182 ratings | 104 reviews | avg rating:3.50

Joe’s Year In Books

Joe’s 2023 Year in Books

Take a look at Joe’s Year in Books. The long, the short—it’s all here.

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Gaia

1,667 books | 17 friends

Surabhi Sharma

712 books | 779 friends

Renée Gendron

188 books | 97 friends

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15,180 books | 4,984 friends

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1,419 books | 410 friends

Thomas O. Scarborough

145 books | 3,101 friends

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16 books | 26 friends

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40 books | 62 friends

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Joe Clark

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Website

https://joeclark-blogger.com

Twitter

joeclark_343

Genre

Fiction, Romance

Member Since

August 2015

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Joe Clark’s Demented got him Long-Listed for the Book Viral Millennium Book Award in 2020. His novels, The Walsh’s: the Coming of Eve, Demented, and MacGregor’s Final Battle are Book-of-the-Month selections. He writes Contemporary Drama and Urban Adventure. His “deliciously flawed characters” face moral and ethical dilemmas as they battle through challenging times. April Walsh, a suburban housewife and struggling writer, puts it all on the line in her undercover investigation of sex work. She and friend, PI Nickey Arnold, fight for the prickly, often abrasive, Cindy Foster when her porn past threatens to destroy her. Nurse’s Assistant, Kate Graham crosses lines when she falls in love with an elderly patient in MacGregor’s Final Battle.
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Popular Answered Questions

In what way does your experience enter your books?

Joe Clark Like all writers of fiction, I draw on my memories as a source of my creations.
Three of my four novels have been set in the Greater DC metropolitan ar…moreLike all writers of fiction, I draw on my memories as a source of my creations.
Three of my four novels have been set in the Greater DC metropolitan area where I have lived for over 40 years.
The Walshes are Catholics - practicing but not deeply committed. April is a struggling writer and her world view most closely mirrors mine (at least in my opinion). Husband Joe is a career engineer like me. He played varsity sports in college - like me. Their daughter Becky was based in part on my daughters.
Jack Edward's physical appearance is based on a cop I had a run in with while a grad student at VPI.
The setting and some of the characters carry-over to Demented,
Physical confrontations in the two books are informed by my decades as a martial artist - Shotokan Karate and Kung Fu
MacGregor's Final Battle is partly biographical Mac is an elderly, retired engineer - many details of his early life and career are borrowed from my life. But my second wife and I are still chugging along and we have a great relationship with out children. Kate Graham was inspired by a friend who is a nurse and Eddie Flores is modeled on my son-in law. The road trip was inspired by my own experiences driving across country.(less)

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What book or author would you say has influenced you the most as a person or a writer?

Joe Clark Thank you, Sara. I have been giving some thought to this question. I cannot pinpoint one book - either as a life guide or as influencing my writing. C…moreThank you, Sara. I have been giving some thought to this question. I cannot pinpoint one book - either as a life guide or as influencing my writing. Certainly no one book influences both writing and living.
As to writing, Stephen King's "On Writing," is a strong influence but it doesn't give specific guidance. "Fast Fiction" by Denise Jaden, the first book I read when I started writing novels, was more helpful. "Revision and Self-editing" by James Scott Bell introduced me to those processes. Finally "Conflict and Suspense" by Bell was my bible while I was writing Demented. Each of those books strongly influences how I approach my writing.
As to life, I believe I am more influenced by people real and fictional. Bret Maverick is my culture hero. Rhett Butler is another icon. I can't stand characters like TV MASH's Major Burns. I have read a great many books covering many aspects of life. Two stand out. The Tao Te Ching attributed to Lao Tsu and a book I can't find on Amazon. Back in the 70's, I read a book about a new way to look at living. Somewhat like The Power of Positive Thinking and PsycoCybernetics. I believe there were three main principles: Define your life goals in a way that gives you the best chance of winning; stay focused on your goal - don't let side issues get the best issues; create a garbage dump where you can dispose of the negative crap that gets dumped in your lap. I try. But like almost everybody else I find it difficult to focus on draining the swamp when I'm up to my ears in alligators.(less)

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Combine Editions
Joe Clark’s books

Average rating: 3.83 · 371 ratings · 39 reviews · 6 distinct works • Similar authors

	Demented 3.76 avg rating — 188 ratings — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Walshes: The Coming of Eve 3.71 avg rating — 124 ratings — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	MacGregor's Final Battle 4.38 avg rating — 55 ratings — published 2023	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Survive (1) 3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	MacGregor's Final Battle it was ok 2.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	MacGregor's Final Battle 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Joe Clark's Blog

Common Sense Health Care

It’s time for a common sense tough love approach to health care. Even Barack Obama recognized that his signature legislation, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) needed an overhaul. The American Health Care Act of 2017 (AHCA) proposed by President Trump and GOP congressional leaders is not the overhaul that is needed. It will not provide… Continue Reading Common Sense Health Care

The post Common Sense He

Joe is Currently Reading

Joe Clark is currently reading

Lee vs. Grant: The Overland Campaign

by Charles River Editors

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Mar 01, 2024 02:20PM

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The Harp and the Eagle: Irish-American Volunteers and the Union Army, 1861-1865

by Susannah Ural

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Nov 27, 2023 10:59PM

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Jewish Soldiers in the Civil War: The Union Army

by Adam D. Mendelsohn

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Dec 04, 2023 10:13PM

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Joe’s Recent Updates

Joe Clark liked Martin Wilsey's blog post: SciFi Saturday: Astro Kid ""
Sep 28, 2024 08:08AM
Joe Clark liked M.A.’s status update M.A. wants to read The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
Sep 17, 2024 10:04AM · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
Joe Clark liked M.A.’s status update M.A. wants to read Death at the Sign of the Rook (Jackson Brodie, #6)
Sep 17, 2024 10:03AM · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson
Joe Clark and 1 other person liked Renée Gendron's review of A Midlife Holiday (The Midlife Trilogy #1): "This book has a terrific self-discovery arc ~ It's great to read a book with older main characters. Each of the women come from relatable pasts, face relatable problems, and address them in their own way. It's well written, with plenty of charming an" Read more of this review »
Sep 17, 2024 10:03AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Midlife Holiday by Cary J. Hansson. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Midlife Holiday by Cary J. Hansson
Joe Clark rated a book really liked it Kennesaw Mountain: Sherman, Johnston, and the Atlanta Campaign (Civil War America) by Earl J. Hess	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 19, 2024 09:51AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Kennesaw Mountain by Earl J. Hess. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Kennesaw Mountain by Earl J. Hess
Joe Clark rated a book it was ok The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
The story didn't appeal to me. I gave up after a couple of chapters. ...more
Apr 04, 2024 01:19PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
Joe Clark is currently reading Lee vs. Grant: The Overland Campaign by Charles River Editors	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 01, 2024 02:20PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Lee vs. Grant by Charles River Editors. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Lee vs. Grant by Charles River Editors
Joe Clark is currently reading The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (Goodreads Author) Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Best Historical Fiction	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 26, 2024 09:00AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
Joe Clark has read The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero by Timothy Egan (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
The book tell the tale of Thomas Meagher's amazing life, providing new and interesting insights on US and world history. ...more
Feb 22, 2024 07:02AM · like · see review

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Quotes by Joe Clark (?)

“Everybody dies. What counts is how you live.”
― Joe Clark, MacGregor's Final Battle

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Joe’s Quotes

“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win.”
― John F. Kennedy

tags: apollo, apollo-program, kennedy, lunar, moon, nasa, president-kennedy, rice-university, space, space-exploration, space-travel

112 likes

“A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing.”
― Oscar Wilde

tags: cynicism

4079 likes

“A warrior must focus his attention on the link between himself and his death . . .. He must let each of his acts be his last battle on earth. Only under those conditions will his acts have their rightful power.”
― Carlos Castaneda, Journey to Ixtlan: The Lessons of Don Juan

22 likes

“Spread a little kindness and your blessings will be greater than the sum of its parts.”
― Angel M.B. Chadwick

tags: wisdom-inspirational

1 likes

“Everybody dies. What counts is how you live.”
― Joe Clark, MacGregor's Final Battle

1 likes

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Joe’s Year In Books

Joe Clark’s Followers (59)

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Joe Clark

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Joe Clark’s Followers (59)

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