Anna Butler's Blog, page 10

J Scott Coatsworth’s “Cailleadhama” Audiobook – AND Giveaway!

J. Scott Coatsworth’s MM “elf-meets-trans-man in post-climate-change San Francisco” book Cailleadhama is now out in audiobook format. And there’s a giveaway!

Colton is a trans man living in a climate-changed world. He plies the canals that used to be city streets, earning a living taking tourists on illicit journeys through San Francisco’s flooded edges beneath the imposing bulk of the Wall.

Tris is an elf who comes through the veil to the City by the Bay – the Caille – on a coming of age pilgrimage called the Cailleadhama. He is searching for his brother Laris, who went missing after crossing through the Caille years before.

The two men find they have common cause, and together they set off to find Laris in a world transformed by the twin forces of greed and climate change. And in the end, they find out more than they ever expected, both about the warming world and their own selves.

Audible Audiobook | Amazon Kindle EBook Amazon PaperbackGiveaway

Scott is giving away your choice of a $20 Amazon Gift Certificate or a signed first edition of the Liminal Sky: Ariadne Cycle Trilogy (USA only). Enter via this Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt

Click this link for the Audio Excerpt

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Text Excerpt

Colton sat at the old, salvaged mirror in his wreck of an apartment, high above the Main Street Canal on San Francisco’s drowned waterfront. Not that San Francisco didn’t have its pride. As the Capital of Pacifica, she was still a center of commerce and politics.

But canal rats like Colton didn’t matter much anymore.

The bed behind him, salvaged from another abandoned apartment, was a mess of sheets, a reminder of the trick he’d brought home the night before, someone who’d been paid enough to overlook Colton’s shortcomings.

Colton took out a vial of testosterone—his last one, bought at a dear price from the Pharmacist. He pulled out a clean syringe and took off the plastic top, pulling out the stopper to 5 milliliters. He inserted the needle into the bottle, and pushed the air in, an act familiar to him from long practice. Then he pulled out the last of the drug, flicking the syringe twice and pushing out all the air bubbles.

He replaced the needle with a smaller gauge, dumping the larger one into an old caramel corn can he kept for his medical waste.

He used a piece of cotton and a bottle of cheap liquor to wipe down the injection site on his thigh, sterilizing it as best he could. Once it was dry, he took a deep breath, pinching his muscle and pulling his skin to the side. He inserted the needle into his leg, drawing the syringe back a bit to make sure there was no blood. He had to be careful to avoid injecting the hormone directly into his bloodstream.

It hurt a little, but he was used to it.

He dumped the used syringe and the empty vial into the can. He had friends who weren’t so careful to use clean needles, for their hormones or recreational drugs. Some of those friends were now dead, or worse.

Next, he took the medical bandages that he carefully washed every day, and wrapped them around his chest, binding his breasts tightly.

He didn’t look at them. He hated those reminders of his female body—he’d been running from that accident of birth for years.

He wrapped the bandages around himself three or four times, holding in his breath. Once he had his breasts secured, he adjusted them to the side to make his chest as flat as possible.

He looked at the results in the mirror. It would have to do.

He wished he could afford to be re-sequenced. To truly make his body match his gender, to not feel counterfeit in his own form.

Colton glanced out through the broken window. The lights of the City were starting to come on over there as dusk approached. He lived in a no man’s land, the part of the City where the water encroaching from the Bay had reached the old first and second floors. Toward the heart of the City, on the other side of the Wall, the rich still carried on as if nothing had changed.

Those with money called the drowned parts of the city the Canal District. It ran from the old Levis Plaza down to China Basin along the City’s Bay side. There were a number of tony restaurants on the roofs and higher floors of the City behind the Wall that offered views of this supposedly “romantic” neighborhood. For a fee, you could even take a ride through the ruins on a gondola.

That was Colton’s “day job”. It brought in enough money to afford food, hormones, and little else, at least, when he was able to pay Mason his overdue boat storage fees.

So at night, he haunted the drowned streets, looking for those he could help, or sometimes relieve of their excess cash.

Author Bio

Scott lives with his husband Mark in a yellow bungalow in Sacramento. He was indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine. He devoured her library, but as he grew up, he wondered where all the people like him were.

He decided that if there weren’t queer characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends.

A Rainbow Award winning author, he runs Queer Sci Fi, QueeRomance Ink, and Other Worlds Ink with Mark, sites that celebrate fiction reflecting queer reality, and is a full member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).

Author Website: https://www.jscottcoatsworth.com
Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/jscottcoatsworth
Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/jscottcoatsworthauthor/
Author Twitter: https://www.jscottcoatsworth.com/jscoatsworth
Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jscottcoatsworth/
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8392709.J_Scott_Coatsworth
Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/j-scott-coatsworth/
Author Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com): https://www.limfic.com/mbm-book-author/j-scott-coatsworth/
Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/J.-Scott-Coatsworth/e/B011AFO4OQ

Fix The World – an anthology

Other Worlds Ink has a new hopeful sci-fi anthology out: Fix the World. And there’s a giveaway!

We’re a world beset by crises. Climate change, income inequality, racism, pandemics, an almost unmanageable tangle of issues. Sometimes it’s hard to look ahead and see a hopeful future.

We asked sci-fi writers to send us stories about ways to fix what’s wrong with the world. From the sixty-five stories we received, we chose the twelve most amazing (and hopefully prescient) tales.

Dive in and find out how we might mitigate climate change, make war obsolete, switch to alternative forms of energy, and restructure the very foundations of our society,

The future’s not going to fix itself.

Publisher | Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Liminal Fiction | Thalia | Goodreads

Giveaway

OWI is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card with this tour via this Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt

From “Rise”  by J. Scott Coatsworth

The rumbling increased to a roar, and more dark patches appeared in the green lagoon waters. So expensive. So laborious to stabilize what was left. But every bit worth it, in this moment.

A great spume of water sprayed high enough to throw a shimmer of mist across her face as the first part of the old city broke the surface. As the spume cleared, the top of the Campanile di San Marco rose above the water, green roof gleaming like new. A nice touch. The Restoration Guild must have worked overtime on that one. Its golden weathervane was gone, but the bas relief of the lion of St. Mark made her clutch her heart.

“Mamma, what’s the lion for?” She licked chocolate off her hands, desperate to make her afternoon snack last just a little longer.

“It’s the symbol of the city.” Mamma put her hand on Cinzia’s chest, patting it—boom boom, boom boom. “The beating heart of who we are.”

Cinzia stumbled. It felt like yesterday.

“You okay?” Gio’s brow creased.

“I… sorry, yes. So many memories.”

Skipping over the bridges. The bad days of the quarantine. The corner market where mamma used to do her grocery shopping…

The Flood.

Another building broke the surface nearby—the Santa Maria della Salute, the beautiful basilica. Water poured off the gorgeous green domes in a thundering flood. They were mostly intact, though one of the smaller ones had a gaping hole—water poured out of it, cascading down to the lagoon like a waterfall, joining the general uproar of the Rise.

“Look, Kendra. You can see the outlines of the Canal Grande now.” The old waterway—the pulsing artery of the city—snaked away from them like a backwards ’S.’ In the distance, she could make out the edge of the Sestriere Cannaregio, the district where her mamma had lived in a modest apartment in an old stone palazzo that looked out on a concrete courtyard.

Waters rising, as it rained for close on a month, coming ever closer to their own second-floor balcony.

“What if the water doesn’t stop coming?” Cinzia stared out at the concrete courtyard, where the seawater swirled and churned.

“Don’t worry about that, tesoro. The water always stops, eventually. Now come here and help me with dinner.”

She had been lucky. She had survived.

All across the lagoon, the buildings of Venice were rising from the water. Many were broken, piles of bricks and debris covered with algae and surprised fish that flopped around on suddenly exposed land. The outlines of the city were becoming clear as water poured out of the buildings, churning the lagoon into a muddy, frothy mess.

A row of palazzos along the edge of the Canal Grande collapsed, sending up a deafening roar as they crumbled into rubble. Cinzia stepped back instinctively, pulling Kendra with her as the platform rose thirty meters into the air to avoid the cloud of debris that briefly rose above the lagoon before settling back to earth.

“Nothing to be alarmed about. Not all buildings were stabilized prior to the Rise.” Doctor Horvat’s lined face nodded reassuringly from the hovering screen before them, her voice broadcast across the world and to the Lunar colonies far above. “We expected some collapses. We will keep you away from the dangerous areas.”

“What if the city doesn’t stop rising?” Kendra grasped the railing, her gaze locked on the scene below.

Gio knelt next to the girl. “There’s no chance of that. The polyps have a very short lifetime…”

Cinzia was grateful to him. He probably understood the science behind all of this far better than she.

Her mind drifted.

They ate the last of the almond cantucci, savoring the hard cookies even though they were stale. Cinzia was still hungry, but she knew better than to ask for more. There was no more.

Outside, the rain had finally slowed to a constant drizzle.

Mamma ruffled her hair, managing a wan smile. “I need you to stay here, Cinzia. Someone will come for you, I promise. I will find us help.”

The helicopters had stopped coming days before, and the boats that had been plentiful the first few days, with men telling them to stay put, had bypassed their part of the city ever since.

The rumbling subsided.

Cinzia opened her eyes and looked around. For just a moment, there was absolute silence on the traghetto, along the shore, and on the sky board.

She looked over the railing.

Venice—her Venice—lay before her. It was in sad shape. Many of the landmarks she remembered were tarnished or broken. Whole zones of the city had collapsed, and except for Piazza San Marco, a green film covered the risen city. She was a ghost of her former glory.

But she was there, as solid and real as the hand before Cinzia’s face.

Author Bios

Bryan Cebulski is a rural California-based journalist from the Midwest who writes quiet queer speculative and literary fiction.

Scott Coatsworth lives with his husband Mark in a yellow bungalow in Sacramento. He was indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine. He devoured her library, but as he grew up, he wondered where all the people like him were. He decided that if there weren’t queer characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends. A Rainbow Award winning author, he runs Queer Sci Fi, QueeRomance Ink, and Other Worlds Ink with Mark, sites that celebrate fiction reflecting queer reality, and is a full member member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).

Rachel Hope Crossman grew up in Athens, Greece and Berkeley, CA as the child of a linguist and an actor. Her imagination, marked by the stones of the Acropolis, the granite slabs of the Sierra Nevadas and the blues of the San Francisco Bay, is the all and everything that fuels her engine. A preschool teacher, then substitute teacher, Rachel ultimately followed her Montessori bliss to teach elementary. Mother of four grown children and author of Saving Cinderella: Fairy tales & Children in the 21st Century, (2014 Apocryphile Press), Rachel currently writes eco-fantasy and science fiction stories.

Jana Denardo is Queen of the Geeks (her students voted her in) and her home and office are shrines to any number of comic book and manga heroes along with SF shows and movies too numerous to count. There is no coincidence the love of all things geeky has made its way into many of her stories. To this day, she’s still disappointed she hasn’t found a wardrobe to another realm, a superhero to take her flying among the clouds or a roguish star ship captain to run off to the stars with her.

J.G. Follansbee is an award-winning writer of thrillers, fantasy and science fiction novels and short stories with climate change themes. An author of maritime history and travel guides, he has published articles in newspapers, regional and national magazines, and regional and national radio networks, including National Public Radio. He’s also worked in the high-tech and non-profit worlds. He lives in Seattle.

Ingrid Garcia helps selling local wines in a vintage wine shop in Cádiz and writes speculative fiction in her spare time. For years, she was unpublished. But to her utter surprise—after years of receiving nothing but rejections—she’s sold stories to F&SF, and the Ride the Star Wind and Sword and Sonnet anthologies. She tweets as @ingridgarcia253 and is busy preparing a personal website and—dog forbid—even thinking about writing that inevitable novel

Jennifer R. Povey was born in Nottingham, England, but she now lives in Northern Virginia, where she writes everything from heroic fantasy to stories for Analog. She has written a number of novels across multiple sub genres. Additionally, she is a writer, editor, and designer of tabletop RPG supplements for a number of companies. Her interests include horseback riding, Doctor Who and attempting to out-weird her various friends and professional colleagues.

Mere Rain is an international nonentity of mystery whose library resides in California. Mere likes travel, food, art, mythology, and you. Feel free to reach out on social media. Mere Rain has published speculative short fiction with The Mad Scientist Journal, Mischief Corner Books, Things in the Well, and Mythical Girls.

D.M. Rasch writes feminist speculative fiction for LGBTQ+ young adults and adults, exploring where the social and political meet the personal. Her characters are often found doing their best in worlds that challenge them to become their best selves. Queer representation and reaching out to LGBTQ+ youth drive her writing, informed by her MFA in Creative Writing from Regis University and two bossy sister kittens who like to edit. She identifies as a genderqueer lesbian, currently writing and working (remotely) in the Denver, CO area as a creative mentor, coach, and editor in her business, Itinerant Creative Content & Coaching LLC.

Holly Schofield travels through time at the rate of one second per second, oscillating between the alternate realities of city and country life. Her stories have appeared in Analog, Lightspeed, Escape Pod, and many other publications throughout the world. She hopes to save the world through science fiction and homegrown heritage tomatoes.

Anthea Sharp is the author of the USA Today bestselling Feyland series, where a high-tech game opens a gateway to the treacherous Realm of Faerie. In addition to the fae fantasy/cyberpunk mashup of Feyland, her current novels are set in the shadowed enchantment of the Darkwood, where dark elves and fairytale elements abound. Anthea lives in sunny Southern California where she writes, hangs out in virtual worlds, plays the Irish fiddle, and spends time with her small-but-good family.

Alex Silver (he/him) grew up mostly in Northern Maine and is now living in Canada with a spouse, two kids, and three birds. Alex is a trans guy who started writing fiction as a child and never stopped. Although there were detours through assisting on a farm and being a pharmacist along the way.

Mary Rundle’s Darkness Master – with Giveaway!

Mary Rundle has a new MM paranormal romance out, Blackwood Pack book 10: Darkness Master. And there’s a giveaway!

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About the Book

The Blackwood Pack saga continues…

This is part of a continuing series by Amazon International Bestselling Author, Mary Rundle – reading the previous titles is advised. Readers will enjoy catching up with members of the Blackwood Pack and reading about what is happening to them as the pack does what it does best ̶ caring for one another and helping shifters everywhere.

Pursuing his dream, Sawyer heads to LA for some sun, waves and surfing lessons. After a disappointing day of surfing, he heads back to his campsite and meets Alex, his Fated Mate, who runs away, valuing his freedom more than anything else.

After the death of his wealthy, domineering father, Alex is can finally shed a lifetime of restrictions. Leaving New York City, he sets out on a long, cross-country RV trip, unaware that an overnight stop in a Los Angeles campground will yield not one Fated Mate, but two! Shocked at meeting Sawyer, Alex rejects him, vowing never to be under the thumb of any Alpha mate.

Glenn, a career secret agent, is also in LA to seek help from his friend, Ghost, a surfing instructor, in his quest to find who is responsible for kidnapping Glenn’s mother and other rare shifters. After meeting up with Ghost, Glenn discovers his Fated Mate is Sawyer, his friend’s current surfing student.

After the three mates finally meet, each has to face up to some hard facts about their past and present lives before coming to an understanding that leads them to find love and happiness with each other.

Astounding surprises, rare and unique gifts, an action-packed mission, and many unexpected twists and turns make this passionate love story by Mary Rundle impossible to put down once you’ve read the first page.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN | QueeRomance Ink | Goodreads

Giveaway

Mary is giving away a $20 Amazon gift card and a Blackwood Pack mug to one lucky winner. Enter via this  Rafflecopter giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47173/?

Excerpt

Rolling over, Alex stretched, groaning as a sliver of early morning light hit his eye. Quickly covering his face with a pillow, he lay there for a while, dozing on and off until finally the memories from last night filled his mind. Oh shit! He needed to get going if he was going to escape the control of a mate. Sitting up quickly, he glanced at the time, biting his lower lip when he saw it was after eight in the morning. Moving the curtain aside a hair, he peered out, sighing in relief when he saw no one outside. Thank goodness for that, at least. Scooting out of bed, he headed to the small bathroom to get ready to meet the day.

After a shower, he dressed quickly and then, after securing everything inside the trailer, grabbed a protein bar and a bottle of juice for breakfast. Sitting down at the table, he studied the map of Southern California. There were only two other gay campgrounds, neither of which were close to the one he was presently at. That meant a day of travel. Something Alex wasn’t very happy about but it was a far better alternative than finding himself again under someone’s thumb.

Taking another bite, he chewed slowly while considering the two options, head south to Palm Springs or north to San Francisco. According to his research both were meccas for men like him and both were on his list to visit. His goal was to pick the one he liked most, then buy a house, somewhere he’d be free from the restrictions others had always imposed on him for as long as he could remember.

If there were any doubts about taking off on his cross-country trip, they were gone as Alex began to experience what he’d been robbed of in his youth. Vowing to never fall under another person’s control again, he was quite prepared to live the rest of his life alone, finding pleasure in random hook-ups instead of being crunched under the boot of a mate. Even though he’d heard talk at school about the pleasures guaranteed by finding a fated mate, Alex knew the price was too high, at least for him. His only regret—and it wasn’t a deal breaker—was that his choice would mean accepting a lifetime of loneliness.

Finishing his breakfast, he decided to head south, keeping to his original plan to check out Palm Springs first. Folding up his map, Alex stuffed it back into the folder before gathering up some water and snacks to take with him in the SUV. Glancing around the trailer once more to make sure everything was secured, he opened the door. Lifting his gaze, Alex stopped mid step as his eyes landed on the one person he was hoping to avoid.

Standing naked at the edge of the clearing after shifting, Sawyer stared at the slim man whose face he would never forget. His mate was even more beautiful in the daylight. When he saw Alex’s tongue tentatively licking his lower lip, his body flamed with desire, his now-hardened cock quivering against Sawyer’s stomach, demanding to be sheathed in his mate’s body. Never, in all the time he sought pleasure with strangers, did he ever feel the overpowering need to be one with another as he did now. There wasn’t any way he could deny what his body was telling him. Taking a step forward, Sawyer reached out his hand, wanting to touch his mate’s body…to bury his nose against his mate’s neck…to imprint his mate’s scent in his heart…to mark the man as his.

All of Alex’s plans to flee flew out of his mind as he gazed at the gorgeous, naked man in front of him. Shivers ran up his spine, his cock hardened, his legs trembled. Intense desire ran through his body, overtaking his mind until all he could think of was that man taking him, easing his need, filling him up with cum. Nothing else mattered now…his preparations to leave were replaced by images of him surrendering as the man’s cock entered his body, making Alex his mate. His jeans were too tight, the flannel shirt was suddenly too hot, the urge to tear off his clothes had his fingers reaching for a button but when the man moved towards him it was as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice cold water over his body allowing him to remember his vow to remain free. Panicking now, he held up his hands. “No…don’t come closer. I don’t want you. Leave me alone!” Turning around, he retreated back into the trailer, slamming the door behind him.

Author Bio

The first book I ever wrote was Dire Warning in 2017 and, much to my delight, it became an Amazon Best-Seller. Readers loved it and I was on my way to chronicling the Blackwood Pack, seven brothers who are gay wolf shifters in search of their fated mates—stories about love at first sight with twists and turns, angst and humor, romance and adventure and, of course, happy endings.

As my books began to be translated into other languages, I also became an Amazon International Best-Selling author and then achieved the honor of becoming an Amazon All Star due to their popularity. My tenth book, Darkness Master has just been published and audible versions of the entire series are in progress.

I love the M/M paranormal genre because it gives my imagination a lot of territory in which to roam. My mind can really run wild and come up with some amazing stuff when it doesn’t have to stay inside the box.

My readers tell me they feel like they’re members of the pack as the stories unfold…as if they’re right there in the middle of the action. Others tell me it’s like watching a fast-paced movie. My writing style pulls no punches…readers love it and are always clamoring for the next book.

Stories come to me as if channeled by my characters, all of whom I love (except for a few villains). They are eager to recount their lives, loves and adventures and are not inhibited when it comes to revealing steamy, sexy details.

I currently live in the Northeast and love the beautiful change of seasons, my husband, and our quirky calico cat, though not necessarily in that order. I’m always happy to hear from my readers and can be reached through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, email, or my website.

Author Website: https://www.maryrundle.com

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/maryrundle69

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/maryrundleauthor/

Author Facebook (Group Page): https://www.facebook.com/groups/171112140176036

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryRundle69

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryrundle69

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14246427.Mary_Rundle

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/mary-rundle/

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Rundle/e/B0763CDQQ6

Joe Cosentino: The Player’s Encore

The lovely Joe has a new Player Piano mystery out on the 15th, The Player’s Encore, and it’s my great pleasure to welcome the hero of the book, Andre Beaufort, to the blog today to tell us all about it.

What’s more, you can get the book at a discount of 30% if you pre-order. The discount is available until publication day!

Over to Andre…

Interview with Andre Beaufort, the leading character in
The Player’s Encore,
Player Piano Mysteries Book 2,
a mystery/romance/fantasy novel by Joe Cosentino

Andre, congratulations on the release of your second novel, The Player’s Encore, a new MM mystery/romance/fantasy novel.
Thank you. Since both novels are from my perspective, I told Joe Cosentino what to write.

Since the readers can’t see you, tell us about yourself?”
I’m twenty-eight years old, tall and thin with amber eyes, dark hair, milk chocolate complexion, and what Freddy calls a Nerts body and bubble butt he loves to squeeze. I’m a grade school music teacher. I found a player piano in the basement of my apartment building—Freddy’s family’s city mansion. By pedaling the Pianola and playing famous songs of the Roaring Twenties, I can summon dapper playboy from the Roaring Twenties Freddy Birtwistle. However, only I can see and talk to Freddy. Actually, we do a lot more than talk. And that makes me very happy.

Tell us about Freddy.
Freddy is tall with slicked-back jet-black hair, violet eyes, high cheekbones, a thin nose, and rosy cheeks. As every man of wealth in the Roaring Twenties, Freddy wears a pinstriped black suit and vest, white silk shirt, and gray suspenders with matching bowtie and silk pocket handkerchief. His shoes are shiny black patent leather with white spats. More important than his appearance, Freddy has an alluring and joyous bon vivant personality, big heart, keen mind, and he is the love of my life.

How and when did Freddy die?
Freddy was shot at thirty years old by a misinformed jealous husband.

Did you two fall instantly in love?
Not exactly. We got off to a rocky start. But after sharing stories about our lives and cuddling on the chaise, we found our way into each other’s hearts.

How did you two become a ghostly Holmes and earthbound Watson?
Freddy and I solved two murder mysteries together—one in my family’s city home and another at my family’s country estate. With each mystery, we fell deeper in love.

What’s special about this book?
Freddy of course! Also, the two new stories include sexy characters, cozy settings in a beach house and Tuscan villa, my unique sense of humor, surprising plot twists and turns, fun red herrings, a touch of drama, a shocking yet justifiable ending, and of course a great deal of sweet romance. And as in The Player book 1, the reader gets two books for the price of one!

This isn’t Joe Cosentino’s first mystery series.
Joe wrote the Nicky and Noah Mysteries series and the Jana Lane Mysteries series, both to great acclaim and popularity. But Freddy and I aren’t in those.

What can we expect in The Player’s Encore?
In part I of The Player’s Encore: The Beach House, Freddy yearns to visit his family’s beach house in Florida. So, Freddy and I embark on a vacation to the stunning home which has become a bed and breakfast. Before Freddy can say “zotched,” a young, mysterious houseboy is murdered, the second hunky houseboy to meet the same fate. As it turns out, the suspects are all related to the latest victim: his desk clerk boyfriend, his incredibly handsome cousin who happens to be a doctor, and his feuding parents. Also in the mix are the accountant with slippery books, a studly new houseboy who can’t keep his feather duster in his pants, and a little girl with a secret that changes Freddy’s life. Since the detective obsessed with the case has come up with an empty seashell, it’s once again up to Freddy and me to find the murderer and save the inn—and ourselves!

And in part II?
In The Villa, Freddy and I venture off on a vacation with my uncle, an ex-priest, to Tuscany, where we stay at an inn that was once Freddy’s old family villa. Before the sun sets golden on the hills, a young, handsome, wealthy guest is murdered. The suspects are the victim’s distant father who is his competitor in business, a sexy Italian guide with a secret, two hunky gay travelers connected via a travel app, and a straight married couple who appear ready to embark on new sexual conquests. At the same time, Freddy finds his deceased sister’s diary and makes a surprising discovery that changes his life. When the muscular Italian detective investigating the murder seems lost in his spaghetti, it’s yet again up to Freddy and me to solve the mystery and save the day!

Who are the supporting characters in The Player’s Encore?
In Part I at the Key West beach bed and breakfast, we meet hunky houseboys Christian Hart and Nico DeFina, Christian’s parents and his gorgeous cousin Dr. Spencer Hart, Christian’s boyfriend beefy desk clerk Yusef Raji, oily inn manager Troy Grey, and his young daughter Ana Grey. When Christian is murdered, Butch Detective Ken Evans solicits my help and I ask Freddy’s assistance in catching the murderer.

And in the second story?
In part II in the Tuscan Villa, we meet my hunky Uncle Darryl right out of the priesthood, the inn’s beefy owner Bartolo Lotto, cute travelling roommates Rai Ming and Felix Gutierrez, young A-lister Colin Maverick and his gray fox father CEO of Maverick Enterprises Julian Maverick, and a straight married couple ready to expand their horizons. Sexy Detective Francesco Ferrari seems more interested in Uncle Darryl and Bartolo Lotto than solving the murder mystery. So, it’s Freddy and me to the rescue.

Who is your favorite new character in book 2?
In the first part Yusef Raji is the man everyone would like to marry. In part II, Detective Francesco Ferrari is typically Italian in that he insists upon finishing his lunch before questioning the suspects. My Uncle Darryl is also a laugh riot in his newly out persona.

Which character do you like the least?
Troy Grey in part I has a lot of secrets up his sleeve. In part II, Julian Maverick is the epitome of the arrogant, privileged elite.

How are the stories cozy?
They take place in a quaint bed and breakfast on the beach and in a gorgeous Tuscan villa overlooking olive orchards, vineyards, lemon trees, and rolling hills kissed by the sun.

Will there be more Player novels?
If the spirit (pun intended) moves Freddy.

How can readers get their hands on The Player’s Encore?
The purchase links are below.

Thank you, Andre, for interviewing today.
Andre: I hope everyone will give The Player’s Encore a play. I’m sure, like me, you will fall in love with Freddy and have a great deal of fun trying to solve our mysteries. And Freddy and I love to hear from readers. So go to your magic box and contact Joe at http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com. He tells Freddy and me everything!

BUY the book

30% off discount sale until March 15 release day!

Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

About the Book

Can a man and a ghost be soulmates? When young music teacher Andre Beaufort unleashed the ghost of dapper Roaring Twenties playboy Freddy Birtwistle from his antique player piano, he never imagined they would fall in love and solve two murder mysteries. Now Freddy yearns to visit his family’s beach house in Florida. So, Andre and Freddy embark on a vacation to the stunning home which has become a bed and breakfast. Before Freddy can say “zotched,” a young, mysterious houseboy is murdered, the second hunky houseboy to meet the same fate. Will Andre and Freddy find the murderer to save the inn—and themselves?

A year later, Andre and Freddy venture off on a vacation with Andre’s uncle, an ex-priest, to Tuscany, staying at an inn which happens to have once been Freddy’s old family villa. Before the sun sets golden on the hills, a handsome young guest is murdered. Will Andre and Freddy uncover the secrets of Freddy’s ancestral home, solve the mystery, and find eternal love?

The Player’s Encore, the second installment in the popular Player Piano Mysteries series by Joe Cosentino, includes two cozy mysteries: The Beach House and The Villa.

E-book and Paperback: 216 pages
Language: English
Genre: MM, contemporary, mystery, comedy, romance, paranormal, Key West, Tuscany
Cover Art: Fred Wolinsky
ISBN-13: 9781005956622
ASIN: B08T22P5YV
Release date: March 15, 2021

Excerpt

My head pounded like a drum. My legs slid underneath me like a slide trombone. My arms twitched like an orchestra conductor with a neurological disorder. It was the end of the school year, and I was an exhausted teacher. In my delirious state, I somehow managed to walk the five blocks from the grade school in Hoboken, New Jersey to my apartment building. I thanked the local gym for my powerful arms, legs, and firm bubble butt.

The Art Deco style apartment building was once the home of wealthy playboy Freddy Birtwistle, who inherited the house at age twenty-four after his parents and sister died from influenza. Freddy met his end on his thirtieth birthday in 1935, when a misguided jealous husband shot him. However, that wasn’t really the end for Freddy. After I rescued an old player piano from the basement, my pedaling somehow brought Freddy back to life, or at least his ghost into my apartment. To my surprise, Freddy and I fell in love and solved two murder mysteries together.

Summoning all my strength, I pried open the heavy silver front door, and considered resting in my aunt Nia’s first floor manager’s apartment before going upstairs. After my parents, a French American and an African American, and my baby brother had died in a car accident when I was four, Aunt Nia, my mother’s sister, had become my sole family. However, I assumed Aunt Nia was otherwise engaged with her new husband, the detective. So, I dragged my battle-scarred body up the two flights of stairs.

When I reached the third floor, I thought about knocking on Victor’s door down the hall. Victor had often complained to me about his career—or lack thereof—as an actor, and turnabout is fair play. However, I assumed my best buddy was busy with his new husband, the lawyer. Though I knew everything about Aunt Nia’s husband and Victor’s spouse, my aunt and best friend had no knowledge of Freddy. Having a ghost as a boyfriend isn’t easy to talk about, especially since others can’t see or hear him.

When I finally arrived at apartment 3A, my home for the last six years, I somehow unlocked the door and swung it open. I dropped my bookbag on the narrow table and maneuvered myself across the living room, passing the Gustavian scalloped pedestal and side table, noticing my haggard reflection in the tiered mirror over the screened fireplace. I landed with my back flat on the turquoise chaise opposite two wide armchairs in the balconied bay window.

“You look zozzled.”

“You know I don’t drink, Freddy.”

“Then perhaps you should start on the giggle water.” Freddy walked through the arched doorway of the kitchen, passing the dining alcove, and stood in the living room next to two statues of singers from his Roaring Twenties period. “Did little Marva lose her lunch in a tuba, and did Bobby Jr. place an arrow in his violin bow and stab someone in the eye?”

“That was last week.” My school year flashed before me: screaming children demanding to play rock music instead of learning about Beethoven and Chopin, ogre parents insisting their tone-deaf children will be the next Mozart, overpaid administrators burying me in paperwork and reports.

Freddy sat next to me, placing his large hand on my shoulder. As usual, I shivered from his touch. Though we had been together for two years, Freddy appeared exactly as I had first met him: tall, thin, with black hair parted in the middle and slicked back off his handsome face. “You should have been a dewdropper, Andre.”

Over the past two years, I learned a lot of Freddy’s colorful Roaring Twenties lingo. He was speaking of someone like himself, who lived off his family’s wealth. “I love being a music teacher.” Grinning, I added, “Especially in the summer.”

 Freddy placed his arms around me and rested my head on his lap. I gazed up at the man of my dreams. As always, he looked amazing in the clothing of his era: a pinstriped black suit and vest, white silk shirt, and gray suspenders with matching bow tie and silk pocket handkerchief. He also wore his tantalizingly sexy smile. “Time for a beat session, my love.”

This isn’t what you think. A beat session is Freddy’s jargon for a chat between two men. “I’m too tired,” I whined.

Freddy rubbed my forehead and temples, his long, thin fingers like silk on my skin. “As I once said to my old friend Israel—Irving Berlin to you—after I turned down Israel’s advances in the music room of his manse, ‘When you’re put out because someone won’t put out, it’s time for Puttin’ on the Ritz!’ And the rest is history!”

I sat up and focused on his perfectly proportioned face. “What does that have to do with me feeling exhausted?”

“It’s time for us to put on the Ritz. Dress up. Party. Have a change in scenery.”

I moaned. “I can’t move. The scenery in this apartment is fine with me.”

He placed a warm hand on my cheek. “As my dear friend Mae West once asked me, ‘You want to play in the sand with me and then make some waves?’”

I was lost in his violet eyes, sparkling like jewels. “What do you mean?”

“Andre Beaufort, love of my life, I’m asking you to run away with me to the beach.” Freddy nibbled on what he called my milk chocolate neck, which caused my pants to tighten.

I held his beautiful face in my hands, enjoying the feel of his peaches-and-cream complexion. “Freddy, have you forgotten? You’re a ghost.” For some reason, Freddy’s ghostly status meant I was the only person who could see him, and Freddy was unable to leave his former sitting room, bar, and bedroom—my apartment. Happily for Freddy, I had decided to keep the Art Deco character of the rooms.

Freddy cocked his head at me. “Have you forgotten we went to my country home upstate New York?”

“Because it was turned into a bed and breakfast, and I was able to summon you there via the player piano in my room—your old bedroom.”

“Now you’re in the trolley!” His soft ruby lips covered mine, and I melted into his arms.

In a dreamlike state from his champagne scent, I ran my hands along his broad back as we shared another kiss and then another. Each was deeper, wetter, and more passionate than the one before it. As we parted, I played back in my mind what Freddy had said. A light bulb went off. “Your family had a beach house?”

“Of course.”

I rested my hands on his broad shoulders. “Where?”

His white smile widened. “On Key West in Florida.”

Praise for Joe Cosentino’s Books

“Joe Cosentino has a unique and fabulous gift. His writing is flawless…will have you guessing until the very last page, which makes his books a joy to read. His books are worth their weight in gold, and if you haven’t discovered them yet you are in for a rare treat.” Divine Magazine

“adventure, mystery, and romance with every page….Funny, clever, and sweet.” Urban Book Reviews

“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

“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

“In true Joe Cosentino style…this cast of characters will have you laughing out loud one minute before ripping your heart out the next.” Joyfully Jay Reviews

About Joe

Joe Cosentino was voted Favorite MM Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Author of the Year by the readers of Divine Magazine for Drama Queen, the first Nicky and Noah mystery novel. He is also the author of the remaining Nicky and Noah mysteries: Drama Muscle, Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama Detective, Drama Fraternity, Drama Castle, Drama Dance, Drama Faerie, Drama Runway, Drama Christmas; the Player Piano Mysteries: The Player and The Player’s Encore; the Jana Lane Mysteries: Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, Satin Doll, China Doll, Rag Doll; the Cozzi Cove series: Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back, Moving Forward, Stepping Out, New Beginnings, Happy Endings; the In My Heart Anthology: An Infatuation & A Shooting Star; the Tales from Fairyland Anthology: The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland and Holiday Tales from Fairyland; the Bobby and Paolo Holiday Stories Anthology: A Home for the Holidays, The Perfect Gift, The First Noel; and the Found At Last Anthology: Finding Giorgio and Finding Armando. His books have won numerous Book of the Month awards and Rainbow Award Honorable Mentions. As an actor, Joe appeared in principal roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Jason Robards, and Holland Taylor. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree from Goddard College, Master’s degree from SUNY New Paltz, and is currently a happily married college theatre professor/department chair residing in New York State.

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

Of Scales and Fire by Natalina Reis – with Giveaway!

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Natalina Reis has a new MM gay/bi paranormal/urban fantasy romance out, Of Magic & Scales book two: Of Scales and Fire. And there’s a giveaway!

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About The Book

The cast of supporting characters from Natalina Reis’s “Of Magic and Scales” are back and stronger than ever, and so are the pop culture references and silly jokes Aiden likes so much. As Aiden and his new family are joined by an unexpected antagonist that may yet prove to be their undoing, will their (un)domesticated new life as a couple be turned upside down?

Aiden Mercer’s life has changed dramatically since his days of being a man-whore, where he spent most of the time either running his coffee shop in sunny Portugal or man-watching at the beach. He now has Naël, a cranky merman to love and to hold, and his sister, Vee, and friends to care for. Life is good.

But life never seems to stop surprising the American ex-detective. A mysterious order of monks, a mermen poacher, shocking revelations about his parentage—and whoever is hunting him down—turn Aiden and Naël’s summer into one to remember. Or maybe one they’d rather forget.

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Publisher | Amazon UK | Amazon | Amazon CAN | Amazon AU | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Universal Link | QueeRomance Ink | Smashwords | Goodreads

Giveaway

Natalina is giving away a $20 Amazon gift card with this tour. You can enter via this Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt

It had become a running joke with us—the fact that I had no clue who or what I was. It was painfully obvious I was a magical of some kind, but no one seemed to be able to identify which one. I had lived my whole adult life thinking I was just a Joe Schmo, only to find out that was far from the truth. I was still pretty ambivalent about it. It was nice to have powers other humans could only dream of, but on the other hand, it also meant I was forever linked to a group of creatures I had fought so hard to stay clear of.

I pushed him away, pretending to be mad at him. “Well, I am very poorly acquainted with my own powers, and until I learn how to better control them, I’m not much help to anyone.” I took another quick peek at the couple now walking out the door.

Fouchard slapped me with the kitchen towel. “Those powers were what saved my sister two months ago.” It was true; I had helped rescue his sister from the hands of a serial killer bent on getting rid of all magicals who didn’t fit the traditional mold. My boyfriend took a couple steps until his lips hovered over mine, his heady scent invading all my senses. He was the one who held all the magic. “Stop being so down on yourself and own it. You do with everything else, why not with this too? It’s part of who you are.” True, except I really didn’t know who I was. Fuck, I didn’t even know my own birthday. “Besides, you have magic in those fingers of yours,” he whispered, a wicked smile spreading on his lips. “You’re a true sorcerer with that mouth.” He brushed a thumb along my lower lip. Then he looked down at my crotch and licked his lips. “And other magical parts.” He let it hang as he lifted his eyes to mine. 

Author Bio

Natalina wrote her first romance at the age of 13 in collaboration with her best friend. Since then she has ventured into other genres, but romance is first and foremost in almost everything she writes. She’s the author of We Will Always Have the Closet, Desert Jewel, Loved You Always, and Lavender Fields.

After earning a degree in tourism and foreign languages, she worked as a tourist guide in her native Portugal for a short time before moving to the United States. She lived in three continents and a few islands, and her knack for languages and linguistics led her to a master’s degree in education. She lives in Virginia where she’s taught English as a Second Language to elementary school children for more years than she cares to admit.

Natalina doesn’t believe you can have too many books or too much coffee. Art and dance make her happy and she is pretty sure she could survive on lobster and bananas alone. When she is not writing or stressing over lesson plans, she shares her life with her husband and two adult sons.

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Author Website: https://natalinareis.com/

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/natalina.bell/

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/authornatalinareis

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/TichaB

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reisnatalina/

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14883335.Natalina_Reis

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/natalina-reis/

Author Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com): https://www.limfic.com/mbm-book-author/natalina-reis/

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Natalina-Reis/e/B01ADQ9FJW/

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Jeanne Marcella’s “Through Rain And Missing Mantaurs” – plus giveaway!!

For my first guest of 2021, I’m delighted to welcome Jeanne Marcella, who has a new MM/MMF dark fantasy out: “Through Rain and Missing Mantaurs.” Amazing title! And just to start of 2021 in the right way, there’s a giveaway!

About the Book

Her past is postage due and centaurs are ready to collect.

Through Rain and Missing Mantaurs is a dark fantasy most daring and eccentric. A tale not for the faint of heart. Pony is a bipedal half-breed centaur with no desire to waste tears on a past she can’t remember. She’s busy enough with her mail routes and package deliveries, and of course, floundering through hot-cold love affairs with the high class courtesans Mardyth and Lullaby.

The mundane drudgery of her life shatters when Konstantine Bywater takes over as Lightfoot Delivery’s new boss. He asks questions she can’t possibly answer, and stirs up a tragic past better left dead and buried.

But running away is no longer an option. Not when Kon and his minions accuse Mardyth of an unspeakable crime. With her lover’s life at stake, Pony won’t stop until she uncovers not only the truth of Mardyth’s innocence, but the truth of the past as well.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Angus Robertson | Indigo | Universal Buy Link | Goodreads | Liminal Fiction

Giveaway

Jeanne is giving away a $20 Amazon gift card with this tour. Enter via this link to Rafflecopter 

Excerpt

Chapter 1

Saddle-sweating, horse-humping, gods-cursed bastards! The rumors were true. Shit! Bad luck must be in love with me or something. Maybe it could give Mardyth lessons.

Arms pumping high and heart hammering in her parched throat, Pony pushed to reach her top speed. The rumble of centaur hooves behind her vibrated both earth and air. She absorbed those rumbling shock waves into her svelte, bipedal runner’s body. And knew her two human legs—versus their four equine ones—would not be enough.

Still, she would try.

The sweltering heat weighed heavy. Her ratty brown and tan courier’s tunic clung like a starving tick. Rocks and pebbles further split the threadbare soles of her worn-out boots as she pounded down the rutted road. She grimaced at the sweaty slap of calloused arches sliding around in rotted footwear that could fall apart any day now.

Pony squinted at the onslaught of bright blue sky. Her brain cooked in its own juices as the summer sun withered the forest corridor. Her brown hair slipped from its limp topknot; stray strands plastered her sunburned cheeks. It was almost too hot to breathe. Too dry to live. And the damn fools giving chase wanted to die of heatstroke right alongside her.

As it always did in situations like these, Callum’s unfavorable input surfaced to harass her. Stupid, gods-damned centaurs—worthless scraps of horsemeat to toss to the dogs. Her former guardian’s mantra, though crude and offensive, might hold slivers of truth. It was most certainly stupid to be running full-out in this blistering heat. At any other time, she might’ve been curious about this, her first ever centaur encounter.

Just to say she’d finally met one.

Give a lecture about overexertion in extreme weather.

Maybe engage in some harmless flirting.

To finally decide, once and for all, that Callum was right about them.

Or wrong.

But not when this chase proved that they were hunting for courier blood.

Any courier’s blood.

Keep running. Don’t look back.

She looked back.

Six tall shapes, the merging of man and equine. Hooves kicking up clouds of rising dust. The whip of long, flashing manes. The distance between them shrank with each passing second.

Her mail satchel, empty except for the meager bait of Escape Plan Number Two, bounced against her spine. Slung across her chest and anchored into the strap of her mailbag, a dozen small throwing blades awaited use. The large knife hanging at her hip, anchored at her thigh, allowed slight consolation.

Escape Plan Number One took the form of the few coins she couldn’t spare; the bits of metal jingled in her trouser pocket, muffled by a scrap of cloth.

Your job is to run, but hold strength in reserve. Callum’s voice echoed in the back of her mind. If cornered, kill without hesitation or remorse.

Okay. Good advice. She was good at running. That was all she ever did.

Pony crushed dry cracked lips between her teeth. Escape Plan Number One never failed. But would this tactic work on centaurs?

Wait. She had to revise that. Would Escape Plan Number One work on murderous, marauding centaurs who’d probably noticed she was a half-breed suffering through the last few days of her estrus?

If Callum were alive, he would’ve wagered against her.

Might as well give the plan a go, Horsemeat.

She sensed the distance closing between them. Imagined their hot breath blowing down the back of her neck. Their tall, bizarre forms hovering over her. Their hands tearing at her tunic to confirm the hidden tail braided and wrapped around her waist like a belt…

Pony shook off the terror. No time to panic.

Dipping into her trouser pocket, she pulled out several bronze skull coins and flung them over her shoulder. It was back to rummaging through garbage cans when she got home. The currency thudded along the highway and pinged off rocks. On her old southern routes, tossing money always worked with the undesirables skulking around looking for a mark.

The thundering sound of hooves sped up and deepened. Pony ground her teeth. All right, so they weren’t after money. Not typical highwaymen then. Why couldn’t they be greedy bastards like everyone else?

Escape Plan Number Two.

Reaching into the mailbag, Pony pulled out the four carrots she’d pilfered from the company stables. She glanced at the vegetables, shrugged, and took a bite out of one. Then she proceeded to fling the orange darlings over her shoulder in two-second intervals.

High-pitched squeals of disgust and indignation answered.

Oh well. It’d been worth the try. Maybe they weren’t all animal after all. Or maybe centaurs were fussy eaters. Maybe she should’ve grabbed a salt brick instead. Then she could’ve brained them with it.

Escape Plan Number Three then.

The road continued to bend, the thick forest jutting into her direct line of sight. She darted for the ferns and scrub brush. Towering pines blotted out some of the sun’s glare—for a few seconds she was running blind.

Two centaurs armed with longbows jumped out in front of her. The younger one took aim at her heart.

Horseshit! She was speedy, but not quick enough to outrun a flying projectile. Gulping, she dropped into a slide, feet first. Gravel tore open her calloused palms and ripped holes into the back of her trousers.

Great. Bleeding in several places, and now she had clothes to repair. “Arggh!” She slammed slick fists to the ground. “What’s wrong with you swag-bellied tail-waggers? You’d shoot one of your own?”

Author Bio

Jeanne Marcella writes dramatic, and often character driven fantasy fiction not for the faint of heart. Quests, adventure, danger, and the grit of living are foremost, but relationships and mild romance might also share the pages.

Granted unlimited access to books at a very early age via the library, she quickly acquired a fondness for creating her own stories through word and drawing. She was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Author Website: https://www.aforgeofphoenix.com

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/JeanneMarcellaAuthor

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/aforgeofphoenix

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/AForgeOfPhoenix

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aforgeofphoenix/

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jeannemarcella

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/?s=Jeanne+Marcella

Author Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com): https://www.limfic.com/mbm-book-author/jeanne-marcella/

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jeanne-Marcella/e/B00DGNU5KI/

2020 – the year that killed satire

I was going to say that I couldn’t quite see what clowns and pigs had to do with New Year, but then I reflected again on 2020 and you know what? Never mind. The image fits.

I usually do a post at the end of the year, summing up what’s gone and thinking about what’s coming up. But looking back at 2020… oh boy. The year that kept on giving.

I’m lucky that apart from the inconveniences of lockdown and the emotional toll of not seeing family, we’re all well. We’ve kept ourselves and my mother (who was 89 yesterday) Covid-free. There is a price, of course. The enforced isolation has worsened Mum’s dementia, and hence my own stress, but it’s quite possible that would have happened anyway and dealing with it is part and parcel of a carer’s tasks. I’m just grateful we still have her. So, we’re all fine, but I know people who aren’t,  and I’m sick at heart for those in far greater trouble, emotionally, than I have been. 2020 has been a bitch.

I’ve been mordantly amused throughout the Covid crisis that we measure our civilisation, our very existence, in ways that would have astonished our ancestors. They would have obsessed about finding enough food and water, about sickness and lack of medication, about society and law and order breaking down around them. Twenty-first century Man’s most obsessive, pressing concern when disaster strikes, is a little different. “OMG! Zombie attack! Alien invasion! Meteorite hits Earth! Plague! Breakdown of society! Do I have enough toilet paper?!!”

Hey, you take your amusements where you can, okay? That, and the pleasing reflection that I may have a extra pack or two of loo rolls stored in the garage.

So much of 2020 has been viewed through the Covid-lens. Mankind generally is waiting for the plague to pass, hoping the vaccinations come soon, still worrying about keeping ourselves and our loved ones as safe as we can, washing our hands obsessively, staying six feet away from everyone if we do venture out.

There have been other obsessions. The US election was nail-biting to the end, and with Trump still unwilling to concede and still shouting out his unproven assertions that “I woz robbed!!”, we haven’t reached the end yet. Can’t wait for Inauguration Day when he will be out of power, if not perhaps out of Tweets.

And Brexit. Today is a terrifically sad day for me. The sheer inanity of diminishing ourselves leaves me gasping, but it’s done. In something under six hours, we’ll start the next stage of shooting ourselves in the foot. No point in railing about it. I’ll just do another extra shop for the local foodbank. They’re going to need it.

This year, the slow unravelling of our lives has put a cramp on writing—as for many writers, I suspect. It’s hard to focus when you’re wondering what is going to happen next. I am slowly picking up my writing again, but not m/m romance. It will never be m/m romance again. Because if I had one great epiphany in this year of enforced stillness, it was that I was increasing discomforted over writing about gay men. I will still write LGBT characters into the stories I’m creating, but it won’t be quite the same emphasis. There are plenty of other voices there. The genre won’t miss mine.

So that’s 2020 gone. May the door kick its arse on its way out, and may 2021 be a better year. Fuck knows, it can hardly be a worse one.

Let’s end with a sentiment from another Victorian New Year card, and a wish for the coming year that I hope is the lot of every single one of you.

Be healthy and happy, my friends. Good luck for the coming year.

An Interview with Noah Oliver from Joe Cosentino’s “Drama Christmas”

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I am frankly awed by my friend Joe. He is the hardest worker I know. If I had one tenth of his commitment and energy, I’d have rather more books to my name than I have right now! I’m awed, Joe is awesome.

Today he’s sent along one of his two great characters, Noah Oliver, to sit in the hot seat and answer questions. I have always said that characters take on a life of their own…

An Interview with Noah Oliver

from Joe Cosentino’s Drama Christmas, the eleventh Nicky and Noah mystery/comedy/romance novel

Noah, you are the gay Watson!
I thought Watson was gay.

Congratulations on the release of the eleventh novel in your award-winning and popular Nicky and Noah gay cozy comedy mystery series.
Thank you. Nicky and I are donning our gay apparel and making the yuletide gay.

Since the readers can’t see you, tell them what you look like.
Nicky says I’m tall, with silky golden blond hair, true-blue eyes, milk and honey skin, and a body he loves to hold all night long. Nicky is tall with dark hair and sexy long sideburns, a cleft chin I love to kiss, Roman nose, emerald eyes, and a muscular body thanks to the gym on campus (he calls a masochists’ market). And Nicky has a huge heart. Oh, another of his organs is huge. And that’s just fine with me.

Tell us about Drama Christmas, the eleventh novel in your popular, award-winning series.
In Drama Christmas Nicky directs and play Bob Crotchitch in an original musical version of A Christmas Carol, Call Me Carol, at Treemeadow College. Since I threatened him with divorce and our son Taavi threatened to take a picture of him with bedhead, Nicky cast me as Scrooge’s Nephew Freddy and Taavi as Tiny Tim. Our best friend, Department Chair Martin Anderson, threatened to give us both 8 a.m. classes if Nicky didn’t cast him as Scrooge/Carol and Martin’s husband Ruben Markinson as Marley/Ghost of the Lover of the Past. Martin’s sassy office assistant, Shayla Johnson, said she’d glue our office doors closed if Nicky didn’t cast her as Scrooge’s Housekeeper. Nicky also cast his favorite target, Detective Manuello, as Ghost of the Lover of the Present. Our wacky parents are also along for the bumpy ride. The show proves that every Christmas needs a good Carol. However, more than stockings are hung when hunky chorus members drop like snowflakes. Once again, Nicky and I use our drama skills, including impersonating others, to catch the killer before our Christmas balls get cracked. I know you’ll laugh, cry, feel romantic, and love delving into this crackling mystery with a surprise ending. As Nicky would say, “I’m more excited than a televangelist shopping for a multi-million-dollar compound after pledge week.”

As usual, calamity ensues.
Not only Nicky’s pants are full. He has his hands full as technical dress rehearsals for the show get off to a rocky start, Taavi falls unrequitedly in love, a homeless teenager is found living in the theatre, ensemble members claim their belongings have been stolen, and of course murder and mayhem is magnified. As Nicky would say, “Try saying that three times fast wearing a lip ring.”

Who are the new characters in book eleven?
Assistant Professor of Music Barrett Knight plays the Ghost of the Lover of the Future. Barrett tries to make sweet music with Nicky and me (pun intended). Muscleman Roman Giamani, student set designer, has his design on someone else in the show. He also has a huge…secret. Student costumer Logan Benton and student stage manager Colton Corrigan share their tortured pasts and yearn for a happy future. Hunky ensemble members wealthy Lucas Alencar, ex-hustler Buck La Rue, and diner worker Marc Micklos claim to be straight, but visit gay establishments. Lighting designer student Alec Griffin shines the light on everyone’s antics.

Who was your favorite new character?
Ty Wilde, a thirteen-year-old, tough, homeless boy infiltrates the theatre—and Martin’s heart. When the entire chorus is murdered, Ty steps in as the Waif character and saves the show.

Which new character do you like the least?
Lucas Alencar, who comes from big money. Unfortunately, he spreads rumors not the wealth.

Which new character is the sexiest?
I’ll say violet-eyed, ginger Barrett Knight, but nobody is as sexy as my Nicky.

What makes the Nicky and Noah mystery series so special?
Nicky and me! Actually, it’s a gay cozy mystery comedy series, meaning the setting is warm and cozy, the clues and murders (and laughs) come fast and furious, and there are enough plot twists and turns and a surprise ending to keep the pages turning, as Nicky would say, “faster than a conservative politician taking away workers’ rights.” At the center is the touching relationship between Nicky and me. You watch us go from courting to marrying to adopting a child, all the while head over heels in love with each other. Reviewers called the series “hysterically funny farce,” “Murder She Wrote meets Hart to Hart meets The Hardy Boys,” and “captivating whodunits.” One reviewer wrote they are the funniest books she’s ever read! Another said Joe is “a master storyteller.” Who am I to argue?  Even though Nicky and I tell Joe everything to write.

How are the novels cozy?
Many of them take place in Vermont, a cozy state with green pastures, white church steeples, glowing lakes, and friendly and accepting people. Fictitious Treemeadow College (named after its gay founders, couple Tree and Meadow) is the perfect setting for a cozy mystery with its white Edwardian buildings, low white stone fences, lake and mountain views, and cherry wood offices with tall leather chairs and fireplaces. It’s even more cozy in winter with snow blanketing the campus and surrounding the village.

Why do you think there aren’t many other gay cozy mystery series out there?
Most MM novels are erotica, young adult, dark thrillers, or supernatural. While that’s fine, I think we’re missing a whole spectrum of fiction. In the case of the Nicky and Noah mysteries, they include romance, humor, mystery, adventure, and quaint and loveable characters in uncanny situations. The settings are warm and cozy with lots of hot cocoa by the fireplace. The clues and red herrings are there for the perfect whodunit. So are the plot twists and turns and a surprise ending to keep the pages turning over as Nicky would say, “like an anti-gay politician in the back room of a gay bar during a power outage.” No matter what is thrown in our path, Nicky always end up on top. And that’s just fine with me.

For anyone unfortunate enough not to have read them, tell us a bit about the first ten novels in the series.
I’ll let Joe do that since he wrote them—with our help. Take it away, Joe.

Joe: In Drama Queen (Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award for Favorite LGBT Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Novel of the Year) Nicky directs the school play at Treemeadow College—which is named after its gay founders, Tree and Meadow. Theatre professors drops like stage curtains, and Nicky and Noah have to use their theatre skills, including impersonating other people, to figure out whodunit. In Drama Muscle (Rainbow Award Honorable Mention) Nicky and Noah don their gay Holmes and Watson personas again to find out why bodybuilding students and professors in Nicky’s bodybuilding competition at Treemeadow are dropping faster than barbells. In Drama Cruise it is summer on a ten-day cruise from San Francisco to Alaska and back. Nicky and Noah must figure out why college theatre professors are dropping like life rafts as Nicky directs a murder mystery dinner theatre show onboard ship starring Noah and other college theatre professors from across the US. Complicating matters are their both sets of wacky parents who want to embark on all the activities on and off the boat with the handsome couple. In Drama Luau, Nicky is directing the luau show at the Maui Mist Resort and he and Noah need to figure out why muscular Hawaiian hula dancers are dropping like grass skirts. Their department head/best friend and his husband, Martin and Ruben, are along for the bumpy tropical ride. In Drama Detective (Rainbow Award Honorable Mention), Nicky is directing and ultimately co-starring with his husband Noah as Holmes and Watson in a new musical Sherlock Holmes play at Treemeadow College prior to Broadway. Martin and Ruben, their sassy office assistant Shayla, Nicky’s brother Tony, and Nicky and Noah’s son Taavi are also in the cast. Of course dead bodies begin falling over like hammy actors at a curtain call. Once again Nicky and Noah use their drama skills to figure out who is lowering the street lamps on the actors before the handsome couple get half-baked on Baker Street. In Drama Fraternity, Nicky is directing Tight End Scream Queen, a slasher movie filmed at Treemeadow College’s football fraternity house, co-starring Noah, Taavi, and Martin. Rounding out the cast are members of Treemeadow’s Christian football players’ fraternity along with two hunky screen stars. When the jammer, wide receiver, and more begin fading out with their scenes, Nicky and Noah once again need to use their drama skills to figure out who is sending young hunky actors to the cutting room floor before Nicky and Noah hit the final reel. In Drama Castle (Rainbow Award Honorable Mention), Nicky is directing a historical film co-starring Noah and Taavi at Conall Castle in Scotland: When the Wind Blows Up Your Kilt It’s Time for A Scotch. Adding to the cast are members of the mysterious Conall family who own the castle. When hunky men in kilts topple off the drawbridge and into the mote, it’s up to Nicky and Noah to use their acting skills to figure out whodunit before Nicky and Noah land in the dungeon. In Drama Dance (Rainbow Award Honorable Mention), during rehearsals of The Nutcracker ballet at Treemeadow, muscular dance students and faculty cause more things to rise than the Christmas tree. When cast members drop faster than Christmas balls, Nicky and Noah once again use their drama skills, including impersonating other people, to figure out who is trying to crack the Nutcracker’s nuts, trap the Mouse King, and be cavalier with the Cavalier before Nicky and Noah end up in the Christmas pudding. In Drama Faerie, Nicky and friends are doing a musical production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Treemeadow’s new Globe Theatre. With an all-male, skimpily dressed cast and a love potion gone wild, romance is in the starry night air. When hunky students and faculty in the production drop faster than their tunics and tights, Nicky and Noah use their drama skills to figure out who is taking swordplay to the extreme before Nicky and Noah end up foiled in the forest. In Drama Runway Nicky directs a runway show for the Fashion Department. When sexy male models drop faster than their leather chaps, Nicky and Noah use their drama skills to figure out who is taking the term “a cut male model” literally before Nicky and Noah end up steamed in the wardrobe steamer.

Joe is a college theatre professor/department chair like Martin Anderson in your series. Has that influenced your series, Noah?
As a past professional actor and current college theatre professor/department chair, Joe knows first-hand the wild and wacky antics, sweet romance, and captivating mystery in the worlds of theatre and academia. The Nicky and Noah mysteries are full of them! He never seems to run out of wild characters to write about. His faculty colleagues and students kid him that if any of them tick me off, he’ll kill them in his next book. And he probably will!

What do you like about the regular characters in the series?
I love Nicky’s never give up attitude and sense of humor in the face of adversity. He’s genuinely concerned for others, and he’ll do anything to solve a murder mystery. He’s also a one-man man, and I’m proud to admit that man is me. I make the perfect Watson to his Holmes. I’ll admit I have a large heart and a soft spot (no pun intended) for others. I also enjoy using improvisation to create the wild and wonderful characters for our role plays to catch the murderer. I think it’s terrific how Martin and Ruben throw riotous zingers at each other, but they’re so much in love. You don’t see a lot of older gay characters in books nowadays. Of course Martin’s administrative assistant, Shayla, thrives on her one-upmanship with Martin, and he thrives right back.

How about your parents?
I love my mother’s fixation with taking pictures of everything, and my father’s fascination with seeing movies. I also love how my father is an amateur sleuth like Nicky. As they say, men marry their fathers. Nicky’s parents’ goal to feed everyone and protect their children is heartwarming. His mom’s gambling addiction is also a riot. Both sets of parents fully embrace their sons and their sons’ family, which is refreshing.

I’m sure Joe has been told that the books would make a terrific TV series.
Many, many times. Rather than Logo showing reruns of Golden Girls around the clock, and Bravo airing so called reality shows, I would love to see them do The Nicky and Noah Mysteries. Come on, TV producers, make your offers! Joe has written a teleplay of the first novel and treatments for the remaining novels!

Tell us about Joe’s other mystery series, the Jana Lane mysteries published by The Wild Rose Press.
Nicky and I aren’t in them. So take it away again, Joe.

Joe: 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 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. In Porcelain Doll Jana makes a comeback film and uncovers who is being murdered on the set and why. In Satin Doll 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. In China Doll Jana heads to New York City to star in a Broadway play, faced with murder on stage and off. In Rag Doll Jana stars in a television mystery series and life imitates art. 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.

And how about Joe’s New Jersey beach series?
Nicky and I aren’t in those either. So you’re on again, Joe.

Joe: A reviewer compared them to Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City books. I was incredibly humbled and flattered. I love those books, and they are incredibly cinematic (hint-producers)! They are: Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back, Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward, Cozzi Cove: Stepping Out, Cozzi Cove: New Beginnings, and Cozzi Cove: Happy Endings. The series (NineStar Press) is about handsome Cal Cozzi’s gay beach resort on a gorgeous cove. I spent my summers as a kid on the Jersey Shore, so it’s a special place for me. The first novel was a Favorite Book of the Month on The TBR Pile site and won a Rainbow Award Honorable Mention. I love the intertwining stories of Cal and his family and the guests as Cozzi Cove, each so full of surprises. Cozzi Cove is a place where nothing is what it seems, anything can happen, and romance is everywhere. Some reviewers have called it a gay Fantasy Island.

What’s next for Joe?
Joe has a new cozy mystery series, The Player Piano Mysteries. Book 2, The Player’s Encore, releases March 15, 2021. The Player Piano Mysteries take his mystery writing into the supernatural world since the sleuth, dapper Freddy Birtwistle from the Roaring Twenties, is a ghost! But Nicky and I aren’t in them.

How can your readers get their hands on Drama Christmas, and how can they contact you?
The purchase links are below, as are Joe’s contact links, including his web site. Nicky and I love to hear from readers via Joe! He tells us everything you say about us!

Thank you, Noah, for interviewing today.
My pleasure. As Nicky would say, “I’m happier than a priest at altar boy training.” It is my great thrill, joy, and pleasure to share this eleventh novel in our series with you. So take your seats. The stage lights are coming up on an infamous miser, Victorian lovers of the past, present, and future, a not so Tiny Tim, and murder!

DRAMA CHRISTMAS

Amazon | Smashwords | B&N | Kobo

It’s winter holiday time at Treemeadow College, and Theatre Professor Nicky Abbondanza, his husband Theatre Associate Professor Noah Oliver, their son Taavi, and best friends Martin and Ruben are donning their gay apparel in a musical version of Scrooge’s A Christmas Carol, entitled Call Me Carol! More than stockings are hung when hunky chorus members drop like snowflakes. Once again, our favorite thespians will need to use their drama skills to catch the killer and make the yuletide gay before their Christmas balls get cracked. You will be applauding and shouting Bravo for Joe Cosentino’s fast-paced, side-splittingly funny, edge-of-your-seat entertaining eleventh novel in this delightful series. Take your seats. The stage lights are coming up on an infamous miser, S&M savvy ghost, Victorian lovers of the past, present, and future, a not so Tiny Tim, and murder!

E-book and Paperback: 193 pages
Language: English
Genre: MM, contemporary, mystery, comedy, romance, winter holiday, drama, academia
Cover Art: Jesús Da Silva
Release date: December 1, 2020

Excerpt

Noah placed his handmade cyan quilt blanket over us, and we snuggled by the fire. “Are you relieved the first day of tech week is over?”

I snickered. “I’ll be more relieved on opening night.”

“Everyone is good in their role. The ensemble is quite strong. And the student designers are doing a fantastic job. Not to mention keeping the budget down.”

I couldn’t disagree. “Still, it’s a strange group.”

Noah did a doubletake. “Stranger than usual?”

I kissed his sweet shoulder. “Logan, our student costumer, is somewhat of a voyeur.”

“Really?”

“I caught him gaping at the entrance to the ensemble men’s dressing room.”

“What did you do?”

“I diplomatically asked him to have the actors come to the costume shop to pick up their costumes, rather than his delivering them to the dressing rooms.”

“Good idea.”

“Logan’s a sweet kid and a gifted costume designer. He learned from his mother, who designed clothing back in the Philippines.” I sighed. “The poor guy had a rough childhood being beaten up by bullies in school, but he kept right on designing and making their girlfriends’ clothes.”

“Bully for him.”

No pun intended.

“The teachers, administrators, and even the police evidently looked the other way when Logan was bashed.”

“How sad.” Noah kissed my cheek. “I saw Logan talking to Colton Corrigan. I wonder if there’s something between them?”

“Yeah. Colton’s camera. He was interviewing Logan for Colton’s vlog.”

“Colton’s a good student stage manager.”

“When he isn’t interviewing people. That camera has become one of his appendages. I hope he concentrates on calling the cues in the show.”

“He will.” Thinking positively, Noah said, “Roman Giamani did a wonderful job with the set design.”

“When the projectors work, and when Roman isn’t tearing into Barrett Knight for not casting him in the ensemble.”

“But we all agreed with Barrett that Roman should be student set designer.”

I groaned. “And now I feel like we’re making a movie instead of a stage musical.”

Noah waved my concerns away. “The sets look terrific. We just need some rehearsal with it.” His baby blue eyes begged for affection. “Speaking of Barrett, are you upset with me for inviting him to dinner again tomorrow night?”

“No, Barrett’s great.” I lay back and rested Noah’s head on my chest. “He’s a terrific Ghost of the Lover of the Future, gifted musical director, versatile musician, fine teacher, and a really nice guy. It’s a shame Lucas Alencar told the dean Barrett cancelled so many classes this semester.”

Noah nodded. “Why do you think Lucas did it?”

“I overheard the ensemble boys talking about it in their dressing room.”

Noah rose on one elbow. “What were you doing there?”

“Eavesdropping. Lucas ratted on Barrett to the dean for his pal Buck La Rue, who evidently covets Barrett’s role as the Ghost of Scrooge’s Lover of the Future. Lucas also told the dean about his other buddy in the ensemble, Marc Micklos, who plagiarized Lucas’s final paper for a psychology class. Since Marc has his eye on Lucas’s job as choreographer, it might have been a warning to Marc.”

“What did the dean do?”

“If Marc is to be believed, she had a romp with him and buried the whole thing.” No pun intended.

Noah’s jaw dropped open. “Do you believe Marc?”

I shrugged, and Noah’s head bobbed up.

“Shouldn’t we tell someone?”

“Let’s stay out of it for now. It could just be the boasting of a ‘straight’ young man. Besides, I think there’s more to this than meets the eye.”

My Watson perked up. “What do you mean?”

“Lucas, Buck, and Marc say they’re best friends. But they don’t act like it. And their backgrounds seem so different.”

“How so?”

“Lucas Alencar comes from a wealthy North Carolina tobacco family, complete with a female porn star mistress on the side for daddy Alencar. Buck La Rue left his humble beginnings in Louisiana to become a male escort—for wealthy women. Marc Micklos, Lucas’s roommate, worked in his parents’ Greek diner in New Jersey.”

“That’s quite a character breakdown.”

I sat up yoga style. “But the oddest thing is Lucas dated Ivy Donovan from the female ensemble, and Marc Micklos sees Holly Patton—Ivy’s roommate.”

“I admit it’s an anomaly for straight men to be chorus boys, but it’s not unheard of.”

I tented my fingers. “Except that Lucas attended a gay bar, Buck works out at a gay gym, and Marc booked a trip at a gay travel agency.”

My Watson asked, “Do you think Lucas, Marc, and Buck are gay-friendly straight guys, bi, closet gays, gay-for-pay hustlers?”

Rubbing my chin, I replied, “I’m not sure.” As Noah and I rested in each other’s arms, I thought about our quarreling cast and crew, wondering which one of them would be murdered first.

Praise for the Nicky and Noah mysteries:

“Joe Cosentino has a unique and fabulous gift. His writing is flawless, and his use of farce, along with his convoluted plot-lines, will have you guessing until the very last page, which makes his books a joy to read. His books are worth their weight in gold, and if you haven’t discovered them yet you are in for a rare treat.” Divine Magazine

“a combination of Laurel and Hardy mixed with Hitchcock and Murder She Wrote…

Loaded with puns and one-liners…Right to the end, you are kept guessing, and the conclusion still has a surprise in store for you.” “the best modern Sherlock and Watson in books today…I highly recommend this book and the entire series, it’s a pure pleasure, full of fun and love, written with talent and brio…fabulous…brilliant” Optimumm Book Reviews

“adventure, mystery, and romance with every page….Funny, clever, and sweet….I can’t find anything not to love about this series….This read had me laughing and falling in love….Nicky and Noah are my favorite gay couple.” Urban Book Reviews

“For fans of Joe Cosentino’s hilarious mysteries, this is another vintage story with more cheeky asides and sub plots right left and centre….The story is fast paced, funny and sassy. The writing is very witty with lots of tongue-in-cheek humour….Highly recommended.” Boy Meets Boy Reviews

“Every entry of the Nicky and Noah mystery series is rife with intrigue, calamity, and hilarity…Cosentino keeps us guessing – and laughing – until the end, as well as leaving us breathlessly anticipating the next Nicky and Noah thriller.” Edge Media Network

“A laugh and a murder, done in the style we have all come to love….This had me from the first paragraph….Another wonderful story with characters you know and love!” Crystals Many Reviewers

“These two are so entertaining….Their tactics in finding clues and the crazy funny interactions between characters keeps the pages turning. For most of the book if I wasn’t laughing I was grinning.” Jo and Isa Love Books

“Superb fun from start to finish, for me this series gets stronger with every book and that’s saying something because the benchmark was set so very high with book 1.” Three Books Over the Rainbow

“The Nicky and Noah Mysteries series are perfect for fans of the Cozy Mystery sub-genre. They mix tongue-in-cheek humor, over-the-top characters, a wee bit of political commentary, and suspense into a sweet little mystery solved by Nicky and Noah, theatre professors for whom all the world’s a stage.” Prism Book Alliance

“This is one hilarious series with a heart and it just keeps getting better. I highly recommend them all, and please read them in the order they were written for full blown laugh out loud reading pleasure!” Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

About Joe

Joe Cosentino was voted Favorite MM Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Author of the Year by the readers of Divine Magazine for Drama Queen, the first Nicky and Noah mystery novel. He is also the author of the remaining Nicky and Noah mysteries: Drama Muscle, Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama Detective, Drama Fraternity, Drama Castle, Drama Dance, Drama Faerie, Drama Runway, Drama Christmas; the Player Piano Mysteries: The Player and The Player’s Encore; the Jana Lane Mysteries: Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, Satin Doll, China Doll, Rag Doll; the Cozzi Cove series: Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back, Moving Forward, Stepping Out, New Beginnings, Happy Endings; the In My Heart Anthology: An Infatuation & A Shooting Star; the Tales from Fairyland Anthology: The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland and Holiday Tales from Fairyland; the Bobby and Paolo Holiday Stories Anthology: A Home for the Holidays, The Perfect Gift, The First Noel; and the Found At Last Anthology: Finding Giorgio and Finding Armando. His books have won numerous Book of the Month awards and Rainbow Award Honorable Mentions. As an actor, Joe appeared in principal roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Jason Robards, and Holland Taylor. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree from Goddard College, Master’s degree from SUNY New Paltz, and is currently a happily married college theatre professor/department chair residing in New York State. http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com

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

Anne Barwell is “Shadowboxing”…

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I am thrilled to welcome Anne Barwell to the website today. Anne is one of the stalwarts in our genre, someone who not only writes brilliantly, but who supports other writers without stint, not only through helping them promote their books, but by providing reviews and recommendations to help readers find new authors. Hosting Anne here to today to talk about her re-release of Shadowboxing–she’s written a short piece below, which has me smiling in wry amusement as I recognise how my own characters behave!– is a small ‘thank you!’ for everything she has done for her fellow writers.

About Shadowboxing
Echoes Rising, Book 1

Complete their mission or lose everything.

Berlin, 1943

An encounter with an old friend leaves German physicist Dr Kristopher Lehrer with doubts about his work. But when he confronts his superior, everything goes horribly wrong. Suddenly Kristopher and Michel, a member of the Resistance, are on the run, hunted for treason and a murder they did not commit. If they’re caught, Kristopher’s knowledge could be used to build a terrible weapon that could win the war.

For the team sent by the Allies—led by Captain Bryant, Sergeant Lowe, and Dr Zhou—a simple mission escalates into a deadly game against the Gestapo, with Dr Lehrer as the ultimate prize. But in enemy territory, surviving and completing their mission will test their strengths and loyalties and prove more complex than they ever imagined.

Author’s note: This is the third edition of Shadowboxing. The first and second editions were released by another publishing house.  This story has been re-edited, and uses UK spelling to reflect its setting.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LCRT1ZZ

Ain’t Misbehavin’

Thanks for hosting me today.  I’m excited to be re-releasing this series, and having it back out in the world. 

The title of this post is taken from a song title, which is also the title of a mini-series I enjoyed about two musicians during WWII.

Shadowboxing, the first book in my WWII Echoes Rising series, sticks in my mind as one of my earliest stories in which I disagreed with a character as to which way a particular scene should go.  As I write a new story or series, I often get to know the characters as the story progresses.  While I make notes of their descriptions and backgrounds before I start writing, their personalities are not always how I imagined them.  Although I have a bullet pointed storyline in place, I’m also aware of the need for it to be flexible.

I started work on Shadowboxing over ten years ago, and it soon morphed from one book into a three book series, and the characters began to ‘do their own thing.’  I got to a certain crucial part of the storyline and decided one of the character’s next course of action needed to be such and such. Said character wasn’t having a bar of it. I argued and said oh yes he was. Short story is that Shadowboxing came to a grinding halt and no writing was done until I changed my mind grudgingly and wrote the scene the way he wanted it. In hindsight it worked much better the way it was finally written, and meshed much better with his character—not just who he was then, but who he has become over the course of the next two books.

It’s the last time I’ve ever argued with a character. Now I just go with the flow. I’ve had characters not only change short scenes which impact the rest of the story, but totally detour the plot along the way.  This series is particularly bad for this kind of thing. At first Kristopher was the culprit, then Michel joined in during Winter Duet—book 2.  In Comes a Horseman—book 3—Matt not only derailed the plot but introduced a character who wasn’t in the outline yet ended up playing a crucial part in the rest of the story. Still, it’s better than the 10K detour that took place in Winter Duet.  Or perhaps it’s just not quite as obvious.

I get strange looks and comments from non-writers when I mention characters taking over, yet I’ve talked to a lot of writers who have characters who don’t behave either. I’m not sure whether it’s reassuring or not to know I’m not alone in this.

Taking a step back, I think it’s because as I write, the characters become very real. I’ve found when a scene is flowing well, it feels as though I’m taking dictation. I have a habit of speaking aloud what I’m typing as I write, and often when this kind of inspiration hits, I have to type faster to keep up.  Perhaps it’s a part of my subconscious exerting its creativity? I kind of like the idea of the characters misbehaving. Or as they put it, they “Ain’t Misbehavin’”.

Apart from a good plot, it is the characters who suck me into a book when I read. One of my favourite things about writing is getting to know the characters who take life through my stories.  Occasionally I fool myself into thinking I know them well, and then something will happen in the story that throws me. It’s usually something that makes for a better story too.

Anne

Excerpt

This was his chance to put things right, to make sure the project did not go further. He hurriedly shoved the file back into the case and then froze. What exactly was he going to do? Only one complete copy existed as far as he knew, but he wasn’t certain if the Nazis were aware he was capable of replicating the information. He would have to destroy the file, then disappear.

That wasn’t going to be easy. The Nazis had spies everywhere, and he did not know anyone who would help him. He wouldn’t ask Clara, nor would he consider death as an option. He couldn’t do that to her, not after she’d spent so much of her energy taking care of him. Someone had to get the information about this device out to the rest of the world. He had helped to create it. He would make sure the project was only ever used for the benefit of all mankind, but where the hell was he supposed to find the people he needed to ensure that happened? How could he trust anyone now, let alone convince them to trust him?

Click.

Kristopher turned. The office door was opening. In one fluid movement he gripped the briefcase firmly beneath one arm and bent to retrieve a piece of broken glass, holding the jagged edge in front of him in a feeble attempt to defend himself.

The newcomer took in the situation at a glance, one eyebrow raised in an unspoken question. His eyes flickered onto what had once been Kluge, then back to Kristopher, and finally came to rest on his precious cargo, the briefcase containing the culmination of a dream now better described as a never-ending nightmare.

Kristopher debated for all of a second the chances of his success if he tackled the man head-on, then decided against it. Apart from the extra height, Schmitz’s uniform probably disguised a well-developed physique. He also had the advantage of military training and the gun he held. Kristopher’s opponent possessed some degree of intelligence. That much was obvious by the inquiring look on his face and the way his eyes seemed to penetrate Kristopher’s, searching for an answer. For an instant, Kristopher was sure he glimpsed a depth to those eyes, and the man behind them. He edged back a step, taking comfort in the solidity of the desk digging into the small of his back, the sensation grounding him while he attempted to place the pieces of the puzzle together.

How much had Schmitz seen? His expression did not reveal anything.

If Kristopher surrendered now, everything would be over, and the Nazis would win. He wouldn’t give up, no matter what the odds. He gripped the glass fragment tightly, ignoring the sharp pain as the rough edges scratched against his palm, the red liquid seeping into his shirt cuff already stained with the blood he’d earlier unsuccessfully attempted to stanch. He took a step closer, trying to look menacing, fully aware that on a scale of one to ten he wasn’t achieving even a one.

They stood staring at each other, or rather Kristopher stood staring. Schmitz leaned back casually against the door without shifting his gaze. After a few moments with Kristopher’s ragged breathing the only audible sound in the room, the Obergefreiter pulled himself to attention and took a step forward. He lowered his gun and placed it in its holster before holding out his hand for Kristopher’s makeshift weapon.

“Herr Dr Lehrer,” he said softly, the tone of his voice low, an expression of disbelief fleeting over his features. “You’re one of the most brilliant minds in this institution, and yet this is the extent of your plan?”

About Anne



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Anne Barwell lives in Wellington, New Zealand.  She shares her home with Kaylee: a cat with “tortitude” who is convinced that the house is run to suit her; this is an ongoing “discussion,” and to date, it appears as though Kaylee may be winning.

In 2008, Anne completed her conjoint BA in English Literature and Music/Bachelor of Teaching. She has worked as a music teacher, a primary school teacher, and now works in a library. She is a member of the Upper Hutt Science Fiction Club and plays violin for Hutt Valley Orchestra.

She is an avid reader across a wide range of genres and a watcher of far too many TV series and movies, although it can be argued that there is no such thing as “too many.” These, of course, are best enjoyed with a decent cup of tea and further the continuing argument that the concept of “spare time” is really just a myth. She also hosts and reviews for other authors, and writes monthly blog posts for Love Bytes.  She is the co-founder of the New Zealand Rainbow Romance writers, and a member of RWNZ.

Anne’s books have received honourable mentions five times, reached the finals four times—one of which was for best gay book—and been a runner up in the Rainbow Awards.  She has also been nominated twice in the Goodreads M/M Romance Reader’s Choice Awards—once for Best Fantasy, once for Best Historical, and once for All-Time Favourite M/M Author.

Website & Blog—Drops of Ink | Facebook | Facebook group | Twitter | Goodreads | Bookbub | Queeromance Ink Author Page                        

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Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus’s PV-3 Mutagen

Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus have a new sci fi/space opera book out, Virasana Empire: Dr. Laurent Book 1: “The PV-3 Mutagen.”

About the Book

As a history scholar and courier for the secretive Circle of Thales, Rene Laurent is a man of many talents – none of them lending themselves much to a life of adventure.

But when a chance meeting with a young, idealistic Belligra priest drags him into a wild quest to keep a dangerous mutagen off the streets of Floor, his curiosity gets the better of him. Between monsters both human and man-made, he realises that maybe fieldwork is more of his game than he had ever thought possible…

Written by Rainbow-Award-winning authors Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus, ‘The PV-3 Mutagen’ is a colourful non-romance sci-fi adventure set in the wildly diverse ‘Virasana Empire’, and the first novel of the ‘Doctor Laurent’ series.

Warnings: Not a romance. Harsh setting, but hopeful.

Author Name: Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus

Publisher: Self

Release Date: Thursday, October 15 2020

Format: Paperback, eBook

ISBN: 9798674616719

ASN: B08F1ZKYRD

Price: 2.99

Story Type: Novel  101k

Cover Artist: Anna Tiferet Sikorska

Genres: Science Fiction, Adventure, Space Opera, Hopepunk, Coming of Age

LGBTQ+ Identities: Gay, Pan

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Excerpt

Chapter 1 – Info Brokers

There were five of them. At least, five that Rene was aware of.

He had spotted the three following him when he took the escalator to the bottom floor of the mall. He had originally planned to take the tube train to Cherry Hills, but instead he turned into the access tunnel that led up to the street, trying to shake them off. Judging by the two who were now cutting him off just ahead, that had been a bad idea. The tunnel they were in was sufficiently removed from the cheap glitz of the mall to be only dimly lit, and the only other person here was a woman pushing a shopping cart, purposefully hurrying away from the developing confrontation.

A quick look around showed Rene there weren’t any convenient emergency doors he could slip through, either. He was in trouble.

At least, they didn’t seem to be professional mercenaries, just some gangers, though they moved with too much purpose to be out simply to mug him. And no ganger deserving of their colours would mug a scruffy street rat like him, anyway. To them, he had to look like he didn’t have anything worth the trouble, as much a carefully crafted facade as laziness – he liked his comfortable rags a lot, thank you very much. So what did these particular thugs want from him?

And more importantly, how to get rid of them?

He was well aware that he didn’t stand a chance against them in a fight. Combat skills were at the bottom of the list of things he was interested in. Also, the mall was too cheap to have any sort of camera surveillance. It didn’t even have security guards though Rene doubted any would have come running if they had existed. He wasn’t a valued customer, and as long as the gangers didn’t make too much of a mess, no one would care.

The best course of action seemed to be to play the helpless victim and let them rough him up a little. It wasn’t like they would manage to inflict any lasting damage, anyway.

He had come to that conclusion when one of the thugs, whom Rene mentally labelled their ‘leader’, shoved him against the wall.

Rene turned to face them, clutching the stack of folders he was carrying to his chest protectively, trying to present a credible picture of being scared. The other thugs had formed a semicircle around him and their boss. Judging by the nasty grins of his ambushers, it wasn’t very hard to fool them.

“Gimme that,” the leader snarled and grabbed the folders.

They held the weekly update on the topside situation in this sector of Floor. Nothing too important, and certainly not irreplaceable. Rene had picked them up a few minutes ago at the office of the info broker the Circle of Thales was currently employing. He congratulated himself on not yet having picked up the datacrystal with the off-planet reports from the Beetle Shack under Cherry Hills. He had planned to do that on the way back down before having a lunch of lava beetle while he was there.

He let go of the folders with a strangled whine and cowered.

“Hank’s Beehive is off-limits,” the leader sneered, “didn’t you get the memo? He is about to shut down.”

So that was what this was all about. The info broker Rene had just visited had been in a turf war with another info broker two malls down the street for a while, but apparently, things were heating up. Not something he cared to get involved in even though Hank was a decent guy. Well, make that a decent guy for Floor.

“Can’t have that idiot handing out charity, can we? Not the Floorian thing to do, eh?” The leader clearly wasn’t expecting an answer as he rammed his fist into Rene’s stomach.

The punch drove the air out of his lungs and hurt like a bitch. Or rather, it hurt for the few seconds it took his body to repair the damage. Rene crumpled to the ground in a heap. If he looked sufficiently hurt, they would hopefully leave him alone quickly. And not search him. If they tried to take his phone, he would have to do something, though he admittedly had no idea what.

“You understand me, little shit? You stay away from now on!”

“Hey! Stop that!”

A voice ringing out loud and clear in the narrow tunnel rudely interrupted the leader’s little speech.

Rene glanced up through his long hair hanging in his face and did a double-take. The tunnel leading back towards the mall was almost filled out by a tall figure in heavy, plate armour, wielding both a broadsword and a fucking tower shield so large he could completely hide behind it. The symbol on his surcoat and shield was unmistakable – Temple Belligra, the Fist of the Church. It was about the last faction Rene wanted to have get involved in this minor scuffle.

Priests were infamous for poking their noses where they didn’t belong. Luckily, they were rare on Floor. Yes, they had a few Verata, but they mostly remained inside their Fort Phosphoros Monastery. The occasional Jansahar only paid attention to the local flock who worshipped at the small shrines they kept all over the planet. Both groups were easy enough to evade for someone who didn’t need supernaturally talented people scanning them and finding out they were an unregistered psion.

But seriously, a Belligra? There were no faithful in need of protection here on Floor, mostly because there were no faithful here. Floor prided itself with being the most secular planet of the empire, and it was a reputation hard-won.

But apparently, this particular Belligra was set on rescuing him.

Author Bio

We are Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus, a couple currently living our happily ever after in the very heart of Germany, under the stern but loving surveillance of our cat.

Both of us are voracious but picky readers, we love telling stories and drinking tea, good food and the occasional violent movie. Together, we write novels of adventure and romance, hoping to share a little of our happiness with our readers.

An artist by heart, Beryll was writing stories even before she knew what letters were. As easily inspired as she is frustrated, her own work is never good enough (in her eyes). A perfectionist in the best and worst sense of the word at the same time and the driving creative force of our duo.

An entertainer and craftsman in his approach to writing, Osiris is the down-to-earth, practical part of our duo. Broadly interested in almost every subject and skill, with a sunny mood and caring personality, he strives to bring the human nature into focus of each of his stories.

Author Website: http://www.brackhaus.com/

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