Cindy Daniel takes to the back streets of the Bible Belt in a rollicking, Texas-sized mystery

Cindy Daniel spins clever page-turner about sibling rivalry, pick-up trucks, old-fashioned Christian guilt and the murder of a beauty queen

DALLAS/FT. WORTH, TX (PRWEB) February 14, 2004 --Rand McNally would locate Destiny, Texas just about dead center of the East Texas Bible Belt and that is exactly where Death Warmed Over, the first book in Cindy Daniels new murder mystery series, takes place. With quick-witted charm and a deft economy of words, Daniel paints a hilarious – and all too accurate – portrait of life in one of those towns where everyone knows absolutely everything about everyone. There is little doubt that readers who grew up in small towns will find at least one character in this raved-about novel that will make them gasp in disbelief and exclaim, Oh my gosh! I KNOW her!"

Daniels protagonist, thirtyish Hannah Evans, still smarting from a three-year-old divorce, comes home to Destiny, six-year-old daughter in-tow; to what she hopes will be a new beginning. What she finds is a sister, of questionable reputation, mired knee-deep in small-town trouble with a capital M – murder, that is.

It seems the town snob, who also happens to be the local beauty queen, has met with an untimely end and Hannahs sister, Ruth, is the No. 1 suspect. Now, pleasantly plump Hannah is forced to juggle single motherhood, a budding romance with the local sheriff and her new business with amateur detective work in order to dig her sister out of a great big mess. Hold on to your hats, because the plot twists like the Judge Roy Scream ride at Six Flags.

In this debut novel, readers will get their first glimpse of a dream that belongs to author, Cindy Daniel. It is a dream she envisioned after scaling stumbling blocks that many would have found too high to climb. A divorce survivor raising teenagers alone, Daniel heard those breath-robbing words no person on the planet ever wants to hear.

You have cancer," the doctor said.

It was a terrifying blow. But she didnt quit. She never even slowed down. She fought breast cancer and won, married the man of her dreams, Jeff Daniel, and never looked back. She said she began writing in December of 2001 just to see if she could do it.

I just wanted to prove something to myself," Daniel said. After I completed editing a medical textbook, I got it in my head that I could be a writer. My kids are grown and Jeff and I are real homebodies so the sacrifices I made were minimal. Hard, but minimal. Cooking and housework have suffered the most, but luckily, I am married to a saint who supports me completely. He doesnt seem to mind that I cook less and clean less than I used to. Or, maybe he thinks it is a blessing that I dont cook as much as I used to!"

Daniel began researching the book – and how to be a writer – and quickly became involved with several organizations related to mystery writing. She is the President of the Sisters In Crime Internet Chapter, Dallas Meeting Coordinator for Mystery Writers of America-Southwest Chapter. She coordinates and writes the Ask-A-Pro feature for the Sisters In Crime Internet Chapter and has participated in the Rowlett Public Librarys Adult Summer Reading Program where she presented a talk titled: Fictionary: A Beginners Guide to Writing a Mystery - or – How I Became a Published Author. She belongs to the Sisters in Crime, SinC Internet Chapter, SinC Guppies, Romance Writers of America, Kiss of Death Mystery Writers of America and American Medical Writers of America. She says her involvement with these organizations helped her develop her dream to become a published writer.

Daniel completed the manuscript for Death Warmed Over in May 2002 and began searching for a publisher.

It didnt take long.

While she did receive a stack of rejections from various publishing houses, in November, 2002 Quiet Storm Publishing jumped at the chance to publish the story and immediately inked a three-book deal with Daniel.

Cindys query to us was very funny and her book made our marketing director laugh out loud from the very first page," said Clint Gaige, President of Quite Storm Publishing. Turning down the book was never an option – I would have had a mutiny on my hands. This book delivers solid entertainment and Cindy Daniels potential as a writer is limitless. Actually, one of her best assets is that she really has no idea how very good she is. We are very excited about this books release. Readers are going to love their trip to Destiny."

The publisher isnt the only one who is singing the praises of this new book. Mystery writing web sites are choked with rave reviews for Death Warmed Over, and many of them are from other mystery writers.

In Death Warmed Over, Cindy Daniel details life in Destiny, Texas so lovingly that I feel as if I could find it on a map," said Toni L.P.Kelner, author of Wed and Buried. Then she throws in a double-handful of believable characters and a tricky murder plot that has me eager to see whats next for this debut author."

Cindy Daniel has a gift for bringing her characters to life and writing a story you dont want to end," said Linda Randall Wisdom, award-winning author of Roses After Midnight.

What Janet Evanovich does for the Jersey burbs, Cindy Daniel takes to the back streets of the Bible Belt in this rollicking, Texas-sized mystery," said Ann Cavan, Sisters in Crime.

Cindy Daniels debut mystery is a down-home delight," said Kathryn Lively, author of Little Flowers (2003 EPPIE Finalist) and Saints Preserve Us. Amateur Sleuth Hannah takes charge with an infections enthusiasm for mystery that is certain to pass along to the reader."

Death Warmed Over is available through Amazon.com, BN.com and booksamillion.com or call your local bookstore and ask for it.