Chrissy Munder's Blog, page 38
March 11, 2016
March, Already?
And there, my friends, is a great summation of 2016 so far. I can't even begin (and you certainly don't have time) for me to share all the ups and downs. But that's life, right? Of course, just when there's light at the end of that very overused tunnel and I think I'm going to get to spend some time online, we've experienced an odd spate of unreliable internet service. No clue why. But that's life, right?
Heh, sensing a theme?
The important things are those of us here at Chez Munder are reasonably happy, healthy, and yes! I am an editing fool on these two novellas.
How are things going for you?
February 3, 2016
February's Monthly Motivation
Will this thought help push you along this month? Why? Or why not?
February 1, 2016
Welcome Back: Guest Author Joe Cosentino
I’m not quite sure how it happened, but it’s February!! Which means it’s time for a new release from one of my favorite guest authors, Joe Cosentino. Not only does Joe’s prolific tendencies keep me amused and neck-deep in reading material, he’s also an electric cattle-prod of inspiration for me to stop over committing in every other area of life and get back to writing. He’s here to day to share with us his latest release with Dreamspinner Press, THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TALES FROM FAIRYLAND.
Welcome back, Joe! You are definitely one of my most frequent guests.
Thank you. I’m like lice. I keep coming back. LOL. Seriously, I love your site, and I always feel so welcome here.
You are! Before we start the interview, congratulations to you for winning four Divine Magazine Readers’ Poll Awards!
Five, and two second place awards, but who is counting? (smile)
Tell us which they were?
All right, if you insist (LOL). DRAMA QUEEN the first Nicky and Noah mystery won Best Mystery, Best Crime, Best Humorous, and Best Contemporary. The cover of AN INFATUATION won Best Cover. AN INFATUATION also won second place for Best Romance, and I won second place for Best Author. It was so unexpected and such a thrill. I am so thankful to all the readers who voted for me. It makes all the hours of toil and trouble so worth it, and makes me want to write more.
You certainly are prolific. For anyone new to the site, remind us of your current and upcoming releases to date.
AN INFATUATION is loosely based on my high school years and attending my high school reunion. A SHOOTING STAR is loosely based on my time as a theatre major in college. Both novellas did so well as e-books that Dreamspinner Press is publishing them together in paperback releasing March 21.
My holiday e-book novella from Dreamspinner Press, A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, is loosely based on my amazing trip to the gorgeous and magical island of Capri, Italy.
My Nicky and Noah mystery series from Lethe Press is a farcical, gay, cozy, who-dun-it. In DRAMA QUEEN theatre 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. In DRAMA MUSCLE Nicky 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. In DRAMA CRUISE (not released yet), 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.
I also have a mystery series, the Jana Lane mysteries, with straight leading characters and gay supporting characters. In PAPER DOLL (Whiskey Creek Press), 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. 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 releasing March 15), 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 (not yet released from 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 (not yet released 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. I am writing RAGDOLL now, where Jana stars in a mystery TV series and once again life imitates art. 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.
I love mysteries. Is it difficult plotting the clues?
It’s an incredible amount of work and also fun planning the clues, red herrings, plot twists and turns, and surprise but justifiable ending. I also keep in mind that a good mystery also includes strong characters, romance, comedy, drama, and interesting locations.
Are you writing or editing anything else now?
I have a new series of novels in a gay beach resort called Cozzi Cove. This is ironic since I hide under a beach umbrella due to my fair skin at the beach! NineStar Press is publishing COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK and COZZI COVE: MOVING FORWARD soon about handsome Cal Cozzi and his gay resort at the New Jersey shore.
I’m getting tired just listening to this. You’re a college professor/department head, when you do you have the time to write so much?
Like Martin Anderson, the theatre department head in the Nicky and Noah series, I have a cozy office overlooking the woods with a cherry wood fireplace mantel, desk, and bookcase. It’s the perfect place to write evenings and weekends.
Are you family members and friends supportive?
My mother said, “Don’t you have anything better to do than sit home at night and write books? Do people actually buy them?” I wonder if Stephen King’s mother said that. Hah. Actually, my family and friends all love my books and kid me that I write them faster than they can read them. My colleagues at my college kid me that if they tick me off I will kill them in my next book.
You are here today to talk about your latest release, THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TALES FROM FAIRYLAND. When did your fascination with fairytales begin?
I feel as if I am on a psychiatrist’s couch. Hah. As a kid my older sister read me fairytales in bed every night before sleep. I was completely entranced by the beautiful stories of peasants becoming princes and princesses and finding true love. The gorgeous locations, wit, wonder, drama, and happy endings filled my young mind like beans in a counting jar. I wanted to live in those palaces, meet the charming princes, and bring financial equality to those kingdoms. I learned how to read by reading those cherished, worn fairytale books.
What fairytale is your favorite?
Cinderella. It has the perfect elements: larger than life characters, humor, drama, conflict, and a perfect ending.
What led you to write your own fairytales?
As I read and reread my favorite fairytales, I was saddened to see no openly gay characters in any of my favorite stories. I asked myself, ‘Why aren’t there any gay people in fairyland? Why couldn’t a peasant boy fall in love with a prince? Wouldn’t a tired, hungry, homeless blond boy seek refuge in a house with three bears? What was Pinocchio’s growing appendage trying to tell him? Did Jack enjoy his time with the Giant more than he let on? Could the Snow Queen be a handsome, frigid prince? What’s the good of fairy dust without any fairies?’
What are your fairytale stories about?
“The Naked Prince” is a different take on the Cinderella story. Cinder, a poor and beautiful young man who designs clothing, makeup, and hair for his stepmother and stepsisters, offers his clothing and slippers to a naked stranger in the woods who turns out to be none other than Prince Charming. Will Cinder and Prince Charming confront their manipulative mothers, bring equality to the kingdom, find themselves, and find one another? In “The Golden Rule,” when he is caught with nimble Jack, eighteen-year-old Gideon Golden is thrown out of his home in Fairyland by his homophobic parents. With nowhere else to go, he breaks into the home of three men living on Bear Mountain. Bo and Butch enjoy having a young roommate, but Ben isn’t convinced. Will Gideon and Ben make vinegar or honey? “Whatever Happened To … ?” takes place on Christmas Eve. A reporter living on Andersen Lane interviews a celebrity for the Queen Newspaper series, “What Ever Happened To … .” Friction ensues between the celebrity with the growing appendage who can’t tell fact from fiction, and the reporter who has a thing for giants. Eventually a romantic spark is lit between the two as Christmas Day arrives, and they realize they have more in common than living in Fairyland. Finally in “Ice Cold,” after losing their families during the great ice storm in the northernmost kingdom of Fairyland, young Gaelen and Kieran pledged their love for one another. When Isidore rides into Frost Village on his elaborate sleigh, Kieran follows the handsome prince to his castle in Arctic Kingdom, where Kieran becomes Isidore’s bewitched slave. This leads Gaelen on an amazing adventure to find his true love and melt his frozen heart. The stories are full of romance, humor, and adventure.
Tell us more about the main characters in each of the four stories.
Cinder is sweet, giving, kind, and totally devoted to his family. He wants nothing more than to see them happy. Due to his selflessness, the spirits of his two deceased dads grant him a wish to go to the king and queen’s ball. Prince Charming is handsome, strong, and of course—charming. Like Cinder he wants to help the poor in his kingdom, but he doesn’t know how to do it. That’s where Cinder comes in. Cinder and Prince Charming are perfect foils and perfect soulmates.
Gideon begins as a selfish teenager. Thanks to Ben (the mature and hunky brother on Bear Mountain), Gideon learns the true meaning of love and family.
Pinocchio and Jack learn in their story to transcend their pasts and love themselves, and each other, again.
Gaelen is a sheltered young man who finds his inner strength to save his love, Kiernan, from the wicked Prince Isidore. Along the way he is tempted by three handsome men in the forest, but his heart always belongs to Kiernan.
What is the moral of the novella?
Everyone is welcome in Fairyland, and everyone deserves love and happiness.
Who is your favorite character in THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TALES FROM FAIRYLAND and why?
I love all of them, but my favorite are Cinder’s funny, sweet, devoted dads.
Which one of your characters was the hardest one to write and why?
“Ice Cold” was a stretch for me since unlike most of my other work it is a fantasy epic. I enjoyed it though and I love all of the colorful charactersGaelen meets on his journey.
Which one of your characters did you enjoy writing the most and why?
Gideon sparing with Ben was a blast. Those two really heated things up in “The Golden Rule.”
How did you handle writing love scenes in a fairytale?
Fairies make love. No pun intended. Lovemaking is a part of life, so it makes sense to include love scenes in novels. The love scenes in this novella are as beautiful and magical as the stories.
Who is your ideal reader of your books?
My ideal reader craves being swept away by a story and becoming part of the novel. He/she relishes in beautiful locations and captivating characters as she/he enters the portal of my book. Finally he/she is willing to read any genre and be carried along for the ride.
What frustrates you?
People who demean and attack the rights and self-worth of others, including those who hide behind their religious or political beliefs to do so. That theme surfaces in a number of my books.
Have you ever thought about going back into acting?
Yes, I’d love to play Mr. Ringwood in AN INFATUATION, Professor Katzer in A SHOOTING STAR, Simon Huckby Jana’s agent in the Jana Lane mystery series, Martin Anderson the theatre department head in the Nicky and Noah mystery series, and Mortimer in THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TALES FROM FAIRYLAND. Hear that movie producers!
How can your readers contact you?
I love hearing from readers. They can contact me at:http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com.
THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TALES FROM FAIRYLAND
by JOE COSENTINO
published by Dreamspinner Press
e-book $4.99
purchase: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=7352
Also available:
Amazon: myBook.to/NakedPrince_Cosentino
All Romance eBooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thenakedprinceandothertalesfromfairyland-1964627-143.html
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-naked-prince-and-other-tales-from-fairyland-joe-cosentino/1123242972?ean=2940157650803
Cinder, a poor and beautiful young man who designs clothing, makeup, and hair for his stepmother and stepsisters, offers his clothing and slippers to a naked stranger in the woods who turns out to be none other than Prince Charming. Follow Cinder and Prince Charming in this twist on the classic “Cinderella” tale, as they discover their inner strengths and find their very own happily ever after. Enjoy “The Naked Prince” and three other reimagined Tales from Fairyland, each with a unique spin on stories we all know and love, including “The Golden Rule,” where eighteen-year-old Gideon Golden, after being thrown out of his home in Fairyland by his homophobic parents, breaks into the cottage of three burly men on Bear Mountain, “Whatever Happened To…?,” in which friction ensues between a celebrity with a growing appendage and the reporter who has a thing for giants, and “Ice Cold,” where young Gaelen must save his love Kieran after a handsome but evil prince freezes Kieran’s heart and bewitches him into being the prince’s slave.
Praise for Joe Cosentino’s books from Dreamspinner Press:
“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
“This story just blew me away.” Cathy Brockman Romance/MM Good Book Reviews
“From the beginning I was enthralled and couldn’t wait to finish the book.” Inked Rainbow Reads
“really grabs you and tugs at your emotions” “unique and enjoyable.” Nautical Star Books
“There were times I laughed and then there were times I cried…unforgettable.” Multitaskingmomma Reviews
“It turned out exactly how I wanted it to.” BFD Book Blog
“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
“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
Excerpt:
As was his custom, Cinder sat at the fireplace, lit a candle, and placed his pet mouse from the jar onto his lap. He closed his eyes and asked his fathers to help him get to the ball to give his stepsister her missing apparel for her dance with the prince. Suddenly the flame of the candle flickered, and Cinder heard his fathers’ voices. Cinder’s father Maxwell, told him how much he missed him. Cinder’s other father, Mortimer, reminded Maxwell that he missed Cinder too. Maxwell explained to Cinder that he was safe and happy in the other world. Mortimer interjected that Maxwell should not forget that Mortimer was safe and happy in the other world with Maxwell. It was the most comforting moment of Cinder’s life, except for meeting the young man in the meadow.
Maxwell then said, “Cinder, my son, whom I love more than anything in all creation, your fathers have been granted one night, and one night only, with the power to help you. And we have chosen this night.”
“Tell our boy what we are going to do for him,” said Cinder’s other father Mortimer.
Maxwell explained that Cinder would attend the prince’s ball.
Cinder could not believe what he was hearing. At first he thought it was a dream, but no dream could ever be so wonderful. Knowing his stepsister must be heartbroken without her hat and bag, Cinder hoped he could get them to her before she danced with the prince.
“Tell Cinder the stipulation, Maxwell.”
“I was just about to do that, Mortimer.” Then Maxwell said to Cinder with tenderness in his voice, “My son—”
“He’s my son too, Maxwell,” added Cinder’s other father.
After taking a calming breath, Maxwell continued. “Our son, the great force has granted me—”
Mortimer cleared his throat.
“Has granted us the special power to send you to the prince’s ball, but the power will last for one night only. At the stroke of midnight, everything will return back to the way it was.”
Cinder was incredibly grateful to his fathers. He wanted more than anything to tell them how much he loved them and to ask them so many questions, including whether they could help him see the young man from the meadow again. But before Cinder could speak, a slight breeze grazed his cheek. The breeze grew slowly and steadily in intensity and finally became a gust of wind as Cinder’s burlap clothing magically transformed into an exquisite powder blue suit, ruffled shirt, and handkerchief. Cinder looked down at his feet and noticed the mouse’s pickling jar had been transformed into handsome glass slippers. The wind continued to grow until it threw open the cottage door, carrying a pumpkin from the root vegetable bin and Cinder’s pet mouse with it. Cinder hurried outside and marveled as the pumpkin turned into a stunning gold coach and the pet mouse expanded into a handsome coachman. The squirrel, chipmunk, rabbit, and blue jay frolicked in the wind until they became four striking white horses.
About Joe:
Amazon Bestselling author Joe Cosentino wrote An Infatuation, A Shooting Star, A Home for the Holidays, The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland(Dreamspinner Press), Drama Queen the first Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press),Drama Muscle the second Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press), Paper Doll the first Jana Lane mystery (Whiskey Creek 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, Charles Keating, 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 releases are Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back, Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward(NineStar Press) and Porcelain Doll the second Jana Lane mystery (Wild Rose Press releasing March 15). Joe was voted 2nd Place for Best MM Author of the Year in Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards for 2015.
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
January 27, 2016
My Love Affair with Big Steve!
Or at least with his insanely easy Artisan Bread with Steve No-Knead Bread recipes/videos on YouTube! So far we've tried the Oatmeal Bread, Cinnamon Rolls, Artisan Cheddar Bread, Classic White Bread,and the Turbo Honey Oatmeal recipes. And look! Pictures! I don't have a picture of the Honey Oatmeal because the entire point of making a Turbo recipe was to go from bowl to table in 2-1/2 hours, and yes! we ate it before the camera came out.
(disclaimer: I never claimed to be a decent photographer)
This stuff is so easy to make, and so darn good I still can't believe it. I've tried for years to become a decent homemade bread maker. Years. But yeast and I just never seemed to get along no matter how much I tried to proof and knead it into submission. So if we wanted fresh bread made of a basic 4 or 5 ingredients without preservatives, plastics (yoga mat chemicals people, yoga mat chemicals) or other additives I needed to use a bread maker. Which is fine. I loved my bread maker for years. But, I really missed the tactile, mind-soothing act of mixing.
Enter Steve and his No-Knead Bread recipes. If you follow along with one of his videos you'll see there's not a whole lot of mixing. Or a whole lot of effort period. But I *feel* like I'm a bread-making ace. And for my fellow authors? The proofing and baking times work as built-in Pomodoros.
Go ahead. Watch one of Steve's videos. Try it. Then come back and let me know what you think of this method. (and how it tasted!)
January 19, 2016
Welcome Back: Guest Author Joe Cosentino
We’ve seen great things in 2015 from today’s Guest Author, and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us this year. Join me as Joe Cosentino shares his latest release, Drama Muscle, the second Nicky and Noah mystery/comedy/romance novel published by Lethe Press.
Hello, Joe. Welcome back to the site. You’ve become a regular here.
I love answering your questions!
Great. Here’s the first for today. You’ve told us in the past that you acted opposite stars like Rosie O’Donnell (AT&T industrial), Nathan Lane (Roar of the Greasepaint onstage), Bruce Willis (A Midsummer Night’s Dream onstage), Charles Keating (NBC’’s Another World), Jason Robards (Commercial Credit computer commercial), and Holland Taylor (ABC’s My Mother Was Never a KidTV movie). What was it like acting with all those celebrities?
In each case, I worked with them before they became famous, and in each case they were gracious, hard-working, kind, and very funny. BTW, I can see Rosie O’Donnell and Bruce Willis playing Noah’s parents in a TV version of Drama Muscle! Can you make that happen? Hah.
Sure. On the next question. Your Dreamspinner Press novellas (An Infatuation, A Shooting Star, A Home for the Holidays, and The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland) were well received. What do you say to people who loved them and might be surprised that the Nicky and Noah mysteries are quite different?
I love salmon but I also love chicken. It’s the same thing. I’d ask them to give Drama Queen and Drama Muscle a try. Like I found eating pea soup as a kid, they may acquire a different taste.
You were here when Drama Queen, the first Nicky and Noah mystery, was released. Was that novel well received?
Readers fell in love with Nicky and Noah as they fell in love with each other—and solved the mystery. Reviewers called Drama Queen hysterically funny farce, Murder She Wrote meets Hart to Hart meets The Hardy Boys, and a captivating whodunit with a surprise ending. One reviewer said it was the funniest book of the year! Who am I to argue? In Drama Queen college theatre professors were dropping like stage curtains and amateur sleuths/college theatre professors Nicky and Noah had to use their theatre skills, including impersonating other people, to figure out whodunit. When the ebook reached eighteen on the Amazon bestsellers list in its category and the paperback and audiobook (with all twenty-four roles played by Michael Gilboe) sold like tickets to The Producers after the Tony Awards, it was time for another Nicky and Noah mystery.
And now Drama Muscle, the second Nicky and Noah mystery, is available as an ebook, paperback, and soon audiobook. Tell us about it.
In Drama Muscle Nicky and Noah don their gay Holmes and Watson personas again to find out who is murdering musclemen in the Bodybuilding Department. In the novel Nicky is directing bodybuilding students in Treemeadow College’s annual Bodybuilding competition on campus. Bodybuilding students and faculty drop faster than barbells until Nicky figures out the identity of the murderer, as well as Noah’s secret revolving around Van Granite, one of the bodybuilding professors. Noah’s hysterically funny parents visit from Wisconsin and are drawn into the action, and Nicky and Noah reach a milestone by the end of the novel.
Why did you set the second novel in the Bodybuilding Department?
I have always been fascinated with bodybuilders. The concept of eating protein every two hours, lifting weights for three hours a day, shaving every body part, spray tanning, and posing in tiny gold trunks is amazing to me. What dedication! I quickly noticed the link between bodybuilding and theatre. So I realized the second Nicky and Noah mystery would take place in the Bodybuilding Department at Treemeadow College.
Since I work out every day (yet see very little results!) and am enamored of the real bodybuilders who are so big they don’t even need to iron their shirts, Drama Muscleholds a special place in my heart.
Who was your favorite character to write in Drama Muscle?
Nicky has such amazing wit, perseverance in the face of adversity, and smarts. I love his sense of determination in not only nabbing the murderer, but also getting his man—Noah. Nicky knows what he wants and how to get it. He is genuinely concerned for others, and he wants to help them. He also has no problem taking on the role of hero. Finally, he is a one-man man, and Nicky is proud to admit that man is Noah Oliver. However, my favorite character in book two is Noah’s mother who is devoted to her son—almost as much as she’s devoted to her camera!
Noah’s father is pretty hilarious too.
I love how Noah’s father is an amateur sleuth like Nicky. As they say, men marries their fathers. That comes out even more in book three.
Will Nicky’s parents visit too?
We meet Nicky’s parents in book three, Drama Cruise. They are equally hysterical.
Who was the easiest character to write?
Martin Anderson, the department head, who I patterned after myself was easiest to write. I love his dedication to the college, paternal instincts toward Nicky and Noah, sense of theatricality, and his inquiring mind. I also like that he is happily married. Though briefly in books two and three, we get to know Martin’s husband quite well in the third novel, Drama Cruise.
Which character do you like the least?
Professor of Bodybuilding Van Granite may have muscles and a chin like granite, but he appears to be after Noah, definitely a no-no.
Which character was the hardest to write?
The Kim twins bodybuilding students can read each other’s minds. So their dialogue is always in answer to something the other has thought. While this is really funny to read, it was really difficult to write.
Is it hard to write comedy?
I’ve always had a funny mind. I can hear almost anything and see the humor in it. I think I get this from my mother. For example, for Christmas one year my parents bought me a sweater and my sister a house. When I asked my mother if I was an orphan, she replied, “Orphans don’t have sweaters. Appreciate what you have.”
And you have another mystery series, your Jana Lane mystery series.
Yes, I created a heroine who was the biggest child star ever until she was attacked on the studio lot at eighteen years old. In Paper Doll (Whiskey Creek Press), 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 (releasing March 15 from 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 (not yet released from 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 (not yet released 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 agent and best friend are gay, and Jana is somewhat of a gay activist, the AIDS epidemic is a large part of the novels.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Nine Star Press is publishing my two novels that take place at a gay summer resort on the Jersey Shore: Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back and Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward.
With your college professor/department head duties, how do you have the time to be so prolific?
My friends kid me that I write books faster than they can read them. I’m a night owl and write late into the night.
What advice do you have for unpublished writers?
Write every day (or as in my case-night). When you have a story you think is perfect, ask someone you trust to read it. Then after doing another draft, email it to a publisher with an open submissions policy who publishes the kind of story you’ve written. If that publisher rejects it, immediately send it to the next one.
How can your readers contact you?
Via my web site, http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com. I love to hear from readers. I hope everyone gives Nicky and Noah some help in figuring out whodunit, and has some laughs along the way!
DRAMA MUSCLE (a Nicky and Noah mystery) a comedy/mystery/romance novel by JOE COSENTINO from Lethe Press.
Purchase links:
http://www.lethepressbooks.com/store/p353/Drama_Muscle%3A_A_Nicky_and_Noah_Mystery.html
It could be lights out for college theatre professor Nicky Abbondanza. With dead bodybuilders popping up on campus, Nicky, and his favorite colleague/life partner Noah Oliver, must use their drama skills to figure out who is taking down pumped up musclemen in the Physical Education building before it is curtain down for Nicky and Noah. Complicating matters is a visit from Noah’’s parents from Wisconsin, and Nicky’s suspicion that Noah may be hiding more than a cut, smooth body. You will be applauding and shouting Bravo for Joe Cosentino’s fast-paced, side-splittingly funny, edge-of-your-seat entertaining second novel in this delightful series. Curtain up and weights up!
Praise for DRAMA QUEEN, the first Nicky and Noah mystery by Joe Cosentino from Lethe Press:
“Without doubt the funniest book I have read this year, maybe ever” “brilliant” Three Books Over the Rainbow
“I cannot stop laughing. Drama Queen is Hardy Boys-meets-Murder She Wrote-meets-Midsummer Murders, with a side of parodic, farcical, satire.” “Who-dunits don’t come more whodunnity than this.” Boy Meets Boy Reviews
“I’m hoping that this is just the start for Nicky and Noah. If Jessica Fletcher could have so many murderers in Cabot Cove, why shouldn’t the same hold true for Treemeadow College?” Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Reviews
“This fast-paced, hilariously funny, entertaining novel will have you on the edge of your seat as you try to figure out who-dun-it!” Joyfully Jay
“a murder mystery, a comedic romp, an investigative caper, and a love story all rolled up into one nifty little novel” The Novel Approach
“The tangled weave of murder mystery and other mysteries comes to a startling conclusion that is both satisfying and mind boggling.” MultitaskingMomma
“I am not used to reading books that make me snigger out loud, but in Drama QueenJoe Cosentino has struck a great balance between his use of tongue in cheek humour and a compelling mystery which we want to see solved.” Divine Magazine
“Nicky and Noah are two sexy leading characters who conduct the investigation in this comedic caper with wit and style.” Vance Bastian Reviews
“Cosentino does a wonderful job of writing a mystery that keeps the reader guessing right up until the end.” Barron Owens Reviews
“I love this story, just the right mix, of fun, hilarity and mystery in the mix. The storyline is fresh and well thought out, and the dynamic of the characters is through the roof! Bike Book Reviews
“The author clearly knows of what he speaks on all matters theater, and the kind of authentic details he brings to the table in terms of characters and staging makes this immensely entertaining.” Love’s Last Refuge Reviews
“Joe Cosentino has brilliantly done it again! His latest novel, Drama Queen, is the most fascinating mystery of all time. I loved the laugh out loud moments and the crazy fast-paced plot. Readers will instantly be drawn into Joe Cosentino’’s stunning mystery. I recommend this novel to readers worldwide and look forward to reading the next adventure by this talented writer.” Danielle Urban, Universal Creativity, Inc.
Amazon Bestselling author Joe Cosentino wrote Drama Queen and 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),Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back (Nine Star Press), Paper Doll (Whiskey Creek Press) andPorcelain 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 andNeighbor, were performed in New York City. He wrote The Perils of Paulineeducational 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 Drama Cruise Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press), Satin Dolland China Doll Jana Lane mysteries (Wild Rose Press), and Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward (Nine Star Press).
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
Paperback: novel
Publisher: Lethe Press
Language: English
Cover Art: Denny Minonne
Cover Design: Inkspiral Design
ISBN-10: 1590215664
ISBN-13: 978-1590215661
Release date: January, 2, 2016
January 18, 2016
Best Writing & Revision Tracker - Ever!
Happy Monday, y'all! How's January working out for you? I'm neck-deep in acceptance that I have overbooked my January like a big dog - maybe even a small horse. *Sigh*. Go figure. But we'll get through. It's what we do, right? In the meantime, I wanted to share one of my favorite! favorite tools in my writing tool kit - Jamie Raintree's fabulous Writing and Revision tracker. You heard me - writing & REVISION tracking - on MULTIPLE PROJECTS. WhooHoo!!
Jamie has figured out a way to make this whole tracking my stats thing easy and she's done all the work setting up the spreadsheets. All I do is enter my (up to 8!!!) project names - this could be individual titles or even just categories such as blog posts, poems, short stories, novellas, etc. Then I enter my daily word count or number of revised pages. Boom! The magic of Excel does the work and I have updated daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly figures.
I've used Jamie's tracker over the last several years and it's been a fantastic aid in understanding my writing process. When she revamped the spreadsheet for the new year and added the revision tracking feature I knew it was time to share.
We all know the importance of tracking our writing progress through the year, and we all have our favorite systems. If yours isn't as seamless as you'd like, or leaves you hanging when it comes to edits and revisions you might want to explore Jamie's Writing and Revision Tracker. Then come join us in her Motivated Writers Facebook Group.
Do you currently track your writing stats? What's your favorite system and do you think you'll give Jamie's a try?
January 11, 2016
January 2, 2016
Putting more "Do" in my To-Do List!
The celebration continues all through January, so visit her blog daily to catch the latest post by an amazing assortment of well-wishers.
December 31, 2015
December 17, 2015
The Reason for the Season. Holiday Romance in two languages.
Yep. Pretty darn cool.
For those of us who don't happen to read Japanese the American [notice, dear British friends, I did not say "English" :) ] version is available from Dreamspinner Press who will happily send the ebook to your Kindle for your holiday reading pleasure, or offer your choice of many other formats.
The Reason for the Season is one of my favorites as I wrote it during one of our first (and sadly, now all too commonplace "snowpocalypses"). A little bit road story, a little bit sweet romance, I was thrilled when it was offered in a Japanese translation l in 2013 by the magazine Dear+.
Here's an excerpt for readers of both versions:
All college student Adam Everett is trying to do is get to his sister’s house for holiday break. First his car breaks down, then his ride takes off to Vegas with his gas money, forcing Adam to come up with a Plan C. His last hope is a campus ride exchange, where he ends up with the reluctant Michael Brennan. When a “snowpocalypse” forces them to share a motel room, they soon find out there's more than one reason for the chance happenings of the season.
Excerpt:
“DON’T do this to me, man.” Adam Everett stood in the lobby of his dorm, a small duffel bag at his feet, and stared at his cell phone in disbelief. Ridiculous as he couldn’t see the face of his friend in the matte black surface, but sometimes instinct won out over sense. “I’ve been waiting for almost an hour.”
“Sorry.” Jim’s laughter after the apology proved the words false. “But she gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse, or at least one hell of a blow job.”
“Don’t tell him that!”
Adam heard the indignant squeal in the background, the faint slaps and giggles audible over the crappy college radio station Jim listened to and thought made him cool. Enough to grasp that Jim’s girlfriend didn’t appreciate the comment. But he found it hard to be concerned about Lori’s injured feelings when not only would he bet the statement true, but he ended up being the one left hanging.
“What am I supposed to do now?” Adam didn’t know which made him madder: himself for whining, or Jim for screwing him over once again. He kicked his duffel to the side, trying to stay out of the way as the few remaining residents rushed around him, eager to head out and away from the grind of the semester.
“You can get a ride with someone else. Everybody goes home for Christmas break.” Jim’s voice sounded slow and lazy. Probably stoned again, and he had promised Adam he wouldn’t get messed up and drive.
“Yeah, and everybody’s already left.” Adam paced, his boots scuffing across the tile floor, and struggled to keep his anger from bleeding through into his voice. He should have known better than to count on Jim. They were the last ones out of their circle of friends still on campus, all because Jim had promised to pick Lori up after work. Mentioned how this would be his only chance to see her for two weeks, and she didn’t care to drive in the snow. Well, then why did she choose a college in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula?
“S’not a big deal, just offer to pay for gas like you did me.”
A trio of girls pushed past him, bundled against the weather in colorful skiwear and talking a mile a minute. The blonde on the end hit Adam with her bag, knocking him in the shoulder as she passed, and she waved rather than stopped. “Sorry,” she called out, pulling a knit cap down over her curls. They climbed into the SUV waiting in the front circle and drove off. The vehicle’s tracks were quickly erased by a fresh powdering of snow.
“That’s the problem, asshole.” Frustrated, Adam ran his hand through his hair. Easy for Jim to act like this was no big deal. “I paid you already. I need my money back.”
“You snooze, you lose.” Jim laughed again, overpowering Lori’s voice, faint and questioning over the fragile connection. “The tank’s full and we’re on the road.”
“The car’s big enough for all three of us.” Adam hated having to ask, and didn’t want to be a passenger when the driver was under the influence, but he had promised his older sister, Sherry, he’d be home this holiday, and he couldn’t disappoint her. Of course, that had been before the transmission on his car had gone out, and he’d had to scramble for a ride. Maybe he’d be able to talk Jim in to letting him drive, at least until he came down. “Come pick me up.”
“Not happening. I’m a one-woman man, not a one-man man like you. Aren’t I, baby?” Adam fumed, forced to listen while Jim and Lori exchanged sloppy kisses. “Besides, change of plans. We’re heading west, not south. Leaving all this winter wonderland crap behind.”
“Vegas, here we come,” Lori yelled enthusiastically into the phone. “Woohoo.”
“Jim,” Adam had to shout over her voice. “Don’t you hang up on me. Jim?” Lori kept hollering even as Jim disconnected and left him hanging on to dead air. “You asshole.”
