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| About Mary Jane Clark Mary Jane Clark writes what she knows. 
Since her emergence on the media-thriller scene in 1998, Mary Jane has been praised for her ability to use insider knowledge of the television news business to create action and intrigue in her novels. And an insider, she is. Mary Jane spent three decades at CBS News' New York City headquarters…where she began her career as a desk assistant after graduating with degrees in journalism and political science from the University of Rhode Island.... and became a producer and writer. "I hope that I am sharing with you an insider's view of the television news world and that my 'recurring character' KEY News, and the personalities who work there, love there, scheme there and plot there will entertain you, scare you, thrill you and satisfy you. Nothing would make me happier than that," She is the author of eleven novels, including It Only Takes a Moment, Do You Want to Know a Secret? Do You Promise Not to Tell? Let Me Whisper in Your Ear, Close to You, Nobody Knows, Nowhere to Run, Hide Yourself Away, Dancing in the Dark, Lights Out Tonight and When Day Breaks.Additional Information "For David, my loving and loveable son, and all those who struggle with Fragile X Syndrome ... with great hopes and fervent prayers for a cure." Dedication for Close to You
As some of you may know, Mary Jane Clark's son has Fragile X Syndrome, the most common inherited form of mental retardation. "When David was diagnosed 17 years ago, I, like so many other people had never even heard of Fragile X Syndrome," remembers Mary Jane. "At the time I thought it was the end of the world. But it wasn't. It was the beginning of a new one, and, while not always easy, a very rewarding world at that. While I still wish Fragile X didn't exist, David is a great boy and I feel blessed to have him. He has taught me a great deal. And Elizabeth, his sister, is a hero in her own right as she has coped with having a sibling with a major league problem. They are both champions." Fragile X, which is caused by a gene defect on the long arm of the X chromosome, is estimated to affect 1 in every 2000 boys and 1 in 4000 females of all races and ethnic groups. Symptoms include mental impairment, attention deficit and hyperactivity, and autistic-like behavior. Research has shown that about 1 in 259 women carry Fragile X and could pass it to their children. Mary Jane is trying to raise public awareness of Fragile X through her books -- first Do You Want To Know A Secret and then Close To You. Related Links Official site of the FRAXA Research Foundation Feature on Fragile X on the Dolan DNA Learning Center multimedia guide to genetic disorders |
