Chrissy Munder's Blog, page 37
May 4, 2016
Celebrate Nine Romance Filled Years with Dreamspinner Press!
First up – May 1 through 7 – get 40% off all work by authors published in the first three years — including me!
It's always a thrill to see the names of all the amazing authors published by Dreamspinner laid out like this- and wow! 40% off all these writers:
Year One Authors:
Rhianne Aile, Eric Arvin, Connie Bailey, Alix Bekins, Nicki Bennett, Remmy Duchene, Giselle Ellis, Catt Ford, Marguerite Labbe, Clare London, Dar Mavison, Chrissy Munder, Zahra Owens,D.G. Parker, Abigail Roux, John Simpson, Ariel Tachna, Madeleine Urban.
Year Two Authors:
Maria Albert, Mickie B. Ashling, S. Blaise, Bethany Brown, Janey Chapel, J.M. Colail, Lisa Marie Davis, Andrew Grey, Ashlyn Kane, Sean Kennedy, J.M. McLaughlin, Isabelle Rowan, Ian Sentelik, Jane Seville, Jenna Hilary Sinclair, Dan Skinner, and G.S. Wiley.
Year Three Authors:
Jeff Adams, Rayne Auster, Sarah Black, H.J. Brues, Mary Calmes, Tessa Cárdenas, Heidi Champa, Jana Denardo, Sophia Deri-Bowen, Anne Dudley, Chelle Dugan, Andy Eisenberg, J.L. Farnsworth, P.A. Friday, Lacey-Anne Frye, Lyn Gala, Evan Gilbert, L.A. Gilbert, Roland Graeme,Cornelia Grey, Julie Lynn Hayes, Jan Irving, Felicitas Ivey, Dawn Kimberly Johnson, V.B. Kildaire, L.J. LaBarthe, Amy Lane, Sam C. Leonhard, Taylor Lochland, EM Lynley, D.W. Marchwell, Brooke McKinley, JL Merrow, Patric Michael, Margaret Mills, Emily Moreton,Josephine Myles, J.R. Patrick, Devon Rhodes, G.R. Richards, Persephone Roth, RJ Scott,Marie Sexton, Aundrea Singer, K.Z. Snow, Jillian Snyder, Rowan Speedwell, Jay Starre,Rowena Sudbury, Carolyn Levine Topol, Jonathan Treadway, Bryl R. Tyne, Matthew Vandrew,Tedy Ward, Nessa L. Warin, L.A. Witt, Serena Yates.
See any of your favorites? Be sure to visit the website each week to see who else goes on sale!
May 3, 2016
Ready for some a-MAY-zing #monthlymotivation?
Hello, May!
Is it the blue sky? The sun peeking through the clouds and welcoming our bumper crop of grape hyacinths? The complete and utter LACK OF SNOW? I’ve no idea, but I’m excited to welcome a new month *without* my usual panic over how much time has passed already this year.
(Ok, wait, let’s pause for a brief hyperventilated breath. Whew. I’m better now. Thank you.)
Whatever the reason, I feel ridiculously upbeat and chugging away at my edits and revisions. I hope you feel the same, and join me in asking ourselves every morning – what can we do to make today amazing?
April 18, 2016
Welcome Back! Guest Author Joe Cosentino & the men of Cozi Cove
COZZI COVE: MOVING FORWARD
by JOE COSENTINO available from NineStar Press and your favorite e-Retailer
http://ninestarpress.com/product/cozzi-cove-moving-foreward/
http://myBook.to/Cozzi_Cove_MF
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cozzi-cove-joe-cosentino/1123663661?ean=2940153184975
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-cozzicovemovingforward-2018883-149.html
We've had a lot of fun learning about Joe and his work over his series of guest posts, but today he has something special for us - an interview with Cal Cozzi, the leading character.
Ready to hear what Cal has to say?
I have with me today Cal Cozzi, the leading characters in Joe Cosentino’s second Cozzi Cove novel, Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward. Since the readers can’t see you, how about you tell them what you look like.
That’s me on the left of the cover.
Wow. Red hair, green eyes, and bronze skin. How did that happen?
Blame my Scottish and Italian ancestors.
Who’s next to you on the cover?
That’s Michael, my boyfriend. He lives with me in the main bungalow at Cozzi Cove.
How did you two guys meet?
In the town of Cozzi when Michael assaulted me.You’ll have to read about it in Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back.
Tell us about your background, Cal.
After college I dabbled as a professional football player then restaurant owner, but neither was a good fit. After my parents died in an automobile accident, I found mycalling, managing Cozzi Cove.
What is Cozzi Cove?
Cozzi is a New Jersey shore town named after my great-grandfather who built eight bungalows on a private cove called Cozzi Cove. He also made every stick of furniture in each bungalow by hand—each with a nautical theme. Each bungalow has an amazing view of the bay and lighthouse in the distance. The main beach and boardwalk are only a mile away. It’s a place I loved as a kid, and still love.
What’s a cove?
The bungalows on Cozzi Cove are set on a stretch of cove formed when softer rocks were worn away by the sun and salty water faster than the harder rocks surrounding them. This created a gorgeous bay of turquoise water shielded by large rocks in the distance and smaller rocks near the water’s edge.
How did Joe Cosentino think you up?
Joe’s family vacationed every summer at his aunt and uncle’s bungalow on the New Jersey Shore. He has terrific memories of swimming and making sandcastles at the beach, wading in the bay, playing miniature golf, eating salt water taffy, jumping up and down on trampolines, and eating at his family’s favorite seafood restaurant. All of those places are in the fictitious place Joe calls Cozzi Cove.
How was Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back, received?
They liked us. They really liked us.
Good one.
After Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back released, many readers and reviewers praised its romantic, humorous, dramatic, mysterious style, and interwoven captivating stories.For example, TBR Pile wrote, “I loved this story. It carries you through the full range of emotions, from joy to sadness, from happiness to anger. The characters are beautifully written.” “I look forward to a return visit to the Cove.” SoJoe wrote Cozzi Cove: Moving Froward. As with the first book, romance is everywhere on Cozzi Cove, and nothing is what it seems.
Who are other characters in both books?
Connor, the college student assisting me, is packed with muscles and hormones. He revels in Cozzi Cove, and in checking out each resident for a possible fling on the cove. Michael works for my old friend Tommy Malone, a bald, muscular, tattooed resident of Cozzi Cove who owns the local bar.Carla Mangione runs Carla’s Seafood Restaurant. She hold a torch for my sister Taylor who drops in from Rome, Paris, Wall Street, or Palm Springs in each book. As a tough as nails top one-percenter, the world revolves around Taylor, which makes her hysterically funny. I also admire her devotion to me. Taylor is in for a huge surprise in this book.
Like in book one, book two is made up of interwoven stories about you and the guests in the seven bungalows.
Right. In this novel Rodney Maxwell and Dennis O’Halloran are a Tony Award winning actor and his estranged producer/husband with their two hired bodybuilder studs, Jarek and Zeus.Rodney and Dennis’ theatrical bantering makes me laugh. Jarek and Zeus are surprising sweet and touching. Not funny, sweet, or touching is Michael’s muscular study buddy from college, Carlo from Italy. Then there’s a new man of mystery, handsome George Valis?And computer analyst, Sam, enlists his best friend Chase in a scheme to attract Sam’s hunky, unsuspecting best friend, Raul. Hunter, a female gay romance novel enthusiast, wants to experience gay life off the page. And finally Gil Van Trurentries to end it all—until he sees a vision of his studlyfirst love from college.
What secrets, humor, tragedy, mysteries, and passions lie in the magical place called Cozzi Cove this summer?
You’ll have to read the book to find out.
What is the moral of the story?
Take a chance on love. As Michael and I did.
Did Joe pattern Cal after himself and Taylor after his sister?
A few traits here and there, but Joe and I are very different, though his sister is opinionated like Taylor.
You and Michaelgo through a rough patch as yourrelationship continues in this book, and you make a personal shocking discovery.
That’s Cozzi Cove, just when you think you’ve figured it out, there’s a game changer.
Will there be more Cozzi Cove novels?
I hope so. Otherwise I will get bored just taking up space in Joe’s brain.
Do you see Cozzi Cove as a movie or television series?
Joe wants to play Gil.
Who do you see playing you and Michael?
I could see Corbin Bleu as Michael. I’m not sure about me.
Maybe our readers can help.There are also a number of love scenes in the books, including for you. How did readers respond to those?
So far so good.
Tell us about Joe’s other gay romance releases.
An Infatuation and A Shooting Star (In My Heart bittersweet dreams novellas) published by Dreamspinner Press are loosely based on Joe’s high school and college years respectively. They were so popular as individual e-books, Dreamspinner Press published them together in one paperback. Joe still receives comments from readers that those stories made them laugh, cry, feel romantic, and changed their lives. An Infatuation won Second Place in Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Poll Award for Best Romance of 2015.A Home for the Holidays is Joe’s popular holiday short novella from Dreamspinner Press about an American law student who, as Joe did, takes a trip to the romantic and gorgeous island of Capri, Italy, where he embarks on a relationship with his captivating third cousin.The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland from Dreamspinner Press is Joe’s gay take on my favorite beloved fairytales like Cinderella, Goldie Locks and the Three Bears, Pinocchio, Jack and the Beanstalk, and The Snow Queen.
Joe also has two mystery series as well.
Joe’s Nicky and Noah mystery series from Lethe Press are farcical, gay, cozy, who-dun-its. In Drama Queentheatre college professors are dropping like stage curtains. With the inept local detective more interested in getting into Nicky’s pants than solving the murders, it is up to well-endowed Directing professor, Nicky Abbondanza to use his theatre skills (including playing other people) to solve the case, while he directs a murder mystery onstage. Complicating matters is Nicky’s intense crush on Assistant Professor of Acting, gorgeous Noah Oliver, the prime suspect in the murder. Drama Queen(Divine Magazine’s Readers Poll Award for Best Mystery, Best Crime, Best Contemporary, and Best Humorous Novel of 2015) is available as an ebook, paperback, and audiobook performed by Michael Gilboe. It is often on Amazon’s bestseller’s list in its category. In Drama MuscleNicky and Noah have to use their theatre skills to find out why musclemen are dropping like weights in the Physical Education department while Nicky directs the Student Bodybuilding Competition. InDrama Cruise (releasing soon), Nicky and Noah go on a cruise to Alaska, and discover why college theatre professors are going overboard like lifeboats while Nicky directs a murder mystery dinner theatre show onboard ship.
In the Jana Lane mysteries, with straight leading characters and gay supporting characters, Jana Lane was the biggest child star ever until she was attacked on the studio lot at eighteen years old. In Paper Doll Jana at thirty-eight lives with her family in a mansion in picturesque Hudson Valley, New York. Her flashbacks from the past become murder attempts in her future. Forced to summon up the lost courage she had as a child, Jana ventures back to Hollywood, which helps her uncover a web of secrets about everyone she loves. She also embarks on a romance with the devilishly handsome son of her old producer, Rocco Cavoto. In Porcelain Doll (The Wild Rose Press), Jana makes a comeback film and uncovers who is being murdered on the set and why. Her heart is set aflutter by her incredibly gorgeous co-star, Jason Apollo. In Satin Doll (The Wild Rose Press), Jana and family head to Washington, DC, where Jana plays a US senator in a new film, and becomes embroiled in a murder and corruption at the senate chamber. She also embarks on a romance with Chris Bruno, the muscular detective. In China Doll (releasing late May from The Wild Rose Press), Jana heads to New York City to star in a Broadway play, enchanted by her gorgeous co-star Peter Stevens, and faced with murder on stage and off. Since the novels take place in the 1980’s, Jana’s best friends are gay, and Jana is somewhat of a gay activist, the AIDS epidemic is a large part of the novels.
But Michael and I aren’t in any of those books.
But you are both in Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back and Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward. Besides reading the Cozzi Cove novels, how can reders connect with you?
Joe loves hearing from readers. They can contact him at:http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com. He’ll tell me what they said. He tells me everything. And I in turn tell him things to write in the Cozzi Cove novels.So everybody grab your Speedos, suntan lotion, and shades and head back to Cozzi Cove. My welcome mat is out for you, and I hope to see you there!
COZZI COVE: MOVING FORWARD
by JOE COSENTINO from NineStar Press
purchase links:
http://ninestarpress.com/product/cozzi-cove-moving-foreward/
http://myBook.to/Cozzi_Cove_MF
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cozzi-cove-joe-cosentino/1123663661?ean=2940153184975
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-cozzicovemovingforward-2018883-149.html
On Cozzi Cove at the New Jersey Shore, handsome Cal Cozzi’s seven bungalows are once again open for summer and love. The vacationers include Rodney Maxwell and Dennis O’Halloran, a Tony Award winning actor and his estranged producer/husband with their two hired studs, Jarek and Zeus. Computer analyst Sam enlists his best friend Chase in a scheme to attract hunky Raul. Middle aged Gil Van Truren wants to end it all—until he sees a vision of his first love. Cal also has his hands full with college student Michael—his new young lover—Michael’s study buddy Carlo, man of mystery George Valis, and Connor, the houseboy packed with muscles and a wondering sponge. All the while Hunter, a female gay romance novel enthusiast, experiences gay life off the page. What secrets, humor, tragedy, mysteries, and passions lie in the magical place called Cozzi Cove?
Praise for COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK, the first book in the Cozzi Cove series by Joe Cosentino:
“I loved this story. It carries you through the full range of emotions, from joy to sadness, from happiness to anger. The characters are beautifully written.” “I look forward to a return visit to the Cove.” TBR Pile
“Heartbreaking and heartwarming, sweet beginnings for some, sour endings for others, emotions jumping off the page as you turn eagerly to read more, welcome to Cozzi Cove. The author measured his scales to perfection in delivering the perfect balance of love, laughter and tears in this sexy, fun filled holiday romance entwined with some sadness. Summer magic waved it's wand at all who visited and stayed at Cozzi Cove and I was one of those who wanted to stay.” Three Books Over the Rainbow
Praise for Joe Cosentino’s books:
“unbelievably beautiful” “a masterpiece” Lovebytes Reviews
“as Joe Cosentino proves time and time again, with his wonderful writing and storytelling ability, love will prevail, and you will smile from ear to ear." Kathy Mac Reviews
“a master class in how to write short fiction (or any fiction). Joe Cosentino has provided a work that will leave you thinking and wanting to savor and re-read it again and again.” GGR Reviews
“Like an onion, Joe Cosentino's stories have layers.” “For those readers looking for something a little bit different - dare I say unique? For those readers who like to laugh. For those readers who appreciate the nuances of people and the way each character is different. For those readers who want to read a damn good story - check out this author. I'm glad I did.” “A truly fabulous read.” Boy Meets Boy Reviews
“From the beginning I was enthralled and couldn’t wait to finish the book.” Inked Rainbow Reads
“This is polished prose at its best. Intelligent writing, a thought-provoking plot and characters befitting the theater genre” “one of my favorite reads this year.” Love’s Last Refuge Reviews
“Don't miss this one friends, it is a heartfelt story magical in the telling! Thanks Joe for putting your heart on the page for us to savor!” Bike Book Reviews
“It’s unusual for me to get sucked into a book in the first chapter but it grabbed me early and I read the whole thing in one day”. Nautical Star Books
“There were times I laughed and then there were times I cried…unforgettable.” Multitaskingmomma Reviews
"I really loved this book and having an ending that made me laugh and cry at the same time is testament to the brilliant writing." BooksLaidBareBoys
"The author executed his storyline with a marvelous precision that would be the envy of many authors. He draws the readers into the lives of his characters, they become real and in turn, their emotions becomes yours." "If you can only afford to buy one more book this year, buy this one.” Three Books Over the Rainbow Reviews
About Joe:
Joe Cosentino is the author of An Infatuationand A Shooting Star(Dreamspinner Press), Paper Doll the first Jana Lane mystery (Whiskey Creek Press), Drama Queen the first Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press), and The Nutcracker and the Mouse King(Eldridge Plays and Musicals). He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. His one-act plays, Infatuation and Neighbor, were performed in New York City. He wrote The Perils of Pauline educational film (Prentice Hall Publishers). Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. His upcoming novels are A Home for the Holidays (Dreamspinner Press holiday novella), The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland (Dreamspinner Press short stories novella), Porcelain Doll the second Jana Lane mystery (Wild Rose Press), and Drama Muscle the second Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press).
Contact Joe:
Web site: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4071647.Joe_Cosentino
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00KRPXJP6
April 13, 2016
#healthywednesday - Yoga for the tough
April 12, 2016
#monthlymotivation
'cause Baby, I've been ebbing. LOL (notice how mid-month this post is!!). I often joke with the lovely Clare London on whether my "life roller coaster" is up or down at any given moment--and sometimes it's just taking me along or the ride. It helps me to remember we aren't immune to the seasons and cycles that rule our planet. So if I doggedly keep plugging away as best I can during the ebb, I'll soon charge ahead on the flow. Consistency in other words. Dollar cost averaging for our creative life energy.
It's not been all downhill - I have some lovely ups to celebrate, but they deserve their own post, don't you think?
How about you? Is your life roller coaster chugging uphill or are you in that heady, just about to tip over the edge stage?
March 30, 2016
Oldie but Goodie Love - DRIVE ME HOME at Rick R. Reed's Blog
Way to start my Wednesday! Thanks to Rick R. Reed and his “Good Karma, Good Books” feature I’m tickled to see the cover of DRIVE ME HOME gracing the web once again.
One of the joys of writing is how both hindsight and craft development fill me with thoughts of what I wished I’d explored further in this novel. But I’m pleased with how the story stands the test of time and changing political climates. It’s also been far too long since I’ve been back to Nevada!
Available in print and eBook at Dreamspinner Press
Also available Amazon, ARe, and other eRetailers
A December 2009 Top Pick at Dark Divas Reviews
5 Diva Review and a December 2009 Recommended Read at Dark Divas Reviews
Summary:
Las Vegas isn’t just a glamorous, glitzy playground for high rollers, Elvis impersonators, and blushing newlyweds. It’s also a seedy, worn-out dumping ground for the lonely, the broken, and the lost. Eric Moss is one of those drifters, just marking time, until he meets two very different men, both of whom could change his life.
Marc Evans is a rich casino owner. He offers Eric safety, security, and a chance to regain some of his ravaged past. Brad Torres is a garage mechanic. He offers Eric nothing at all.
The choice might have been easy, if Eric weren’t intensely attracted to both men. He has to choose between Sin City’s sparkling lights and a life in the shadows—will he be able to live with his heart’s decision?
Excerpt:
“The come stains are the worst, you know.”
The voice came from behind a startled Eric. He instinctively tried to stand up, only to wince, rubbing his head where he hit it against the top of the limo’s unforgiving metal doorframe.
“Yeah.” The voice continued. “I hate them worse than puke. Come stains always mean somebody had a much better time than I did.”
Eric managed to stand up without further damage and turned to face the voice. One soft brown eye winked at him and then gave him an obvious up and down the likes of which he had not experienced in years. The guy probably knew everything up to and including the length of his dick when hard with that look.
“Hey.” He lightly protested the thoroughness. “Leave a guy some secrets.”
“Sorry.” The unrepentant smirk under the tousled dark curls didn’t match the sentiment and Eric was unable to keep himself from smiling back. Even though the unknotted tie was in danger of sliding off one shoulder the black pants, vest and white shirt immediately identified the newcomer as a fellow driver.
There were six of the stretch limousines parked in the big open bay of Discreet Limousine’s garage complex. Eric had seen a couple of the other drivers in passing when he showed up early for his new job, his intent to familiarize himself before the start of his shift. This dark haired beauty hadn’t been one of them.
“You the new guy?” Long eyelashes fanned down over the sideways glance as the newcomer inhaled on his cigarette. The wisps of smoke curled up as he pursed his lips slightly on the exhalation. Oh yeah, Eric thought. Definitely a real charmer.
“Yeah, that would be me. Name’s Eric, Eric Moss.” Eric politely stuck his hand out and watched as the smirk deepened but no hand was extended in response, just another exhalation of blue smoke.
“I’m Christopher Walsh. But, if it’s all the same to you, I’ll wait to shake until after you wash up.”
“What?” Eric stared at him, his grey-green eyes clouded with confusion. What was he missing?
“And just so you know, there are rubber gloves on the back shelf. Brad thinks it’s funny to hide them from us but wading elbow deep in strange DNA is not part of the job description.”
“Fuck.” Eric swore glumly as Christopher’s initial greeting finally made sense and he looked at the suddenly suspect stains on the back seat of the vehicle. The very same back seat he had been kneeling down and scrubbing only moments before.
“Exactly.” Christopher just laughed at the look on Eric’s face and dropped his cigarette on the concrete floor of the garage. He ground the butt out with his booted foot, uncaring of the mess left behind. “New to the business?”
“Like it doesn’t show?” Eric replied in disgust, amazed at his ignorance.
“You’re smart enough to clean your ride before your first trip out, that’ll help avoid some first night surprises. One of the reasons Dino didn’t last was that he didn’t keep his ride clean and the boss was getting too many complaints from the customers.”
The slender hips shifted, pressing against the gleaming side of the limo, pulling the already close fit of the trousers even tighter and offering Eric a better view of some very nice scenery.
“What were some of the other reasons?” Eric asked, curious about his predecessor even as he convinced himself there was no harm in looking at the show playing out before him.
Christopher avoided the question, just shifted his hips once again; smiling as Eric’s grey-green eyes automatically followed the motion. “Some of us go to the dive across the street when the shift’s over to wind-down. Why don’t you come with us?”
Eric hesitated, the young man was friendly enough, certainly a flirt, but it had been hard enough to snag this job with his background and he didn’t want to do anything stupid just yet.
“Don’t worry.” Christopher reassured him. “I’m not asking you to go steady or anything. Just some coffee with your fellow drivers.”
“Sorry.” Eric looked sheepish for a moment. “Yeah, sure. That’d be fine.”
The overhead intercom crackled to life and an impatient voice echoed through the garage.
“C’mon, Walsh, stop eye-fucking the new guy and get ready to roll.”
Eric could only smile once again as he watched Christopher give the overhead speaker the finger before sauntering off with a wave. Realizing he had laughed more today than he had since his arrival in Las Vegas he admired the young man’s slender hips as they provocatively swiveled their way out the door before heading to the back of the garage where the cleaning supplies were kept.
He was determined to find those rubber gloves and finish cleaning things up before he took the big stretch out. God, he was nervous. It was his first night driving the busy Vegas streets and he wanted everything to go smoothly.
Eric needed to keep this job. He didn’t have anything or anyone to fall back on.
Just like Christopher had said there were boxes of latex gloves piled up behind an assortment of red shop cloths. Not the best hiding place but if you didn’t know to look, like Eric hadn’t, it was easy to miss them. He wondered about the asshole who thought it was a joke to hide them.
“You learn fast.”
Eric spun around and waved his hand at the cloud of cigarette smoke that filled the air behind him. Did everyone who worked here smoke?
The man standing behind him might have been attractive beneath his covering of grease and grime; it was hard to say. He was wearing overalls so encrusted with dirt they probably could have stood up by themselves and Eric couldn’t tell what color the hair was underneath the filthy bandana that covered his head.
But the eyes. Damn. What a pair of eyes. If Christopher was all warm and cozy this guy was pure ice. Eric felt immediately exposed, naked beneath the laser sharp focus of the pale blue eyes that traveled over his body.
The touch of those eyes burned.
“Hey.” Eric replied. He felt awkward and fumbled for the right words. “I was just looking for these.” He flapped the gloves in his hand at the other man and immediately flushed at how stupid that was. It was obvious what he had been doing.
“You the new guy?” The words were the same as Christopher’s but the tone, the intonation, Hell; the very lips that shaped the words were different.
Eric couldn’t ignore the pull of the other man. All of Christopher’s flirting hadn’t impacted him the way one glance from this man did. It was like a signal his body was trained to receive and one he had hoped never to receive again. Right now everything inside Eric was pinging madly away, begging for a chance to feel those callused hands on his bare skin, pressing on his throat, holding him down. This guy was dangerous.
Eric wanted him.
March 23, 2016
A #healthywednesday favorite! No-bake Energy Balls
On the writing front I’m *this* close to finishing final edits on novella #2 and. I’m a month behind plan, but with all that’s been happening I’ll take it, and be utterly grateful.
With all those good things happening I thought it only fair to share my favorite writing treat (and great fodder for m/m jokes) – a healthier version of our favorite no-bake cookie – no bake energy balls. This recipe is the closest I’ve found to what we make, except we don’t bother doing anything other than tossing the ingredients into a bowl and stirring. Food processor? Please. Toss everything into a bowl. Stir. Eat. Roll. Eat. Refrigerate. Eat. You get the idea.
March 21, 2016
Get your hands on Joe Cosentino ...
... or at least on a paperback! Two of your favorite Joe Cosentino ebook novellas (AN INFATUATION and A SHOOTING STAR) are now together in a paperback anthology. IN MY HEART available today, March 21st from Dreamspinner Press. To celebrate, we are reposting his interview from September, 2015 and the A SHOOTING STAR release. But first, here's a special message from Joe:
Dear Readers,
I am incredibly touched by your many messages in praise of my two e-book novellas from Dreamspinner Press, AN INFATUATION and A SHOOTING STAR, including how reading them changed your lives. This is especially important to me since AN INFATUATION is loosely based on my years in high school and my ten-year high school reunion, and A SHOOTING STAR is loosely based on my time as a theatre major in college. Your support and enthusiasm helped AN INFATUATION win Favorite Book Cover and 2nd Place Favorite Romance Novel in Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Poll of 2015, and me win 2nd Place Favorite Author. Now your embracing of these two novellas has caused Dreamspinner Press to publish them together in a paperback under the title IN MY HEART, releasing March 21. I hope you will embrace the paperback anthology in the same way as you did the e-books. Thank you from--in my heart. Hugs.
Joe Cosentino
Available now:
Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=7552
Amazon: myBook.to/InMyHeart
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1123520747?ean=9781634771030
Interview originally posted on September 3, 2015
Remember when a television interview would start with the host saying "My next guest needs no introduction"? Yes? No? Am I showing my age? Wait, don't answer that.
*Please*
In any case, today's Guest Author, Joe Cosentino, is now a very familiar face on the blog and I wish I had a prize to offer him for being such a good sport and allowing me to keep asking him questions. Sadly, I can only offer him even more questions. I'm good that way. :)
(Pssst: if you'd like to hear more from Joe, go ahead and click HERE for his other guest posts)
So Joe! It's great to have you back with A Shooting Star, your second novella in the In My Heart series.
I’m thrilled to be back. I love your blog, your questions, your sense of humor, and your books! When AN INFATUATION released from Dreamspinner Press, I was the new kid (rather I was a kid at heart) on the MM block. You and so many other MM authors and bloggers embraced me. I will always be grateful.
I appreciate your kind words. You've also pointed out one of the huge pluses to writing and publishing MM—the community! It's truly a welcoming group. Now, let's start out talking covers!
1. I've adored each of your book covers and feel they've done a great job representing the work inside, but the fellow on this one (and his smile) really grabbed my attention. Who was the cover artist, and how much input do you have when it comes to a cover? Does it differ from publisher to publisher?
I’ve worked with four publishers so far: AN INFATUATION and A SHOOTING STAR (Dreamspinner Press), PAPER DOLL the first Jana Lane mystery (Whiskey Creek Press), and DRAMA QUEEN the first Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press) are released. Coming soon are A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS and THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TALES FROM FAIRYLAND (Dreamspinner Press), PORCELAIN DOLL the second Jana Lane mystery (Wild Rose Press), and DRAMA MUSCLE the second Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press). In each case, the experience was the same. I drove the cover artist totally insane. After I described the cover as I saw it, the artist emailed me a draft of the cover art. I then asked for change after change until he/she was ready to put a cover over me. In the case of A SHOOTING STAR, LC Chase should get a bonus from Dreamspinner Press. The model for David (on the right) was the fourth model she emailed me. I’m glad you love the cover and feel it depicts the story well. So do I!
2. The old adage tells us not to judge a book by its cover, but I'll confess that I've purchased many a title merely because of the front image. How about you? And if yes, have you ever regretted it?
Yes! Yes! That’s why I spend so much time driving the cover artists insane. I believe the cover should reflect the characters, plot, time period, location, and the mood of the book. I think mine do!
3. Your first work in the In My Heart series, An Infatuation, resonated with readers as I'm sure this one will. Why do you think the theme touches us so deeply?
After AN INFATUATION was released by Dreamspinner Press, I received so many comments from readers telling me how they laughed, felt romantic, cried, and believed their lives were changed after reading it. I hold those comments in my heart, and they propel me to write more books. They loved the fact that the story spans twenty years, Harold wears his heart on his sleeve, and Harold and Mario have a unique and special bond of love. Harold and Mario are complete opposites, but they complete one another, even when they aren’t together.
I received numerous requests from readers for a second novella in the In My Heart series. Since AN INFATUATION was loosely based on my high school days through adulthood, I thought back to my days as a theatre major in college, and A SHOOTING STAR was born. Like Harold in AN INFATUATION, Jonathan in A SHOOTING STAR is loosely based on me, though I haven’t won an Academy Award—yet. He is ingenuous, funny, warm, gullible, and has an open heart. As is the case with Stuart in AN INFATAUTION, Barry, Jonathan’s loyal scene partner in A SHOOTING STAR, is loosely based on my spouse. Similar to Mario in AN INFATUATION, David, Jonathans’ roommate in SHOOTING STAR, is a combination of a number of young men I met as a theatre major in college and as a young actor doing theatre, film, and television. They were gay, bi, closet-gay, or straight. Each was handsome, muscular, charismatic, sensuous, and almost other-worldly like Greek gods. Though they appeared to hold the world in the palm of their strong hands, they each had a secret weakness. Their presence changed everyone around them. The acting professor, the hysterically hypochondriac Professor Katzer in A SHOOTING STAR, is a lampooned version of an acting professor I had in college who has since passed away. I want to play him in the movie version!
4. You've successfully published work with different publishers in what can be considered differing genres, all while keeping similar enjoyable elements of strong characterization, humor, adventure, and romance. Is there a specific genre—perhaps my favorite, SciFi or YA—you haven't yet, but would like to try?
A few reviewers said the first half of AN INFATUATION is similar to a young adult novel, since it takes place in Harold’s and Mario’s high school. So in a way, I feel as if I have already written in that genre.
I have a romantic mystery series, the Jana Lane mysteries, with straight leading characters and gay supporting characters. I created a heroine who was the biggest child star ever until she was attacked on the studio lot at eighteen years old. Starting with PAPER DOLL, at thirty-eight her flashbacks from the past become murder attempts in her future. In each book Jana solves a film-related murder mystery and embarks on a new romance. I’ve written four novels so far.
My Nicky and Noah mystery novels are farcical, gay, who-dun-its. Starting with DRAMA QUEEN, theatre professors/lovers Nicky and Noah use their theatre skills (including playing other people) to solve murders at fictitious Treemeadow College, named after its founder, gay couple Tree and Meadow. I’ve written three novels so far.
I have also written a number of plays and musicals for adults and children.
So I feel like I have written in all the genres that interest me as a reader—except screenplays. Hear that, Hollywood!
5. Several authors I chat with are torn between the demands of promoting their work via social media and their writing time. Then they become practically catatonic when asked to factor in real life and outside employment. How do you juggle it all, and can you offer any newer authors some practical advice?
I am a college theatre professor/department head (like Martin Anderson in DRAMA QUEEN). So I am pretty busy during the daytime. I keep myself on a rigid schedule. I come home, exercise (to keep my manly figure-hah), eat dinner with my spouse, do some publicity, then write until bedtime. My advice for other writers is to write the kind of book you like to read. If one publisher rejects it, send it to another. Block out two hours a day to write and stick to it.
6. You've shared with us in prior interviews a bit of your writing process—starting with a character biography and then moving on to an outline. Do things go pretty much according to plan or have you ever written an ending that surprised you?
My characters constantly surprise me. Even in a mystery, where you have to plot out the clues, plot twists and turns, and shocking ending in advance; once the characters start talking in my head, they often have a mind of their own. In A SHOOTING STAR the character of Barry (Jonathan’s loyal friend and scene partner) began as a small role. He was so funny, sweet, and touching that he became a featured role.
Final Bonus Question: What is the one item (this doesn't have to be anything extravagant) you've always coveted, but have never allowed yourself to purchase and why?
My spouse does all of the shopping, because if I go to a store, I’ll buy everything in sight! If I could buy something ultra extravagant, it would be a film studio to make movies of all of our MM novels!
That would be terrific. Hmmm, do you think Dreamspinner has somewhere in their future business plans a space for "Dreamspinner Studios"? Maybe even a Dreamspinner cable channel after enough films were made? Do you think it could give LMN a run for their viewers?
About Joe:
Joe Cosentino is the author of An Infatuationand A Shooting Star(Dreamspinner Press), Paper Doll the first Jana Lane mystery (Whiskey Creek Press), Drama Queen the first Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press), and The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (Eldridge Plays and Musicals). He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. His one-act plays, Infatuation and Neighbor, were performed in New York City. He wrote The Perils of Pauline educational film (Prentice Hall Publishers). Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. His upcoming novels are A Home for the Holidays (Dreamspinner Press holiday novella), The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland (Dreamspinner Press short stories novella), Porcelain Doll the second Jana Lane mystery (Wild Rose Press), and Drama Muscle the second Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press).
Contact Joe:
Web site: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4071647.Joe_Cosentino
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00KRPXJP6
March 18, 2016
Using the items we love, not losing.
It's no secret I'm a recovering perfectionist and still struggle with the wide-range of side effects that come along with it. Recently a guest blog post by Amanda Cahill over at the LimeLife Planner blog caught my eye. Yes, she talks about planners, but she also twanged the perfectionist in me when she wrote about decorative soaps that go unused, pretty planner pages that she never writes on, and entire notebooks and journals that sit on her shelf, unused.
Why are we so afraid to *use* the very items we love? Why do we save them up, waiting for the perfect occasion, and then feel bad when the opportunity passes us by? An easy example of this happens every day at Chez Munder. Mr. Munder has a few favorite clothing items he wears regularly - usually when changing the oil in the car or cleaning the gutters. He wears them, enjoys them, and when they are used up, manages to find another favorite. I, on the other hand, battle the voice of my childhood which tells me not to wear my "good clothes" for everyday, but put on something old that I won't "ruin". Usually it's one of his oil-stained favorites that should have been thrown out ages ago. Truly, this is just another form of perfectionism. One we're better off without.
We can carry this behavior into our writing as well. Story ideas that never get past a few sentences, blog posts we never publish, social media plans that we continually tweak but never follow. It's time to stop waiting for the perfect opportunity, or the right day. My challenge this month is to pull my prettiest shirt out of the closet and wear it today - all day. Maybe even at the same time I pull that story idea out of my notebook and let it breathe.
How about you? Do you save items for the "right time"? Have a couple of journals that are too pretty to use? Maybe you are like Amanda and have a linen closet stuffed with decorative soaps and scented candles that you never bring out for the day to day? Want to take a bold step? Join me in using one item, it doesn't matter what - just grab one clothing item from your closet, a candle you've never lit, or a blog post you've left unwritten and let yourself love it. Then share how it felt. :)
March 14, 2016
Welcome Back: Guest Author Joe Cosentino
***
It was truly a spiritual experience. I felt close to God, the cosmos, Mother Nature, the great energy field, nirvana, and my inner self. I was walking alone on the New Jersey Shore and came upon a cove. A cove is formed when softer rocks are worn away by the sun and salty water faster than the harder rocks surrounding them. This creates a gorgeous bay of turquoise water shielded by large rocks in the distance and smaller rocks near the water’s edge. It is amazingly beautiful. I didn’t want to leave. I felt protected, in the midst of total beauty, and at peace. I knew I had to write about it, and that’s what I’ve done.
Actually my love for the New Jersey Shore began when I was a kid. Since we lived in the city, every summer my aunt and uncle would take pity on us and invite us to stay in their bungalow on the New Jersey Shore. My sister and I had the time of our lives playing at the beach, bay, miniature golf course, trampoline emporium, eating salt water taffy, and dining at our favorite seafood restaurant. All those places and experiences, and of course my cove experience, are in the novel set in a fictitious place I call Cozzi Cove, a gay resort of eight bungalows in a private cove on the Jersey Shore.Each bungalow is furnished with hand-carved nautical furnishings, and has a stunning view of the bay and lighthouse in the distance. The main beach and boardwalk are only a mile away. It’s a place I’d love to visit. And I do in my imagination over and over again. You’ll want to do the same.
My leading character is Cal Cozzi. Cal, short for Calvin, is thirty years old, tall, and muscular. His Italian and Scottish heritage left him with striking auburn hair and a strong nose. He dabbled as a professional football player then restaurant owner, but neither was a good fit. After Cal’s parents died in an automobile accident, he found his calling: managing Cozzi Cove in the New Jersey shore town named after his great-grandfather. Sensing Cal’s sexual orientation as a boy, Cal’s father had turned Cozzi Cove into a gay resort. Cal is honored to follow in his father’s footsteps.
The man behind the man is Lane, twenty-four, short, stocky, African American with dark hair and dark eyes and amazing dimples. He grew up poor, and worked hard getting scholarships and maintaining good grades throughout school. As a second grade teacher, Lance is off during the summers, his favorite time of year. This leaves him more time to do what he loves most: being with Cal.
Connor, the college student assisting Cal in running Cozzi Cove, is packed with muscles and hormones. He revels in Cozzi Cove, and in checking out each resident for a possible fling on the cove.
Tommy, the bald, muscular, tattooed resident of Cozzi Cove who owns the local bar has held a torch for Cal since high school. Carla Mangione who runs Carla’s Seafood Restaurant holds a similar torch for Cal’s sister.
Cal’s sister, Taylor, drops in from Rome, Paris, Wall Street, or Palm Springs. As a tough as nails top one-percenter, the world revolves around her, which makes her hysterically funny. She is totally devoted to her brother, as she never lets him forget.
After my two Bittersweet Dreams novellas, An Infatuation and A Shooting Star (In My Heart Series) published by Dreamspinner Press, were released, countless readers begged me for more time with one of the characters from An Infatuation(Divine Magazine Readers’ Choice Award 2nd Place for Best MM Romance). So that character and his brother are the first two guests at Cozzi Cove.Mario is searching for love, and Harold is searching for lust. A wealthy older couple, Josh and Greg, play matchmakers for their gorgeous son Christopher. Opposites attract as showman Tim meets shy Mark, and porn star Chuck Caliber connects with Sean, a virgin romance novelist (who I want to play in the movie). Finally computer game designer Arthur has a midnight sea rendezvous with a merman. Even Cal faces an emotional upheaval when a gay bashing turns into something quite unexpected for him. The novel is full of humor, tragedy, mystery, and romance. Everyone has a secret at Cozzi Cove, and nothing is what it seems in this magical place.
The second book, COZZI COVE: MOVING FORWARD, is written and set for release by NineStar Press on April 18. I can also see COZZI COVE as a television series. Make me an offer, producers!
The sun is coming out, and the ocean is at high tide. So grab your Speedos, suntan lotion, and shades and head to Cozzi Cove. Cal and his crew will be ready for you!
COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK
by JOE COSENTINOfrom NineStar Press
purchase links: http://ninestarpress.com/product/cozz...
On Cozzi Cove at the New Jersey shore, handsome Cal Cozzi’s seven bungalows are open for summer and love. Mario and Harold are brothers and college students who happen to look alike, but couldn’t be more different: Mario is searching for love, and Harold is searching for lust. Josh and Greg, a wealthy older couple, are matchmakers for their son, Christopher. When it comes to Connor, the maid, packed with muscles and a roving sponge, anything can happen. Opposites attract as wild Tim with the secret past meets shy Mark, and porn star Chuck Caliber connects with Sean, a virgin romance novelist. And what will happen when computer-game designer Arthur has a midnight sea rendezvous with a merman? Even married Cal faces an emotional upheaval when a gay bashing turns into something quite unexpected.What secrets and passions lie in magical Cozzi Cove?
Excerpt:
As Lance rested in bed and Cal was putting on jeans, sandals, and a canary polo shirt, they heard Connor enter the living room and call out to Cal. After giving Lance a kiss on the cheek, Cal begrudgingly left his lover, shut the front bedroom door after himself, and then met up with Connor, who was standing next to the living room sofa.
Connor said, “It’s good to be back at work.”
“How were your grades at college this year?”
Connor shrugged his muscular shoulders. “Pretty average.”
Cal thought, If average is getting Cs and Ds. “I’m guessing you were quite involved with extracurricular activities.”
“One or two.” He giggled. “Maybe, three.”
Cal had a soft spot for the kid. “You did a nice job preparing the bungalows yesterday.”
“I aim to please.”
Cal thought the nineteen-year-old looked like an American flag in cutoff blue jeans that matched his eyes, a T-shirt and sneakers that matched his red hair, and pale skin with freckles.
“How can I be of service to you today, boss?”
Cal ignored Connor’s obvious double meaning.
“Just the usual routine.” Cal wasn’t immune to Connor’s charm, but Connor was a kid, and Cal was a one-man man. “Carry their luggage into the bungalows when the guests arrive. Turn down beds at four p.m.” He attempted to look sternly at the boy. “… Without you in them.”
“Me come on to a guest?” Connor feigned surprise.
“Yes, you, Connor. This is a vacation resort, not the baths.” Cal moved behind his desk.
“After today, make up the rooms late mornings and early afternoons. Leave the sheets and towels in front of the garage for the laundry pickup. And don’t forget to sweep out the parking area.”
Connor saluted. “Aye, aye, Capitán.”
They heard a knock at the front door. Cal shouted, “It’s open.”
“Is this the office?”
“We’re informal here,” Cal explained. He typed into his computer, and then motioned for the young man to join him.
“I’m Mario Ginnetti.” He placed a piece of luggage at his feet. “Is it okay to park in the lot?”
Connor seemed to nearly salivate at Mario’s arms in his violet short-sleeved shirt. “You can park anywhere you like.”
Ignoring Connor, Cal said, “Yes, that’s the lot for the bungalows.” Cal handed Mario a key. “You’re in Bungalow One. I’ve got your credit card, so you’re all set.” He took a map from the topmost desk drawer. “The ocean beach is open to the public and is only minutes away. You can swim, surf, snorkel, or go on a glass-bottom boat there.” He pointed to various black dots on the map. “You’ll want to get some groceries here. Tommy Malone’s is a good bar, and Carla’s is my favorite seafood restaurant. This place has killer ice cream, which you can work off here at the gym.”
Connor interjected with, “If you need help finding anything, just ask me. I’m a native.”
“Or you can come into the office and ask me.” Cal handed Mario the map and then pointed outside. “The cove is private property. You can sit out there all you like. The bay water is calm and warm. As you can see, the view is amazing.”
Connor added with a grin, “Nude sunbathing is permitted.”
Mario was visibly trying to take it all in.
“Any questions?” asked Cal.
Mario’s dimples appeared. “Will the weather always be this nice?”
“From your lips to the sea gods’ ears.” Cal smiled. “The weather report calls for rain, so that means it’s going to be sunny all week. Connor will take you to your bungalow.”
Connor looked like the wolf meeting Little Red Riding Hood as he took Mario’s luggage. “Follow me, Mario.”
About Joe:
Amazon Bestselling author Joe Cosentino wroteCozzi Cove: Bouncing Back (NineStar Press), Drama Queenand Drama MuscleNicky and Noah mysteries (Lethe Press), An Infatuation,A Shooting Star, A Home for the Holidays, The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland (Dreamspinner Press), Paper Doll(Whiskey Creek Press) and Porcelain Doll (Wild Rose Press) Jana Lane mysteries, and The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (Eldridge Plays and Musicals). He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. His one-act plays, Infatuation and Neighbor, were performed in New York City. He wrote The Perils of Pauline educational film (Prentice Hall Publishers). Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. His upcoming novels are Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward (Nine Star Press), Drama Cruise Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press), and Satin Doll and China Doll Jana Lane mysteries (Wild Rose Press). Joe was voted 2nd Place for Best MM Author of the Year in Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards for 2015!
Praise for Joe Cosentino’s books:
“unbelievably beautiful” “a masterpiece” Lovebytes Reviews
“as Joe Cosentino proves time and time again, with his wonderful writing and storytelling ability, love will prevail, and you will smile from ear to ear." Kathy Mac Reviews
“a master class in how to write short fiction (or any fiction). Joe Cosentino has provided a work that will leave you thinking and wanting to savor and re-read it again and again.” GGR Reviews
“Like an onion, Joe Cosentino's stories have layers.” “For those readers looking for something a little bit different - dare I say unique? For those readers who like to laugh. For those readers who appreciate the nuances of people and the way each character is different. For those readers who want to read a damn good story - check out this author. I'm glad I did.” “A truly fabulous read.” Boy Meets Boy Reviews
“From the beginning I was enthralled and couldn’t wait to finish the book.” Inked Rainbow Reads
“This is polished prose at its best. Intelligent writing, a thought-provoking plot and characters befitting the theater genre” “one of my favorite reads this year.” Love’s Last Refuge Reviews
“Don't miss this one friends, it is a heartfelt story magical in the telling! Thanks Joe for putting your heart on the page for us to savor!” Bike Book Reviews
“It’s unusual for me to get sucked into a book in the first chapter but it grabbed me early and I read the whole thing in one day.” Nautical Star Books
“There were times I laughed and then there were times I cried…unforgettable.” Multitaskingmomma Reviews
"I really loved this book and having an ending that made me laugh and cry at the same time is testament to the brilliant writing." BooksLaidBareBoys
"The author executed his storyline with a marvelous precision that would be the envy of many authors. He draws the readers into the lives of his characters, they become real and in turn, their emotions becomes yours." "If you can only afford to buy one more book this year, buy this one.” Three Books Over the Rainbow Reviews
Contact Joe:
Web site: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4071647.Joe_Cosentino
Amazon: Author.to/JoeCosentino
