Guest Author Day with Joe Cosentino/GIVEAWAY

 

Interview with Joe Cosentino, author of The Player’s Encore,

Player Piano Mysteries Book 2,

a mystery/romance/fantasy novel

 

Joe Cosentino, welcome on the release of The Player’s Encore, a new MM mystery/romance/fantasy novel. 

Everybody loves an encore. (smile)

 

How did you become a storyteller? 

My mother says I tell tall tales—and she’s right! I’ve always had a wild imagination. My parents always feared what I’d make up and tell neighbors about them. And they still do! I appropriately majored in theatre at college. Then I went on to act opposite stars like Rosie O’Donnell (AT&T industrial), Nathan Lane (Roar of the Greasepaint musical onstage), Bruce Willis (A Midsummer Night’s Dream onstage), Charles Keating (NBC’s Another World), Jason Robards (Commercial Credit computer commercial), and Holland Taylor (ABC’s My Mother Was Never a Kid TV movie). Finally, I began writing plays and ultimately writing novels. Since I’m a cozy mystery reading fanatic, and there are so few gay cozy mystery series out there, I was happy to fill the bill—or in this new novel, the pinstriped suit.

 

How do you find the time to be a college professor/department head and do all this writing? 

I’m a night owl, so I write late into the night.

 

Where do you write? 

In a very cozy environment! My home study (very much like Martin Anderson’s office in my Nicky and Noah Mysteries) includes a fireplace with a cherry wood mantel and a cherry wood desk and bookcase. I also have a window seat beneath a large window/gateway to the woods.

 

Do you write an outline before each book? 

For a mystery, an outline is imperative. It’s important to plot out all the clues and surprise reveals. I generally think of a great idea for a new book at 3 a.m. If I can remember it the next day, or read my notes on my night table, I draft the outline. Since I was an actor, I also write a character biography for each character. Then I close my eyes and let the magic happen. As I see the scenes in front of me like a movie and the characters start talking to each other in my head, I hit the computer. My spouse reads my second draft. After we argue, I write my third draft. The fourth draft is after notes from my editor.

 

What advice do you have for unpublished writers? 

Don’t listen to naysayers. Find the magic within yourself. Get in front of the computer and start writing your unique story. Don’t copy anyone. Write what you know and feel passionate about. Write every day. Don’t be afraid to take chances. When you have a story you think is perfect, ask someone you trust to read it. Then after doing another draft, email it to a publisher who has an open submissions policy and who publishes the kind of story you’ve written, or publish it yourself.

 

Is it hard to write comedy? 

Not for me. I’ve always thought funny. I remember as an actor directors telling me to stop making my scenes so funny. I didn’t realize I was doing it. I think I get this from my mother. For example, for Christmas one year my mother gave me a jacket and my sister a house. When I complained, she said, “But it’s a nice jacket.” Thanks, Mom!

 

Why do you write gay fiction? 

Why not? LGBT people have many interesting untold stories. Go to a mall and look at the row of movie posters without any LGBT characters in them. Visit a bookstore and see cover after cover of opposite sex love stories. Take a look at so many of our political and so-called religious leaders who raise money and gain power by demonizing LGBT people and trying (and often succeeding) to take away civil rights. I mourn for the young gay kids who consider suicide. So I support organizations like GLSEN, and I write stories that include LGBT people and themes. However, just as my Jana Lane series with its gay supporting characters has huge crossover appeal for gay people, the Nicky and Noah series with its LGBT leading characters and straight supporting characters has a tremendous amount of crossover appeal for straight people. I’m hoping the same will occur with The Player. Most people like a clever mystery, a sweet romance, and a good laugh, regardless of the sexuality of the characters.

 

For anyone who hasn’t read The Player—and they should!—recap the first novel in The Player Piano Mysteries series for us. 

I decided to blend my love of the Art Deco period with my passion for the contemporary cozy mystery—with a gay slant—and out came The Player. It is the story of Andre Beaufort, a grade school music teacher living in Hoboken, New Jersey, who having found a player piano in the basement, brought back to life the spirit of dapper Roaring Twenties playboy Freddy Birtwistle—the original owner of the house. The two men got off to a rocky start, but they eventually fell madly in love and solved two murder mysteries—in Freddy’s old city house and country house.

 

Why did you have Freddy come from the Roaring Twenties period? 

I’ve always loved the Roaring Twenties period: the pinstriped suits and beaded dresses, Art Deco houses and furnishings, catchy tunes from Gershwin and Porter, wealthy bon vivant personalities, the Charleston, catchy expressions like “the bee’s knees,” and of course the player piano.

 

Why did you decide to write a second book in The Player series? 

I worried that readers might not like The Player as much as they adored my popular Nicky and Noah mystery series. To my elation, readers loved The Player, and they begged me for another Player novel. Since I love the beach (hence my Cozzi Cove series) and Italy (as noted in my A Home for the Holidays Bobby and Paolo Holiday Story 1), I decided that Andre and Freddy would next solve murder mysteries in Freddy’s old house in Key West and at his family’s past villa in Tuscany.

 

What happens in book 2? 

As in book 1, readers get two stories for the price of one! In part I of The Player’s Encore: The Beach House, 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. 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 Andre and Freddy’s lives. Since the detective obsessed with the case has come up with an empty seashell, it’s once again up to lovers Andre and Freddy to find the murderer and save the inn—and themselves!

In part II: The Villa, Andre and Freddy venture off on a vacation with Andre’s uncle, an ex-priest, to Tuscany, where they stay at an inn that happens to have once been 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 lovers Andre and Freddy to solve the mystery and save the day!

 

What’s special about the novel? 

The two mysteries include lots of sexy characters, cozy settings, humor, surprising plot twists and turns, fun red herrings, a touch of drama, a shocking yet justifiable ending, and of course lots of sweet romance.

 

Why a player piano? 

While walking through an antique shop upstate New York, I came across an old player piano. It was handcrafted from maple, mahogany, and spruce with an elaborate leaf pattern molding. In the center section stood the roll of pre-programmed music on perforated paper: George Gershwin’s “Someone to Watch Over Me” from 1926. While listening to the song, I couldn’t help imagining who might have owned the Pianola. Since player pianos were popular with the wealthy in the Roaring Twenties, I imagined the owner, like the piano, was a player and a socialite from a family who made their fortune in the railroad industry. I named him Freddy Birtwistle.

 

Tell us more about the dazzling and captivating Freddy. 

            Freddy is tall and lean with slicked-back jet-black hair, indigo eyes, high cheekbones, a thin nose, and rosy cheeks. True to his time period, he is meticulously dressed in 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. Even more interesting than Freddy’s looks and wardrobe are his alluring and joyous bon vivant personality. Since Freddy socialized with the rich and famous of his time, he has numerous entertaining stories to tell about the elite of his time. Oh, and Freddy is a ghost, having been shot at thirty years old by a misinformed jealous husband.

 

Is book 2 told through Andre’s perspective as was the case with book 1? 

Yes, now twenty-seven, Andre Beaufort is tall and thin with a cut body, amber eyes, dark hair, milk chocolate complexion, and a bubble butt. Andre and Freddy are happily in love. They are a ghostly Holmes and mortal Watson.

 

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 Andre’s help who asks for Freddy’s assistance in catching the murderer.

 

And in the second story? 

            In part II in the Tuscan Villa, we meet Andre’s 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 Andre to the rescue.

 

Who is your favorite new character in book 2? 

I love them all, but 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. Andre’s 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.

 

What was difficult about writing the second novel? 

As was the case with the first novel, Freddy’s comical stories about his past with celebrities from his era were fun to write, but they required a great deal of research and imagination. I did laugh out loud when writing them though.

 

Which character is the sexiest? 

Quite a few of them are hotsy-totsy, as Freddy would say. I’ll pick Dr. Spencer Hart in part I and Bartolo Lotto in part II.

 

How can your readers get their hands on The Player’s Encore? 

The purchase links are below.

 

Thank you, Joe, for interviewing today. 

My pleasure. I hope everyone will give The Player’s Encore a play. I’m sure, like Andre and me, you will fall in love with Freddy and have a great deal of fun trying to solve the mysteries. And I love to hear from readers. So drop me a line at http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com.

THE PLAYER’S ENCORE

Player Piano Mysteries Book 2

a mystery/romance/paranormal novel by JOE COSENTINO

30% off discount sale until March 15 release day!

https://mybook.to/PlayersEncore

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1064035

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-players-encore-joe-cosentino/1138616164?ean=2940164786687

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-player-s-encore

 

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.

Excerpt from The Player’s Encore, Player Piano Mysteries Book 2, by Joe Cosentino:

 

I kissed Freddy’s dimple then the cleft in his chin. “Your family had a home in Key West?”

He rested back on the chaise, his shiny black patent leather shoes with white spats dangling off it. “We most certainly did.”

“Was there a player piano in your bedroom there?”

“Now you know your onions.” He winked at me. “As my chum Greta Garbo once told me, ‘It’s so much fun to play with yourself.’”

“Freddy, just because I was able to materialize you from the player piano here and via the pianola in your country home, that doesn’t mean I’ll be able to do the same in your beach house. Besides, we don’t even know if your old beach house has become an inn, or if it still has your player piano!”

“There’s only one way to find out.” He helped me up and across the living room.

With renewed energy, courtesy of the man I love, I made it through the kitchenette— Freddy’s former bar—into the bedroom. After passing my bed with its fanned silver headboard and somehow not collapsing onto it, I sat behind the mahogany desk. Then I turned on my laptop and searched for the Birtwistle’s former estate in Key West, Florida.

Freddy was behind me like a specter. Literally. “What does the magic box say?” A moment later, he gasped at a picture on the screen of a mansion overlooking the beach. “That’s it!”

I read the copy. “The Apollo Branchus Inn, named after the Greek gods of music and the sun, is a gay-friendly bed and breakfast at the edge of Key West. The home was originally owned by railroad magnet Leighton Birtwistle. Upon the death of his son Frederick, the residence was left to a cousin, Whitiker…”

“Greedy guts!”

“…whose son, Thompson, sold it to the Mastangello family who converted it into a bed and breakfast. The inn is currently owned by Ernest Rahp.”

Freddy groaned. “I don’t see how earnest Rahp can be, since he stole my family’s beach house.”

I said over my shoulder, “He didn’t steal it. Rahp bought it.”

“Because my ingrate of a cousin sold the house from under me.”

“Actually, from over you, since you were six feet under at the time.” I clicked through the pictures. “Which room was yours?”

Freddy pointed to the screen. “This one! The last room at the end of the hall on the second floor. And there’s my pianola!”

It was a masculine-looking turret room with a large mahogany king-size bed, desk, bookcase, and an armchair at the white marble fireplace mantel. The player piano rested in one corner opposite a balcony. I rose and rested my arms around Freddy’s narrow waist. “If I stay at Apollo Branchus, do you think I can summon you via your old player piano?”

“It’s worth a try.”

“If it works, I assume you won’t be able to leave your room.”

“That’s fine with me.” He kissed the top of my head. “Since we’ll be together.” Taking me in his arms, Freddy said, “You need a vacation, my love.”

“Every day here with you is like a fabulous vacation.”

“But I want you to see my beach house, take in the sun, and breathe the sea air.”

After considering it, I said, “I’d like that too.”

We shared a hug.

When we parted, Freddy said, “Make your reservation.”

After taking the phone out of my pocket, I made a reservation with a man named Yusef Raji for room five at their earliest opening the following week. With Freddy’s chin on my shoulder, I hit my laptop again to make my travel plans.

GIVEAWAY: 

Giveaway: Post a comment on what you love about player pianos, gay romance, Key West, Tuscany, or whodunits. The one that tickles our ivories the most will win a complimentary e-book of The Player, Player Piano Mysteries Book 1, by Joe Cosentino.

 

About the Author

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

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen

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

Amazon: Author.to/JoeCosentino