Valentine's Day Author guest post & #giveaway with Cozy Mystery Author Joe Cosentino @JoeCosen @TTCBooksandmore

Hello everyone, Happy Valentine's day! We've got a special treat for you today. Cat and I have decided to start featuring more than just reviews on the blog and are beginning that venture with a new Author of the Month spotlight. We're starting off with our friend, Cozy mystery Author, Joe Cosentino. Joe has kindly offered up an amazing guest post and a nice little giveaway is included. Let's start with Cat's reviews of book 6 & 7 in Joe's Nicky and Noah Mysteries series, she recently listened to the Audio's and loved them. 

Drama Fraternity

Nicky and Noah Mysteries book 6

Theatre professor Nicky Abbondanza is directing Tight End Scream Queen, a slasher movie filmed at Treemeadow College’s football fraternity house, co-starring his spouse and theatre professor colleague, Noah Oliver.

When young hunky cast members begin fading out with their scenes, Nicky and Noah will once again need to use their drama skills to figure out who is sending the quarterback, jammer, wide receiver, and more to the cutting room floor before Nicky and Noah hit the final reel.

You will be applauding and shouting "bravo" for Joe Cosentino’s fast-paced, side-splittingly funny, edge-of-your-seat entertaining sixth novel in this delightful series. Lights, camera, action, frat house murders!

Buy link: Audible 

Cat Gives this Audio 5 Meows overall... 

This is the 6th book in the series, and they do stand alone pretty well, but it’s best to read in order to really know the depth of all the characters. 

This is another interesting Cozy RomCom. It’s fast paced, full of action and endearing characters. The plot is funny and there are plenty twists with a surprise ending. 

I loved these books but the narrator really adds a lot to the story. He acts it out well giving character to each voice, adds the necessary excitement and drama. I really enjoy the listen.  

Drama Castle 

Nicky and Noah Mysteries book 7

Theater professor Nicky Abbondanza is directing a historical film at a castle in Scotland, co-starring his spouse, theater professor Noah Oliver, and their son Taavi. When historical accuracy disappears, along with hunky men in kilts, Nicky and Noah will once again need to use their drama skills to figure out who is pitching residents of Conall Castle off the drawbridge and into the moat - before Nicky and Noah land in the dungeon. 

You will be applauding and shouting bravo for Joe Cosentino’s fast-paced, side-splittingly funny, edge-of-your-seat entertaining seventh novel in this delightful series. Take your seats. The curtain is going up on steep cliffs, ancient turrets, stormy seas, misty moors, manly men, malfunctioning kilts, and murder!

Buy Link: Audible

Cat gives this Audio 5 Meows overall...

Nicky and Noah are back in yet another fun mystery. This time they are taking a working vacation in Scotland to film a low (no) budget movie in a week. As usual, bodies start dropping and Nicky is out to find out the murderer. We have a new investigator and his colleague this time around, a bumbling Chief inspector and his love-struck partner. The cast of characters (pun intended is vast) at least until they begin dying off. Are Sidhe Fairies, Leprechauns, Seers, Sea monsters real? I'll never tell!

There are so many wonderful characters, lots of twists and turns, a very surprising revelation, and many laughs. If you like a good, funny cozy mystery, established couples, sweet romance, cute kids and an all-over fun book to chase away the blues, this book is for you. 

I just listened to this on audio and loved everything about the narration, it adds so much life to an already good book. The narrator gives it so much emotion, each character different voices. If you can get this series in audio I highly suggest you do. 

Valentine’s Day Author Spotlight: Joe Cosentino

Don’t you just love Valentine’s Day? The red heart decorations, the spirit of love in the air, the scent of chocolate, and cozy candlelight dinners by the fireplace? Not to mention spotting cute little Cupid who I’m convinced is gay. What straight man would fly around in a brief spreading romance everywhere he goes? (smile) 

I’m author Joe Cosentino, winner of the Divine Magazine Readers’ Poll for Favorite LGBT Mystery Author of the Year with Drama Queen and Second Place Favorite LGBT Romance Author of the Year with An Infatuation. I’ve written 31 novels so far, causing my mother to ask me, “Don’t you have anything better to do than write novels?” Hm, I wonder if Nora Roberts’s mother asked her that? I’m also a college theatre professor/department chair. Finally, as an actor, I worked in film, television, and theatre with stars like Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Jason Robards, Nathan Lane, and Holland Taylor.

Since I’ve always enjoyed the spotlight, I was excited when the gifted and talented TM Smith asked me to do the first Author Spotlight on this blog. Why am I writing about Valentine’s Day? I have a wonderful husband who I love madly. We’ve been together forty-four years. (We met when I was 5—smile). However, my marriage isn’t the real reason. My most powerful love affair is with the characters in my books. So, I thought I would give you a little rundown on my favorite romantic characters and why I love them so much. I hope you do too.

In my Nicky and Noah mysteries, college theatre professors/amateur sleuths Nicky and Noah are madly in love. All the world’s a stage for them, and they’re happiest when sharing that stage together, along with their adopted son Taavi and their theatrical troupe of friends, as they solve murder mysteries. Nicky is tall, muscular, with dark hair and green eyes, long sideburns, and an adorable cleft in his chin. There’s one other small thing. Actually, it’s not so small. To the admiration of the men at his gym, horror of his tailor, and joy of his husband, Nicky has a foot long penis. But that’s not why I adore Nicky so much. Nicky has a great sense of humor, kind heart, the sharp mind of an amateur sleuth, a never-say-die attitude, and he is incredibly loyal to Noah. As Nicky would say, “Being married to Noah makes me happier than a family values politician tapping his foot in a public men’s room stall.”

In my Player Piano mysteries, Andre, a young elementary school music teacher, finds an antique player piano and unleashes the ghost of a tantalizing wealthy 1920’s playboy. This leads to an other-worldly romance as the couple solves murder mysteries in exotic locations. Ghost Freddie Birtwistle is thirty, tall, and lean with slicked-back jet-black hair, violet eyes, high cheekbones, a thin nose, and rosy cheeks. As a man of wealth in the Roaring Twenties, he wears a pinstriped black suit and vest, white silk shirt, and black patent leather shoes with white spats. I love Freddie because he has a joyous bon vivant personality, and he seems to have known every celebrity of the Roaring Twenties including Cole Porter (who wrote “You’re the Top” about Freddie), Irving Berlin (who wrote “I Got Rhythm” about Freddie), J. Edgar Hoover (in drag), and Mae West who said about Freddie’s height, “Never mind about the six feet. Let’s talk about the seven inches.” However, Freddie didn’t find true love until he met Andre. As Freddie says, “Andre is a lalapazaza!”

Nothing is what it seems at Cozzi Cove, a gay beach resort on a gorgeous cove at the New Jersey shore, where love is always in the sea air for guests. Cozzi Cove is run by ex-football player Cal Cozzi, handsome, rugged, smart, and a terrific host. I admire Cal for maintaining the family business, his loyalty to his sister, and for being a one-man man with the love of his life, Michael Rodgers. I also really like Cal’s sense of extended family and honor. As Cal says, “Cozzi Cove is in my veins like sea water.” There’s no place like home with Cal Cozzi.

In My Heart features two coming of age stories in retrospect, proving first love is the most touching, meaningful, and vibrant love we experience. In An Infatuation cute Harold High has an all-encompassing crush on handsome and muscular high school football player Mario Ginnetti. When Harold is called to tutor Mario, they become unlikely friends and form a strong bond. I really admire Harold’s resilience, honesty, intelligence, wit, and ability to keep going in trying situations. Even when his heart is broken, Harold’s spirit always stays intact. Harold’s honesty about his teenage infatuation with Mario makes me adore him. In A Shooting Star college student Jonathan Bello falls head over heels for the college theatre department’s handsome and charismatic star David Star. Who could resist David with his long dark hair, crystal azure eyes, muscular frame, and intense acting talent? David has many secrets, and his life hits some rocky roads. What I love about David is how he protects Jonathan and helps those around him even putting himself in peril.

In my Bobby and Paolo Holiday Stories, Bobby McGrath meets Paolo Mascobello on a romantic vacation in the magical Island of Capri, Italy. Paolo, a gifted clothing designer, is incredibly built, handsome, and sexy, wears the top European fashions, and is desired by many. However, as their relationship grows over three cozy winter holiday seasons, Paolo’s home and hearth are with Bobby and eventually their adopted son. I find that truly admirable.

Tales from Fairyland is my gay twist on some of my favorite fairytales, where Cinder dresses his stepsisters for the ball and finds love with the prince himself, Goldie is a handsome young man involved with three older bears, and Ichabod Crane and Brom Bones engage in an unexpected romance. My fairytale characters in all of the various stories feel their love deeply and deserve their happily ever after magical endings.

In my Found at Last series, what I so admire about wholesome Theo Stratis and gorgeous Jamison Radames is not only how the two previously unlucky in love young men find each other and enter into a joyous romance, but how they tirelessly work to reunite older gay couples who were separated as youths due to homophobia in their families and in the military. Theo and Jamison prove love rekindled is love everlasting.

Jana Lane in my Jana Lane mysteries is a past child star on the comeback trail. Her husband, architect Brian, and sons are her anchors in the storm. She may be enticed by her male co-stars, but Jana realizes Brian is her soulmate. As she should! Brian’s thick chestnut hair, hazel eyes, build of someone who enjoys landscaping, and boy-like temperament make him incredibly sexy. Most importantly, Brian gives Jana the leeway she needs for her career and amateur sleuthing, because he knows she will always come home to him.

My characters are real to me. They make me laugh, cry, and most importantly feel romantic. They have taught me that whatever obstacles, problems, or worries come my way, two heads—and two hearts—are truly better than one. A partner in life doesn’t need to be perfect. Showing up and standing by the one you love speaks volumes. What could be a better gift for Valentine’s Day?

Author’s Bio: Joe Cosentino was voted Favorite LGBT Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Author of the Year by the readers of Divine Magazine for Drama Queen and Second Place Favorite LGBT Romance Author of the Year for An Infatuation. He also wrote the many subsequent novels in the popular Nicky and Noah mystery series, the Player Piano mystery novels, the Jana Lane mystery novels, the In My Heart series, Bobby and Paolo Holiday Stories, The Tales from Fairyland anthology, the Found at Last series, and the Cozzi Cove serial novels. He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. Joe is currently department chair/professor at a college in upstate New York and is happily married. Nobody has been murdered there—yet! Joe’s books have received numerous Favorite Book of the Month Awards and Rainbow Award First Runner Up and Honorable Mentions.

Web site: 

http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4071647.Joe_Cosentino

Amazon: http://Author.to/JoeCosentino

Author’s Special Valentine’s Day Giveaway: Post a comment about what you love most about Valentine’s Day. The one that tickles our inner Cupid the most will win the audiobook of your choice by Joe Cosentino. (Available titles)

There will be more events in the coming months, stay tuned for more details on that in the near future. In the meantime, be certain you're following TTC Books and more facebook page as well.