Drama Prince, the 15th Nicky and Noah mystery novel,
by Joe Cosentino
Don’t you love Cinderella? I mean who doesn’t want a fairy godmother to don them in a stunning new outfit and to be rescued from their humdrum life by a gorgeous prince? Imagine, never having to cook, clean, do laundry, or deal with annoying relatives ever again? Not to mention live in a palace with a charming guy. Okay, I’ll admit I’m a bit of a Cinderella fanatic having read the fairytale countess times as a kid and watched the Disney animated movie so many times my parents had to drag me kicking and screaming from the theatre. However, I didn’t stop there. The television versions starring Julie Andrews and Leslie Ann Warren were yearly rituals for me. Years later, I was riveted to various movie adaptations: The Slipper and the Rose, Ever After, A Cinderella Story, Ella Enchanted, Enchanted, The Prince and Me, Three Wishes for Cinderella, Elle, She’s All That, and The Glass Slipper. And how could I forget the Cinderella Broadway musical, which I saw three times!
One of the stories in my Tales from Fairyland anthology, The Naked Prince, was my comical gay spin on the Cinderella story. However, I didn’t stop there.
For the fifteenth novel in my Nicky and Noah mysteries series, Nicky, Noah, and Treemeadow College theatre crew venture to a gay fairytale theme park in San Francisco (where else?), where they stage an original musical adaptation of Cinderella entitled, Let’s Ball. Nicky, in addition to being the director, plays King Charming, the king with a long scepter. Noah plays Nicky’s Queen—onstage and off. Their best friends, Martin and Ruben, are along for the wild ride as the Stepmother/Fairy Godmother and the Duke (who wants to grab his brother the King by the crown) respectively—but not respectfully. The two couples’ sons, Taavi and Ty, are cast as Gro and Tesque, the stepbrothers demanding full service from Cinder. Things heat up pretty quickly between the actors playing Cinder and Prince Charming as well as the young men cast as the Footman and the Coachman. However, they may get a royal screw as four local detectives drop around them like a priest’s robe at altar boy training. Once again, our favorite thespians use their drama skills to catch the killer before an explosive pumpkin threatens to make the show a bomb.
For those of you who haven’t yet ventured to the land of Nicky and Noah (and you should!), 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 (as Nicky would say) “faster than a Jehovah Witness entering a new fifty-story apartment complex.” At the center is the touching relationship between Professor of Play Directing Nicky Abbondanza and Associate Professor of Acting Noah Oliver. We watch them go from courting to marrying to adopting a child, all the while head over heels in love with each other (as we fall in love with them). 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 I’m “a master storyteller.” Who am I to argue?
The premiere novel, Drama Queen, was voted Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award for Favorite LGBT Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Novel of the Year! Subsequent novels won many Rainbow Award Honorable Mentions and Favorite Book of the Month awards: Drama Muscle, Drama Cruise, Drama Luau, Drama Detective, Drama Fraternity, Drama Castle, Drama Dance, Drama Faerie, Drama Runway, Drama Christmas, Drama Pan, Drama TV, and Drama Oz.
As a past professional actor and current college theatre professor/department chair, I know first-hand the hysterically funny antics, sweet romance, and captivating mystery in the worlds of theatre and academia. The Nicky and Noah mysteries are full of them! I know you’ll laugh, cry, feel romantic, and love delving into this crackling new mystery with more plot twists and turns than (as Nicky would say) “fake news on right-wing media.”
I’m more excited (as Nicky would say) “than a Republican terrorist storming the Capitol” to share this fifteenth novel in the series with you. So wave your Fairy Godmother’s wand, ride coach, and head to the palace for a ball with a charming prince who has a slipper fetish! I promise you a happy ending!
And drop me a line. I’ll share it with Nicky and Noah!
DRAMA PRINCE (the 15th Nicky and Noah mystery)
a comedy/mystery/romance novel by JOE COSENTINO
At a gay fairytale theme park in San Francisco, the Treemeadow College theatre crew stage an original musical adaptation of Cinderella entitled, Let’s Ball. The adorable actors playing Cinder and Prince Charming fear they may not get a happy ending as local detectives drop around them like a royal flush. Once again, our favorite thespians will need to use their drama skills to catch the killer before an explosive pumpkin threatens to make the show a bomb. You will be applauding and shouting Bravo for Joe Cosentino’s fast-paced, side-splittingly funny, edge-of-your-seat entertaining fifteenth novel in this delightful series. It’s a blast! So hurry to your seat. The stage lights are coming up in the royal kingdom of Fabulous on a king with a long scepter, a queen who is a real queen, a fairy godmother with a roving wand, a stepmother who grabs them by the crown, a servant left alone to stimulate himself, two stepbrothers demanding full service, a prince with a slipper fetish who is seeking a royal screw, and murder!
E-book and Paperback: 213 pages
Language: English
Genre: MM, contemporary, mystery, comedy, romance, theatre, musical theater, Cinderella, theme parks, San Francisco
Heat Level: 2
Cover Art: Jesús Da Silva
Release date: December 1, 2022
20% Off Discount Until December 1 Release Day!
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1168254
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https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/drama-prince-a-nicky-and-noah-mystery
Excerpt of Drama Prince, the 15th Nicky and Noah mystery novel, by Joe Cosentino
I made my way to Nate Friedman’s dressing room doorway, where I feigned needing to zip my fly.
The twenty-four-year-old playing our Mouse/Footman sat in the makeup chair facing away from the mirror. Opposite him on the easy chair, was Tej Vevi, our Mouse/Coachman. Though both men were similar in age and wore identical mouse costumes, they couldn’t have looked more different. Nate was tall and thin with frizzy auburn hair and a prominent nose. Tej’s Arab ancestry had awarded him a muscular statuesque body with long thick black hair and onyx eyes.
Tej took Nate’s hand. “I had a really good time last night.”
“So did I.” Nate squeezed Tej’s hand, causing the freckles on Nate’s hand to dance like eye floaters.
“The restaurant in Laurel Heights was great.” Tej added, “So was Laurel Heights.”
“That’s my home.”
“Thank you for sharing it with me.”
Nate grinned. “And thank you for showing me the Midtown Terrace area last week.”
“My pleasure. It’s the only place I’ve ever lived.” Tej rubbed his wide nose. “My folks are active in the Arab Community Center there.”
“That’s great. My parents are…were involved with the Jewish Community Center in Laurel Heights.”
Tej asked, “Are your parents okay with you being an actor?”
Nate giggled. “They sit front row center for every show I do.”
Hey, that’s my seat for this show! Oh, yeah, I’ll be onstage.
Nate asked, “How about your folks? Are they comfortable with you being a performer?”
“As comfortable as a Democrat at a White Nationalists meeting.”
Leave the witty metaphors to me please!
Tej explained, “My mom and dad see my shows, but they’d rather I work at the family business.”
“What’s that?”
“Importing and exporting clothing and jewelry.”
“And you’re not into that?”
“The only clothing and jewelry I’m interested in are costumes and accessories for the stage.”
“Says the guy wearing a mouse costume.”
“To the other guy wearing a mouse costume.”
They shared a laugh.
Nate said, “Since my father is a cantor at our temple, music, dance, and theatre were always a big part of my life growing up. My mom wanted to be an actress, but she got sidetracked by having kids. She’s a terrific history teacher, because she uses her performing skills in the classroom. Her students love it when Mom dresses up to play famous people in history, and when she has them improvise scenes from our country’s past.”
“Your folks sound great.”
“Thanks. So do yours.”
Tej nodded. “They’ve worked hard all their lives to never deny my sister and me anything.”
“Same with mine for my brother and me.”
“I guess we’re lucky.”
Nate nodded. “How do your parents feel about your interest in Buddhism?”
Tej shrugged his ample shoulders. “We don’t really talk about it much.”
“Do you mind talking about it with me?”
“Not at all. What would you like to know?”
Nate slid to the edge of his seat. “Do you believe we store up good points here for the afterlife?”
“Jewish people don’t believe that?”
Nate tented his fingers. “We believe doing good works come back to us with good things in this life.”
“I believe that too, but I also think our current good deeds create karma for our next life. What we’ve learned here puts us at a higher level of existence the next time around, so we don’t need to learn it all over again.”
Nate cocked his head. “You believe in reincarnation?”
“I have to believe this life isn’t all there is. We’re made of energy. How can that energy just disappear when we die?”
“What about animals?”
“They’re lower forms of life still needing to learn a great deal. So they reincarnate too.”
“How about trees?”
Tej rubbed his hands together. “Think about the leaves. They start out small, but they grow to become green and luscious. When they are starved of sunlight, leaves turn beautiful colors, finally falling to the ground.”
“Where they turn brown and die.”
“But they come back the next spring even stronger and more beautiful than the year before. Then it happens all over again.”
Nate smirked. “Okay, but how come everybody in a past life is a king or a queen?”
No pun intended.
“Why aren’t they a peasant?” Nate asked.
“I can’t answer that, since I don’t remember my past lives.” Tej sat back in the chair. “But so many times I’ll do something, say something, or go somewhere and think, I’ve done this, said that, or been there before.”
“Maybe it was in a dream.”
“I think it’s more than that. Like Cinder tells the prince in our show, we’re all connected. I can feel it in my bones. There’s more to my life and yours than…this life.”
“Then why can’t we remember our past lives?”
“Maybe we aren’t trying hard enough, or perhaps we’ve lost the ability to remember.” Tej sighed. “If I had the money, I’d go to a therapist who helps you recall your past lives.”
“Couldn’t those therapists simply be using the power of suggestion?”
Tej grinned. “Speaking about the power of suggestion.” He placed a hand on Nate’s knee. “I’d like to suggest we do something right now.”
Nate returned the grin. “Oh, really? What’s that?”
“Hm. I don’t know. How about this?” Tej leaned over and planted a tender kiss on Nate’s lips.
“I think I like that suggestion.”
“I know I like it.”
Nate giggled. “Since turnabout is fair play, I guess I should offer a suggestion of my own.”
“And what suggestion would that be?”
“How’s this one?” Nate kissed Tej, longer and deeper.
Tej rose and lifted Nate into his arms like a Proud Boy with a Confederate flag. He kissed Nate again and again. When they parted, Tej said, “This is getting serious for me. I want to see you tonight, and the next night, and the next.”
Before Tej could kiss him again, Nate blurted out, “I’m a Reformed Jew.”
“That’s great.”
“Why?”
“Since unlike the Hasidic, you believe in full rights for LGBT people, including marriage and adoption.” A crease formed between Tej’s bushy eyebrows. “I wish I could say the same about my family’s religion. I guess that’s one of the reasons I turned to Buddhism.”
“But aren’t your parents fine with you being gay?”
Tej nodded and hair covered his eyes. “Like I said, they don’t tell me what to do. It’s my life, and I have to be true to my nature. They understand that. But I can sense they wish things were different.”
“There’s no point in wishing things were different. They are what they are.” Nate frowned. “You and I are proof of that.”
“What do you mean?”
Nate faced him. “Tej, you’re a terrific guy. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you during the last month of rehearsals. Our dates have been great. And I hope you’ll always be a part of my life.”
“Why do I sense a ‘but’ coming?”
“Tej, my parents…I…always thought…when the time comes, I wouldn’t get seriously involved with anyone who…wasn’t like me.”
Tiny beads of sweat formed on Tej’s forehead. “But I am like you. We’re both actors, around the same age, gay. We have the same liberal political beliefs. We like the same music, theatre, art. I loved your neighborhood and you loved mine. Okay, you don’t believe in reincarnation and the afterlife. I do. So we’ll be together in this life. That’s totally fine with me.”
Nate ran a shaky hand through his hair. “You don’t understand.”
“No, I don’t.”
A tear brimmed Nate’s eye. “Tej, from the beginning of recorded time, the Jewish people were imprisoned, enslaved, and marked for extinction. But they never gave up. They kept fighting for survival. To remain a tribe, a people, a culture. A Jewish culture.”
Tej gasped as if being hit by a sucker punch. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“I’m sorry, Tej. I like you so much. And I think I could love you, possibly spend the rest of my life with you. But I’ve always thought…assumed I’d share my life with someone—”
“Jewish?”
Nate nodded.
“So because Jews and Arabs have been at war for centuries, we have to fight each other?”
“No, Tej.” Nate took his hands. “We can be friends, even continue dating.”
“But when it comes time for a serious relationship and marriage, I’m out, because I’m not Jewish?”
Nate nodded. “I’m sorry.”
Tej released his hands. “I’m sorry too. For you. And for me. Because your bigotry is standing in the way of your happiness—and mine.” Tej stormed out of the dressing room.
“Tej!”
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, Drama Oz, Drama Prince; 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.
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Post a comment about why you love the Cinderella story. The one that tickles the glass slipper the most will win your choice of one of the first three Nicky and Noah mystery audio books: Drama Queen, Drama Muscle, or Drama Cruise!