Libby Hubscher is an author and scientist. She studied biology at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, and holds a doctor of philosophy degree in molecular toxicology from North Carolina State University. Her work has appeared online and in textbooks, scientific journals, and literary journals. Her short story "The Unwelcome Guest" was long-listed for the Wigleaf Top 50 in 2018. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, two young children, and a menagerie of pets.
Violet Covington pens Dear Sweetie, the most popular advice column in the state of North Carolina. She has an answer for how to politely handle any difficult situation…until she discovers her husband, Sam, has been cheating on her. Furious and out of sensible solutions, Violet leaves her filter at the door and turns to her column to air her own frustrations. The new, brutally honest Dear Sweetie goes viral, sending more shock waves through Violet’s life. When she burns Sam’s belongings in a front-yard, late-night bonfire, a smoking-hot firefighter named Dez shows up to douse the flames, and an unexpected fling quickly shows potential to become something longer lasting.
A lot of people want to see the old polished Violet return—including her boss, who finds her unpredictability hard to manage, and Sam, who’s begging for another chance. But Dez appreciates Violet just the way she is—in fact, he can’t get enough of her. The right answers don’t come easily when Violet finds herself at her own personal crossroads. But maybe, by getting real, Violet can write her own happy ending.
“I gasped, I ground my teeth, and I cheered along with Violet as she gathered the smashed pieces of her life and used them to build something better than before.”
—Jesse Q. Sutanto, author of Dial A for Aunties
"Full of southern charm and self-discovery. Libby Hubscher brings a light touch to heavy emotions in this witty novel about starting over in life and in love."
—Virginia Kantra, author of Beth & Amy
“A funny, feminist, feel-good novel about making mistakes, asking for advice, and writing your own happy ending. I laughed and I cried—this novel is an absolute joy!”
—Freya Sampson, author of The Last Chance Library
—Jesse Q. Sutanto, author of Dial A for Aunties
"Full of southern charm and self-discovery. Libby Hubscher brings a light touch to heavy emotions in this witty novel about starting over in life and in love."
—Virginia Kantra, author of Beth & Amy
“A funny, feminist, feel-good novel about making mistakes, asking for advice, and writing your own happy ending. I laughed and I cried—this novel is an absolute joy!”
—Freya Sampson, author of The Last Chance Library
If you had to summarize If You Ask Me in two lines, what would you say?
An advice columnist has a bit of a breakdown after her marriage falls apart, burns her husband’s belongings in the street, and rises from the ashes with a firefighter by her side.
An advice columnist has a bit of a breakdown after her marriage falls apart, burns her husband’s belongings in the street, and rises from the ashes with a firefighter by her side.
What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
I know we’re supposed to stay away from Goodreads, but I’ll forever be so grateful by the reader who wrote “Oh this book. This magnificent, heartbreaking, heart-rebuilding book” about Meet Me in Paradise. For me, that breaking apart and putting back together is exactly why I write.
How is Violet similar to or different from you?
Like Violet, I sometimes wear makeup as armor. If I’m wearing a lot, I’m either struggling emotionally or ready for battle. I suppose the other traits that Violet and I share are not being super comfortable with being vulnerable and feeling nervous about being judged. We’re different though--there’s no way I’m riding the tower of doom.
Who would you cast in the movie version of If You Ask Me?
This is harder than I expected! For Violet, I think I’d cast Brittany Snow. Dez was always a hybrid version of Channing Tatum and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson – maybe Channing…I feel like he would show up with croissants.
What is your current guilty pleasure?
Inventing Anna on Netflix was a fascinating car wreck of a show that I could not stop watching. Oh, also maraschino cherries. When my family gets milkshakes, which I can’t eat because dairy, they save them for me, and I rinse them off and will eat them all. They make me feel like a kid again.
What is the last photo you took and the story behind it?
The last photo I took was a picture of A Brush with Love by the fabulous Mazey Eddings in front of my favorite wallpapered wall in my office to celebrate her release day. I had five minutes between work meetings and really should’ve polished my nails, but I’m trying to embrace joy and imperfection these days.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
When I was about ready to have my daughter, my friend told me to always remember that everything is temporary. It’s true with things like colic and it’s true with life. The good moments are fleeting, so revel in them. And the awful ones, the ones that wring you out and make you feel like throwing in your own towel, they don’t last forever either.
Thanks to Libby for chatting with us and to Berkley for sharing her book with our readers.
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16 comments:
The best advice I received is work hard in silence, let success be your noise.
Some of the best advice I have received is if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
Persevere and never lose hope.
Learn as much as you can and never put your life in the hands of someone else.
Lear from one's failures.
work hard
The best advice I was ever given was to always forgive people, no matter what. Holding on to anger and hurt, just makes you a bitter person.
Every mistake is a lesson learned.
Best advice? You don't have to stop for every barking dog. In other words, learn to not take the bait, letting the situation escalate, just as the troublemaker is hoping you will do.
Don't sweat the small stuff.
To think for myself.
Don't sit around waiting for him to "come home" or "show up". Have a life of your own.
The best advice I ever received was from my sister. She told me to read, read ,read to my kids.
To work hard and never give up.
Trust your gut
Work hard
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