When author Cindy Sample makes a personal appearance, it’s a good bet that there will be a delicious treat to go with the delicious mystery books her readers purchase. Sample writes cozy mystery stories set in El Dorado County and those who visit one of her signing events benefit from more than just her imagination as an author.
Her first book, “Dying for a Date,” focused on Laurel McKay, a divorcee who only wanted to get a date. Unfortunately, everyone the local dating service matches with her ends up dead and Laurel is the main suspect. Anyone who purchased the book at a signing appearance got a bonus: a corpse cookie.
The cookies were cut from rolled cookie dough with a gingerbread man cookie cutter. The arms and legs were twisted and splayed out to resemble a dead body. After baking, the cookies were edged with yellow frosting so that they resembled the crime scene outline left behind after the authorities remove a body. A little macabre and a lot delicious, the cookies were a hit.
When “Dying for a Dance” hit the press, Sample decided to try something a little different. The book is set in the world of ballroom dancing, as Laurel tries to learn to dance for a friend’s wedding. She’ll be in the wedding party and the friend has high expectations for an elegant reception.
In keeping with the dance theme, Sample offered a chocolate stiletto with the purchase of a book. She poured the candies herself. As an added bonus she delivered book and candy in an evidence bag. Sample admits that the candies were less labor intensive than the cookies, but loved the reactions earned by both treats.
As she begins work on “Dying for a Daiquiri,” the next novel in the series, Cindy Sample faces two mysteries: one as she plots the story and the second one as she figures a crafty bonus for her readers.
For information on Sample’s books and appearance schedule, visit her website.
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