Meeting Mary

As a budding author myself, one of my favorite things to do over the years has been to meet nationally published authors. I’ve met so many that I have trouble keeping track of them all, it seems, but occasionally I’ll meet an author who stands out in my mind as being very special. This would especially be true of mystery writer, Mary Higgins Clark.

I met Mary at the annual writer’s round-up for the League of Utah Writers in 2002, and what a pleasurable experience it was. The diminutive Ms. Clark was the keynote speaker, and what a dynamo for such a tiny woman. Her stiletto heels and beehive coifed hair still only brought her up to my shoulder in height, but her persona filled the entire room. Her presentation touched on everything from her marriage and children, to the early struggling days of a writing career though her phenomenal success.

She understood her audience and gave great advice to authors about style, information gathering, and finding story ideas all around you. She talked about the craft of writing a good mystery and how to hone writing skills. She told about her newest book endeavors (Kitchen Privileges : A Memoir was about to be released.) and talked about upcoming mystery ideas she had. If there’s one thing to know about Mary, she’s a talker.

After speaking for nearly an hour, Ms. Clark took up residence for the next two hours at the autograph table where she signed numerous books for most of the audience. And she didn’t just rush through the stacks, she talked to each person as they came though the line. She made real conversations with those who spoke with her, looking for ways to connect with her readers and they connected with her.

Ms. Clark knows how important her fans are to her career. On May 5, 2006, she posted the following on the Amazon.com website for the book No Place Like Home: “I thoroughly enjoy meeting the people who are my readers. Let’s face it, an author without readers is like a tree falling in the forest – if no one hears it, did it make noise?”

I will always remember my experience with Mary Higgins Clark, and I hope that if I ever become a best-selling author like she is, that I, too, will remember the importance of connecting to my audience. Because, in reality, isn’t that what good writing is all about? If your reader doesn’t connect to the story, then what good is the writing anyhow?