Imagine, if you will, a child on their birthday with all their little friends, hyped up on E-numbers. Are you seeing it? :
Excited, frenzied, unstoppable!
Now imagine me when I had a return email from Ms Higgins Clark’s PA saying “Mary says yes”.
The images are one and the same!
For anyone who knows me by now, you know what a huge fan of Mary Higgins Clark I am. I only discovered her last year (not quite even a year ago) quite by accident as, to be honest, I had never really considered picking up one of her books before for some reason. The first book I read was No Place Like Home and I was hooked! Since then I have got through fifteen of her books and I have loved every single one of them! And the best part is that I have another 14 to look forward to. They are my ultimate comfort books, as I always know that I’m going to enjoy the book and they never let me down.
I was recently sent her latest brand new book, The Shadow of Your Smile, by Simon & Schuster (after pestering an extremely patient and friendly Sue for several months 
) which I have recently reviewed here and at the same time I contacted Mary directly to see if she would be willing to be interviewed for my blog. I honestly never expected to hear from her so I was over the moon when I heard that she had agreed.
So here we go. The answers and short and to the point, but frankly that’s fine by me as a) I still can’t believe that the Queen of Suspense agreed to be interviewed for my blog and b) the shorter her answers, the more time for writing her next book!
Interview with Mary Higgins Clark
Boof: Your new book Shadow of Your Smile is out soon (which I can’t wait to get my hands on) – can you tell us one interesting fact that you found out while writing this book that you didn’t know before?
MHC: Steps to canonization as a saint in the Catholic Church
Boof: How do you keep coming up with new ideas all the time? What do you use as inspiration?
MHC: Newspaper articles or as in this one – attending the Beatification ceremony.
Boof:I love the fact that the heroines in your books are all around my age (38) and usually have successful careers but live very ordinary lives still; I find them easy to identify with. They also all have a huge resilience and self-sufficiency: where do your characters get this trait from?
MHC: From women I have known starting with my mother.
Boof: I discovered your books by accident only a year ago. I had seen them in shops before but never picked one up. Once I had read one I was hooked and have devoured as many as possible since. I hardly know anyone else my age who reads them (although I am on a one-woman campaign to rectify this at the moment) as people tell me they see them as books that little old ladies would read. Why do you think this is?
MHC: I’m rather surprised by that because I am on the readers list for people from 12 years of age and up – three generations in front of me – all generations reading my books.
Boof: You are known as “The Queen of Suspense” in the book world. Personally, I call you “My Queen of Comfort Reads” as your books are my perfect read for when I want to curl up with a coffee and a page-turner and I know that they will never let me down. What is the nicest thing that you have ever heard anyone say about how your books affect them?
MHC: It gets them through an illness or a death in the family and helped them at a bad time.
Boof: Which is your favourite book out of every one you have written and why?
MHC: I honestly don’t have one. It’s like asking me to name my favourite child. Of course, ‘Where Are the Children’ launched my career and that was the beginning.
Boof: Do you think you will ever stop writing new books? (Please say no!)
MHC: NO!
Boof: What is your top ingredient for writing a successful suspense novel?
MHC: To hook the readers on page 1.
Boof: Do you have any famous fans?
MHC: Barbara Bush, Laura Bush
Boof: And finally the quick-fire round:
Favourite colour: red
Favourite animal: dog
Favourite food: pasta
Favourite song: The Shadow of Your Smile – pro tem
Favourite author: myself and Carol Higgins Clark
Favourite book: Jane Eyre
Favourite holiday destination: Cape Cod; Spring Lake, NJ
Favourite memory: The day ‘Where Are the Children’ sold
Hurray, MHC’s favourite book is Jane Eyre (just like mine! 
)
Have you read any Mary Higgins Clark books? Which are your favourites?
I love that her favourite book is Jane Eyre
Congratulations on the author interview! Your introduction made me smile, I could just picture your happiness.
Me too, Iris. It makes me ♥ her even more!
Oh, I am excited for you to have this experience! I’ve been reading MHC for awhile, now, and have Shadow of Your Smile on my coffee table.
I remember really loving Where Are the Children? and also enjoyed the movie, starring Jill Clayburgh.
I haven’t seen any of the movies, but I’d really like to now I have read the books.
Hope you enjoy The Shadow of your Smile.
great interview boof ,nice see a big writer spend time to talking too bloggers ,thanks stu
I agree, it’s great isn’t it Stu? I love that she is such a famous and best-selling author and still makes time for her readers.
Wow, you interviewed the Queen!!!
I started reading her books over 10 years ago, I think I started with “Remember Me”. I loved them and actually haven’t read any for AGES so I had better rectify that sooner rather than later
LOL, Mandy – the Queen indeed!
Boof: Congrats on this interview!
Well, you’re hard to resist! I will try MHC. Now that you’ve read so many, which one would you suggest I start with, and do you have to read any of them in any particular order?
Yay, another convert!
Steph, no you don’t have to read them in any order; they are all stand alones. My favourites are On The Street Where You Live, No Place Like Home and Nighttime Is My Time but then I have enjoyed every single one!
Settle down with a cup of coffee one afternoon and just relax with the Queen of Comfort Reads
Boof — I am so excited that you scored an interview with the Queen of Suspense!!! Way to go!!!
I have been reading her books for well over a decade (oye, I think I just dated myself there!) and they really are the ultimate page-turning suspense! I remember not being able to wait to get my hands on her newest books! I recently started re-reading her works from the beginning and reliving how much I L-O-V-E her works!!
To anyone who hasn’t read her stuff yet: why are you still sitting there? Go pick one up!!! I seem to remember Love Music, Loves to Dance and A Stranger is Watching were a few of my favorites
Hurray, Katie! I know you love her books too
I haven’t read either of those two so now I’m looking forward to reading them even more! The new one, The Shadow of Your Smile, is fantastic too!
Great interview Boof! I can’t imagine how happy you must be after an experience like this!
Red, Dogs, Jane Eyre, we have a lot in common, I guess I should get a copy of one of her book as soon as I can and start reading!
What indeed is better than red, dogs and Jane Eyre? Hope you enjoy when you pick one up, Lua
How amazing to get an interview with an author you admire! Congratulations. I’ve never read any MHC either, but I’ll be checking her out.
Thanks, Sakura
I am so glad you had the opprtunity to interview the Queen , Boof !! How exciting…….Thanks for sharing with us on your delightful, witty blog.
My favorite novels by M H Clark are :
Remember me
A Cry in the Night
The Cradle will fall
Comfy, comfy reads, hummmmmm so delicious !!!:-D
Love, Virginie
I have only read The Cradle Will Fall out of those 3 Virginie. I must read the other too SOON!
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Boof, I am in shock, you did an interview with Mary HIggins Clark, you are the BEST. She is my favourite author, so consistent, will never let you down, I have her newest, will read it in Aug.
I actually would like to find a way to collect all of her books preferably in hard cover.
What a great interview, I am smiling from ear to ear, so upset I missed this, I was googling and came across your post. Yaaaaay
I have been reading her for over 10 years. I’m 34 and always connected to the females also, great point.
Your the best.
Thanks Marce! I know – I was so happy when she agreed; she is one of my all-time favourite authors too. I hope you love the new book – it’s one of my favourites actually
Picked up your site via live search the other day and absolutely enjoy it. Carry on this fantastic work.
Thank you so much, Ashli – that’s a lovely thing to hear