DARK and DASTARDLY DEADLY DEEDS By Dr. Sydney J. Smart "Heads up, the sky is falling!" No, it wasn't a little chicken that was attempting to warn the folks who had accompanied him into the dark but you will have to read the book "Dastardly Deeds' if you have a hankerin' to find out who did yell it out. This book, the fourth in the Thrift- Store Mysteries, stars two of our intrepid volunteers from the thrift store in Paradise Valley - Charity Sue and Miz Emma. In its pages you will accompany the two on yet another adventure, still seeking the elusive Confederate gold once belonging to Charity Sue's kin in Widder's Holler. You will find the answers to many questions left unanswered in "Charity Sue," such as is the gold still in existence or had it been pilfered and spent by person or persons unknown over the years? This tale takes us to the Appalachian Mountain chain in West Virginia to the holler and the small town Charity Sue calls home. You will learn something about the way of life in the Appalachians of West Virginia, where coal was important but not essential to life. You will learn about Pottsville, Pennsylvania, the home of Uncle Otis and about Centralia, the town that, according to some, is no more...the ultimate ghost town, where coal was king and survival was brought out of the darkness of the earth in the form of rocks so black that, at times, they shined like obsidian, both materials formed during times of severe trauma to the earth. And last but not least - you will be able to answer the question, "what on earth is up with Charity Sue's ma' and pa'?" It is my fervent hope that you pick up this volume of the Thrift-Store Mysteries and read it with joy because it is my belief that reading should be "just for fun'. I know the more you get to know the ladies of Paradise Valley, the more convinced you will be that we are all brothers and sisters, hand in hand, together
About the Author: About the Author Author Sidney Joyce Smart: Is a retired registered nurse, turned author, with a passion for those with disabilities ranging from physical to emotional to mental illnesses. After having been employed as a nurse in a wide range of fields for almost forty years, she felt that her expertise could now be used to open the area of disability, as it affects the Body of Christ, the church. She has been a volunteer, working with children of all ages in many different church settings for over fifty years. Recently this interest focused in on the need for ministry to those with disabilities and their friends and families in all churches, regardless of size or belief system. Sidney (Syd) earned a BSN in nursing at the University of New Mexico, a Masters in Adult Education at the same school and a doctorate in Christian Education at Freedom Bible College and Seminary. She has been a long-time member of the National and New Mexico Autism Societies, serving on the Board of Directors for the latter recently. She also served on the Board of Directors for the Cerebral Palsy Parents Association in New Mexico, during which time she became a first generation trainer for SibShops, a sibling support group model out of Seattle, Washington and presently hosting SibShops all over the world. Syd has been widowed just over two years and was able to move back to a small village in New Mexico which she has always considered home. Her hope continues to be that she will remain involved in active projects teaching and training others how to deal with God's special people, those with disabilities. She can be contacted via email at: smart26@msn.com.