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It’s June in Boulder, Colorado, and wedding season is in full swing. Parker Valentine is excited to attend the wedding of her cousin, Emma, where in addition to celebrating the happy couple, she’ll also be providing wine for the reception. But when the fussy wedding planner is found dead midway through the ceremony, Parker knows that to get the weekend back on track, she’ll need to unveil a murderer.
Unfortunately, there’s no shortage of high tension and hot tempers during a wedding, so Parker has a long list of potential suspects. Even worse, her entire family has fixated on the state of Parker’s relationship with her boyfriend, Reid. If Parker can manage to impress her relatives with her wine skills and dodge unwanted pointed personal questions, solving a murder will be the icing on the cake.
A Clowder of Cats
by Kate Lansing
There’s a murder of crows, a flock of sheep, and a pod of whales, but what do you call a group of cats? The answer, after a quick Google search: a clowder.
The word “clowder” stems from “clutter” which makes an odd sort of sense when you think about how cats languorously sprawl themselves across stairs, floors, and furniture. It applies to a gathering of three or more small felines, which means my latest cozy mystery, Till Death Do Us Port, officially includes a clowder of cats.
It started innocently enough, with the main character’s beloved fur babe, Zin (short for Zinfandel), a gray rescue kitty with the tip of one ear missing and a keen interest in batting at wine corks and noshing vittles. The second cat, whom we meet in A Pairing to Die For, belongs to the love interest and is a handsome tuxedo cat named William Wallace (after Braveheart, because is there a guy on the planet who doesn’t love Braveheart?). For the third book in my series, Parker and company fly the coop for a ski getaway, which means, you guessed it, another new cat! Because it’s basically cozy law that there be a cute animal sidekick. This one came in the form of a mischievous resort kitty named Madeline, who even got a subplot of her very own.
When I realized I’d unintentionally introduced a new cat in each installment, it became an Easter egg. A challenge. I knew I had to debut a frisky feline in Till Death Do Us Port, too.
Fortunately, on an initial brainstorming call with my editor, we both glommed to the idea of there being a cat in the wedding procession, namely in the role of ring bearer. The potential for cuteness, humor, and Lord of the Rings references were too much to pass up. Thus, Clyde the calico was born.
Clyde behaves as most cats would in his position, lapping up attention while simultaneously doing the opposite of what he’s instructed, in the most adorable way possible. With a collar fashioned to hold the rings, he tumbles and rolls in the middle of the aisle, forcing Parker to be the Sam to his Frodo and carry him the rest of the way.
Much of these kitties’ behavior was inspired by my own pets, a playful and curious kitten named Belle and a sweet dame named Maple, but somewhere during the writing process, they took on a life of their own. And while they may not be actively involved in the investigations, each helps Parker in their own way—whether by offering comfort, acting as a soundboard, or placing Parker in the right place at the right time to uncover clues—and provides levity cozy readers appreciate.
I hope my clowder of cats brings you as much joy as it does me—cheers!
Kate Lansing is an
award-winning short story author. Her work has appeared in the Brave
New Girls anthology and the Crossing Colfax anthology.
She lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband, daughter, and a chair-napping
tabby cat named Maple. Learn more online at katelansing.com.
Thanks, Lisa. Another author for me to check out.
ReplyDeleteHappy Tuesday!
Pat T
Enjoyed reading the author's guest post! I can't wait for the opportunity to read and review TIL DEATH DO US PORT by Kate Lansing .
ReplyDelete2clowns at arkansas dot net