How to build up your response skills to find that perfect comeback just when you need it, not two days later.

“Hi, I’m Lola, and I’m a girl who’s half ordinary, half fun. I grew up in an average middle-class family. Physically, I’ve gone back and forth between chubby, plump, and fat. I do have a big mouth, though—and thanks to it, I became an actress. On stage, I can improvise, take on anyone without using my hands, and make an entire audience laugh.

But it hasn’t always been that easy: in real life, when faced with a disconcerting or inappropriate comment, I’ve often had the perfect comeback… once I got home. Infuriating, right?

But I turned 40, and I decided to stop letting people get to me. I read, I searched, I slipped up, I tried again, until I came up with this method. It’s not foolproof, much less scientific, but I hope it helps you put the next guy in his place who dares to cut in line at the supermarket, stand up to your mother-in-law, and listen to your heart.”

An actress, singer, and songwriter, Lola Cès is one of the founders of Les Coquettes, a comedic and musical trio that has already won over several thousand audience members. Damn, it, Why Didn’t I Say That is her first book.