‘Behind the Blue:’ Hannah Pittard explores truth, humor and chaos in latest novel

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 26, 2025) — Fiction has long offered writers a veil — an opportunity to tell deeply personal stories at a safe distance.

But what happens when that veil is intentionally thin, when the line between fact and imagination is not simply blurred but deliberately twisted?

That’s the space explored in “If You Love It, Let It Kill You,” the latest novel from Hannah Pittard. An acclaimed author and English professor in College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky, she delves into the messy, hilarious and often painful intersections of personal truth and imaginative storytelling.

“This is a book I didn’t intend to write — it sort of fell into my lap,” Pittard said. “It’s very much about the human heart in conflict with itself.”

In this sharp, irreverent and darkly funny work of autofiction, a writer learns that an unflattering version of herself will appear in her ex-husband’s forthcoming book. What begins as ordinary life — teaching, entertaining, baking macaroni and cheese for her nephew’s birthday — spirals into a wildly unconventional midlife crisis, complete with a talking cat, a bizarre party game and the unraveling of her once-steady contentment.

“It’s a romp, it’s a wild romp,” she explained. “It’s a comedy, but it’s definitely a dark comedy.”

Playful yet profound, Pittard’s newest novel captures the chaos of modern womanhood, the absurdities of domestic life and the uneasy collision of personal truth with artistic expression.

“With autobiographical fiction, in some ways you can risk being even more honest, because you’re hiding behind the guise of fiction,” Pittard said. “There are certain confessions you might not include in a memoir, because they feel too personal. But in fiction you can always say, ‘Oh no, that’s not me. Or maybe it is. And I’ll never tell.’”

Already praised by The New York Times as, “A dishy work of autofiction that everyone will be talking about, ‘If You Love It, Let It Kill You’ is poised to be one of the year’s most talked-about releases.”

“The very act of writing autofiction is a performance. I’m fascinated by the performance of identity — what parts of ourselves we present to the world, to our families, to our colleagues and who we are when no one else is in the room,” Pittard said. “In this book, the character I’m impersonating is me. It was difficult to write, but it was also the most fun I’ve ever had writing a novel.”

As a professor, Pittard said her students are a continual source of energy and inspiration.

“There’s always a nugget of beauty in a student story, no matter how rough it looks,” she said. “We always start with praise, because as a writer, I can’t hear criticism if it doesn’t begin with something positive. But I also push my students to take risks. Ambition is a good thing. Trying something hard and failing is really important.”

As the author of six books, Pittard is nationally recognized for captivating readers with her intricate storytelling. She is a winner of the Amanda Davis Highwire Fiction Award and a MacDowell Colony Fellow.

In 2011, “The Fates Will Find Their Way” was a Boston Globe bestseller. Her second novel, “Reunion” (in 2014), was an editor’s choice by the Chicago Tribune. In 2016, she released “Listen To Me,” which received a glowing full-page review in The New York Times. Her 2018 novel, “Visible Empire,” was a New York Times’ Editors’ Choice. Her 2023 memoir, “We Are Too Many,” was named a Best Book of the Year by Cosmopolitan.

Reflecting on her latest work, Pittard said, “I wanted this to be a book that I loved and that I was proud of at every level and on every page. I’m very grateful to be at a point in my career where I could take that risk — and trust that readers will get it.”

Pittard recently joined the “Behind the Blue” podcast, where she discussed the freedom and risk of writing autobiographical fiction, the influence of teaching and mentorship on her work, and the role of humor — and discomfort — in creating emotionally resonant stories. 

You can listen to her full interview by clicking the play button above.

About “Behind the Blue”

“Behind the Blue” is available via a variety of podcast providers, including iTunes and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

“Behind the Blue” is a joint production of the University of Kentucky and UK HealthCare. Transcripts for this or other episodes of “Behind the Blue” can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.

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