• Courtesy
• Janet Hubbard

Janet Hubbard, author, playwright and well-known patron of the arts, passed away on August 31, 2024. She was born in Richmond, Va., in 1944, on the summer solstice — the longest day of the year, and also the day her peonies never failed to bloom in her garden.

She majored in theater and English arts at Virginia Intermont College. She likened it to “unleashing a colt into a pasture.” She was accepted as an apprentice at the Virginia State Theater, and soon after she traveled to Paris for the first time, which began a love affair with the city that lasted a lifetime.

As an emerging writer, Janet moved to New York City and began her career at Random House, followed by Time Life, where she became a researcher. She simultaneously enrolled at New York University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English. Before being sent on assignment to Iran, she accepted an invitation to stay at a friend’s cabin in Vermont to write. A rugged-looking guy knocked on the door, looking for someone else, and the rest is history.

Janet married Frank Brown two years later, and they had two children, Luke and Ramsey. She wrote 25 books for Chelsea House Publishers and several History Mystery books, among many other freelance gigs, while she raised her children. In 1988 she woke up with a children’s musical on her mind, and Heart of the Mountain was born. The show traveled all over the state of Vermont before winning a peace prize in Germany the following year.

Janet took an unconventional and thrilling approach to parenting. She taught the many children who adored her to approach life with curiosity and wonder. She introduced her children to the world at young ages and encouraged them to explore as many cultures and countries as possible, which they did.

Janet divorced at 58 and became a novelist. She wrote three mysteries set in the wine districts of France. She derived great pleasure in mentoring writers and helping them to find their authentic voices. She was an avid supporter of the arts and sat on multiple boards, most notably of Phantom Theater, where she wrote promotional articles and produced many shows over the course of 40 years. Her final novel, The Eloquence of Grief, was published in September 2024.

Janet lived life on her own terms. She developed a strong philosophy on how to accomplish a wildly abundant life: Wear more lipstick, have a glass, throw fabulous dinner parties, laugh at yourself, talk to strangers (who will become friends), go to Paris, wear red, read great books and, most importantly, say “Yeeesss” (in a Southern accent) as often as possible.

A celebration of Janet’s life will be held on October 9, 2024, 3 to 6 p.m., at Bliss Ridge Farm, 216 Gove Rd., Moretown, VT.

A book launch event for Janet’s final novel, The Eloquence of Grief, is on October 10, 5:30-7 p.m., at the Red Barn Galleries at Lareau Farm in Waitsfield, and will include light fare and a cash bar. For details, visit phantomtheater.org.