She wished she could capture it forever: a cold, sunny day. The two of them huddled atop the ridge next to the steps they’d just built. Tears. A gentle kiss. A smile. Would he paint this scene for her if she asked? He would. She knew he would.
She thought she might be falling in love.
Interested?
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