An Interview with Paolo Mascobello from The
Perfect Gift,
Bobby and Paolo Holiday Stories Book 2,
by Joe Cosentino,
published by Dreamspinner Press
now also an audio book performed by
Brian Cheney
Hello, Paolo. Thank you for interviewing with us today.
I am happy to stretch my legs now that I am out of the book.
You have an incredibly sexy Italian accent. Since the readers can’t see you, tell them what you look like.
I am twenty-five with wavy chestnut hair and sapphire eyes.
Bobby says I have smooth olive-colored skin and muscles like the mountains in
Capri.
What does Bobby look like?
He is my age, tall with striking emerald eyes, a swimmer’s
build, and beautiful long auburn hair. I love to run my fingers through it.
Tell us a bit about your first holiday novella, A Home for the Holidays.
Joe wrote a holiday short novella
loosely based on his trip to the magical and gorgeous island of Capri: A Home for the Holidays. The story was
about Bobby, a young, Italian American law student traveling to Capri during
the winter holidays to meet his quaint Italian relatives, while falling in love
with his sexy Italian distant cousin. That is me. Since Joe comes from a long
line of funny Italian Americans, he included a good deal of humor in the story
as well with my eccentric family. Readers and reviewers called it the perfect
holiday gift, feeling as if they had taken a trip along with Bobby to Capri for
the romance of a lifetime. Whether reading the story or listening to the audio
book, fans felt they could see, hear, taste, and touch the captivating
characters and romantic locations in our story.
Tell us about The Perfect Gift.
Our
second story takes place a year after A
Home for the Holidays ends. Bobby and I are living in Philadelphia as a
junior lawyer and fashion designer. We jump through quite a few hoops and
finally have a December wedding. A year later, a man in a Santa suit brings
Bobby and me to the hospital room of a sick little boy. Like the child we
celebrate at Christmas, could this boy be the holiday gift leading to happily
ever after for Bobby and me? You will have to check out our story to find out.
Readers and reviewers loved this story. For example, Divine Magazine
wrote, “Joe Cosentino has, once again, written a story filled with love, laugh
out loud humour and a HEA that will leave a smile on your face and seasonal joy
in your heart. There’s a magic to the worlds he creates that few other authors
can achieve.” I agree!
Tell us about how Joe created Bobby, you, and the other main characters.
Joe tells us that Bobby has his sensibility
and sense of humor. As a junior lawyer who has just passed his bar exam, like
Joe, Bobby is passionate about LGBT+ equality.
I am loosely
based on Joe’s cousin’s cousin who lives in Italy. I like how in the
sequel I have matured from a party boy to someone in a committed relationship.
Bobby’s parents
are loosely based on Joe’s. They are hysterically funny and love their son
dearly.
Geoffrey, the
sick boy who approaches us, is adorable, sweet, and so in need of love. He is a
combination of many neglected children Joe met through a friend who is a social
worker.
What about The Perfect Gift makes it different from other MM holiday novellas?
Our love for
each other, the wonderful winter holiday locations, humor, mystery, our gay
wedding, and happily ever after ending make the story a terrific read. Also, I
think everyone can relate to feeling that something is missing at Christmas and
hoping for the perfect holiday gift.
You and Bobby are distant cousins. Might that ruffle some feathers?
As both Bobby’s mom and I say in the
stories, it is not unusual for distant cousins to couple in Italy. Actually, this
was the case with Joe’s great uncle and great aunt who were married for sixty
years until their death.
The Perfect Gift was published in December 2017. Why has it taken seven years to release the audio book version?
Believe it or not Joe was searching for
the perfect audio book performer. Joe found him in opera singer, actor, and
audio book performer Brian Cheney who also performed the audio books for Joe’s
last eight Nicky and Noah mystery novels and Joe’s An Infatuation
novella. Brian is an incredibly gifted actor and master of many voices with
incredibly comic timing. He relates perfectly to the humor, romance, and drama
in our story. Brian is certainly the perfect gift. I’m sure you will agree! The
Perfect Gift is our perfect holiday gift to you wrapped in a huge ribbon of
love. So listen and enjoy! And Joe loves hearing from
readers via his web site! He shares all the comments with Bobby and me!
Will the third and final Bobby and Paolo Holiday Story, The First Noel, be released as an audio book next?
Absolutely!
So stay tuned!
The Perfect Gift
(Bobby
and Paolo’s Holiday Stories, Book 2)
by Joe Cosentino, published by Dreamspinner Press
Cover Art: Paul Richmond
Length: 122 pages & 3 hours
Back in America after finding A Home for the Holidays and each other in Capri, new couple Bobby McGrath and Paolo Mascobello are ready to tie the knot during the winter holidays. Their families, friends, and pastor offer more advice than sages on speed. So, young lawyer Bobby and fashion designer Paolo are caught in the matrimonial holiday circus. Will a shocking turn of events somehow lead to the perfect wedding for the December grooms?
The
following Christmas, Bobby and Paolo aren’t feeling the holiday spirit. They
have a nice apartment, designer clothes, entertaining and supportive friends
and family, but little time for each other. While out shopping in their quaint
local holiday village, Bobby and Paolo encounter Gregory, an adorable
seven-year-old who changes their lives forever, offering them a true holiday
miracle… if they’re willing to accept it.
https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/the-perfect-gift-by-joe-cosentino-9144-b
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-perfect-gift-36
Audio book performed by Brian Cheney:
Praise for The Perfect Gift (Bobby and Paolo Holiday Stories Book 2):
“Joe
Cosentino has, once again, written a story filled with love, laugh out loud
humour and a HEA that will leave a smile on your face and seasonal joy in your
heart. There’s a magic to the worlds he creates that few other authors can
achieve.” Divine Magazine
Joe
Cosentino was voted Favorite MM Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Author of
the Year and Second Place Favorite MM Romance Author of the Year by the readers
of Divine Magazine. His Dreamspinner Press titles are the In My Heart
Anthology: An Infatuation & A Shooting Star, the Tales from
Fairyland Anthology: The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland
& Holiday Tales from Fairyland, the Bobby and Paolo Holiday
Stories Anthology: A Home for the Holidays & The Perfect Gift &
The First Noel, the Found At Last Anthology: Finding Giorgio &
Finding Armando, and the two Player Piano mysteries. He is also the
author of the 18 Nicky and Noah mysteries, 5 Jana Lane mysteries (The Wild Rose
Press), and 5 Cozzi Cove novels (Ninestar Press). 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 a happily married emeritus theatre
professor residing in New York State.
Web
site: https://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
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/joecosentinoauthor
Brian
Cheney, hailed by KUSC Los Angeles as the “next great tenor”, protégé of
legendary tenor Jerry Hadley, has gained international acclaim for his
portrayal of characters such as Radamés in Aida, Don José in Carmen,
Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca, Rodolfo in La bohème, the Duke in Rigoletto,
and Canio in Pagliacci. “It is tenor Brian Cheney as the brave painter
Cavaradossi who really blew me away. Cheney has that terrific tenor sound: the
power, richness, and vocal color of a high baritone combined with ringing,
awe-inspiring high notes” (Stage and Cinema.) Highlights from last
season include Mr. Cheney’s creation of the role of Victor Frankenstein in the
world premiere performance of Gregg Kallor’s Frankenstein in New
York to critical acclaim and his National Philharmonic debut as the tenor
soloist in Leonard Bernstein’s Mass and West Side Story.
“Cheney’s ringing tenor voice carried well in the stone catacombs, conveying
the fear that the deep bass sound of the monster summoned. And as the section
of the sketches went on, Cheney’s voice bloomed to match the action and threats
of the creature.” (Operawire) Recent engagements include Radamés in
Aida with Virginia Opera, Antonin Scalia in Derrick Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg
with Toledo Opera, and Salute to Vienna performances in Miami, West Palm Beach,
Nashville, and New York City (Lincoln Center). In audio books, Mr. Cheney
performed eight of Joe Cosentino’s Nicky and Noah Mystery novels, many of Joe
Cosentino’s books published by Dreamspinner Press, All the King’s Men by
Scott Leddy, Swarm by Guy Morris, The Last Ark by Guy Morris, and
Pressure by Barry Napier. www.briancheneytenor.com
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