Freida McFadden is pushing back against speculation that artificial intelligence plays a role in her writing. The bestselling thriller author addressed the rumors directly, denying the use of any AI tools and reaffirming her creative process. Her response comes amid rumors that she and other indie authors use AI to produce more novels more quickly.
Freida McFadden Clarifies Rumors And Lies
“The Housemaid” author Freida McFadden took to social media to quash rumors about her using AI. As she wrote, she recently stumbled upon several user comments saying she used the technology, and even one where it said she “admitted” to doing it. “This is blatantly untrue,” McFadden wrote, adding that she said the opposite in interviews.
“I have said multiple times that I do NOT use AI both here and in official interviews, but maybe I’ve been too subtle? So I’m just going to be clear once and for all: I DO NOT USE AI TO WRITE MY BOOKS. I WILL NEVER USE AI TO WRITE MY BOOK,” she wrote on Facebook.
McFadden has been publishing books since 2013, but didn’t gain mainstream success until 2022 after the release of the psychological thriller, “The Housemaid,” which sold millions of copies and spent several weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.
The Author Defended Her Passion
In the lengthy post, the 45-year-old author revealed that she began writing at age 9 and that it remains her greatest passion. “I started self-publishing in 2013 because I just wanted to hold one of the books I’d written in my hands,” McFadden said, adding that she did not want to be a professional author.
McFadden is a physician by trade, and although she has found great success in writing, she has “no desire” to leave her career. Writing remains her hobby, a “labor of love,” which is why she refuses to use AI for her novels. “Would you get AI to do your hobbies for you? Maybe you could get AI to go on a cruise with your family? Maybe AI could eat that chocolate cake for you,” she wrote.
McFadden started as an indie publisher, but after gaining success, she signed with a publishing company. However, she still feels protective of other indie authors who are also accused of using AI. “They have been doing this before AI existed,” said the writer.
Freida McFadden Can Write Several Books In A Year
The author also pointed out what people cite as “evidence” of using AI, including the use of an em dash, typos, and producing more than “350 pages per year.”
She admitted that she’s “obsessed” with using an em dash and said other authors like Stephen King, Nora Roberts, and Danielle Steel could easily produce hundreds of pages of content in a year. When it comes to typos, she wrote, “I can’t think of anything more human than making a stupid typo. That’s like noticing someone is bleeding and saying it’s proof they’re a robot.”
McFadden said it’s “sad” that authors have to face this additional scrutiny, adding that while she can’t do a lot of things, she can write more than one book in a year. “I am able to write several books per year, and so can many other people. Let us have this,” she concluded.
The Author Revealed Her True Identity
In early April, McFadden revealed her real identity after keeping it secret for more than two decades. As previously reported by The Blast, McFadden’s real name is Sara Cohen, and she decided to finally share it with the world after being tired of hearing about speculations regarding her identity and hiding behind wigs for years.
McFadden works as a doctor and specializes in brain disorders, but revealed that her daily life is “much more boring” than the events that happen in her thrillers. The only reason she wrote under a pseudonym and kept her real identity under wraps was to avoid conflict in her real job. In 2023, however, she scaled back on her hours as a doctor, and it made sense to reveal her identity.
Multiple Freida McFadden Novels Are Headed For Adaptations
“The Housemaid” was the first major Hollywood adaptation for McFadden and was a blockbuster hit. The movie, released in 2025, featured Sydney Sweeney as housemaid Millie Calloway, and a sequel, based on the second book in the series, is currently in development. Sweeney will be reprising her role, and Kirsten Dunst has been announced as one of the cast members.
In addition, Sony has acquired the film rights for her novel “The Surrogate Mother,” and Apple Original Films is also working on a movie based on McFadden’s 2024 book titled “The Teacher.” MGM Studios is reportedly working on a movie adaptation of “The Tenant,” and the recently released novel “Dear Debbie” will be turned into a series for Amazon MGM Studios.