I had the chance to talk to the absolutely wonderful author of Where it Began (you can find my review here), Ann Redisch Stampler!
Fiction Freak: What first inspired you to write about a teen with absolutely no memory of what happened?
Ann Redisch Stmapler: When I was in my early teens, coming out from under anesthesia, I had an odd, disassociative experience of being half-conscious and half-asleep, and not remembering who I was. I wanted to remember who I was, though, and I kept having very clear visual images of aspects of my life, as if they were still photos or video clips with distorted sound, but I couldn’t put it together for what seemed like a very long time.
This stayed with me and I think it informed some of Gabby’s experiences.
FF: The world of Where it Began is very well-thought out and very realistic. Do you have any personal experience/knowledge with anything that happened in the book?
ARS: The book really is a work of fiction, and isn’t based on specific personal experiences.
Geographically, I’ve spent my adult life in Gabby’s world. I wrote this book in Brentwood. My kids attended private school in the hills, although Winston is not based on their school. And while I made up Estrada for Gabby to live on and created a fictional school for her to attend, I have a feel for the concrete aspects of her environment. I know those restaurants (although I renamed a couple that were amalgams) and street corners, and neighborhoods.
But have I been up close and personal with a car crash with the ramifications of Gabby’s accident, or a relationship just like Gabby and Billy’s, or the level of corruption that’s depicted in the book? No.
FF: Do you think that anyone goes through what Gabby does? And if they could?
ARS: I do think that sometimes people—male and female, and not always teenagers—can fall in love and become obsessed with people who don’t reciprocate their feelings in the way they would hope. And certainly, manipulation and betrayal are not unheard of in human relationships. Unfortunately.
FF: What is the funniest moment you've ever witnessed?
ARS: Visually, okay, my husband was walking down the street with my daughter in a baby carrier slung over his chest. He was eating a Dove bar, vanilla ice cream with a chocolate coating. And people kept grinning at us and kind of giggling, as if there were something in the air and our neighborhood was suddenly slightly loony.
But when we got home, and pulled our daughter out of the carrier, we saw that chocolate from the ice cream bar had fallen onto her. Her face and hands and arms were covered with chocolate; it was smeared all over her face, especially around her mouth, and she was completely blissed out, not unlike all the people who’d been laughing at the chocolate-coated baby.
FF: Can you relate to any characters in Where It Began?
ARS: All of them.
FF: What is your personal opinions about some of your characters?
ARS: I’ve tried to present the characters as three dimensional and as having motivation, sometimes conflicted, for their actions. I would hate to influence readers’ reactions to the book by going beyond this.
FF: Would you rather read with an eReader or with the book in your hands?
ARS: A book. I have nothing against eReaders on principle; I think they’re a wonderful thing if they make literature more accessible to more people. But personally, I like the experience of reading a book.
FF: Tell us something no one else knows about you!
ARS: Hmmmm. I’m usually a pretty open person, but if there’s something about me that literally no one else knows, it’s a deep, dark secret!
FF: What is your absolute favorite meal/dessert?
ARS: Anything chocolate. Cake, milkshakes, chocolate chip cookies, pastilles, mousse, soufflé, cupcakes, brownies. Do you have all day? I could go on…
FF: Do you think that reviewers can be too harsh on their reviews or that it's their opinion? And why?
ARS: I’ve been very fortunate with reviews of Where It Began. There are a couple of bloggers and goodreads folks who have really, really hated it, but the vast majority have been very positive. So I feel very well supported rather than beaten up.
It’s interesting, before the internet, there were formal reviewers in respected publications, and popular magazine and newspaper reviewers, and that was pretty much it. And those formal venues for reviews are still there; I very much want my books to be well-reviewed there. (And so far, Where It Began has been.)
But now, every single person who reads a book has a very public way to express his or her feelings. And it’s inevitable that some people just won’t like a book. It’s their prerogative to say so, although, one would hope, not in vitriolic way. I have seen some bizarre, nasty stuff, but I suspect it is more a reflection of the reviewer than the book in question.
FF: What is your favorite passtime?
ARS: Other than writing?
Alone: reading. With others: hanging out over a meal, going to movies. With or without company: Anything to do with a beach.
FF: Have you ever experienced writer's block when writing Where It Began? And what parts?
ARS: I don’t want to tempt fate here, so I’m tossing imaginary salt over my shoulder (Truly superstitious people with an Eastern European background will understand!) but I really haven’t experienced writer’s block. It was challenging to go from the first to the second draft, but that was more of a structural issue than an issue of somehow finding myself unable to put words on paper.
FF: What is the corniest joke you've ever heard?
ARS: This was my son’s favorite joke when he was three or so. I love it.
Knock knock? Who’s there? Banana. Banana who? Knock knock. Who’s there? Banana. Banana Who? (Repeat about a dozen times.) Who’s there? Orange. Orange who? Orange you glad I didn’t say banana?
FF: Favorite book?
ARS: Pride and Prejudice
FF: If you went into the world of Where It Began and told the Gabby that you wrote her story, what do you think her reaction will be?
ARS: Gabby is tweeting about this a lot at @gabbygardiner. She is quite annoyed. At one point she wanted a restraining order and she has a whole series of complaints called “Disasters thanks to Where It Began.”
Also, if anyone wants to ask Gabby a question directly, there is an “Ask Gabby” function at my website at www.annstampler.com.
FF: Anything to say to us readers?
ARS: Keep reading!
Where it Began Blurb:
Gabby lived under the radar until her makeover. Way under. But when she started her senior year as a blonder, better-dressed version of herself, she struck gold: Billy Nash believed she was a the flawless girl she was pretending to be. The next eight months with Billy were bliss...Until the night Gabby woke up on the ground next to the remains of his BMW without a single memory of how she got there.
And Billy's nowhere to be found.
All Gabby wants is to make everything perfect again. But getting her life back isn't difficult, it's impossible. Because nothing is the same, and Gabby's beginning to realize she's missed more than a few danger signs along the way.
It's time for Gabby to face the truth, even if it means everything changes.
Especially if it means everything changes
Short Author Bio:
Where it Began marks the YA debut of Ann Redisch Stampler. She is the author of several picture books, including The Rooster Prince of Breslov. Her books have been an Aesop Accolade winner, Sydney Taylor notable books and an honor book, a National Jewish Book Awards finalist and winner, and Bank Street Best Books of the Year. Ann has two adult children and lives in Los Angeles, California with her husband.
Contact Info
Ann Stampler's Facebook
