Mary Higgins Clark, on writing:

A common question asked of writers is "When did you decide to become a writer?"

The answer, of course, is that we didn't decide anything.

It was decided for us.

I firmly believe that mythical godmothers make appearances at our cradles, and bestow their gifts.

The godmother who might have blessed me with a singing voice did not show up;

the goddess of dance was nowhere in sight;

the chef-to-the-angels was otherwise engaged.

Only one made the journey to my cradle, and she whispered, "You will be a storyteller."

- Mary Higgins Clark.

Mary Higgins Clark, on writing:

The first four months of writing the book, my mental image is scratching with my hands through granite.

My other image is pushing a train up the mountain, and it's icy, and I'm in bare feet.

- Mary Higgins Clark.

Mary Higgins Clark, on writing:

Writing is storytelling.

No matter how you slice it, you're saying, 'Once upon a time.'

That's what writing is all about.

- Mary Higgins Clark.

Born on this day – Mary Higgins Clark:

Mary Higgins Clark

Writer

December 24, 1927 – January 31, 2020

Credits:

A Cry in the Night (1982); A Stranger is Watching (1977); All Around the Town (1992); All By Myself, Alone (2017); All Dressed in White (2015); All Through the Night (1998); As Time Goes By (2016); Aspire to the Heavens / Mount Vernon Love Story (1968); Bad Behavior (1995); Before I Say Good-Bye (2000); Burned (2005); By Hook or By Crook and 27 More of the Best Crime and Mystery Stories of the Year (2010); Caribbean Blues (1988); Caribbean Blues (1988); Cursed (2009); Daddy's Gone A-Hunting (2013); Daddy's Little Girl (2001); Dashing Through the Snow (2008); Death on the Cape and Other Stories (1989); Death Wears a Beauty Mask and Other Stories (2015); Deck the Halls (2000); Deck the Halls (2000); Decked (1991); Double Vision (1988); Every Breath You Take (2017); Fleeced (2001); Ghost Ship (2007); Gypped / Scammed (2012); He Sees You When You're Sleeping (2001); Hitched (2006); I Heard That Song Before (2007); Iced (1994); I'll Be Seeing You (1993); I'll Walk Alone (2011); Inherit the Dead (2013); I've Got My Eyes on You (2018); I've Got You Under My Skin (2014); Jinxed (2002); Just Take My Heart (2009); Justice in Manhattan (1995); Kiss the Girls and Make Them Cry (2019); Kitchen Privileges (2002); Laced (2007); Let Me Call You Sweetheart (1995); Loves Music, Loves to Dance (1991); Malice Domestic 1 (1992); Malice Domestic 14 (2019); Malice Domestic 2 (1993); Manhattan Mayhem (2015); Master's Choice: Mystery Stories by Today's Top Writers and the Masters Who Inspired Them (2000); Mobbed (2011); Moonlight Becomes You (1996); More Malice Domestic (1997); Murder For Love (1996); Murder in Manhattan (1988); Murder on the Aisle (1987); Murder on the Run (1998); My Gal Sunday (1996); Nighttime is My Time (2004); No Place Like Home (2005); On a Raven's Wing (2009); On the Street Where You Live (2001); Piece of My Heart (2020); Popped (2003); Pretend You Don't See Her (1995); Remember Me (1994); Santa Cruise (2006); Silent Night (1995); Sisters in Crime 2 (1990); Snagged (1993); Stillwatch (1984); The Anastasia Syndrome (1989); The Best American Mystery Stories 1998 (1998); The Body in the Closet and Plumbing for Willy (1998); The Christmas Thief (2004); The Christmas Thief (2004); The Cinderella Murder (2014); The Cradle Will Fall (1980); The Crown Crime Companion (1995); The Lost Years (2012); The Lottery Winner (1994); The Magical Christmas Horse (2011); The Melody Lingers On (2015); The Night Awakens (1998); The Plot Thickens (1997); The Second Time Around (2003); The Shadow of Your Smile (2010); The Sleeping Beauty Killer (2016); The Year's 25 Finest Crime and Mystery Stories 1996 (1995); Twanged (1997); Two Little Girls in Blue (2006); Weep No More, My Lady (1987); We'll Meet Again (1999); Where Are the Children Now? (2023); Where are the Children? (1975); Where Are You Now? (2008); While My Pretty One Sleeps (1989); Women of Mystery (1992); Wrecked (2010); You Belong To Me (1999); You Don't Own Me (2018); Zapped (2008).