Grady Hendrix frequently reimagines traditional horror themes to create original folklore, such as in “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” (vampires), “How to Sell a Haunted House” (haunted houses), and “My Best Friend’s Exorcism” (possessions). However, his latest novel, the intriguing “Witchcraft for Wayward Girls,” released by Berkley, deviates from this pattern as it draws inspiration from ominous tales from his own family history, focusing on witches.
In the story, four adolescent girls are dispatched to Wellwood House, an establishment for unmarried mothers, in 1970, tasked with childbirth, relinquishing their infants for adoption, and concealing the entire ordeal. However, they regain a measure of control when they learn witchcraft from a librarian who shares a mystical book.
Hendrix, previously a contributor at EbMaster, claims that the concept for “Girls” was inspired by a personal family history involving two cherished relatives who found themselves in an extraordinary and seemingly implausible circumstance.
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In his past role as a writer at EbMaster, Hendrix shares that the idea behind “Girls” stemmed from a remarkable family story about two dear relatives experiencing an unusual and hard-to-believe situation.
Personally, I find it unusual for a middle-aged, childless man to pen a book with all characters being pregnant. This resonates deeply with my family’s history, as we discovered years ago that two of our relatives, who are now deceased, were sent away when they were teenagers by unmarried mothers. We didn’t learn about this until late in their lives. One of them was able to reunite with their child, while the other never did.
The thought that someone could have a baby and never know what became of them was astonishing to me. In fact, one of these relatives actually raised her baby for five weeks before it was adopted, yet she didn’t see her child again until she was in her seventies. They lived their lives not knowing if their child was alive, dead, or suffering. The absurdity of that situation struck me deeply.
Hendrix delved deeper into understanding this popular practice, which saw approximately 190 homes specifically allocated for unmarried mothers during what became known as the “Baby Scoop” period. Beyond historical studies, he was equally dedicated to connecting with numerous experts, enabling him to narrate a tale authentically, from the viewpoint of young women.
As a movie critic, I’d say: “I firmly believed that the only way to salvage this book was by engaging in open discussions with individuals who were willing to share their personal experiences. Thus, I reached out to around a dozen mothers and listened to their compelling birth tales. I also spoke with OB-GYNs and L&D nurses, took online courses, even referenced my Williams Obstetrics manual. A remarkable OB assisted me in my research, but her replies grew terse as the barrage of questions from me continued. However, I felt it was crucial to get that aspect correct, and I was astonished by how much differed from my initial assumptions.
Nevertheless, Hendrix claims that his past career as a journalist granted him the liberty to pose questions in the quest for uncovering the truth.
He suggests that one should engage in conversations with others to question your own beliefs, and it’s okay to admit when you don’t understand something by asking for clarification. In a surprising manner, he has been apprehensive about having children since his childhood, fearing that once started, the process would be unstoppable. Now, however, after writing this book, he finds himself captivated by the idea. If someone shares their birth story with him, he eagerly listens, armed with a bowl of popcorn as he asks questions, finding the process fascinating. What he enjoys most about writing books is conducting research and speaking to people.
It’s highly likely that the book will spark lots of conversations due to its timely release, as it’s a concept Jim Hendrix has nurtured for years. Coincidentally, this novel is being published at a time when there’s significant political upheaval regarding women’s reproductive rights, following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Furthermore, the potential return of a Trump presidency could further erode these rights, which has led to an increased focus on horror narratives where a woman’s bodily autonomy becomes a greater source of fear than any fictional monster.
He remarks that since the book is set in 1970, he was so immersed in that time period that contemporary political discussions didn’t resonate with him. Reading about the persistent language used to discuss unwed mothers, which hasn’t significantly changed from the 1920s up until now, left him struck by the frequent use of coded terms such as ‘Welfare Moms’, ‘single-parent homes’. The focus is always on women who had children without a partner, and they are consistently blamed for any problems. He finds it astonishing how normalized this relentless and unforgiving narrative has become.
Unfortunately, Hendrix still sees many direct parallels from the book in modern life.
He recently passed a sign in South Carolina that read, ‘Seeking temporary homes for pregnant teenagers,’ he comments. A recent New York Times article focused on maternity homes in Florida. The issue remains prevalent, and dismissing it as an outdated problem of the past is unrealistic. With Roe being overturned, this matter seems more pressing and noticeable than ever before.
Apart from crafting novels, Hendrix also delves into filmmaking. He has written screenplays for two movies – the 2017 film “Mohawk,” co-written with Ted Geoghegan, and the 2019 movie “Satanic Panic.” Currently, he’s engaged in adapting his short story “Ankle Snatcher” into a feature film.
Multiple novels penned by the author are slated for transformation, with the 2014 novel “Horrorstör” earmarked for movie production. Additionally, upcoming television adaptations are planned for the 2020 book “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires,” as well as “The Final Girl Support Group” from 2021 and “How to Sell a Haunted House” due in 2023.
Hendrix can’t disclose much about the progress of the projects, but he does assure us, “We’ve made some significant strides in all areas. Things have moved slightly forward, which is a great relief as there was a time when it seemed like we weren’t getting any updates from anyone.
As for his next novel? It’s a total departure from “Witchcraft.”
He describes the book as truly monstrous,” he explains. “It’s like an actual monster lurking in a forest. There isn’t a single female character in it, which strikes me as unusual, but I don’t want to reveal too much because you never know what might change along the way. But for now, it’s about a monster in the woods and it seems exclusive to males.
Currently, Hendrix is excited to breathe life into the women of Wellwood House for his readers, as well as for himself.
He explains, “It’s an unusual, immersive experience for me, and every room in that maternity home is either sketched or described to me. I have a diagram of the house layout. I know exactly where each girl sits at the dinner table because I need to witness it to truly understand it. For the reader to accept this, I need to believe it first. I must see it, hear it, and even imagine its scent. It’s a visual, auditory, sensory journey for me. I’m delighted that this experience translates well onto the page. That’s my aim.
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2025-01-15 05:16