Dharani asked Chris Bohjalian:

Why does most of the plot of your books happen at Reddington, Vermont? I was at Vermont for the fall and Googled about Reddington since I had this urge after reading the book 'The Midwives'. But found that it was fictional. Now I am curious to know what made you to pen your books on Reddington and how you arrived at it? I definitely enjoyed reading about Reddington.

Chris Bohjalian Thanks for reading -- and for this question.

Most of my books are not set in the fictional Reddington, Vermont. Maybe three of the 20 are set there. Maybe two. (Another three are set in the fictional Bartlett, Vermont.)

But why did I create two fictional Vermont villages? So I could use the topography as I wished and build the neighborhood as I needed to.

If I used actual Vermont villages of a thousand people (or fewer), such as the ones in which I have lived the past thirty years, I would have to (for instance) place the general store in a certain spot or the firehouse on a certain street. Also? My neighbors would always assume they were in the books -- which they're not, because they deserve their privacy.

It's a great question and why the Faulkners and Moshers of the world created their own small universes for their characters in Mississippi and Vermont.

Thanks!

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