Character Interview with Anita from Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler

Today I have the pleasure of having one of Ann Redisch Stampler's characters on the blog to answer some of my questions! Anita makes an appearance in Where It Began and is one of Gabby's best friends. You must check out this book! I've read it and it's wonderful.

Anita, welcome to the blog! Let's get started!


1) What do you think about Gabby and her accident?

It was a nightmare. One minute Billy Nash looks at her, the next minute she’s lost the ability to think. We all knew what he was like right from the start, there were so many rumors. You don’t want to believe all that gossip, but really, you know that cliché about where there’s smoke, there’s fire? Probably it wouldn’t be such a popular cliché if there wasn’t an element of truth to it.

My mother keeps telling me, you didn’t go to that party, you didn’t get drunk, you didn’t lie down with some terrible American boy. Stop beating yourself on the head with a mallet. This isn’t your fault.

But really, that first day Gabby couldn’t utter a single sentence without the word “Billy,” I wish I’d said something. There are so many times I could have said, “I don’t care if you don’t want to talk about it. Listen to me.”

Because maybe the accident was an avoidable nightmare. Just maybe.

2) Can you tell me a theme song to your life right now and why you chose that one?

“The Dog Days Are Over” by Florence and the Machine. I take is as meaning that you can leave the feeling of not being quite alive behind you, that the possibility of things being different and intense and happy is right there, even if the feeling of it is shocking to you. But you have to run with it.

3) What's your life motto?
Dig your well before you’re thirsty.

It’s something my grandmother says. I’m a planner, there’s no getting around it. It’s supposed to be a good thing, but it isn’t always.

4) What was your last text message?

I’ll be back by 10. I’m with Lisa in the library.

(And I guess something has snapped, because that’s not where I was.)

5) If you could go back and change one day in your life up until now, what would be?

I would tell Alain, this French man I met in India in the summer, how I felt about him. I know that nothing could have come of it, but why didn’t I tell him? Why did I walk out of that restaurant and leave him sitting there watching me leave, and not turn around? Why did I have to be so careful and so practical and so ridiculously in control of myself?

Thanks so much for hanging out on the blog for a while and telling us a little bit about you. A big thanks to Ann Redisch Stampler as well! As I said before, Where It Began is definitely something you need to check out if you love a moving contemporary novel! It was hard to put down.