PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF FOR LANCASTER BOOK WRITER.

Byline: Karen Thacker Special to the Daily News

As an editorial assistant who reviewed material in the editorial department for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner some 12 years ago, Beverly Clark got to see a lot of different writing.

``I looked over so many people's stories that were awful, I figured I could do better,'' she recalled of the experience. ``I said I think I can do this.''

So as the Herald Examiner folded, Clark began a new era for herself. She started writing.

First there were filler stories for magazines, like Redbook and Good Housekeeping, then short stories for Lexington Library (Sterling/MacFadden) magazines. Almost always, they were stories of romance.

She worked full time at local bookstores as she wrote.

Now her first novel, ``Yesterday Is Gone,'' will hit bookstores in a few weeks.

``It's really exciting,'' said Clark, 49. ``I've tried for a long time and I've had a rocky road to go and people said you can't make money writing.''

But the short stories kept her going financially and although she had several other books turned down, she eventually got a contract with Genesis Press for ``Yesterday.''

Her second novel, ``A Love To Cherish,'' will be out in April 1998. She's working on another book already and she has six more that she wrote but never got published. They might get used now.

A native of Oklahoma, Clark has been in the Antelope Valley six years now with her husband and two of her five children that are still at home.

Over the years, she's taken classes at Antelope Valley College, Learning Tree University and attended numerous writing conferences.

Romance has always been her first love as a writer and as a reader.

``I love love stories,'' she admits. ``I've always read them over the years.''

As a child she used to sneak in and watch soap operas and find her mother's romance books, which were hidden from her.

``I was really eager to find out what she didn't want me to read,'' Clark said.

After sending in her first short story, nothing happened for a while and she forgot all about it. Six months later, she got a call to publish it.

``I didn't think they were serious,'' she remembers. ``I thought it was my sister.''

The short stories were a good outlet, she said, ``but I wanted to go deeper - romance really touches the heart.''

So she began doing novels and waited. It took her a year to get ``Yesterday'' placed with a publisher.

``It's fun to have something you created for people to enjoy,'' she said.

Sharing tips on starting up

Beverly Clark will share her advice with fellow romance writers today at the High Desert Romance Writers of America meeting from 9:45 to 11:45 a.m. at the Palmdale Cultural Center, 704 E. Palmdale Boulevard.

The meeting is open to the public. Nonmembers pay $5 at the door.

She'll share ideas on how to make the time and get started.

Clark will sign copies of her first novel, ``Yesterday Is Gone,'' from 1 to 3 p.m. July 12 at Waldenbooks, 1100 W. Ave. K in Lancaster.

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Photo

Photo: (color) Beverly Clark, of Lancaster has published ``Yesterday Is Gone,'' with a second book planned for '98.

John McCoy/Daily News