Claws for Alarm
by T. C. Lotempio
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GENRE: Cozy mystery
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BLURB:
“The purrfect sleuthy duo”* is back, and this time murder hits close to home for Nora Charles and her partner Nick, a stealthy little feline gumshoe groomed to solve a shocking crime.
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Excerpt One:
I sat up straighter. “You think he vanished on purpose?”
“Who knows? I’m just saying it’s a possibility. Nick knows many ways to make himself scarce.” Ollie paused and then added, “Sometimes it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie.”
“Maybe so, but I’ve never been one to do what’s best.”
He sighed heavily. “Okay. I can see your mind is made up. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. And if you need help—any help at all—you call me, y’hear?”
“I hear. And thanks.”
I put down the phone and nibbled at my lower lip. Almost as if he knew I’d been thinking about him, Nick appeared, jumping into my lap with surprising ease for a cat of his girth. I rubbed the sensitive area behind his ears and whispered into his ruff, “You’d like to know what happened to your former master too, wouldn’t you?”
Nick raised his sleek black head. “Er-ewl,” he mewled as his little (debatable point) kitty claws moved up and down, kneading my lap.
“That’s what I thought.” I picked up the piece of paper on which I’d written the address Ollie’d given me. “St. Leo isn’t far away—as a matter of fact it’s only about two miles from Aunt Prudence’s house. We could conceivably kill two birds with one stone, say, tomorrow afternoon?”
His steady rumble made me smile. I gave his head a quick pat. “I thought you’d agree.” I reached for my cell phone. “Maybe I’d better warn Aunt Prudence we’re going to be stopping by, though. So she can prepare my sister.”
Nick’s eyes popped wide, and he leaned back on his haunches, pawed at the air.
I laughed. “Yes, she might find you charming, and then again . . . with Lacey, you can never tell. We—we’ve never gotten along all that well. I’m sure she’ll like you, though.” I leaned over to stroke his head, and I didn’t imagine the cat smile he gave me. As I reached for my cell with my other hand, it started to ring. I snatched it up, glanced at the number, and then hit the button. “Aunt Prudence. You must be psychic. I was just going to call you.”
“Oh, Nora, I’m so glad I got you.” My aunt’s voice was a high-pitched wail of distress. “The most awful thing has happened. “Your sister’s been arrested—for murder.”
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Born in New York City, T. C. LoTempio is the national bestselling author of Meow If It’s Murder, the first in the Nick and Nora Mystery series. She has been a staff reporter at the young adult magazine Susabella Passengers and Friends for more than a decade. When she isn’t reporting or writing novels, she and her cat Rocco fundraise for Nathan Fillion’s charity, Kids Need to Read.
Interview with T C Lotempio
As a kid did you write or make up stories?
Yes, absolutely. If I did not like the way a story ended I would change it to suit myself. I did this a lot with Superman comic books. In my versions Lois Lane always got her man.
Where does most of your Character inspiration come from?
Usually it’s a combination of people that I know. For example, the character of Nora in the Nick and Nora msyteries is loosely based on a composite of me and my cousin. The character of Nick is most definitely my tuxedo cat, ROCCO
Do some qualities of your characters come from real people?
I would say practically ALL of their qualities come from people that I know.
What was the inspiration for your book?
My tuxedo cat, ROCCO. He jumped on my lap when I was watching The Thin Man and the Nick and Nora mysteries were born.
What is your favorite spot to write?
I write at the desk in my den, usually with my CD player blaring out the soundtrack form PHANTOM OF THE opera.
What advice would you give budding writers?
Read, read, read and write, write, write. Don’t give up. I’m living proof that if you want something bad enough and keep at it, it will happen!
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION
T. C. Lotempio will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
