Arts & Entertainment

Best-Selling Hillsdale Author Mary Jane Clark Signing New Book

Mary Jane Clark's new novel, "Footprints in the Sand," is scheduled to be released Tuesday.

Hillsdale author Mary Jane Clark is scheduled to release a new book and will hold a signing at Shaw's Book Shop in Westwood this week.

Clark's new book, Footprints in the Sand, tells the story of a cake decorator who has to uncover a murder before her cousin's Florida wedding. It is the third part of the "Wedding Cake Mystery series."

The book is scheduled to be released Tuesday. It has aleady received positive reviews, including one from the Associated Press which called the book "an irresistible read with wide appeal."

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"I'm excited about it," Clark said.

Clark is a former writer and producer for CBS News who has written 15 mystery novels, publishing them at a rate of about one every year since 1998. She was still working at CBS when she wrote the first 10 books and the experience of working in journalism aided her transition into fiction, Clark said.

Find out what's happening in Westwood-Hillsdalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Writing for television, I was used to telling a story in a very succinct way," Clark said.

Her best-selling books have been translated into 23 languages.

Clark grew up in Westwood and has lived in Hillsdale for more than 20 years. The book's protagonist, Piper Donovan, lives in a fictional town called Hillwood which features locations inspired by local businesses including Shaw's, Pompilio's Pizza and Best Little Hairhouse, though this book takes place in another favorite location of Clark's: Sarasota, Fl.

Shaw's Book Shop, located at 79 Westwood Avenue, will host Clark for a book signing Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

"They've been very supportive of me, and I appreciate that," Clark said. "My local friends can come, and it's fun. It's not work."

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