Suzy Hopkins

A mother's advice to her daughter--a guide to daily living, both practical and sublime--with full-color illustrations throughout. One sleepless night while she was in her early twenties, illustrator/writer Hallie Bateman had a painful realization: her mom would die, and after she died she would be gone. The prospect was devastating, and also scary--how would she navigate the world without the person who gave her life? She thought about all the motherly advice she would miss--advice that could help her through the challenges to come, including the ordeal of losing a parent. The next day, Hallie asked her mother, writer Suzy Hopkins, to record step-by-step instructions for her to follow in the event of her mom's death. The list began: "Pour yourself a stiff glass of whiskey and make some fajitas" and continued from there, walking Hallie through the days, months, and years of life after loss, with motherly guidance and support, addressing issues great and small--from choosing a life partner to baking a quiche. The project became a way for mother and daughter to connect with humor, openness, and gratitude. It led to this book. Combining Suzy's wit and heartfelt advice with Hallie's quirky and colorful style, What to Do When I'm Gone is the illustrated instruction manual for getting through life without one's mom. It's also a poignant look at loss, love, and taking things one moment at a time. By turns whimsical, funny, touching, and above all pragmatic, it will leave readers laughing and teary-eyed. And it will spur conversations that enrich family members' understanding of one another.

A Mother's Wisdom to Her Daughter

What to Do When I'm Gone

"A book that feels like a warm hug from your best friend." -Emily Henry, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Funny Story From the beloved mother-daughter team who brought us What to Do When I'm Gone, a poignant, funny, heartfelt, and gorgeously illustrated guide to navigating the pain and complexity of getting dumped. After Suzy Hopkins's husband of thirty years unexpectedly left her to pursue an old flame, her grief was so overwhelming that she thought her own heart might stop. How do you take the first step forward after losing such an integral part of your life? In What to Do When You Get Dumped, the mother-daughter duo of Hopkins and her New Yorker–illustrator extraordinaire daughter Hallie Bateman offer an incisive, tender, appealingly illustrated guide to “unbreaking” your heart. Using a countdown from the moment you're dumped, the book offers humor and hope as it guides readers on the journey to find new meaning and purpose in a life that's yours alone. Lighthearted, impactful, and deeply consoling, What to Do When You Get Dumped provides the wisdom to emerge from a breakup smarter, stronger, and with the unshakable knowledge that you are worthy of lasting love.

Suzy Hopkins

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