Interview with Joe
Cosentino
on the release of
the audiobook of Cozzi
Cove: Bouncing Back,
performed by Chase
Johnson, published by NineStar Press
Do
you plan everything or just let the story flow?
For
the Cozzi Cove series, I visited the gorgeous cove on the New Jersey
Shore where I spent my summers as a kid. Sitting on the white sandy
beach, listening to the sea gulls, watching the turquoise waves
tickle the jagged rocks, and feeling the golden sun warm my skin, led
me into the wonderful world of fictitious Cozzi Cove. Though many of
the locations are real, it’s a place in my overactive imagination
where nothing is what it seems, anything is possible, and love is
always in the salty sea air. For the storyline of book one, I
revisited a few of my one-act plays and intertwined and adapted those
amazing, romantic tales into the stories of the guests in the eight
bungalows at the gay resort I call Cozzi Cove.
Do
your characters ever want to take over the story?
Sure.
Ex-football player, hunky Cal Cozzi is the innkeeper at Cozzi Cove.
The regular supporting cast include Cal’s devoted husband Lance, a
sexy young man named Michael who Cal meets in a surprising way, Cal’s
jetsetter sister Taylor, New Ager Carla who owns the restaurant in
town, Tommy the bald tattooed bartender who has had a crush on Cal
since high school, and Connor the muscular maid with a libido who
frequently enjoys hookups at the cove. Like most serials, each of the
five novels (the last one not yet published) furthers the stories of
the leading characters with lots of interesting plot twists and
turns, and of course, a great deal of romance. A new set of guests
come to Cozzi Cove for each book. They range from a gay romance
author to a gay porn star to college students with secrets to a game
designer who spots a merman on the cove. Once the characters started
talking in my head, they often led me to new directions. For example,
I hadn’t planned on Taylor and Carla getting together, but the
characters insisted.
What
drew you to the M/M genre in particular?
Since
ninety percent of the world is heterosexual, most printed and filmed
stories are the same rehashed tales about straight people. There are
so many untold gay stories. I’m honored to have written numerous
novels in the MM genre (not all yet published): my five Cozzi Cove
novels (NineStar Press), eight Nicky and Noah comedy mysteries, three
Bobby and Paolo holiday stories (Dreamspinner Press), two In My Heart
coming of age stories (Dreamspinner Press), and various stories in
Fairyland (Dreamspinner Press).
Do
you write in other genres besides M/M?
My
five Jana Lane mysteries are published by The Wild Rose Press. Jana
is an ex-child star making her movie comeback and solving murders
along the way, including discovering who attempted her own murder
when she was eighteen years old. Though Jana and her husband are
straight, her agent and best friend are gay.
What
is your favourite food?
Like
Cal Cozzi, I like buckwheat blueberry pancakes drizzled with raw
honey. My readers tell me they get ravenously hungry after reading my
books since my characters eat so well!
Are
you a morning person or a night owl?
Since
I work during the day as a college theatre professor/department chair
(like Martin Anderson in my Nicky and Noah mysteries), I write at
night when my spouse is asleep and the house is quiet.
Where
do you dream of travelling to and why?
Believe
it or not, the New Jersey Shore is my favorite place to travel. When
we can’t go there, I’m content to visit Cozzi Cove in my books,
and now in the first audiobook.
Do
distant places feature in your books?
Nicky
and Noah, gay college theatre professors who solve mysteries, went to
Alaska in Drama
Cruise,
Hawaii in Drama
Luau,
and Scotland in Drama
Castle
(not yet released).
Bobby
visited Paolo in the magical Island of Capri Italy in A Home for the
Holidays, Bobby and Paolo Holiday Stories Book 1 (Dreamspinner
Press). Those are a few of my favorite vacation spots.
Do
you listen to music while writing?
Never!
I need absolute silence, so I can live in the world of my books.
Could
you tell us a bit about your latest release?
Cozzi
Cove: Bouncing Back,
the first of five novels in my popular Cozzi Cove series, was
released two years ago to rave reviews, a TBR Pile Book of the Month
Award, and a Rainbow Award Honorable Mention. My readers
told me they loved the catchy dialogue, gorgeous settings,
captivating characters, and numerous shocks and surprises in the
novel. Recently, I worked with the publisher, NineStar Press, on an
audiobook. Here was my dilemma. Who would have the perfect masculine,
sexy, and captivating voice for Cal Cozzi? And how could that same
person effectively portray all the other twenty characters in the
novel? I took to Audible.com and heard a clip from popular audiobook
performer Chase Johnson. Chase had an incredibly sexy, masculine
voice, perfect for Cal Cozzi. He was also quite versatile in his
character voices, and a very good actor. His diction was flawless,
and his audiobooks were produced with fine equipment. Thankfully, I
found my Cal Cozzi. Chase perfectly embodied Cal’s strength,
honesty, and determination. When he read the descriptions of Cozzi
Cove, I felt as if I were lying on a gorgeous cove at the beach. He
connected with each of the other characters as well in terms of their
personalities, passions, and secrets. Chase also portrayed the many
humorous sections of the novel, keying into the timing and wit
perfectly. After giving Chase my insights into the novel, he took it
from there. I know you’ll agree that he did a terrific job. So,
grab your Speedos, suntan lotion, and shades and head over to Cozzi
Cove for a listen of a lifetime. I hope to see you there! And I love
hearing from readers. Please let me know all about your trip to the
beach at http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com.
What
have you learned about writing and publishing since you first
started?
It’s
an incredible high to hear your words spoken by a gifted performer in
an audiobook. I’m lucky to have the best narrators for mine: A
Home for the Holidays
Bobby and Paolo Holiday Stories Book 1 (Joel Leslie), The
Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland
(Joel Leslie), Drama
Queen
the first Nicky and Noah mystery (Michael Gilboe), Drama
Muscle
the second Nicky and Noah mystery (Chip Hurley), Drama
Cruise
the third Nicky and Noah mystery (Brad Enright), Paper
Doll
the first Jana Lane mystery (Charissa Clark Howe), Porcelain
Doll
the second Jana Lane mystery (Derick Snow), and now Cozzi
Cove: Bouncing Back
the first Cozzi Cove novel (Chase Johnson).
Is
there anything you would do differently?
Never
apologize for my sense of humor. Readers love it, and I love sharing
it. If someone is offended or can’t take a joke, it’s their
problem.
Who,
or what, if anything has influenced your writing?
Many
readers tell me the Cozzi Cove series reminds them a bit of Armistead
Maupin’s Tales
of the City
books. Obviously, I am incredibly flattered.
Anything
you would say to those just starting out in the craft?
It’s
important to write from the heart, find your unique voice, and enjoy
the ride!
What
are three words that describe you?
Hysterical,
creative, driven
What's
your favourite book or who is your favourite writer?
http://myBook.to/Cozzi_Cove_BB
On
Cozzi Cove at the New Jersey shore, handsome Cal Cozzi’s seven
bungalows are open for summer and love.
Mario and Harold are brothers and college students who happen to look
alike, but couldn’t be more different: Mario is searching for love,
and Harold is searching for lust. Josh and Greg, a wealthy older
couple, are matchmakers for their son, Christopher. When it comes to
Connor, the maid, packed with muscles and a roving sponge, anything
can happen. Opposites attract as wild Tim with the secret past meets
shy Mark, and porn star Chuck Caliber connects with Sean, a virgin
romance novelist. And what will happen when computer-game designer
Arthur has a midnight sea rendezvous with a merman? Even married Cal
faces an emotional upheaval when a gay bashing turns into something
quite unexpected. What secrets and passions lie in magical Cozzi
Cove?
Praise
for COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK: Book of the Month at The TBR Pile,
Rainbow Award Honorable Mention, 3rd
Place Best Fiction Book of 2016 on Urban Book Reviews
“I
loved this story. It carries you through the full range of emotions,
from joy to sadness, from happiness to anger. The characters
are beautifully written….I look forward to a return visit to the
Cove.” TBR Pile
“Heartbreaking
and heartwarming, sweet beginnings for some, sour endings for others,
emotions jumping off the page as you turn eagerly to read more,
welcome to Cozzi Cove. The author measured his scales to perfection
in delivering the perfect balance of love, laughter and tears in this
sexy, fun filled holiday romance entwined with some sadness. Summer
magic waved its wand at all who visited and stayed at Cozzi Cove and
I was one of those who wanted to stay.” Three Books Over the
Rainbow
“poignant
and full of beautiful imagery. It's one crazy mix of characters, all
weird and wonderful in their own way…It made me laugh out loud, cry
and want to snuggle up with someone I loved. I couldn't have asked
for more.” Divine Magazine
“In
true Joe Cosentino style, this book is packed full of drama! This
cast of characters will have you laughing out loud one minute before
ripping your heart out the next.” Joyfully Jay
“Joe
Cosentino has the amazing ability to combine heartwarming, feel good
moments with droll, sometimes biting humor, along with insights into
the frailties and peccadillos of being human.”
“Cozzi
Cove: Bouncing Back is the very finest in literary fiction with a
romance theme, yet it’s more than just that—it’s about human
connections and empathy and finding a way out of the fear and inertia
faced by so many. It’s also about courage and strength, about
respect and coming to terms with all that life has to offer, and it’s
about letting go.
I loved this book and look forward to the next in the series. This is
a highly recommended read, well-deserving of Five Stars.” GGR
Reviews
“Cosentino tells
the stories of the guests and owners at Cozzi Cove as separate yet
intertwining stories, a delivery style that’s genius. It’s a bit
like watching segments unfold in soap opera fashion…While the story
is rife with the humor and lighthearted romance I’ve come to
associate with Joe Cosentino, it also addresses several serious
topics associated with the gay community: homophobia, stereotyping
and coming out.” 3 Chicks After Dark
“This
book is extremely well written and all the stories are equally
compelling and cleverly crafted. There are moments when, just as you
think you know what’s going on, the truth emerges and turns out to
be something quite different….Cal’s guests are an amusing and
heart wrenching mixed bag of people, all of whom I found irresistible
in their own way….So many wonderful, poignant and often funny
stories are told here….It’s a real roller coaster of a ride
that’s finished off perfectly as the guests spend their last day at
Cozzi Cove then check out to move on with their lives.” OptimuMM
Book Reviews
“Another
brilliantly written book by this author. He makes you want to take
your own vacation in Cozzi Cove. You could feel all the emotion and
love flowing from the pages.” Books Laid Bare Boys
Bestselling author Joe Cosentino wrote Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back, Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward, Cozzi Cove: Stepping Out, and Cozzi Cove: New Beginnings (NineStar Press); Drama Queen, Drama Muscle, Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama Detective Nicky and Noah mysteries (Lethe Press); In My Heart/An Infatuation & A Shooting Star, A Home for the Holidays, The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland (Dreamspinner Press); Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, Satin Doll, China Doll, Rag Doll (The Wild Rose Press) Jana Lane mysteries.. 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 Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. He was voted 2nd Place for Favorite MM Author of the Year in Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards for 2015, and his books have received numerous awards including Rainbow Award Honorable Mentions.
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/JoeCosen
Amazon:
Author.to/JoeCosentino
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