Matilda "Mat" Anastasia Carvel is a very talented and ambitious portrait-painter, but she's also young and naive. After ditching her dysfunctional Arkansas family and helping herself to a new wardrobe from a Salvation Army dumpster, she runs away to New York City.
 
Mat soon finds herself engulfed in the chaotic pace of Manhattan. Between sharing a roach-infested basement apartment with two ditzy sisters, a rich bag lady, and a cross-dressing gay couple, she winds up supporting the slackers by painting portraits of customers at Tony's Pizzeria, pampered poodles, and homeless vagabonds.
 
Mat doesn't mind helping out her new friends, but she's frustrated because she doesn't have time to find "Mr. Right" and rid herself of her virginal status. With advice from a colorful homeless lady who claims to have sex with aliens in Central Park, Mat finds her soul mate.
 
Manhattan Madness is a hilarious, fast-paced story of unique characters and action that will have you chuckling or even laughing out loud until the very last page.