In this week’s Jen’s Jewels, I’m so excited to bring you my heartfelt chat with the wonderful New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs about her latest novel, WAYWARD GIRLS. This isn’t just any story—it’s inspired by true events, hidden pieces of history, and Susan’s own childhood memories that came rushing back when she revisited her hometown. We talked about everything from the real-life Magdalene Laundries that shaped her research to the surprising “Easter eggs” she uncovered that bring the 1960s setting to life. Through it all, Susan shares how hope, resilience, and the unbreakable bond of friendship can shine even in the darkest times. If you’ve ever wondered what makes a story linger long after you’ve turned the last page, you won’t want to miss this behind-the-scenes look at WAYWARD GIRLS. Happy reading—and may this one stay with you, too.
Jen: What sparked the idea for WAYWARD GIRLS? Was there one moment that made you say, I have to write this?
Susan: I grew up in a small town in western New York, not far from Buffalo, but we moved overseas when I was a child. I never went back until 2021, when my big brother and I embarked on a journey to revisit our childhood haunts.
When we visited the church of our youth, vivid memories of Jon as an altar boy flooded back—especially the time his sleeve caught fire from the incense thurible. You might notice a dramatized version of this incident early in the novel! (There’s a photo of Jon and me at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Olean, NY: photo here )
This moment sparked a deeper exploration into the impact of the Catholic Church in the 60s and 70s. My research led me to a forbidding stone complex at 485 Best Street in Buffalo that had once been a Magdalene Laundry—a place where “wayward girls” were sent to be “reformed” by strict nuns. Teenage girls were forced into slave labor and some delivered babies without proper medical care–babies that were sometimes stolen from them and placed for adoption. Though vaguely aware of the “laundries” in Ireland, I was shocked to learn they existed throughout the U.S. as well.
It was one of those “Oh boy, here we goooo” moments a writer experiences (if she’s lucky) that inspires her to write the book.
Jen: This story is set in the 60s. What do you love most about writing historical fiction?
Susan: My favorite thing about writing historical fiction is when I stumble across an “Easter egg” while doing research. For example, in Wayward Girls, I was reading up on the late 60s, and I came across the fact that in 1967, there was a race riot in Buffalo that was so intense that baseball star Jackie Robinson was sent to help quell it. And in 1969, Niagara Falls STOPPED. Dried up. The nuns in the book deemed it a miracle, but of course there’s another explanation. These details bring the story to life and—in the case of the “miracle” at the Falls, send the story shooting off in a new direction.
Jen: How did you balance real-life inspiration with your imagination when creating these characters?
Susan: I aimed for my cast of characters to be as diverse, human, quirky, flawed, and irrepressible as people in real life. (Except Flynn. Flynn is perfect.) They aren’t based on real people, but they share endearing, exasperating, and deeply human traits with real people. I hope I succeeded in making each girl at the Good Shepherd, the reform school in the book, shine in her own unique way—Mairin, who is impulsive and fierce, Angela—sensitive and vulnerable, passionate Odessa, brilliant and focused Helen, Janice the snitch, and childlike Kay. Together, they seem like a band of misfits, but in their shared goal to survive, they are a sisterhood.
Jen: This book is about friendship in really tough circumstances. What do you think makes a strong friendship last?
Susan: This is one of the central questions of the book. Some friendships are forged by fire, when people face intense circumstances together, and an indelible bond forms. The story spans 50 years, and yet when the women find each other again, they revert to their teenage selves, as if no time at all has passed.
Jen: How did you stay hopeful while writing about some difficult moments?
Susan: Ah, good question. This book took longer than usual for me—I’m usually a pretty fast writer. That’s probably because I had to proceed with extra sensitivity around these issues. I wanted to make sure I didn’t whitewash things, but at the same time, my natural instinct is to move toward a place of hope.
Jen: What do you hope readers feel when they turn the last page?
Susan: I hope they’ve felt something deep and learned something lasting. Jodi Picoult mentioned that the book is not just a moment in time, but a cautionary tale for today’s world. The way we treat our girls will define us as a society, and we need to do a better job.
Jen: What’s one thing you learned while researching or writing this book that stuck with you?
Susan: I can’t stop thinking about how powerful a person’s survival instinct is, when they’re up against a wall. The real survivors of the Good Shepherd are still with us, speaking out against the abuses they suffered.
Jen: If you could sit down with any one of your characters, who would it be and what would you want to ask them?
Susan: I’d want to kick back with Helen May, because she led such a singular life. Also, the guy she ended up marrying is dreamy, so I’d want to hear about their love story!
Jen: How did you celebrate when you finished WAYWARD GIRLS? And, what’s next for you?
Susan: Well, after the most holy ritual Cleaning of the Writing Studio, I immediately jumped in the camper and drove to Texas to see the total eclipse of 2024 (April 8). On the road, I read the entire first draft to Jerry. He’s an amazing listener and I made a lot of changes to the story based on how it sounded as I read all 130,000 words aloud!
Next up is…something old and something new. That’s all I can say at this point. But currently the next book is my favorite. Because I haven’t spoiled it by writing the ending!
Jen: What’s the best way for readers to stay connected with you?
Susan: Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, Threads, or better yet, subscribe to my newsletter on my website!
WAYWARD GIRLS by Susan Wiggs
From New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs, a wrenching but life-affirming novel based on a true story of survival, friendship, and redemption. Set in the turbulent Vietnam era in the All-American city of Buffalo, New York, six girls are condemned to forced labor in the laundry of a Catholic reform school.
In 1968 we meet six teens confined at the Good Shepherd—a dark and secretive institution controlled by Sisters of Charity nuns—locked away merely for being gay, pregnant, or simply unruly.
Mairin— free-spirited daughter of Irish immigrants, committed to keep her safe from her stepfather.
Angela—denounced for her attraction to girls, sent to the nuns for reform, but instead found herself the victim of a predator.
Helen—the daughter of intellectuals detained in Communist China, she saw her “temporary” stay at the Good Shepherd stretch into years.
Odessa—caught up in a police dragnet over a racial incident, she found the physical and mental toughness to endure her sentence.
Denise—sentenced for brawling in a foster home, she dared to dream of a better life.
Janice—deeply insecure, she couldn’t decide where her loyalty lay—except when it came to her friend Kay, who would never outgrow her childlike dependency.
Sister Bernadette—rescued from a dreadful childhood, she owed her loyalty to the Sisters of Charity even as her conscience weighed on her.
Wayward Girls is a haunting but thrilling tale of hope, solidarity, and the enduring strength of young women who find the courage to break free and find redemption…and justice.
Women’s Fiction Historical | Literature and Fiction Literary [William Morrow, On Sale: July 15, 2025, Hardcover / e-Book , ISBN: 9780063118270 / eISBN: 9780063118294]
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About Susan Wiggs
Susan Wiggs’s life is all about family, friends…and fiction. She’s been featured in the national media, including NPR’s Talk of the Nation, and is a popular speaker locally and nationally.
From the very start, her writings have illuminated the everyday dramas of ordinary people. At the age of eight, she self-published her first novel, entitled “A Book About Some Bad Kids.”
Today, she is an international best-selling, award-winning author, with millions of copies of her books in print in numerous countries. Her books celebrate the power of love, the timeless bonds of family, and the fascinating nuances of human nature.
She lives with her husband and family at the water’s edge on an island in the Pacific Northwest, where she divides her time between sleeping and waking.
Lakeshore Chronicles | Bella Vista
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About Jennifer Vido
Jennifer Vido writes sweet romances set in the Lowcountry, earning acclaim as the award-winning author of the Gull Island series. Her debut novel, “Serendipity by the Sea,” secured the prestigious Best First Book award from the New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Contest. In 2024, Vido’s talent garnered further accolades, with Baltimore Magazine readers naming her Best Local Author in their annual Best of Baltimore poll, while the Baltimore Sun acknowledged her with an Honorable Mention in their Best of 2024 Author category. When not writing fiction, she interviews authors for her weekly Jen’s Jewels column, leads water exercise classes, and directs a legal nonprofit. Currently residing in Maryland, she and her husband are proud parents to two grown sons and a rescue dog named Fripp.
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