Trillium Book Award Author Readings June 16

The Proust Questionnaire, with Anthony Maria

 
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Anthony Maria

Author Anthony Henry Joseph Maria was born and raised in Windsor, Ontario. He began his writing career working for his mother, who owned the newspaper LaSalle Silhouette in LaSalle, Ontario. He later went on to interview musicians for various local magazines. In 2006, he retired from journalistic writing and began to write his first novel Dear Me, a mystery love story that he published recently. Anthony lives in Windsor with his wife and daughter, and will have another daughter born in July.

In his answers to the Proust Questionnaire, Anthony tells us about his personal hero, an impressive weight-loss feat that took place when he was in his 20s and his idea of happiness.

The Proust Questionnaire was not invented by Marcel Proust, but it was a much loved game by the French author and many of his contemporaries. The idea behind the questionnaire is that the answers are supposed to reveal the respondent's "true" nature.

_________________________________

What is your dream of happiness?
A silent look exchanged with my wife that says I love you and she smiles.

What is your idea of misery?
Living negatively or in a loveless marriage.

Where would you like to live?
Hollywood, but more importantly surrounded by family.

What qualities do you admire most in a man?
Self-confidence, self-awareness and doing what he says.

What qualities do you admire most in a woman?
Intellect, determination, independence, sexuality and truth.

What is your chief characteristic?
Blunt honesty.

What is your principal fault?
Laziness and avoidance.

What is your greatest extravagance?
Gifts for my wife.

What faults in others are you most tolerant of?
Self-consciousness and fear.

What do you value most about your friends?
Loyalty.

What characteristic do you dislike most in others?
Impatience and self-centredness.

What characteristic do you dislike most in yourself?
My temper.

What is your favourite virtue?
Humility.

What is your favourite occupation?
Stay-at-home dad.

What would you like to be?
Rich or immortal.

What is your favourite colour?
Blue.

What is your favourite flower?
Cannabis.

What is your favourite bird?
Blue Jay.

What historical figure do you admire the most?
Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

What character in history do you most dislike?
George Bush Sr.

Who are your favourite prose authors?
Bret Easton Ellis, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Robert M Pirsig.

Who are your favourite poets?
William Blake.

Who are your favourite heroes in fiction?
Bobby Hughes, Elizabeth Bennet, Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov.

Who are your heroes in real life?
Rachelle Norris, good fathers.

Who is your favourite painter?
Garnett Gerry.

Who is your favourite musician?
Julian Casablancas, Ezra Koenig.

What is your favourite food?
Cheesecake.

What is your favourite drink?
Espresso.

What are your favourite names?
Max, Julian.

What is it you most dislike?
My belly fat.

What natural talent would you most like to possess?
Dance or voice.

How do you want to die?
With my wife and children there to say goodbye to me.

What is your current state of mind?
Satisfied and jovial.

What do you consider your greatest accomplishment?
Losing over 70 pounds in my early 20s, meeting my wife, having children.

What is your motto?
Don?t think, DO!



Anthony Maria?s novel, Dear Me, can be purchased in Windsor at Biblioasis, 1520 Wyandotte St. E. Windsor, ON

Or at Juniper Books, 1990 Ottawa St. Windsor, ON N8Y 1R7

Or through Anthony directly by messaging him on Facebook or contacting him by email at [email protected]

Or online at www.Amazon.com

Or buy the ebook at Smashwords.com or various other online retailers.

Check back for more Proust Questionnaires with Canada's literati in this latest series of interviews on Open Book.

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