Christine Presents ~ Claws for Alarm by T. C. LoTempio

Please welcome T. C. LoTempio author of Claws for Alarm.

T. C. Lotempio will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Claws for Alarm

by T. C. Lotempio

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GENRE: Cozy mystery

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INTERVIEW:

1. What or who inspired you to start writing?

I was always a storyteller, starting when I was about three and my mother would read me bedtime stories and skip over some parts and I’d call her on it. LOL. It wasn’t long after that I started making up my own stories. I’d buy Superman and Lois Lane comics and if I didn’t like the way the story ended, I’d make up my own. I continued that when I graduated to mysteries, starting with Nancy Drew. I got away from writing for a bit once I graduated High School and started working. You might say life got in the way. Eventually I got back into it and started to think seriously about getting published.
2. How did you come up with ideas for your books?

People always ask that question, and my answer is always the same. I don’t know.   Lots of things give me ideas. Once I wrote a YA fantasy because I was inspired by the name on the side of a garbage truck. In the case of the Nick and Nora series, it was a remark by my ex-supervisor that got me thinking.   At the time I was heavy into writing paranormals and he said to me, “why not can the vampires and write about your cat?” I came home and the Thin Man was on Turner cable. My cat ROCCO jumped up on me while I was watching it and the rest, as they say, is history.

3. What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?

That for a storyteller, I’m a terrible liar. I cannot lie.
4. As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

Well, I’m hoping that Penguin continues the Nick and Nora series. My contract runs out with the third book coming out in December, and so far I haven’t heard one way or the other. But I just signed with Crooked Lane Books to do a cozy mystery series for them revolving around an animal shelter, so I’ll be busy. J That first book will come out in hardcover next Spring.
5. If you could be one of the characters from any of your books, who would it be and why?

I suppose the obvious answer would be Nora Charles from my Nick and Nora series, since the character is sort of based on me LOL. However, I think I’d actually prefer to be her bestie, Chantal. Chantal’s a psychic and I have always wanted to try and hone any psychic abilities I might have. She’s also an expert with the tarot, and I love fiddling around with those cards. I had to learn to read them for a paranormal novel I wrote early on and I find them fascinating.
6. If you were the casting director for the film version of your novel, who would play your leading roles?

Hm, well, I actually have given this some thought, seeing as how Hallmark loves to make tv movies out of cozy series. I think Emma Stone would be perfect as Nora. I can see Brandon Beemer (from the soap Days of Our Lives) as Daniel Corleone, Morgan Freeman as Ollie, Jennifer Aniston as Chantal, and…my cat ROCCO as Nick. Who else?
7. What is the best and worst advice you ever received? (regarding writing or publishing) The best advice I ever received, aside from my supervisor telling me to write about my cat, was from fellow author Carole Nelson Douglas who writes the Midnight Louie mysteries. In the first draft of MEOW IF ITS MURDER, book 1 in the Nick and Nora mystery series, the cat was supposed to be a detective reincarnated and he actually talked to Nora. Berkley loved the book but nixed the talking cat. When I was asked to submit a rewrite, Carole told me to “suck it up, do the rewrite and don’t look back.” And I’m certainly glad I did.

The worst advice? Way back when I first started out, a friend encouraged me to sign with an agent I found online. The agent wanted a three hundred dollar fee up front, which I paid Needless to say, that agent never sold a darn thing and I learned a valuable lesson. In writing, money flows TOWARD the author, not away from it. If anyone wants you to fork out money, run the other way!!!!!
8. Do you outline your books or just start writing?

Both. I’m a combination of a “plotter” and a “Pantser”. I start with an outline which gets changed drastically as I get into the story and the characters start speaking to me. As a matter of fact, I can’t think of ANY book, either self pubbed or traditionally pubbed, that in any way, shape or form resembles my original outline. I don’t know if I can recommend this method for all writers, but it seems to work for me.

9. Do you have an all time favorite book?

Actually, I have two: Margaret Mitchell’s GONE WITH THE WIND and Colleen McCullough’s THE THORN BIRDS. I bet you thought it would be a mystery, right??????? I’m also a big fan of any of Erle Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason books – I have the entire collection in hardcover.
10. Have you started your next project? If so, can you share a little bit about your book?

Yes, I’m already into book two of my new cozy series, the Cat Rescue mysteries for Crooked Lane Publishing. The series revolves around two sisters who run an animal shelter in their hometown of Deer Park, North Carolina. Each book will feature a feline who figures in the solving of the mystery. The first in the series, PURR M FOR MURDER, will be released next May, and deals with the sisters trying to solve the murder of a businessman who was trying to get the shelter closed down. I’m very excited about this new series. And, of course, I’m hoping to continue the Nick and Nora series. I have several more adventures already written.
11. Who is your favorite actor and actress?

Hm, that’s a toughie. I think movie actor would have to be either Harrison Ford or Robert Redford (I guess my age is showing, LOL) and movie actress Emma Stone or Jennifer Aniston. TV actor and actress would probably be Nathan Fillion and Julianna Marguiles.
12. What is your favorite reality show?

That’s easy – DANCING WITH THE STARS. I always wanted to be a dancer, even though I have two left feet!
13. Can you tell us a little bit about what it was like to write a series.

I enjoy writing series more than stand-alone because you get more invested in the characters. If the series is successful and you write it over a period of time, they start to feel a lot like family. The thing you have to guard against, though, is getting stale. I like to try and keep the character relationships and plots as fresh as I can.
14. Anything else you might want to add?

People can catch up with me and find out what I’m doing either at my website, www.tclotempio.com, or on the blog I run along with ROCCO, www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com We have author interviews and giveaways every month. In July we also host a fundraiser for Nathan Fillion’s charity, KIDS NEED TO READ. We’ve been doing this since 2012 and it’s always turned out very well. J

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:

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.

Blog: www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com

Website: www.tclotempio.com

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1?ie=UTF8&field-author=T.C.+LoTempio&search-alias=books&text=T.C.+LoTempio&sort=relevancerank

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/claws-for-alarm-tc-lotempio/1121208603?ean=9780425270219

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toni.lotempio.5

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

 T. C. Lotempio will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f1676