"12 Winter Weekend Getaways from New York"
NY Times
New York, NY
January 2, 2009
"Main Street in Highland Falls, N.Y., marches to a halt at the handsome stone South Gate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. The prim brick Thayer Hotel is at the right, playing fields and a few low-slung buildings to the left. It is only as your tour bus begins snaking up the long hill that the noble grandeur of the academy becomes apparent."
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"Goodlife"
Poughkeepsie Journal, February 5, 2005
"Italian dinner to feature stars from 'The Sopranos?'"
"Well its not Tony and Carmella, but Artie and Charmainne Bucco will be there. The characters from the HBO series, played by actors John Ventimiglia and Kathrine Narducci, will be the featured guests at a special Italian dinner at the Thayer Hotel in West Point March 13 from 5 to 8 p.m."
"Poughkeepsie Journal"
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Mother and daughter team for holiday thriller
Best-selling authors to sign at West Point
By Theresa Keegan
For the Poughkeepsie Journal
Think your family encounters during the holidays are strange?
For the Higgins Clark family, murder, mayhem and mystery are considered the norm — at least when authors Mary and her daughter Carol, join forces. This year will be no different as the fourth in the duo's holiday suspense novel series is released.
"Santa Cruise," released Tuesday, provides wit and intrigue as two popular characters from each author's books team up to solve the problems that arise on a cruise ship. Both Mary and Carol will be featured at a cocktail reception at the Thayer Hotel at West Point Saturday, a prelude to the evening's interactive murder mystery dinner.
For Mary, who specializes in psychological thrillers, working with her daughter is a chance to embrace humorous writing. Plus, for this holiday thriller, the setting was ideal.
"It was my brilliant idea to set it on a cruise ship," says Mary, who has the experience of being a featured guest on various cruises in the past.
"We all know the only way to travel is first class and free," she laughed, which is the premise of the book, which features a charity cruise for do-gooders.
Started six years ago
The two best-selling authors started writing holiday novels in 2000. It was an opportunity to bring together Mary's fun-loving character Alvirah Meehan, a lottery winner who becomes a sleuth, and Carol's Regan Reilly, a successful California detective who has moved to New York to marry the head of the city police department's major case squad.
The mother and daughter team write by actually talking through the plot as Carol types away on the laptop.
"We're telling a story," says Mary. "These books are meant to be amusing. We want you to laugh when you read them." Talking together as they write also helps hone the plot in the critical development stage.
"In this one, we were talking about having pirates on a helicopter come down (onto the cruise ship)," says Mary. But during the discussion, both realized the scenario replicated too closely actual terrorist events and agreed to twist the plot in another direction.
The co-authors give and take in a productive manner, says their editor, Michael Korda, a Dutchess County resident.
"I've never seen or experienced a moment of difficulty between these two authors at all," says Korda, who is editor in chief emeritus at Simon & Schuster. "They get along wonderfully (and) they're very supportive of each other." He is also friends with the Higgins Clarks and, in addition to their kind personalities, is quick to cite Mary's ability to promote her own books and acknowledges Carol runs a close second. It makes them as a publisher's dream.
Big in France, too
Mary's books have sold more than 85 million copies in the United States, and she is the top fiction best-selling author in France. Carol is an actress who converted to writing and has produced nine best-selling mysteries.
Mary started writing books when her husband died in 1964. She would start writing at 5 a.m. and stop at 7 a.m., when she had to get her five children ready for school and herself ready for work. Six years and 40 rejections later, her first short story was sold.
Passionate storytelling has always been an integral part of the Higgins Clark family, and it's a trait Mary cherishes.
"We've been very good critics for each other. All my five kids are story tellers," she boasts. "They're funny, sharp. Not one of them can change a light bulb, but there is a gift there."
"Sopranos" at Thayer Hotel
Cornwall Local, Feb 25, 2005
"In March 2005, the historic hotel at West Point is inviting guests to have dinner with "The Sopranos" actors John Ventimiglia and Kathryn Narducci (aka Artie and Charmainne Bucco of "The Sopranos" HBO TV Show). The special menu will include a special menu of hot and cold antipasto, assorted salads like celigne with basil vinaigrette, and entrees including penne primavera, eggplant rollatini, seafood trentino, and chicken parmigiana."
"Thayer Hosts Filmmaker, Michael Bolton"
Beacon Free Press, Sep 22, 2004
"Filmaker Maryann Deleo, who an Oscar this year for short documentary, "Chernobyl Heart," recently celebrated the HBO debut of the film at The Thayer Hotel at West Point."
"Thayer's Top Employee"
News of the Highlands
Highland Falls, NY
March 19, 2004
"Debbie Zoffoli, of Highland Falls, the Accounts Payable Manager, was named employee of the year for 2003 at the historic hotel at West Point. "The Hotel Executive committee has recognized Debbie as one of our best and dedicated employees," said Robert Wilson, General Manager of the hotel."
"The Thayer Hotel"
Westchester County Business Journal
White Plains, NY
June 28, 2004
"The Thayer Hotel at West Point is a meeting planner's dream come true. Overlooking the scenic Hudson River and on the grounds of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, The Thayer Hotel offers all the amenities and services for corporate retreats, sales training, and business management seminars."
