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Show Page 8 THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Volume XIII Issue I October 15, 2005 Salt Lake Writer’s Conference Hosts Carol Higgins Clark My favorite mystery writer has always been Mary Higgins Clark. I usually get her latest book (hard cover) for my birthday or Christmas from my husband or children. Gradually, I became aware of another “Higgins Clark” on Barnes and Noble’s shelves! Then I realized that she is Mary Higgins Clark’s daughter Carol. I read all the mystery books co-authored by this motherdaughter team and thoroughly enjoyed them. As the Utah League of Writer’s Conference approached this year, | was informed that C: Higgins Clark would be the keynote speaker! I was intrigued and looked forward to hearing her speak about mystery writing! I told my writing group— the Eden Writing Circle, which meets every2’gnd Thursday at the General Store—that we should attend this conference. “It would be so much fun if we could go and mix with fellow writers and learn more about our passion—writing!” On a lovely fall afternoon, I met Kera Fuller, Dimitria Van Leeuwen, and Michael Combe from the Eden Writing Circle in the lobby of the Airport Hilton where the conference was held this year. There was electricity in the air as we discussed which classes we would attend. Classes, like “The Eight Heroine Archetypes by Tami Cowden, Power of the Media by Klingler & Bruin, Fantasy Workshop by Lee Modesitt, The Mystery of Writing by Greer Chesher, and Putting Personality on the Page by Tami Cowden. The first night, at dinner, the keynote speaker, Ned Snell (graduate from the University of Utah in English and current president of the Utah State Poetry Society) entertained us as he, very eloquently, recited heartfelt poems. Afterwards, we mingled with fellow writers and with our writer’s souls nourished, we retired. The outside world faded like the mountains in our Valley on a misty morning. The next day we listened to the delightful, pretty, energetic Carol Higgins Clark. From the moment she took her place behind the microphone, she had our p. How did she cope with such a famous mother whose books were constantly on the best seller list, a writer who’s —. as America’s Suspense Queen? Apparently very well! Carol made no secret of her iran for her ‘mother and enterend tater years as the daughter of the famous mys- tery writer. Growing up, Carol remembers reading a draft of “Where Are the Children” and telling her mother, “This is really good!” When Carol’s father died at a very young age, her mother had to cope alone, raising Carol and her siblings. Mary continued writing and sending out query letters, trying to sell her first novel. After six query letters she sold Where Are the Children and the rest is history; the Queen of lystery was born! At 19-years-old, Carol started helping her mother by typing her manuscripts and getting it in tip-top potentially life threatening experience she had encountered. “What a marvelous plot!” Mary said with awe in her voice. eople you know; they can enrich your fictional characters.” Carol advised us. Again, she related a situation out ae famous mother’s writing career. Mary “b a friend’s “interesting” husband as a fk ictional character. After the book’s release, Mary wondered if she had gone too far this time. Will her friend recognize her husband? Then she got the dreaded call from her friend. “Mary, I read your book! Just wanted to tell you, we (she and her husband) ent. Carol learned about plotting a mys- writing— acting was tne Carol’s ed that same day at the conference, interviewed Carol Higgins Clark. Advi: fo new writers? “Write! That is the most important. Also, take writing classes at colleges and keep on __ interacting = fellow writabe to writing 5 By Drienie Hattingh Members of Valley writing oun participate in uF ing conference. From left to righ ht. Michael Combe, Drienie n, and Dimitria Van Leeuwen ‘Hattingh, Kera Fuller with Carol Higgins Clie (center front). ducer asked, * “Why don’t you write a book?” But Carol thought writing was her mother’s “thing.” Regardless, today Carol is a best selling author of the funny, quirky, mystery books with the delightful heroin Regan Reilly. The mother-daughter team often discusses plots and characters in each other’s books. At a recent lunch Mary interrupted Carol, “Listen . . . “ she whispered, “The next table! Just listen what they are saying!” Carol reprimanded her mother, “Mom! That is eavesdropping!” But, says Carol, it is true that you should make notes of interesting conversations and places. “It comes in very handy when you plot your book!” very now and again Mary is reminded of oa mother’s preoccupation with murder and mystery! Recently, hoping for some motherly reassurance, she called her mother and related a Tell us about your new jak “Burned. Pest is set in Hawaii. Sometimes I choose an exotic place to write and then think of a plot. Other times, | first think of the plot.” t books are you working on now? “Hitched.” She laughs, and then I get a scoop! “Regan is getting married! Of course, there are a couple of hitches!” She says, with twinkling eyes. How long a itica you to write a book? “{ write one book Is therea cena of year for the release of a new book? “Depends on the season Burned is set in Hawaii. It was a beach read so it was released in the summer.” How do you feel about the fact that you changed from acting to writing? y acting background helped a lot in my writing. So much thought goes into the character that an actor has to portray. Now I use that Pe ‘ocess when I develop characters in my boo! Is being a famous <a as yom’ as it looks? “Actually, I enjoy it. Of course there’s the schlepping to airports but most ‘of it is fun. What it all boils down to is telling stories—if you (writers) don’t tell a good story, there won’t be a bookstore!” word for your readers? “| hope I’m entertaining you—I hope I keep you guessing and make you laugh!” Carol thinks for a moment and then states, “The nicest thing I’ve heard from a reader was, “Your books take my mind off oa troubles for a few hours.” rol Higgins Clark’s most recent suspense i Se was published by Scribner on March 22, 2005. She is the author of seven previous eeslitg Regan Reilly mysteries: Decked, nominated as Best First Novel for both the Agatha and Anthony Awards; Snagged, Iced and Twanged, published by Warner Books; and Fleeced, Jinxed and Popped, published by Scribner. She is the daughter of —— s# 1 bestselling suspense writer, iggins Clark. Their joint holiday thriller, The C tees Thief, was published by Simon & Schuster/Scribner on November 9, 2004. Their previous collaborations were Deck the Halls, published by Simon & Schuster/Scribner in 2000, and He Sees You When You Are Sleeping published by Simon & Schuster/Scribner in 2001. The latter was released as a PAX-TV film in December 2002. Born in New York, Carol Higgins Clark obtained her B.A. from Mt. Holyoke College. She then studied acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. Her acting roles include an appearance in the TV series, Secret Service. She starred in Who Killed Amy Lang? a mini-mystery aired on “Good Morning, America.” She performed in New York’s Carnegie Hall in Wendy Wasserstein’s play, Uncommon Tie and Others. The play was produced as part the21st Century Playwrights Festival. She was the lead in the film, A Cry in the Night, based on the novel by Mary Higgins Clark. The film was shown at the Cannes TV Festival and the Montreal Film Festival and nationally on U.S. television. Carol Higgins Clark, jointly with Mary Higgins Clark, received the University of Scranton’s Distinguished Author Award in September 2000. Gage Froerer & Assoc. ieee f FANTASTIC PANORAMIC VIEWS 38.91 Acres. River runs through property! ie paradise. oe AUR Kirk 710-9460 Your "Dream Come True" Home! Quality built home & barn. Oc Liberty location- VIEWS! 6,300(+) sq.ft. , 5 BD, 4.5 BA, GR, lg. kit., sun rm w/ ites tub & 3 car gar. $950,000 Call Joan 675-0444 5 lS fet ahaa a 10 ACRES LAKEFRONT! 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