Alabama author Joyce Scarbrough used her own experiences of dealing with a compulsive hair-pulling disorder for her novel Symmetry. The summary says: "Jessica Cassady must re-evaluate her marriage while also dealing with the realisation that her hair pulling is more than just a nervous habit. When her husband Lee attends a sportswriters' convention and Jessica calls his hotel room, another woman answers the phone. He swears things aren't what they seem, but she insists he move out while she decides whether or not to forgive him. With the increased stress of the separation, Jessica's hair pulling escalates and she realises she might have a physical condition called trichotillomania. As if she doesn't already have enough to deal with, her domineering mother shows up for a surprise visit and Jess attempts to conceal her marital problems. While Lee works to win Jess back, things grow complicated when she runs into Noah Hamilton, a sweet, unassuming history teacher from her past. Jess's interest in Noah makes her think that maybe - as her best friend Deb loves to tell her - she needs to forego the beefcake brigade and give the sensitive type a try. Conflict escalates when Lee realises just how much he's lost in losing his wife. Sparks fly as these two polar opposites on the testosterone scale compete for Jess's affection." In a recent interview, the author wonderfully described her book as "chick lit for women who own more books than shoes".

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