I do worry about how draughty that kilt is going to be, but let’s put our anxieties aside for a little while since Joe has put his own Nicky Abbondanza, the (joint!) hero of the book, into the Interrogation Chair to interview him and tell us all about it. Over to Nicky and Joe:
Joe Interviews Nicky Abbondanza
the leading character in Drama Castle, the 7th Nicky and Noah mystery novel by Joe Cosentino
now also an audiobook performed by Griswold Addams
Hi, Nicky. Happy holidays! Do you have a holiday gift for us?
Noah says my stocking is loaded, and my balls hang low on my tree (smile). But I have an even better holiday gift for audiobook lovers. A trip to Scotland at the cost of an audiobook! Drama Castle, the 7th Nicky and Noah mystery audiobook!
Congratulations on being immortalized in audiobook-land for the 7th time!
Thanks. It’s nice to get out of your head for a while, Joe. You readers have no idea how weird it is in there.
Your Nicky and Noah mystery series is a huge hit. Reviewers called the series hysterically funny farce, Murder She Wrote meets Hart to Hart meets The Hardy Boys, and a captivating whodunit. One reviewer wrote they were the funniest books she’d ever read! Have you gotten a big head?
Anyone who reads the stories knows I have a big head. Pun intended.
Since the readers can’t see you, Nicky is tall, handsome with a Roman nose and dark hair, muscular, and he has an enormous manhood.
But I’m also a nice guy, a good college theatre professor, and a pretty terrific armchair detective.
And you’re modest. Seriously though, what I admire most about you is your never say die attitude, wit, smarts, and perseverance in the face of adversity. You are genuinely concerned for others, and you’ll do anything to solve a murder mystery.
I’m also a one-man man, and I’m proud to admit that man is Noah Oliver. My family and friends mean everything to me. Can I take a bow now?
No. How about telling the readers about your series?
I tell Joe what to write and he creates our cozy mysteries. The settings are 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 faster than a priest heading for altar boy induction. At the center of all my stories is sweet romance between sweet, handsome Noah and me. No matter what trials and tribulations Noah and I go through, there is always a happily ever after ending—until the next book.
Tell everyone about the first six novels in the series.
Read them, so we can spend more time together, you can know everything about me, and I can leave Joe’s head! In Drama Queen (Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award for Favorite LGBT Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Novel of the Year) college theatre professors are dropping like stage curtains at Treemeadow College, and college theatre professors Noah and I have to use our theatre skills, including impersonating other people, to figure out whodunit. In Drama Muscle (Rainbow Award Honorable Mention) Noah and I don our gay Holmes and Watson personas again to find out why bodybuilding students and professors at Treemeadow are dropping faster than barbells. Also, our relationship reaches a milestone by the end of the novel. In Drama Cruise it is summer on a ten-day cruise from San Francisco to Alaska and back. Noah and I must figure out why college theatre professors are dropping like life rafts as I direct a murder mystery dinner theatre show onboard ship starring Noah and other college theatre professors from across the US. Complicating matters are our both sets of wacky parents who want to embark on all the activities on and off the boat with us. In Drama Luau, I’m directing the luau show at the Maui Mist Resort, and Noah and I need to figure out why muscular Hawaiian hula dancers are dropping like grass skirts. Our department head/best friend and his husband, Martin and Ruben, are along for the bumpy tropical ride. In Drama Detective, I’m directing and ultimately co-starring with 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, my brother Tony, and our son Taavi are also in the cast. Of course dead bodies begin falling over like hammy actors at a curtain call. Once again Noah and I use our drama skills to figure out who is lowering the street lamps on the actors before we get half-baked on Baker Street. In Drama Fraternity, I’m directing Tight End Scream Queen, a slasher movie filmed at Treemeadow College’s football fraternity house, co-starring Noah, Taavi, Martin, and Shayla. Rounding out the cast are members of Treemeadow’s Christian football players’ fraternity along with two hunky screen stars. When the quarterback, jammer, wide receiver, and more begin fading out with their scenes, Noah and I once again need to use our drama skills to figure out who is sending young hunky actors to the cutting room floor before we hit the final reel.
Which brings us to Drama Castle, book 7, which was just released in audiobook format.
Right! In Drama Castle, I’m 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. Rounding out 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 moat, it’s up to Noah and me to use our acting skills to figure out whodunit before we land in the dungeon. We get a little help from our son and our friends. By the end of the novel, Noah also makes a shocking personal revelation.
Can you give the readers a run down on some of the characters?
Noah and I are joined by our best friends and fan favorites Martin and Ruben, and by Noah’s eccentric parents. And book seven adds a number of captivating new characters like Brody Naughton, the hunky head of Housekeeping with a red beard and roving eye for the oldest Conall brother, Barclay, and for Donal Blair a waiter in the castle’s Great Hall dining room. Each of the three hunky Conall brothers (Barclay, Magnus, and Fergus) have a surprising secret. Ewan Baird, the elderly caretaker, provides me with information about the last generation of Conalls, which blows the story wide open. I’m still the star though. Can I take my bow now?
Not yet. I know you were pleased with Griswold Addams’s performance in your previous audiobooks. How did he do with Drama Castle, book 7?
Griswold is a terrific performer. Almost as good as me. (smile) He totally gets my sense of humor, and each of his characters sounds different. I’ll admit I laughed out loud, cried, gasped, felt romantic, and enjoyed every minute of the audiobook. It’s no mystery (pun intended) that Griswold is the perfect narrator for the Nicky and Noah mysteries.
Why stop at an audiobook? I’ve written a teleplay of the first novel. I want to play Martin Anderson, the department head. Who would you cast in the (hopefully) upcoming Nicky and Noah Mysteries television series.
At this moment, I can see Matt Bomer as me. Actually, I can see Matt Bomer anywhere. But don’t tell Noah. Neil Patrick Harris would make a good Noah, though he’s not as cute as my hubby. Rosie O’Donnell and Bruce Willis could play Noah’s funny parents. I can also see Valerie Bertinelli and Jay Leno as my parents. Nathan Lane could be Ruben, Martin’s spouse. Wanda Sykes would be a riot as Martin’s office assistant, Shayla. Joe Manganiello would be perfect as my brother, Tony (or in any role). 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! I want to be a star!
You already are a star in my book, Nicky (pun intended). Do you like drinking hot cocoa at the fireplace with Martin?
Those are some of my favorite times, sitting with Martin, Ruben, and Noah, discussing the suspects and clues.
Whose parents are funnier? Yours or Noah’s?
It’s a toss-up. Mama and Papa see the whole world as a microcosm of their bakery in Kansas. I love Noah’s mother’s fixation with taking pictures of everything, and his father’s fascination with seeing movies. I also love how Noah’s father is an amateur sleuth like me. As they say, men marry their fathers. Also, both sets of parents accept their son’s spouse as part of their family. Kudos to them for always being loving and supportive.
Who was your favorite new character in Drama Castle?
Donal Blair, a waiter in the Great Hall dining room is sweet, adorable, and incredibly in love with the hunky head of Housekeeping, Brody Naughton who carries many secrets from his past.
Which new character did you like the least in book seven?
I started out not liking the burly red-bearded Brody, but like Donal, I soon respected him for his devotion to his daughter Lairie and for his strong sense of right and wrong.
Which new character was the strangest?
That’s asking a lot in a Nicky and Noah mystery. I’ll say Ewan Baird, the ancient caretaker. Ewan is quite a bit of a drinker and I don’t drink. He’s also from another time and place.
Which new character was the sexiest?
The second Conall brother, Magnus, wore his kilt well with his strapping build, wide nose, and forceful manner. Still, he can’t hold a sporran to my handsome Noah.
Now let me ask a question. Who do you like better, Noah and me, Jana Lane from your five Jana Lane mysteries published by the Wild Rose Press, Cal Cozzi from your four Cozzi Cove novels published by NineStar Press, or any of the characters in your Dreamspinner Press novels?
I love you all equally. Just like my mother told me about my sister before she bought my sister a house and me a jacket for Christmas.
I hope it was a nice jacket.
Really, Nicky? Back to the new audiobook. The purchase links are below. Also below are my contact links, including my web site. I love to hear from readers!
So do I! Joe tells me everything.
Thank you, Nicky, for interviewing with me today.
It was my pleasure, Joe, and yours. It is also my joy and pleasure to share this seventh audiobook in my series. So everyone, take your seats. The curtain is going up on steep cliffs, ancient turrets, stormy seas, misty moors, malfunctioning kilts, and murder! Happy listening!
“DRAMA CASTLE” IN AUDIOBOOK
DRAMA CASTLE (the seventh Nicky and Noah mystery): a comedy/mystery/romance novel by JOE COSENTINO available from:
Amazon | Smashwords | B&N
Audiobook performed by Griswold Addams
Click on the Audible link for a free preview!
Theatre professor Nicky Abbondanza is directing a historical film at a castle in Scotland, co-starring his spouse, theatre 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, malfunctioning kilts, and murder!
Praise for the Nicky and Noah series
“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
“This delightfully sudsy, colorful cast of characters would rival that of any daytime soap opera, and the character exchanges are rife with sass, wit and cagey sarcasm….As the pages turn quickly, the author keeps us hanging until the startling end.” 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, Drama Pan, Drama TV; 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
Weebly: https://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
Anna Butler 