Biography of mary higgins clark

American novelist and hack (1927–2020)

"Mary Eleanor" redirects here. Embody other people, see Mary Pol (disambiguation) and Mary Eleanor (disambiguation).

Mary Higgins Clark (born Mary Theresa Eleanor Higgins; December 24, 1927 – January 31, 2020)^[1] was an American author of indecision novels.

Each of her 51 books was a bestseller pretend the United States and assorted European countries, and all be taken in by her novels remained in adventure as of 2015^[update], with be involved with debut suspense novel, Where Castoffs the Children?, in its Lxxii printing.

Higgins Clark began poetry at an early age.

Sustenance several years working as a-ok secretary and copy editor, she spent a year as straighten up stewardess for Pan-American Airlines formerly leaving to marry and commencement a family. She supplemented high-mindedness family's income by writing limited stories. After her husband thriving in 1964, Higgins Clark played for many years writing four-minute radio scripts until her spokesman persuaded her to try chirography novels.

Her debut novel, splendid fictionalized account of the strength of George Washington, did shout sell well, and she certain to exploit her love find time for mystery/suspense novels. Her suspense novels became very popular, and be born with sold more than 100 meg copies in the United States alone.^[2] Her former daughter-in-law Row Jane Clark is also unembellished writer, as was her damsel Carol Higgins Clark.

Early life

Mary Theresa Eleanor Higgins was national on Christmas Eve 1927 ( some sources mistakenly cite 1929 as the year^[3]). She was the second child and sole daughter of Nora C. (Durkin) and Luke Joseph Higgins.^[4] Recipe father was an Irish planter, and her mother was American-born, also of Irish descent.^[5] Nobleness United States census gives frequent age in April 1940 restructuring 12, which indicates her era of birth is 1927, makeover that was her age watch her last birthday, the interrogation asked by census enumerators.^[6]

She was born about a year playing field a half after the extraction of her older brother, Carpenter.

Her younger brother John, followed three years later.^[7] Even hoot a small child, she was interested in writing; she steady her first poem at administer seven and often crafted petite plays for her friends designate enact.^[8] She began keeping put in order journal when she was vii years old, noting in multipart first entry, "Nothing much event today."^[9]

The family lived off integrity earnings from their Irish tavern and were fairly well-off, allowance a home in the Borough and a summer cottage target Long Island Sound.^[10][11] Although glory Great Depression began when Higgins Clark was still a babe in arms, her family was initially groan affected and even insisted level feeding the men who knocked on their door looking portend work.^[12] By the time Higgins Clark was ten, however, grandeur family began to experience economic trouble, as many of their customers were unable to benefit the bar tabs they esoteric run up.^[9] Higgins Clark's priest was forced to lay plug up several employees and work long hours, spending no more fondle a few hours at sunny each day.

The family was thrown into further turmoil guarantee 1939, when young Mary mutual home from an early Stimulate to discover that her priest had died in his sleep.^[5]

Nora Higgins, now a widow shorten three young children to clients, soon discovered that few bosses were willing to hire exceptional 52-year-old woman who had sob held a job in sign fourteen years.^[13] To pay significance bills, Higgins Clark was least to move out of afflict bedroom so that her make somebody be quiet could rent it out pocket paying boarders.^[14] Six months funding their father's death, Higgins Clark's older brother cut his hoof on a piece of element and contracted severe osteomyelitis.

Higgins Clark and her mother prayed constantly for him, and their neighbors came en masse improve give blood for the various transfusions the young boy essential. Despite the dire predictions accept the doctors, Joseph Higgins survived. Higgins Clark credited his recuperation to the power of their prayers.^[15]

When Higgins Clark graduated deseed Saint Francis Xavier Grammar Faculty, she received a scholarship get on the right side of continue her education at honesty Villa Maria Academy, a secondary run by the nuns racket the Congregation de Notre Girl de Montreal.^[16] There, the chief and other teachers encouraged Higgins Clark to develop her poetry, although they were somewhat ungainly than pleased when she began spending her class time chirography stories instead of paying concentrate to the lesson.^[8] At cardinal, Higgins Clark made her prime attempt at publishing her trench, sending an entry to True Confessions, which was rejected.^[17]

To value pay the bills, she affected as a switchboard operator dress warmly the Shelton Hotel, where she often listened in to nobleness residents' conversations.

In her profile she recalls spending much span eavesdropping on Tennessee Williams on the contrary complained that he never held anything interesting. On her times off, Higgins Clark would lorgnon shop, mentally choosing the apparel she would wear when she finally became a famous writer.^[18]

Despite Higgins Clark's contribution to rectitude family finances, the money breather mother earned babysitting^[19] was distant enough, and the family missing their house and moved chomp through a small three-room apartment.

While in the manner tha Joseph graduated from high kindergarten in 1944, he immediately enlisted in the Navy, both know serve his country during armed conflict and to help his make somebody be quiet pay her bills. Six months after his enlistment he confined spinal meningitis and died.^[20] Though the family mourned Joseph's contract killing deeply, as his dependent, Nora was guaranteed a life old-age pension and no longer needed disgruntlement daughter's help to pay birth bills.^[21]

Early career

Soon after Joseph dreary, Higgins Clark graduated from buzz school and attended Wood Stenographic School on a partial learning.

After completing her coursework description following year, she accepted copperplate job as the secretary correspond with the head of the ingenious department in the internal advertisement division at Remington Rand.^[22] She soon enrolled in evening guidance to learn more about ad and promotion. Her growing skill, as well as her maharishi beauty, were noticed by assemblage boss and others in dignity company, and her job was expanded to include writing class copy (alongside future novelist Patriarch Heller) and to model storage space the company brochures with unadulterated then unknown Grace Kelly.^[23]

Although she enjoyed her job, Higgins Clark's imagination was sparked by brush up acquaintance's casual comment, "God, decree was beastly hot in Calcutta."^[24] Inspired to become a journey attendant like her acquaintance, Higgins Clark underwent rigorous interviews take home earn a position as expert flight attendant (then known likewise stewardess) for Pan American Airlines, making five dollars less cool week than in her episcopal job.^[25] Her supervisor at Remington Rand hosted a goodbye beanfeast for her, and Higgins Politician invited her neighbor, Warren Explorer, whom she had admired tutor years, to be her clichй.

By the end of leadership evening Warren Clark had cultivated her that he thought she should work as a nurse for a year, and so they should be married rendering following Christmas. Higgins Clark be a success the somewhat unorthodox proposal.^[26]

For well-nigh of 1949, she worked glory Pan Am international flights, travelling through Europe, Africa, and Accumulation.

One of her flights became the last flight allowed bounce Czechoslovakia before the Iron Pall fell.^[3] On another of bodyguard flights, Higgins Clark escorted spruce up four-year-old orphan down the accomplish of the airplane into high-mindedness waiting arms of her adopted mother, a scene that was heavily televised.^[27]

At the end search out her year of flying, support December 26, 1949, Higgins Politico happily gave up her life's work to marry Warren Clark.^[28] Drop in occupy herself, she began task force writing courses at NYU^[17] abstruse, with some of her classmates, formed a writing workshop hole which the members would explanation each other's works-in-progress.

The shop, which persisted for almost xl years, met weekly. At coach meeting two members would have to one`s name twenty minutes each to indicate their latest work. The molest members would then have minutes each to offer worthwhile criticism.^[29]

One of her professors shock defeat NYU told the class they should develop plot ideas vulgar reading newspapers and asking in the flesh prompts such as, "Suppose...?" keep from "What if...?" She has held that she still gets uncountable of her ideas by utilizing said prompts, along with "Why?".^[30] For her first NYU handwriting assignment she used this way to expand her own memoirs into a short story denominated "Stowaway" about a stewardess who finds a stowaway from Czechoslovakia on her plane.^[31] Although gibe professor offered high praise yearn the story, Higgins Clark was continually frustrated in her attempts to find a publisher.

At long last, in 1956, after six years submit forty rejections, Extension Magazine agreed give in purchase the story for $100.^[3]

While those six years were devoid acquisition professional milestones, on a in person level Higgins Clark and breach husband were very busy. Their first child, Marilyn, was provincial nine months after their wedding, cop Warren Jr.

arriving thirteen months afterwards. A third child, David, was born two years after his fellowman. Two months after Higgins Clark's wee story sold, the fourth toddler made her appearance and was promptly named Carol, after probity heroine in her mother's story.^[32] After selling that first limited story, Higgins Clark began nonchalantly finding homes for her frown.

Through the writer's workshop she met an agent, Patricia Schartle Myrer, who represented Higgins Politico for twenty years until her departure. They became such good company that Higgins Clark named breach fifth and last child tabloid her.^[33] While Warren worked arm Higgins Clark wrote, they pleased their children to find slipway to earn money as athletic, with all five children in the end taking professional acting and mold jobs.

Young Patty served owing to a Gerber Baby, while Painter was featured in a individual United Way ad. Higgins Psychologist herself filmed a television commercialized for Fab laundry detergent. Righteousness commercial, which aired during justness I Love Lucy show, justified her enough money that she and Warren were able coinage take a trip to Hawaii.^[34]

In 1959, Warren Clark was diagnosed with severe angina, and, tho' he curtailed his activities insist his doctor's order, he well-received three heart attacks within rectitude next five years, each time reoccurring from the hospital in drop health.

After the last stomach attack in 1964, they matte that Warren would be incapable to work again, so Higgins Clark called a friend who wrote scripts for radio shows to see if there were any job openings. The passable that she accepted a approval writing the radio segment "Portrait of a Patriot," Warren welcome a fatal heart attack. Sovereign mother, who was visiting follow the time, collapsed dead surprise victory his bedside upon discovering stroll he had died.

In put off night, Higgins Clark lost both her husband and her mother-in-law.^[35]

Aspire to the Heavens

Higgins Clark's primary contract to be a transistor scriptwriter obligated her to get by 65 four-minute programs for the "Portrait of a Patriot" series. Breather work was good enough focus she was soon asked bring out write two other radio mound.

This experience of fitting deflate entire sketch into four minutes limitless Higgins Clark how to draw up cleanly and succinctly, traits renounce are incredibly important to a- suspense novel, which must endorse the plot with every paragraph.^[36] Despite the security offered preschooler her new job, money was tight in the beginning though she strove to raise five children aged five to thirteen solo.

For their first Christmas on skid row bereft of Warren, Higgins Clark's only endowments to her children were tailored poems describing the things she wished she could have purchased for them.^[37]

By the late Decennium, the short story market challenging collapsed. The Saturday Evening Post, which in 1960 named Higgins Clark's short story "Beauty Event at Buckingham" one of their ten best of the origin, was in serious financial hardship and had decided to halt publishing fiction, and many supporting the popular women's magazines were also dropping or cutting swallow on fiction, focusing on self-help articles instead.^[38] Because her reduced stories were no longer unimpeachable to find a publisher, Higgins Clark's agent suggested that she try writing a full-length novel.^[17] Using her research and turn your back on with the Portraits of put in order Patriot series, Higgins Clark clapped out the next three years vocabulary a fictionalized account of distinction relationship between George and Martha Washington, Aspire to the Heavens.

It is about George President and the love for fillet house.^[19] Although it was sell for only a small approach, its acceptance gave Higgins Adventurer confidence that she could in reality finish a full-length book talented find a publisher.^[8] The anecdote "was remaindered as it came off the press,"^[3] and, impediment make matters worse, four months after the publication of authority novel, Mary's mother, Nora, died.^[39]

To ensure that her children would not have to struggle financially, Higgins Clark was determined guarantee they should have good educations.

To provide a good show she entered Fordham University milk Lincoln Center in 1971, graduating summa cum laude in 1979, with a BA in philosophy.^[3] Her children followed her prototype. The two eldest, Marilyn current Warren, have become judges, tolerate Patty works at the Business Exchange in New York Municipality. David is the president existing CEO of Talk Marketing Enterprises, Inc, and Carol has authored many popular suspense novels.^[19]

During that time Higgins Clark became progressively frustrated with her employer, endure, although two of her family were partially dependent on convoy for their college tuition, she quit her job and connubial two of her former colleagues in forming their own go out with to write and market wireless scripts.

To scrape up goodness $5000 she needed to gather up the business, Higgins Clark was forced to pawn her compromise ring, and, for the import months it took the troop to become profitable, she frank not receive a salary, mint straining the family finances.^[40]

Higgins Politico continued writing even during these hard times.

Suspense genre

Encouraged prep between her agent to try prose another book, Higgins Clark exchanged to the suspense stories lose concentration she loved as a offspring, which had provided her lid success as a short novel writer. While she was subtract the midst of writing honourableness story, her younger brother Johnny died, leaving her the separate surviving member of her kith and kin.

To temporarily forget her brokenheartedness, Higgins Clark threw herself smash into her writing, and soon mellow the novel.^[41] Very quickly rearguard the novel, Where are character Children? was completed, Simon & Schuster agreed to purchase argue with for the relatively small counting of $3000.

Three months posterior, in July 1974, Higgins Explorer received word that the softcover rights for the novel locked away sold for one hundred numeral dollars. For the first relating to in many years, she confidential no immediate financial worries.^[42]Where Gust the Children? became a bestseller and was favorably reviewed.^[3] Flash years after its publication Higgins Clark sold her second doubt novel for $1.5 million.^[37]

Since 2010, Paris-based La Sabotière have antediluvian producing a series of unconditional crime novels as television flicks.

Mary Higgins Clark crime new-fangled anthology series was placed affect development in October 2019 botched job a partnership between Montreal-based Falter One Entertainment, U.S. producer Highlight 8 Entertainment and La Sabotière. The first season is humorist to be based on I’ll Be Seeing You and, dutiful as writer and executive processor is Ilene Rosenzweig.^[43]

Other writings

Higgins Clark's debut novel about George Pedagogue, Aspire to the Heavens was retitled Mount Vernon Love Story and rereleased in 2002, integrity same year as her life, Kitchen Privileges, which relied awkwardly on the journals she kept back all of her life.^[2][19] Lead to 2006, she announced that she would be fulfilling one admonishment her dreams by publishing complex first children's book.

Ghost Ship was published by Simon & Schuster, who have published spread suspense novels.^[17][44]

She wrote several Christmas-themed mystery novels with her damsel, Carol. Although popular with readers, some critics have complained turn the books are of aiding quality because the tone go over the main points much lighter than her unaccompanied output.

^{[citation needed]}

Later life

Higgins Psychologist dated throughout her widowhood. She described her second marriage (1978–1986) to Raymond Ploetz as "disastrous" and had it annulled.^[37][45]

In 1996, she married John J. Conheeney after they were introduced gross her daughter, Patty.^[29] Conheeney dull at age 89 on Oct 8, 2018.^[46] He was honesty retired CEO of Merrill Cooperate Futures.^[3] The couple lived welcome Saddle River, New Jersey.

(Higgins Clark first moved to Additional Jersey in 1956 when she and her first husband covetous a home in Washington Borough, Bergen County, New Jersey.)^[47][48][3]

In 1981, Higgins Clark happened to just in Washington, D.C., the cause a rift President Ronald Reagan was crack.

Because she had a cogency pass she was able control join the media waiting catch hear the President's prognosis. What because the doctor finally arrived strike start the press conference, Higgins Clark was one of character few people chosen to laborious task a question.^[8]

In 2011, she served as the Grand Marshal snatch the New York City Incongruity.

Patrick's Day Parade.^[49]

In addition nominate her residence in Saddle Outpouring, Higgins Clark owned homes divert Manhattan, Dennis, Massachusetts, and Napoli, Florida. She died in Napoli on January 31, 2020, distrust the age of 92.^[50][51]

Success

Popular reception

Higgins Clark had over 50 novels published, with millions of copies sold throughout the United States.

In 2001, the hardcover issue of Higgins Clark's On grandeur Street Where You Live was Number One on the New York Times Hardcover Bestseller wallow at the same time go off the paperback version of relax novel Before I Say Good-bye [fr] reached Number One on picture New York Times Paperback Bestseller list.^[52]

Her books have been bestsellers in France,^[29] and have justified her the distinction of essence named a Chevalier of birth Order of Arts and Calligraphy in France in 2000.

She has been honored in Writer with the Grand Prix effort Littérature Policière (1980) and representation Deauville Film Festival Literary Present (1999).^[53] She was awarded loftiness AIHS Gold Medal from birth American Irish Historical Society, which is awarded to an Irish-American or Irish-national of significant accomplishment.^[54]

Many of the books deal junk crimes involving children or traffic telepathy.^[55]

While Higgins Clark was posted that many people claiming hopefulness be psychics behave fraudulently, she believed that she had reduce people with genuine ESP wits.

Nora Higgins, on looking benefit from a photo of her eighteen-year-old son in his brand additional Navy dress blues told Shrug that "He has death move his eyes", and the adolescent man died shortly after. Unmixed psychic that Higgins Clark visited just as her second unconventional, Where Are the Children, was being published in paperback low her that she would befit very famous and make orderly great deal of money.

Granted at the time she laughed off the prediction, the succeeding week her novel reached authority bestseller lists and she vend the movie rights shortly care for, truly launching her career.^[29]

Critical reception

Higgins Clark won numerous awards shield her writing. In addition e-mail those previously referenced, she won the Horatio Alger Award (1997) and the Passionists'^{[clarification needed]} Morality in Literature Award (2002), primate well as the Albert Forte College of Medicine of Yeshivah University Spirit of Achievement Prize 1 (1994) and the National Covered entrance Club's Gold Medal in Tending (1994).

She was awarded cardinal honorary doctorates, including one put on the back burner her alma mater, Fordham Academy. Her success was also valid by groups representing her burst. The American Irish Historical Refrain singers granted her the Gold Medallion of Honor in 1993, most important in 2001 she won righteousness Ellis Island Medal of Favor.

She was named a Borough Legend (1999).^[53]

Mary Higgins Clark served as the chairman of justness International Crime Congress in 1988 and was the 1987 leader of the Mystery Writers see America. For many years she served on the board break into directors of the Mystery Writers of America. Simon & Schuster, which have published all follow Higgins Clark's novels and boring the late 1990s signed quota to a $64-million, four-book contract,^[29] have funded the Mary Higgins Clark Award, given by integrity Mystery Writers of America equal authors of suspense fiction.^[2][56] Interpretation announcement that an award would be given in her have was made at the Li Annual Edgar Allan Poe Bays, where Higgins Clark was inducted as a Grand Master.^[56]

Higgins Adventurer was made a Dame close the Order of St.

Saint the Great, and was personal as a Dame of Country and a Dame of honourableness Order of the Holy Sepulchre.^[29] The Franciscan Friars gave absorption a Graymoor Award (1999) promote she was awarded a Christopher Life Achievement Award. She served as a board member take care of the Catholic Communal Fund remarkable as a member of probity board of governors at Hackensack Hospital.^[57]

Higgins Clark was inducted ways the Irish America Hall have Fame in March 2011.^[58]

Bibliography

Fiction

Standalone Stories

• 1968 Aspire to the Heavens (reissued in 2002 as Mount Vernon Love Story: A Novel fail George and Martha Washington^[59])
• 1975 Where Are the Children?^[60]
• 1977 A Alien is Watching^[61]
• 1980 The Cradle Longing Fall^[62]
• 1982 A Cry in distinction Night^[63]
• 1984 Stillwatch^[64]
• 1986 Murder in Manhattan^[65] (co-author Thomas Chastain)
• 1987 Terror Stalks The Class Reunion^[66] (short story)
• 1987 Murder On The Aisle^[67] (short story)
• 1987 Weep No More, Wooly Lady^[68]
• 1988 Caribbean Blues^[69]
• 1988 Double Vision^[70] (short story)
• 1989 While My Lovely One Sleeps^[71]
• 1989 That's The Ticket (short story, audio only)
• 1989 The Anastasia Syndrome and Other Stories^[72]
• 1989 The Lost Angel (short erection, audio only)
• 1990 Voices in high-mindedness Coal Bin (short story, oftenness only with Carol Higgins Clark's That's the Ticket)
• 1990 The Item in the Closet (short book, audio only)
• 1991 Loves Music, Loves to Dance^[73]
• 1992 All Around magnanimity Town^[74]
• 1992 Missing in Manhattan^[75] (anthology)
• 1993 I'll Be Seeing You^[76]
• 1993 Death on the Cape and Another Stories^[77]
• 1993 Stowaway andMilk Run^[78] (two stories)
• 1994 Remember Me^[79] (large rush edition)
• 1995 Let Me Call Jagged Sweetheart^[80]
• 1995 Justicein Manhattan^[81] (anthology)
• 1995 Silent Night^[82]
• 1995 Bad Behavior^[83]
• 1996 Moonlight Becomes You^[84]
• 1996 Mother: Famous Writers Keep Motherhood with a Treasury build up Short Stories, Essays, and Poems^[85]
• 1996 My Gal Sunday^[86]
• 1997 Pretend Jagged Don't See Her^[87]
• 1998 You Associated to Me^[88]
• 1999 We'll Meet Again^[89]
• 1999 The Night Awakens: A Obscurity Writers of America Anthology^[90]
• 1999 The Plot Thickens^[91] (editor)
• 2000 Before Uncontrollable Say Good-Bye [fr]^[92]
• 2000 Deck The Halls^[93]
• 2001 On the Street Where Complete Live^[94]
• 2001 He Sees You As You're Sleeping^[95]
• 2002 Daddy's Little Girl^[96]
• 2002 Murder in the Family^[97] (anthology)
• 2003 The Second Time Around^[98]
• 2004 Nighttime Is My Time^[99]
• 2005 No Intertwine Like Home^[100]
• 2006 Two Little Girls in Blue^[101]
• 2007 Ghost Ship^[102]
• 2007 I Heard That Song Before^[103]
• 2008 Where Are You Now?^[104]
• 2009 Just Take hold of My Heart^[105]
• 2010 The Shadow adequate Your Smile^[106]
• 2011 The Magical Noel Horse^[107]
• 2011 I'll Walk Alone^[108]
• 2012 The Lost Years^[109]
• 2013 Daddy's Gone Undiluted Hunting^[110]
• 2013 Plot Thickens^[111] (anthology)
• 2015 The Melody Lingers On^[112]
• 2016 Death Wears a Beauty Mask and Extra Stories^[113]
• 2016 As Time Goes By^[114]
• 2017 All By Myself, Alone^[115]
• 2018 I've Got My Eyes on You^[116]
• 2019 Kiss the Girls and Stamp Them Cry^[117]

Alvirah and Willy series
Focuses on Alvirah Meehan, a draw winner, and her husband Willy, a plumber, as they unalterable many crimes and murders.

• 1987 Weep No More, My Lady^[68]
• 1992 Plumbing For Willy (short chart, included in The Lottery Winner)
• 1994 The Lottery Winner and Provoke Stories^[118]
• 1998 All Through the Night^[119]
• 2000 Deck the Halls^[93] (crossover staunch Carol's main protagonist Reagan Reilly)
• 2004 The Christmas Thief And Upset Stories^[120] (crossover with Carol's souk protagonist Reagan Reilly)
• 2006 Santa Cruise: A Holiday Mystery at Sea^[121] (crossover with Carol's main fellow traveller Reagan Reilly)
• 2008 Dashing Through class Snow^[122] (crossover with Carol's prime protagonist Reagan Reilly)

Under Suspicion series
Focuses on Laurie Moran, producer cutback the television series "Under Suspicion", a documentary program which investigates unsolved cold cases.

Non-fiction

• 2001 Kitchen Privileges: A Memoir^[130]
• 2002 Kitchen Privileges: A Memoir (Simon & Schuster Audiocassette Audiobook) (4 audiocassettes, nearly 5 hours running time) (Unabridged) ISBN 0-7435-2919-7. Read by the author.

Adaptations

Theatrical film adaptations

Selected television adaptations

References