Mary Jane Clark
Encyclopedia
Mary Jane Clark in an American author
of two series of suspense novel
s. Her first twelve books are media thrillers influenced by her three decades of experience in broadcast journalism
. She plots murder mysteries investigated and solved by the characters who work at KEY News, the fictional television news world she has created. Her next series is The Wedding Cake Mysteries, featuring an actress-turned wedding cake designer who gets involved in murder cases which threaten to prevent ceremonies.
with the FBI who uncovered Russian espionage
during the Cold War
and, later, worked on kidnapping and extortion cases, Clark's interest in suspense started at an early age. She attended high school at the Immaculate Heart Academy
, in Township of Washington, Bergen County, New Jersey, graduating in 1972. With the goal of working in television news, she graduated from the University of Rhode Island
with degrees in journalism
and political science
. She started her professional career as a desk assistant at CBS News
headquarters in New York City
, eventually becoming a producer and writer.
(in the New York City area) and Florida. She has two children, a daughter, Elizabeth, an actress, and a son, David who has Fragile X Syndrome
, the most common inherited form of developmental disability
. Mary Jane supports the FRAXA Research Foundation, a non-profit organization
that supports scientific research aimed at finding a treatment or a cure for the condition.
Clark's former mother-in-law is the well-known American author Mary Higgins Clark
.Mary Jane Clark's Frequently Asked Questions
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of two series of suspense novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s. Her first twelve books are media thrillers influenced by her three decades of experience in broadcast journalism
Broadcast journalism
Broadcast journalism is the field of news and journals which are "broadcast", that is, published by electrical methods, instead of the older methods, such as printed newspapers and posters. Broadcast methods include radio , television , and, especially recently, the Internet generally...
. She plots murder mysteries investigated and solved by the characters who work at KEY News, the fictional television news world she has created. Her next series is The Wedding Cake Mysteries, featuring an actress-turned wedding cake designer who gets involved in murder cases which threaten to prevent ceremonies.
Early life
The daughter of a special agentSpecial agent
Special agent is usually the title for a detective or investigator for a state, county, municipal, federal or tribal government. An agent is a worker for any federal agency, and a secret agent is one who works for an intelligence agency....
with the FBI who uncovered Russian espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and, later, worked on kidnapping and extortion cases, Clark's interest in suspense started at an early age. She attended high school at the Immaculate Heart Academy
Immaculate Heart Academy
Immaculate Heart Academy is an all-girls college preparatory private Roman Catholic high school located in Washington Township, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The school was founded in 1960 by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace as the first regional high school for girls in the Roman...
, in Township of Washington, Bergen County, New Jersey, graduating in 1972. With the goal of working in television news, she graduated from the University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
with degrees in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. She started her professional career as a desk assistant at CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
headquarters in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, eventually becoming a producer and writer.
Present
Clark resides in Hillsdale, New JerseyHillsdale, New Jersey
Hillsdale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 10,219.The populated area today known as Hillsdale took form in the mid-to-late 19th century as land speculators, led by David P. Patterson, developed subdivisons to profit from the...
(in the New York City area) and Florida. She has two children, a daughter, Elizabeth, an actress, and a son, David who has Fragile X Syndrome
Fragile X syndrome
Fragile X syndrome , Martin–Bell syndrome, or Escalante's syndrome , is a genetic syndrome that is the most commonly known single-gene cause of autism and the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability...
, the most common inherited form of developmental disability
Developmental disability
Developmental disability is a term used in the United States and Canada to describe lifelong disabilities attributable to mental or physical impairments, manifested prior to age 18. It is not synonymous with "developmental delay" which is often a consequence of a temporary illness or trauma during...
. Mary Jane supports the FRAXA Research Foundation, a non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
that supports scientific research aimed at finding a treatment or a cure for the condition.
Clark's former mother-in-law is the well-known American author Mary Higgins Clark
Mary Higgins Clark
Mary Theresa Eleanor Higgins Clark Conheeney , known professionally as Mary Higgins Clark, is an American author of suspense novels...
.Mary Jane Clark's Frequently Asked Questions
Books
- 1998 Do You Want to Know a Secret
- 1999 Do You Promise Not to Tell
- 2000 Let Me Whisper in Your Ear
- 2001 Close To You
- 2002 Nobody Knows
- 2003 Nowhere to Run
- 2004 Hide Yourself Away
- 2005 Dancing in the Dark
- 2006 Lights Out Tonight
- 2007 When Day Breaks
- 2008 It Only Takes a Moment
- 2009 Dying for Mercy