Daniel Hicks has enjoyed writing since junior high. He took a break from the hobby for many years until he left the military, graduated from college and wrote the first manuscript of his four-book series in just three weeks.
Notoriety Suits and Whiskey: I is a book about a character named Brent Carver who struggles with settling down with a wife and child and simply going through the motions of everyday life. That is until Carver finds himself in a unique situation.

“Fortunately, for him, he kind of gets lucky and gets asked to be in a secret society that’s full of luxurious things and luxurious living … beautiful women and cars, suits and whiskey, obviously,” Hicks, an Adamsville resident, said. “But he doesn’t realize that there’s a lot of strings attached to that lifestyle.”

While the series follow’s Carver through a variety of situations, the character doesn’t reflect anyone in particular.

“You would not believe how many times I get asked, ‘Is this book about you?’ I promise you, it’s not.” Hicks said through laughter. “My wife and my daughters make me more than happy so that kind of strikes me as funny when people ask that.”

The inspiration for the series came from a conversation Hicks had with a group of men that talked about missing out on aspects of life due to marriage and fatherhood.

The targeted reader of Notoriety Suits and Whiskey is a newly-married man or a new father in his twenties or thirties.

In an effort to communicate a specific message, the series follows the main character through the trials and triumphs of staying in the secret society and attempting to return to normal life.

“It’s kind of a ‘be careful what you wish for’ type of scenario,” Hicks said. “A lot of people, they like to think the grass is greener on the other side.”

Everybody, I think, wishes for days where they get to do something else other than living their day-to-day life. The book gives an outside perspective and shows what that life could be like.

While Hicks has received a lot of positive feedback from readers, he’s also heard from a few people that said the book was not for them. Amongst the feedback, one person’s response does stick out to him.

“One person in particular, he called me one morning and he was like, ‘I couldn’t go to sleep last night, I had to stay up until 1 a.m. to finish the book because I had to know what Brent was going to do and you just left me on a cliffhanger anyway. So, I’m waiting for the second book,’” Hicks said.

There is not a release date for the second of four books in the series but Hicks assures that he’s working on the book and hopes to publish it by the end of the year.

Hicks is set to appear at two book signing events this month. On Aug. 11, he will appear at the Mid-Ohio Indie Author Expo in Columbus from 3 to 7 p.m. Hicks was selected as one of 39 authors selected to represent his book at the expo.

He will also be doing a signing a little closer to home on Aug. 17 at John McIntire Library in from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Books will be available for purchase at both events.

Y-City News has partnered with Hicks to give away one book. Watch for a post to enter into the giveaway.