Most of you are very familiar with the Emerson Valley Gazette’s weekly Sunday advice column known as “Dear Libby.” You’ve probably seen Libby—real name Elizabeth Barton—out and about around down. However, few people know her as intimately well as I do. We’ve been friends and coworkers for the last five years, and I’ve come to see a side of Libby that few get the chance to see. For that reason, I asked Libby to have a casual sit-down interview with me. I want to give you the opportunity to get a glimpse into the world of the woman who had helped guide Emerson Valley for the last fifteen years.

Emerson Valley Gazette: Thank you so much for inviting me to chat in your beautiful home. How do you like living here?

Elizabeth “Libby” Barton: I love it! When I first started writing my column, I never dreamed it would land me in a place like this. I was beyond excited when I could finally afford to move here.

Gazette: It must’ve been a pretty big change to anything you were used to.

Libby: Totally! I mean, it’s not like I grew up poor, but if we had a “bad side of town,” that’s where I lived. My parents did their best to make sure my sister and I had everything we needed. I appreciate that they tried to give us more, but when all your friends at school get new clothes every month, and the designer handbags and shoes, it definitely hurts to know you’ll never have that.

Gazette: Do you think the reason your advice column is so successful stems from the struggles you faced as a kid?

Libby: Hmm…you know, I never thought about that. But I think you could be right. When I read the letters submitted for the column, it’s like I know exactly how they’re feeling because I went through similar, if not worse situations myself.

Gazette: Right as you were reaching a new level of stardom, you were dragged through a very public divorce by your ex-husband. Despite attempts by jealous rivals to ruin your reputation, your popularity ended up skyrocketing. Do you feel like the way you gave advice changed as a direct result of that experience?

Libby: Oh, it changed for sure. How could it not? Up until then, my only real relationship experience was a happy marriage. Suddenly, I knew what it was like to break up—to get divorced. That opened my eyes to a whole new gamut of emotions, incentives, motivations, and expectations. I was able to reach more people because I could relate to a wider swathe of the Gazette’s readership.

Gazette: It seems impossible to imagine this paper without “Dear Libby,” but you’re not that old. It was only a decade and a half ago that we had a different advice columnist.

Libby: Right…well, before me, the Gazette had an advice columnist called “Maggie May I” that was written by Margaret Stewart. She wasn’t happy about being replaced, and she made her displeasure known in some…unsavory ways. She blamed me personally for taking her job, even though I was hired after [former Editor-in-Chief] Joe Alden had already fired her. It got pretty scary. I had to take out a restraining order on her—not that it stopped her.

Gazette: That sounds awful. But you survived, and you became stronger for it.

Libby: I appreciate that. I do feel stronger. Everything I’ve suffered feels worth it when it lets me help someone else overcome their own problems.

Gazette: Do you think of yourself as a role model for people who read your column?

Libby: (Chuckling) Do I think I’m a role model? I don’t know. It’s not easy to answer that yourself, since you can’t dictate how other people perceive you.

Gazette: Well, why don’t I rephrase the question: many people see you as a role model. Do you feel any pressure to behave a certain way or present yourself in a more curated manner to smooth away the rough edges?

Libby: No, not really. I’m thrilled to be seen as a role model, but I think if I changed how I acted, it would take away from whatever qualities make people admire me. I’ve never been very good at lying, so I couldn’t get away with being fake. Everyone would be able to see right through it.

Gazette: Are there any surprising facts about yourself that most people don’t know?

Libby: I love to ride.

Gazette: I’m sorry?

Libby: I’m an avid equestrian. I ride horses all the time. It’s become something of a passion of mine. Thanks to the success of my column, I’ve been able to afford a horse and stable just outside of town. Anytime I need some space to think, I go for a ride. Nothing gets the juices flowing like a quick ride over hard terrain, bouncing in the saddle while you clutch the reins so tight. My the time I’m done riding, I can breathe easier and think clearer.

Gazette: I…um…sorry. I kind of lost the ability to form words for a moment. That sounds like a lot of fun, though.

Libby: Horses are majestic creatures, don’t you think?

Gazette: Yeah, they’re great. But I think we all know what your favorite animal is…

Libby: Cats! (Laughs) You got me. I’ve never made it much of a secret how much I love cats. Anyone who’s read my column has probably seen me talk about them at some point.

Gazette: Interestingly, you used to actually be allergic to cats, right?

Libby: Unfortunately. I’ve always loved cats, but just being in the same room as one would make my eyes get puffy and I’d start sneezing like crazy.

Gazette: How’d you manage to go from that to having a whole bevy of cats in your home?

Libby: I don’t know that I’d say I have a bevy…you make it sound like I’m a crazy cat lady or something…

Gazette: Oh, not at all. I just mean it’s curious how you can live with cats if you had such a strong allergic reaction to them when you were younger.

Libby: I see. Yeah, honestly, I’m not sure what happened. I’d come to accept I wouldn’t be able to have a cat of my own. Then one day, I went on a date with a guy, and he invited me over for tea and ice cream. He had a cat, but didn’t tell me that beforehand. So I’m sitting on his couch, and all of a sudden his cat runs in and jumps on my lap. I thought I’d have a horrible reaction and it would ruin the night, but he sat there for at least ten minutes, and I didn’t even sniffle.

Gazette: That’s amazing. You must’ve felt like you’d gotten really lucky to finally be able to be around your favorite animal.

Libby: Yeah, I definitely got lucky. Maybe I’m a bit superstitious, because I worried that if I ever looked too deeply into it, my allergies would come back. So I just accepted it and went out to buy my first kitty!

Gazette: A remarkable story about a remarkable woman.

Libby: (Blushing) Aw, Coop…

Gazette: It’s true. I’m truly in awe of you every single day. It’s a privilege to be your friend and to work beside you. I mean that figuratively, of course. We haven’t worked in an office together since before the Gazette went completely online in 2019.

Libby: Right. But we still get to see a lot of each other. We’ve been collaborating on the “Return to Macabre Manor” series of articles for a while now.

Gazette: Yep. Those are so much fun to write. I’m really glad we get to do those. I’m happy anytime I get to spend more time with you.

Libby: Same here. It’s a fun change of pace from my column. I love getting to spread my wings and show that I’m not just good at giving advice.

Gazette: But your readers are grateful to you for sharing that gift with them. We all are. I think I speak for everyone when I saw we’re looking forward to reading “Dear Libby” for many years to come.

Libby: Thank you. That’s so sweet. I’ll keep writing it as long as you keep reading it!

-William Cooper, Human Interest, Emerson Valley Gazette