~ Criminal lawyer Jay Clark finds novel ICHAEL SLADE, purveyor of all things dark, evil and horrific, has just delivered to his publisher the Or w# @ completed manuscript of his fourth novel, Ripper. rather, Jay Clarke, the principal voice behind Slade’s multiple-personality pseudonym, has just delivered the goods. The telltale signs of a soul reliev- ed of a great burden beam from his stubbled face, The worry lines have become laugh lines, radiating from the quick, wide smile. A proud and slightly mischievous glint twinkles in his sky-blue eyes. Heck; if it wasn’t for the top hat, tarot cards and 12-inch butcher knife that he’s brandishing, Clarke would look preity much like any other successful North Van prep out hawking his wares to bring home the bacon for the wife and ides, “The idea behind Slade is that we're writing a different kind of fiction,” says the 46-year-old Clarke, who is abetted in his endeavors by a rotating cast of ’ co-conspirators, notably his longtime business partner and pal John Banks. : -fach book has got one foot in . the field of horror and one in the field of mystery. They start with a who-dunnit, like Agatha Cristie, where there’s some sleight of, hand, some trick where the reader, is going to play.a game of chess with me and I’m going to be ‘moving one of the pieces when -you’re not looking. . _ “Either you win, or | win.” - +. For Clarke, who will be speaking "at the North Shore Writer's Workshop at the Leo Marshall .. Curriculum Centre, Tuesday, Nov. -- 30, it is a.venture that began 12 "years ago and has begat three __ bestsellers with sales totaling more than two million copies “worldwide. : .[tis‘also the culmination of a iifelong dream. 22) Greg Potter ee a ene SPOTLIGHT FEATURE As a kid growing up in the 1950s, Clarke lucked into a cache of vintage EC horror comics when a neighborhood teenager, at- tempting to impress his girlfriend, loaded down little Jay with a stack ‘that literally went from arm‘s length upto my chin,” he says. “ft turned around and ran home with this newfound treasure trove. “So while | would have had a nice clean upbringing, there is about a two-month period that is lost in my life because all | was ‘doing was reading these comics. They really delivered the goods.” Launched by the late, great William M. Gaines of Mad maga- zine fame, the. Tales from the ‘Crypt series had_a profound effect on Clarke and inspired him to take a shot at drawing a few himself. : The exercise led Clarke to at- tempt his first book, Thirteen Tombs ~ a single bound edition of which still exists — and to take up acting in high school, petition- _ing for the villainous roles. “| was going to become an ac- tor,” says Clarke, ‘until | came to the realization that actors starve AUTHOR JAY Clarke will be speaking at the Michae oy | Slade series murder.’ A fairly grisly proposition, but one which coached Clarke for the next logical step. With the onset of the recession in 1981 and a 50% cut in govern- ment funding for legal aid — which constitutes a significant . chunk of work for criminal lawyers ~ Clarke approached his fav partners Banks and Richard Covell with the idea of writing a book together. ’ Agreeing that Banks and Covell would hold down the legal prac- tice while Clarke wrote, al! money from the !aw practice was split three ways... . “(f the book stiffed, we would all bite the bullet,” says Clarke. “fit made a million bucks, then we would all benefit. We had a deal.’ . On a $30 portable typewriter “my mother bought me to write my Grade 8 essay on Venus: flytraps,”” Clarke banged out an outline and took it to the others. . They added their takes and the : project became a three-way affair. he ef NEWS photo Mike Wakefleld North Shore Writer’s Workshop at the Leo Marshall Curriculum Centre, on Tuesday, Now. 30. in the garret. “So | figured if | became a criminal lawyer, then I could tie together all of my interests: | would be able to have my finger on the pulse of that dark, under- side of the city, | would be able to script it myself while preparing prosecutions and defences, and | would have a captive audience in the form of a jury. “Besides, | could get paid well BLACKCOMB GREENS Blackcomb Greens is the premier reereation property in North America, Located ona ski trail on Blackcomb for it.” Once again in the right place at. the right time, Clarke, fresh out of university, went to practise for the top criminal Jaw firm in Van- couver. . “We were attracting so many murders that the upper echelon couldn’t handle them all,” he says. “So they were Coming down to me at the next level — murder upon murder upon it fronts the fairway of the Chatean Whistler Golf Course. Thus as year-round prime property. Kack of the beautifully appointed townhomes VER COMPROMI Thes is an unparalleled resort mvestatent, lives up to the unsterpassed location. Views are superb. On mountain, On golf course, All designed by the people behind North ‘America's No. 1 resort success story, Blackcomb, Come see our display home near the entrance to Lost Lake and find oe why compromise is io longer accessary, For more information, call Warren Melcod at The Whistler Real Estate Co, Ltd. On Blackcomb. THE ULTIMATE SKI EXPERIENCE. 681-6627 (Vancouver) or 932-5538 (Whistler). AN EX TRAGIUINARY BLACKCOMS DEVELOPMENT At the time, the Yorkshire Ripper -was still on the loose in England... The same day that Clarke sat down. to write the first page of what.’ would become Headhunter, the Clifford Olson story broke. Eigh- teen months later, the book was finished, a prospectus was drawn up, and Stephen King’s publisher came back with a US$125,000 ad- vance. . . : , Headhunter arrived in 1984 to kudos from horror fans, including such high-profile aficionados as « rocker Alice Cooper (he and: Clarke exchange Christmas cards) - and King himself. — oe Ghoul followed in 1987 and Cut Throat hit the stands last year. , With the latter closing in on the New York Times bestseller list, Clarke feels the team (presently — See Future page 28.