Fearless reporter Nellie Bly will stop at nothing to chase down stories that expose injustices against women—even if it comes at the risk of her own life and freedom—in this exciting novel inspired by the true story of one remarkable woman.
We chat with Maya Rodale about her latest book release The Mad Girls of New York, along with writing, book recommendations, and more!
Hi, Maya! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I’m the bestselling author of books about fearless, funny and feminist heroines who are mostly based on real women from history. I’ve written historical romance, YA, non-fiction and my new book The Mad Girls of New York is my first work of historical fiction. I live in New York City with my family.
How has 2022 been for you so far?
Better now that it’s springtime in New York!
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I discovered my love of writing in college, when I took creative writing classes because I thought the homework would be easy…I could just make stuff up! But I discovered that while the homework wasn’t exactly easy, it was something I was happy to spend hours and hours on.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
One memory stands out: sobbing in my mother’s arms after reading Bridge to Terabithia. It wasn’t the first book I’d read, but the first time I’d been devastated by one. What a power for a book to have! Now that I think about it…no wonder I write books with happy ever afters.
Your new novel, The Mad Girls of New York, is out April 26th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Fearless, funny, feminist, mostly true.
What can readers expect?
A daredevil heroine based on real life Nellie Bly, who feigns insanity and gets herself committed to the insane asylum and writes a sensational newspaper story about it. There are rival reporters, dynamic female friendships, a love triangle with a fellow journalist and hot bachelor Mayor of NYC and a happy ending for Nellie and all the other women in the story.
Where did the inspiration for The Mad Girls of New York come from?
The Mad Girls of New York is inspired by the real life of Nellie Bly! In 1887, Nellie went to NYC intent on becoming a reporter. The assignment to go undercover in the madhouse was the only one she could get—“I said I could and I would. And I did,” she said. Her story became a sensation and launched her career.
But I couldn’t help but notice that Nellie was also a twenty-somethng single woman in Manhattan who was charming, confident, worried about her bangs, and commented on handsome doctors even as they were condemning her to an insane asylum. I thought she’d make a terrific heroine for a novel.
Can you tell us a bit about the challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
I’m grateful that my writing challenges are pretty mundane—distraction and obligations. Home and family stuff can cut into my writing time. And then I’m also guilty of spending my writing time on Twitter or Instagram (come say hi! I’m @mayarodale).
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I got a kick out of writing the character of Prayer Girl, who is inspired by one line in Nellie Bly’s original story (“a woman prayed loudly all night for death”). Like many of the women Nellie meets in the asylum, Prayer Girl is perfectly sane. Her way of coping with her situation is dark, snarky humor and I loved writing her banter with Nellie.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
Write every day is both the best and worst advice I received. Developing a writing practice and habit is essential to getting words on the page, which is essential for getting better at writing. But sometimes it’s just not practical or not happening, especially for people with day jobs, homes, and families. If that’s the case…don’t write everyday. Just write whenever and wherever you can.
What’s next for you?
More novels about fearless, funny, feminist historical women that are mostly true. Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to know about new projects: www.mayarodale.com/newsletter
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Nellie Bly and the era of Stunt Girl Journalism is fun, fascinating, feminist…and I can’t get enough of it. I highly recommend the book Sensational: The Hidden History of America’s Girl Stunt Reporters by Kim Todd. And, of course, there is The Mad Girls of New York.
