185 ratings | 105 reviews | avg rating:3.49

Joe’s Year In Books

Joe’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Joe’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

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Joe’s Bookshelves

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Raphaël Zéla

109 books | 1,476 friends

Gaia

1,848 books | 15 friends

Renée Gendron

243 books | 99 friends

Surabhi Sharma

781 books | 783 friends

Angel

15,371 books | 4,939 friends

Quantum

1,421 books | 404 friends

Thomas O. Scarborough

147 books | 3,119 friends

GR Oliver

16 books | 26 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: 3.87 · 596 ratings · 50 reviews · 5 distinct works • Similar authors

	Demented 3.71 avg rating — 266 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 4.29 avg rating — 170 ratings — published 2023 — 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 3.64 avg rating — 153 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 Cauldron: A Struggle for Survival it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 4 ratings — 2 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
	Survive (1) 3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — 2 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

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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

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Joe is Currently Reading

Joe Clark is currently reading

The Killer Angels (The Civil War Trilogy, #2)

by Michael Shaara

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Jan 13, 2026 10:44AM

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Beyond Mach 3: A Pilot’s Journey Through The U-2 and SR-71 (1950 to 1970) A Memoir

by Buddy Brown

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May 26, 2025 10:27PM

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Fire in the Heart: A Memoir of Friendship, Loss, and Wildfire

by Mary Emerick (Goodreads Author)

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Dec 19, 2024 07:14PM

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Joe’s Recent Updates

Joe Clark liked chuck r's review of The Cauldron: A Struggle for Survival: "An excellent historically correct fiction that puts you right in the middle of the action. Feel the chaos of the times, the fright of the battle, and even the boredom of the individual soldier waiting for his next assignment. High marks on this one J" Read more of this review »
Jan 20, 2026 04:58AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Cauldron by Joe Clark. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Cauldron by Joe Clark <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Joe Clark liked Charlotte's review of The Cauldron: A Struggle for Survival: "The Cauldron is a powerful, human-centered Civil War novel that goes beyond dates and battles to focus on the people who bore the cost of history. Joe Clark brings the era to life through Tom Donal, his brother John, and those bound to them by war, l" Read more of this review »
Jan 20, 2026 04:58AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Cauldron by Joe Clark. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Cauldron by Joe Clark <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Joe Clark is currently reading The Killer Angels (The Civil War Trilogy, #2) by Michael Shaara	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
Jan 13, 2026 10:44AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Joe Clark rated a book liked it Turn Signals Are the Facial Expressions of Automobiles by Don Norman	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
Jan 13, 2026 09:25AM · like
Joe Clark rated a book it was ok Abundance by Ezra Klein	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 premise is based on the kind of thinking that is precipitating climate crisis and the collapse of out society. The prospect of humans stuffed in endless high rise apartment buildings smacks of chicken coops like my family used back in the 1950's ...more
Jan 13, 2026 09:25AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Abundance by Ezra Klein. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Abundance by Ezra Klein <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Joe Clark rated a book it was ok Abundance by Ezra Klein	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 premise is based on the kind of thinking that is precipitating climate crisis and the collapse of out society. The prospect of humans stuffed in endless high rise apartment buildings smacks of chicken coops like my family used back in the 1950's ...more
Jan 13, 2026 09:24AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Abundance by Ezra Klein. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Abundance by Ezra Klein <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Joe Clark made a comment in the group Goodreads Librarians Group — Default descriotion needs to be updated topic " When checking the paperback details for The Cauldron: A Struggle for Survival, I uploaded the missing Book Cover and edited the description. I receive ...more "
Nov 26, 2025 10:52AM
Joe Clark made a comment in the group Goodreads Librarians Group — Can't create my new book - says the book already exists topic " Thank you. I still have to add the paperback version which has also been published through Ingram Sparks "
Nov 25, 2025 08:54PM
Joe Clark made a comment in the group Goodreads Librarians Group — Incorrect ISBN attributiom topic " The ISBN 9781733294423 Is incorrectly attributed to Demented (ISBN 9781733294409) Please delete the incorrect link ISBN 9781733294423 belongs to the pape ...more "
Oct 23, 2025 09:17AM
Joe Clark made a comment in the group Goodreads Librarians Group — Delete incorrectly posted paperback versions of MacGregor's Final Battle topic " Please make the following correction Two Paperback editions of MacGregor's Final are invalid and must be deleted The one with the ISBN 9781733294454 The ...more "
Oct 23, 2025 09:06AM

More of Joe's books…

Quotes by Joe Clark (?)

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

1 likes

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

117 likes

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

tags: cynicism

4097 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

23 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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