An Interview with Nicky Abbondanza
the leading character in Joe Cosentino’s Drama TV,
the 13th Nicky and Noah mystery/comedy/romance novel
Nicky, you and Noah made it to television!
Noah and I made it anyway. (smile)
Congratulations on the release of the thirteenth novel in your award-winning and popular Nicky and Noah gay cozy comedy mystery series.
Thank you. Lucky thirteen!
Since the readers can’t see you, tell them what you look like.
Noah says I’m adorable. Now you know why I love him so much. I’m tall with dark hair and long sideburns Noah loves to kiss, a cleft chin, Roman nose, emerald eyes, and a muscular body thanks to the gym on campus, which I call the chamber of horrors.
And?
Noah says I have shrewd mind for solving mysteries and a huge heart—and another huge organ, which is just fine with Noah.
Tell us about Drama TV, the thirteenth novel in your popular, award-winning series.
It stars me! (smile) My merry troupe of wacky thespians shoot (no pun intended) the pilot episode for a television series based on our first caper, Drama Queen. Where else would we do the television show but cozy Treemeadow College during winter break? It will come as no surprise to Nicky and Noah fans that cast members drop like TV newscasters in a storm. Once again we use our drama skills to catch the killer before we get cancelled.
As usual, hilarity and calamity ensues.
We would have it no other way! I do double duty (Try saying that three times fast wearing a mouthguard) directing and playing myself in the TV pilot. My loving and loyal husband, Associate Professor of Acting Noah Oliver, (by a bit of nepotism) plays Noah Oliver. Our witty and wild best friend Martin Anderson, Theatre Department Chair, plays himself and to his husband’s chagrin casts Ruben in the multifaceted role of a dead body. Our stagestruck son Taavi tries to steal the show as enterprising film student Kyle Samson, and Martin and Ruben’s cocky son Ty holds his own as unlucky in love theatre major PJ Myers. Martin’s sassy office assistant, Shayla Johnson, plays Martin’s sassy office assistant Shayla Johnson. Long suffering detective Manuello is such a bad actor he doesn’t even play himself well!
Who are the new characters in book thirteen?
Incredibly handsome, muscular, and sexy young actor Cam Mark plays incredibly handsome, muscular, and sexy theatre major (and the star of my Jack the Ripperesque college production) David Amour. Madame Mirembe, a reality TV show talent contest winner, plays theatre major Kayla Calloway. Southern beauty pageant winner Caroline Joy is theatre major Jan Annondale. Broadway rap star Tadeo Torres is cast as theatre student Ricky Gonzalez. The professional actors, like the students they play in the Drama Queen TV pilot, are hiding many secrets. It’s up to Noah and me to expose them.
Who was your favorite new character?
Tadeo Torres is sweet and adorable. Ford Heathcliff, the hunky actor who plays Junior Detective John Dickenson, seems to notice.
Which new character do you like the least?
All five murder victims, which I guess is a good thing since they get murdered.
Which new character was the sexiest?
Statuesque Chris Jones who plays Associate Professor of Movement Jackson Grier. Our makeup guy, Stuey Socks, gives Chris a great deal of extra attention.
What makes the Nicky and Noah mystery series so special?
Me! I’m a legend in my own mind. Actually, it’s a gay cozy mystery comedy series, meaning the setting is 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 CEO from a polluting corporation buying a conservative politician.” At the center is the touching relationship between Noah and me. You watch us go from courting to marrying to adopting a child, all the while head over heels in love with each other. Reviewers called the series “hysterically funny farce,” “Murder She Wrote meets Hart to Hart meets The Hardy Boys,” and “captivating whodunits.” One reviewer wrote they are the funniest books she’s ever read! Another said Joe is “a master storyteller.” Who am I to argue? Even though I tell Joe everything to write.
How are the novels cozy?
Many of them take place in Vermont, a cozy state with green pastures, white church steeples, glowing lakes, and friendly and accepting people. Fictitious Treemeadow College (named after its gay founders, couple Tree and Meadow) is the perfect setting for a cozy mystery with its white Edwardian buildings, low white stone fences, lake and mountain views, and cherry wood offices with tall leather chairs and fireplaces. It’s even more cozy in winter with snow blanketing the campus and surrounding the village.
Why do you think there aren’t many other gay cozy mystery series out there?
Most MM novels are erotica, young adult, dark thrillers, or supernatural. While that’s fine, I think we’re missing a whole spectrum of fiction. In the case of the Nicky and Noah mysteries, they include romance, humor, mystery, adventure, and quaint and loveable characters in uncanny situations. The settings are warm and cozy with lots of hot cocoa by the fireplace. The clues and red herrings are there for the perfect whodunit. So are the plot twists and turns and a surprise ending to keep the pages turning over “like an anti-gay politician on his knees in an airport men’s room stall.” No matter what is thrown in my path, I always end up on top, which is just fine with Noah.
For anyone unfortunate enough not to have read them, tell us the titles of the first twelve novels in the series.
Here goes: Drama Queen (Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award for Favorite LGBT Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Novel of the Year Drama Muscle (Rainbow Award Honorable Mention), Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama Detective (Rainbow Award Honorable Mention), Drama Fraternity, Drama Castle (Rainbow Award Honorable Mention), Drama Dance (Rainbow Award Honorable Mention), Drama Faerie, Drama Runway, Drama Christmas, Drama Pan.
Joe is a college theatre professor/department chair like Martin Anderson in your series. Has that influenced your series, Nicky?
As a past professional actor and current college theatre professor/department chair, Joe knows first-hand the wild and wacky antics, sweet romance, and captivating mystery in the worlds of theatre and academia. The Nicky and Noah mysteries are full of them! He never seems to run out of wild characters to write about. His faculty colleagues and students kid him that if any of them tick me off, he’ll kill them in his next book. And he probably will. The little guy is fearless!
What do you like about the regular characters in the series?
I like my never give up attitude and sense of humor in the face of adversity. I’m genuinely concerned for others, and I’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. Noah is blond, blue-eyed, lean, handsome, smart, and devoted. He makes the perfect Watson to my Holmes. (I always thought Holmes and Watson were a gay couple.) Noah also has a large heart and soft spot (no pun intended) for others. Finally, like me, Noah is gifted at improvisation, and creates wild and wonderful characters for our role plays to catch the murderer. I think it’s terrific how Martin and Ruben throw riotous zingers at each other, but they’re so much in love. You don’t see a lot of older gay characters in books nowadays. Of course Martin’s administrative assistant, Shayla, thrives on her one-upmanship with Martin, and he thrives right back.
How about your and Noah’s parents?
They’re hilarious. 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. My parents’ goal to feed everyone and protect their children is heartwarming. My mom’s gambling addiction is also a riot. Both sets of parents fully embrace their sons and their sons’ family, which is refreshing.
I’m sure Joe has been told that the books would make a terrific TV series.
Many many times. Hence Drama TV. 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! Joe has written a teleplay of the first novel and treatments for the remaining novels!
How would you cast the TV series?
Here’s my wish list: Matt Bomer as me, Neil Patrick Harris as Noah, Rosie O’Donnell and Bruce Willis as Noah’s parents, Valerie Bertinelli and Jay Leno as my parents, Joe as Martin Anderson (nepotism!), Nathan Lane as Martin’s husband Ruben, Wanda Sykes as Martin’s office assistant Shayla, and Joe Manganiello as my brother Tony.
Joe has other mystery series: the Player Piano Mysteries and the Jana Lane mysteries. There are mystery elements in his Found At Last series and Cozzi Cove series. One of the stories in his Tales from Fairyland Anthology is a mystery.
They’re great stories, but Noah and I aren’t in them. Next question.
What’s next for Joe?
It depends on what Noah and I tell him.
How can your readers get their hands on Drama TV, and how can they contact you?
The purchase links are below, as are Joe’s contact links, including his web site. I love to hear from readers via Joe! He tells Noah and me everything you say about us!
Thank you, Nicky, for interviewing today.
My pleasure. I know you’ll laugh, cry, feel romantic, and love delving into this crackling new mystery with more plot twists and turns than a congressional hearing to impeach a treasonous ex-president. I’m more excited than a priest with a new altar boy to share this thirteenth novel in the series with you. So relax on the sofa and reach for the remote. The TV screen is exploding with sexy young heartthrobs, egotistical reality TV show contestants, a soap opera diva, a hot rap singer, and murder!
It’s winter break at Treemeadow College, and Theatre professors and spouses Nicky Abbondanza and Noah Oliver, their best friends Martin and Ruben, and their sons Taavi and Ty are starring in a television pilot for the Nicky and Noah Mysteries series based on their first caper, Drama Queen. More is shot than footage as cast members drop like giant flat screen TVs mounted by an intoxicated carpenter. Once again, our favorite thespians will need to use their drama skills to catch the killer before they get cancelled. You will be applauding and shouting Bravo for Joe Cosentino’s fast-paced, side-splittingly funny, edge-of-your-seat entertaining thirteenth (yikes!) novel in this delightful series. So relax on the sofa and reach for the remote. The TV screen is exploding with sexy young heartthrobs, egotistical reality TV show contestants, a soap opera diva, a hot rap singer, and murder!
E-book and Paperback: 233 pages
Language: English
Genre: MM, contemporary, mystery, comedy, romance, winter, academia, theatre, drama, television
Cover Art: Jesús Da Silva
ISBN-13: 9781005450311
ASIN: B09HN2S373
Release date: December 1, 2021
DRAMA TV (the 13th Nicky and Noah mystery)
a comedy/mystery/romance novel by JOE COSENTINO
Excerpt of Drama TV, the 13th Nicky and Noah mystery novel, by Joe Cosentino:
Seeing the glass half full, Noah remarked, “Our cast members are doing a great job.”
I ran my fingers through Noah’s long silky blond locks. “True, and off camera they’re so embroiled in their own personal dramas, the title of our TV pilot seems appropriate: Drama Queen.”
Noah sat up in bed in the yoga position. “Do tell.”
I played coy. “Tell what?”
“Nicky, you’ve been eavesdropping on the cast members. So share the goods, husband, including what you have on our son’s idol Madame Mirembe.”
I mirrored Noah’s yoga position. Ow! “Southern beauty Caroline Joy, the ambitious Madame Mirembe, and rapper Tadeo Torres each made an incomplete pass at Cam Mark.”
“Just like in our first case when all three college students were interested in David Amour.”
“Real life imitates art.” I put my arm around him, and he nuzzled into my shoulder. Ow! “Sassy Clark Murata made a play for Cam as well.”
“But your graduate assistant Scotty Bruno was interested in me, not David Amour.”
“As you never let me forget.”
Noah pinched my shoulder.
Ow!
“What else did you find out?”
“Our pal Martin must be rubbing off on you.”
“Inquiring minds want to know.” Noah giggled conspiratorially.
Recalling my day, I said, “Cam’s ‘benefactor’ bought him a new body and a ticket from Oklahoma to LA. Caroline’s Miss Mulch Beauty Pageant win and since failed marriage brought her from Mountain Brook, Alabama to LA.” I tented my fingers. “Interestingly enough, stocky Bucky Ray, who plays our graduate assistant Tyler Thompson, and Cam-fan Stuey Socks, our makeup person, are also both from Mountain Brook, Alabama. What are the odds of that?”
“Anything can happen at Treemeadow College.”
“True. There’s quite a bit of tension between the three Alabama refugees. Not to mention Stuey’s dagger eyes for out and proud Clark Murata.”
“Tell me more about our future daughter-in-law from Hell.”
“Madame Mirembe, originally Jane Jones from Paramus, New Jersey, rearranged her look and persona and won the Atonal Amateurs TV reality show talent contest.”
“Which she never lets us forget.”
“Madame seems quite hungry for fame—and for Cam. So is Tadeo Torres. He was in a big rap musical on Broadway.”
Noah chuckled. “Maybe we can turn the TV pilot into a musical.”
“Don’t give Sam any ideas. He’d do anything if he thought it could bring in high ratings.”
A thin crease appeared on Noah’s smooth forehead. “Our young cast members seem to have a great deal in common, but they don’t have much comradery off the set. Maybe it’s because so many of them are interested in Cam Mark.”
“And Cam Mark seems only interested in himself.”
“I suspect there’s more to it than that.”
“Elementary, my dear Noah.” I kissed his forehead. “There’s more conflict in our theatre’s greenroom than backstage at a drag show.”
“But why all the friction among the cast?”
I shrugged. Ow! “You got me.”
“And I’d have it no other way.” Noah kissed one of my long sideburns. Then he slid under the comforter.
By the time I spooned him, Noah was lightly snoring.
I noticed Papa sitting in the rose-patterned wingback chair. He’d been visiting me most nights since he had passed away. I sat up in bed. “Papa, Taavi’s angry with me.”
“Sons get angry with their fathers. It’s part of growing up.” He scratched at his bald head. “Remember when you were angry with me for being disappointed you wouldn’t work in the bakery?”
I nodded. “But you were proud of me when I became a college professor.”
“And you’ll be proud of Taavi too.”
“I’m proud of him already.”
“I know. So does Taavi.” Papa adjusted the tie of his white robe and his belly covered it.
“Papa, I miss you so much.”
“I’m here whenever you need me.”
“I need you now. Taavi is upset about his childhood in Hawaii.”
“Fine. He’ll realize how much better he has it here with you and Noah.”
“From your lips to God’s ears.” I cocked my head. “Papa, do you have a pipeline up there now?”
“Sure. So do you. Everyone does.” Papa smiled. “So, tell me what you’ve been up to.”
“I’m directing a television show at the college.”
“How many people murdered so far?”
I groaned. “Why do you think someone will be murdered?”
“Because you’re directing the show.”
After twelve mass murders, each during one of my productions, I couldn’t argue with him. “Papa, if there’s another mass murderer at Treemeadow, I hope I can solve this case.”
“You always do. And you always make me proud.”
“Papa, how did you feel when Grandpapa passed away?”
He stroked one of his chins. “Like I changed from a boy to a man.”
“Were you frightened?”
“I was terrified.”
“How did you get through it?”
“I thought about how much Grandpapa loved me, and how much I loved you and your brother. And I still do.” He leaned toward me. “Nicky, if we’re fortunate enough to have a long life, we all grow from childhood to adulthood. It’s the circle of life.”
“That’s what Noah said.”
“You have a smart husband.”
“I agree, and I hope I can follow in your footsteps, Papa.”
“You’ll walk on your own two feet and achieve even greater things. I have faith in you.”
“How do I have faith in myself?”
“Think about how much I love you. It will help keep you strong.” He winked at me. “Now listen to your smart papa and get some sleep.”
“Will you visit me again?”
“I’m always here, Nicky. And I’ll always be a part of you.” He was gone.
I slipped back into bed, missing Papa more than ever. As I drifted off to sleep, each of our television show’s young cast members ran through my mind, and I realized who would be murdered first.
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.
http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
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Post a comment on what you love most about a good gay mystery on television. The one that lights up our wide screen the most will win a gift Audible code for their choice of one of the first three Nicky and Noah mystery audiobooks: Drama Queen, Drama Muscle, or Drama Cruise. https://www.audible.com/search?keywords=Nicky+and+Noah+mysteries&ref=a_hp_t1_header_search
I like that it always go into detail and slowly works for find evidence and we get to see everything about the crime be broken down/enacted.