Jo Piazza Will Inspire You to Run for Office With Her Latest Book, 'Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win'
She started the novel before the 2016 election, and now the need for female candidates has become an all-important reality.


Welcome to MarieClaire.com's Q&A author series—the spot where we ask the #ReadwithMC author-of-the-month five burning questions about her latest book. This month, we're reading Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win by award-winning journalist and bestselling author Jo Piazza. If you're interested in the novel and looking for some friends to talk about it with, find out how to participate in MarieClaire.com's new interactive monthly book club here.
Jo Piazza's newest book, Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win, is a timely story of political ambition, marriage, sexual politics, and what it takes for a woman to run for office today. It's required reading as the 2018 midterm election approaches, especially when women like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Christine Hallquist are fearlessly running—and winning.
Here, Piazza discusses the importance of her novel and why she's "sick of writing about rich white ladies who live in New York."
Marie Claire: What inspired you to write Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win?
Jo Piazza: I started to think about writing it before the 2016 election when I was watching how the media was covering not just "the woman candidate," but all women candidates. I wanted to use fiction to show not only how differently they're covered and treated on the campaign trail, but how it's five times harder for a woman to run than a man.
I wanted to show that very honestly, too, because all politicians are very polished and they only speak in soundbites. I wanted to get behind the scenes and dig into the emotion behind that. Then the election happened, and it felt even more imperative. I genuinely believe that Hollywood, in terms of TV and movies and popular fiction, has completely failed women by not creating enough women characters who lead, who are ambitious, and who wear their ambition with pride.
I wanted to flip that on its head, so it was very important for me to show a female character who wasn't just running for office because her husband couldn't run, or because she had fallen into it. That's how I created Charlotte.
MC: If you could be one character in the book, who would you be?
JP: It's so hard. I go back and forth every single day about who my favorite character is, but I think Roz and Cara. I love them so much. Charlotte is great, but everyone loves Charlotte. Roz and Cara were my favorite characters to write because it was very important for me to show an older generation of women and how hard [running for office] has been for a long time. It was also important for me to show different socioeconomic classes of women.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
I chose Pennsylvania as the setting because it's genuinely a microcosm of the United States. You have the urban elite areas with an Ivy League university, you have the rural poor, you have the working class who literally, just a generation ago, had the factories stolen from them. I'm also sick of writing about rich white ladies who live in New York. My family grew up in northeastern Pennsylvania and it was incredible to get to write characters like the kinds of people my family grew up with.
It was important for me to show a woman character who wasn't just running for office because her husband couldn't run, or because she had fallen into it.
MC: Who would play the main characters in a movie? Cast your protagonist and antagonist.
JP: This is a tricky question for me to answer right now because I actually know who's going to play Charlotte (we just signed the contract for the television show!). It's the perfect female casting. I'll be able to give you more details shortly.
MC: Why should people read this book?
JP: We have to start a conversation about women and ambition, and that's the whole goal of the book. Let's talk about women having ambition, let's talk about women leading because we just don't see it enough in fiction and popular culture. I wrote this book to start that conversation. I did my book tour in the middle of the country so I could have that conversation with people off the coasts—in places where you're not normally having that conversation.
I've had women from very rural farmers to women who have their own family members dealing with the opioid crisis in the rural south come up to me and say, "Thank you for showing a very real female character who does lead and is opening the eyes of people the way they need to be opened."
Other comments I'm getting in person and on social media are people saying, "I'm not that interested in politics at all, but I picked up this book because I thought it looked like a good book and now I'm really interested in finding out which women are running." Other women are like, "This gave me a blueprint of how I could do this." That's why I wanted to include all of the different organizations in the back of the book that could help women run for office.
MC: What's currently on your nightstand?
JP: I just finished Florida, the short story collection by Lauren Groff, and it was the best short story collection I've ever read. I don't typically like short story collections, but that and Curtis Sittenfeld's collections were both incredible.
You can purchase a copy of Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win here.
RELATED STORY
Rachel Epstein is a writer, editor, and content strategist based in New York City. Most recently, she was the Managing Editor at Coveteur, where she oversaw the site’s day-to-day editorial operations. Previously, she was an editor at Marie Claire, where she wrote and edited culture, politics, and lifestyle stories ranging from op-eds to profiles to ambitious packages. She also launched and managed the site’s virtual book club, #ReadWithMC. Offline, she’s likely watching a Heat game or finding a new coffee shop.
-
How Hannah Einbinder "Worked Up" to Her 'Hacks' Season 4 Premiere Dress
The star has been on a fashion journey since her hit show's first season.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
Katie Holmes and Michelle Williams Are Planning 'Dawson's Creek' Reunion
"It's like playing chess, trying to get everybody's schedules to align."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Mikey Madison Took Over Her 'SNL' Weekend With Glam From the Stage to the NYC Streets
Enter: Red nails, Hollywood hair, and soft pink lips.
By Siena Gagliano Published
-
The 20 Best True Crime Books to Read in 2025
These nonfiction titles and memoirs about serial killers and scammers are the definition of page-turners.
By Andrea Park Published
-
Every Ruth Ware Book, Ranked—From 'In a Dark, Dark Wood' to 'The Woman in Cabin 10'
Here's what you should read before her new thriller 'The Woman in Suite 11' hits shelves.
By Nicole Briese Published
-
10 Books to Read for a Killer Vacation
Pack these novels about vacations gone very wrong on your next trip.
By Liz Doupnik Published
-
The Melancholic Sound of Success
The artist known as Japanese Breakfast opens up about finding her sound on a new album after experiencing whirlwind success.
By Sadie Bell Published
-
Every Jennifer Weiner Novel, Ranked—From 'Good in Bed' to 'In Her Shoes'
All hail the queen of beach reads!
By Nicole Briese Published
-
The 28 Best Romantasy Books to Read in 2025
Here's what to read when you've devoured the 'ACOTAR' and 'Empyrean' series.
By Andrea Park Published
-
Mary Ellen Matthews Is the Woman Behind Every Portrait on 'Saturday Night Live' Since 1999
The late-night show's resident photographer shares her favorite memories and insights from shooting all the talent who come through Studio 8H.
By Sadie Bell Published
-
13 Books About Breakups That Will Remind You Not to Text Your Ex
Allow these novels about heartbreak to help you heal.
By Liz Doupnik Published