Guest Author Joe Cosentino on Acting

Welcome once again to Joe Cosentino, author of the Jana Lane mysteries. This time, Joe joins us for a special interview about his acting career, and how it influenced his novels!

An Actor's Life for Me

I remember my older sister and cousin wrapping a blanket around me, sticking me in a garbage can full of hay, and charging a nickel for our neighbors to see our Nativity play. I didn't mind since I was the star! That morphed into full-scale musicals in our friend's garage for our very patient and supportive family and friends. However, coming from a family with many lawyers, when I told my parents I wanted to be an actor, my mother (cutting vegetables for dinner at the time) handed me the knife and said, "Take this knife and stick it through my heart." She quickly got accustomed to the idea. After I graduated from college and embarked on my acting career, my parents were my biggest fans.

Eventually I became an actor in film, television, and theatre, working opposite stars like Bruce Willis (A Midsummer Night's Dream onstage), Nathan Lane (The Roar of the Greasepaint onstage), Rosie O'Donnell (AT&T Industrials), Holland Taylor (ABC-TV movie My Mother Was Never a Kid), Charles Keating (NBC-TV's Another World), and Jason Robards (Commercial Credit Computer commercial). One of my jobs was playing Ross (I mean Ross not Hercule) Poirot in a murder mystery dinner theatre show. Since a great deal of that show was improvisation, it occurred to me that acting is storytelling in the same way that writing is storytelling, so I decided to give writing a try. After writing some plays, I knew my novels would include show business in some way, since show business has always been such a huge part of my life. As an avid mystery reader, it was clear to me that my novels would also be page-turning mysteries with clever plot twists, engaging characters, romance, and lots of clues leading to a surprising conclusion a la Agatha Christie. Since coming from a funny Italian-American family, I also knew humor would play a role in my novels.

As a child, I loved child stars like Shirley Temple, Hayley Mills, and Patty Duke, seeing their movies over and over. So I created a heroine who was the biggest child star ever until she was attacked on the studio lot at eighteen years old. In PAPER DOLL, Jana at thirty-eight lives with her family in a mansion in picturesque Hudson Valley, New York. Her flashbacks from the past become murder attempts in her future. Jana ventures back to Hollywood, which helps her uncover a web of secrets about everyone she loves. She also embarks on a romance with the devilishly handsome son of her old producer, Rocco Cavoto. Though I wasn't a child star, my acting background helped me to write the first novel. When Jana ventures back to Hollywood, I wrote first-hand about her production meetings, wardrobe fittings, and press conferences. The characters of Jana's director, producer, hair and makeup artists, screenwriter, and music writer were based on a conglomeration of people I met and worked with over the years.

In PORCELAIN DOLL (The Wild Rose Press), Jana makes a comeback film and uncovers who is being murdered on the set and why. Her heart is set aflutter by her incredibly gorgeous co-star, America's heartthrob, Jason Apollo. Again, I used my experiences as a professional actor to create realistic scenes on the set of the film. The various rehearsals, takes, and shots on the set, camera and lighting, wardrobe and makeup were all exactly as I remember them. And once again, the various characters from the film world were based on people I knew and worked with as an actor.

In SATIN DOLL (The Wild Rose Press), Jana and family head to Washington, DC, where Jana plays a US senator in a new film, and becomes embroiled in a murder and corruption at the senate chamber. She also embarks on a romance with Chris Bruno, the muscular detective. Jana's hysterically funny agent and watchdog, Simon Huckby, plays a prominent role in this novel. He is a mixture of agents and managers I knew as an actor. I want to play him in the film!

Now, in CHINA DOLL (current release from The Wild Rose Press), after winning an Academy Award, Jana heads to New York City to star in a Broadway play, faced with murder on stage and off. It is old home week and nepotism in action as the play is produced and written by the same producer (Stanley Rothman) and author (Katrina Wright) who produced and wrote Jana's first Broadway play when she was five years old, Sweet Nothings. Jana's co-star from Sweet Nothings, the aging but still gorgeous and mysterious Savannah Stevens, is co-starring in China Doll, along with Savannah's incredibly handsome and muscular son, Peter Stevens, in his Broadway debut. Rounding out the cast are Rothman's granddaughter Bella, Jana's nephew Brad, and Jana's youngest son B.J. And the play is directed by Katrina's new and much younger husband, the studly Tony Cuccioli. Also in the cast are Sally Chen, a recent Tony Award winning actress, and Tate Moonglow, a transplant from Off-Broadway. Attractions come to the surface between Tony and Sally, Brad and Bella, Tate and Gary (B.J.'s new nanny), and even Jana and Peter.

It was great fun using my vast knowledge of musical theatre to write the Broadway musical theatre buff detective character. I was able to use my knowledge of theatre to create the first read through, blocking rehearsal, rehearsals, and performances for the play within the novel. Though China Doll is a fictitious play, I placed the theatre between the marquees of real shows playing at the time: Hurlyburly, starring William Hurt and Christopher Walken, and The Rink, starring Chita Rivera and Liza Minelli. I was an actor living in New York City then, so those shows hold a special place in my heart. Since the book takes place in 1984, I included a great deal of history, music, and fashion from my favorite era. Layered hair, parachute pants, shoulder pads, lace gloves, leggings, and scrunchies are all there, along with music like Bruce Springstein's "Cover Me." New York City is prominently featured in the novel with its luxury hotels, Central Park, Washington Square Park, Little Italy, and of course the theatre district. I was also able to include the still-new AIDS epidemic and the devastation it caused within the Broadway theatre community when ignored by our political representatives, as once again Jana sponsors a benefit for AIDS research.

Each Jana Lane mystery is its own story. The clues are there, and so are the plot twists and turns, and white-knuckle shocking ending. I use my professional acting background to make each novel realistic, fun, and theatrical, and give my readers an insiders' look into the world of show business. And don't miss the next Jana Lane mystery, RAG DOLL, releasing from The Wild Rose Press in a few months, where Jana stars in a television murder mystery show and once again, life imitates art! I remember well my time on television sets. You can bet those memories will be included in RAG DOLL.

The curtain is going up. So curl up with CHINA DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery, and let me know what you think. I love hearing from readers. You can contact me at: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com.

About CHINA DOLL by Joe Cosentino

Jana Lane is back on Broadway in 1984—starring in a murder mystery. Life imitates art when members of the company are murdered. As Jana investigates, it’s clear she may be the next victim. Complicating matters is Jana’s uncontrollable infatuation with her leading man, gorgeous and muscular Off-Broadway actor Peter Stevens. Will Jana find the murderer before the curtain comes down on her?

An Excerpt from CHINA DOLL

Tall, muscular, aristocratic-looking with dark hair and blushed cheeks, Peter shook Jana's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lane."

Feeling the warmth and smoothness of his strong hand, Jana felt like a shut-in at a blind date with Mr America. "It's Miss Otley…rather Mrs. Lane…Mrs. Otley, but please call me Peter." Jana turned the color of her avocado dress.

He seemed to enjoy her attraction to him. Amazing dimples emerged as Peter said, "I thought I was Peter."

Jana giggled in spite of herself. "You are. I'm Nana. I mean…I'm Jana."

Peter's peaches and cream complexion complimented his white pants, coral T-shirt, and marigold blazer. He whispered in her ear, and she smelled fresh mint. "I'm nervous too. Everyone's thinking I got this role because I'm Savannah Stevens' son. They're probably right."

I have to stop gawking at him. "I'm sure you'll be fine."

Peter seemed genuinely touched. "That means a lot to me, coming from such a fine actress. I hope you'll give me a few tips in rehearsals."

Buy CHINA DOLL at:

Barnes & Noble
OmniLit
The Wild Rose Press
Amazon

About Joe Cosentino

Amazon Bestselling author Joe Cosentino 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. His one-act plays, Infatuation and Neighbor, were performed in New York City. He wrote The Perils of Pauline educational film (Prentice Hall Publishers). Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. Look for his newest novel, CHINA DOLL, available now from The Wild Rose Press.

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

Theater Review: Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery

Tell Me a Story

I love a good story, and when it comes to good stories, the classics are still among the best.  There's a reason Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories of Sherlock Holmes are still popular (and still being retold in new books, TV series, and films) over 130 years after the famous fictional detective made his first literary appearance.

Holmes debuted in 1886.  Doyle was paid what, today, would amount to just over $3600 for exclusive rights to the first Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet.  He wrote a total of 60 Holmes stories, even going so far as to resurrect the Holmes character after killing him off in The Final Problem, due to reader backlash.  That's pretty powerful, when you think about it: when you write such an iconic character, he no longer belongs to you, but to the readers.  Those readers were adamant that Doyle bring their fictional hero back.

Fans of mystery fiction should thank their lucky stars that Doyle listened, because he went on to pen The Hound of the Baskervilles, arguably his most popular and well-known Holmes story.  In it, Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick and chronicler John Watson investigate a murderous spectral hound who has terrorized the Baskerville family for generations.

A Fresh Take

The story of The Hound of the Baskervilles has been told and retold many times since its first appearance in 1901.  You might think there is no longer a fresh way to tell it.  That's probably because you haven't had the pleasure of seeing Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, a play written by Ken Ludwig and directed for Syracuse Stage by Peter Amster.

Baskerville takes the classic story and injects it with a heavy dose of comedy.  The result is a delightful and engaging dash through Victorian-era Dartmoor, England, complete with eerie ambience and laughs galore.  You don't need to be familiar with the original story to get the humor; when they crack a joke, you're going to get it.  Ludwig has made sure of that.  But that's not even the best part.

The gem of this play is that there are five actors playing a few dozen roles.  Matthew Greer (Sherlock Holmes) and Liam Craig (John Watson) play the famous crime-solving duo, while just three other actors (Gil Brady, Jonathan Spivey, and Barbra Wengerd) quite literally don multiple hats to fill in the almost forty remaining roles.  It is hilarious fun to watch, and the actors play up to that intrinsic hilarity with brilliance.  I asked my husband for tickets to this show for Christmas, and it was undeniably worth the wait.  I can't remember the last time I laughed so much.

Greer was amazing, and he lit up the stage with a wonderful and believable presence as Holmes.  Anyone who played Watson would have to be at least as brilliant, especially since Watson carries the majority of the story.  Craig was perfect.  I loved him on sight.  He not only looked the part, he played it to the hilt, every bit the staid foil to the slightly-manic Holmes.  Fans of Doyle's stories will appreciate how closely writer Ken Ludwig followed the original tale.  Theater-goers looking for something new will love the pings of tongue-in-cheek humor liberally sprinkled throughout the performance.

Baskerville is playing now through May 29th at Syracuse Stage.  Tickets range from $18-$50, depending on time and day of performance.

REVIEW: 4.5 of 5 stars

Returning Guest Author: Joe Cosentino!

A couple weeks ago, I hosted Joe Cosentino, author or PORCELAIN DOLL. Joe returns today to talk about his next book in the Jana Lane series, SATIN DOLL.

You were with us last to discuss PORCELAIN DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery from The Wild Rose Press. How was that novel received?

Thankfully, readers seem to love Jana Lane as much as I do. In her latest adventure, PORCELAIN DOLL, Jana makes a comeback film and uncovers who is being murdered on the set and why. Her heart is set aflutter by her incredibly gorgeous co-star, America’s heartthrob, Jason Apollo. The reviews were amazing. Here are two examples:    

“Beautifully written and intensely detailed, Porcelain Doll is one not to be missed. Flirtatiously decadent with a strong moral undertone, set in a decade of extraordinary social change this is a story of its period that is as poignant today as it was then. Joe Cosentino controlled the emotions that the book encouraged with a deft but delicate touch. Suspenseful and mysterious, Porcelain Doll is a masterful creation, one that was impossible not to be affected by.” - Carol Fenton, BooksLaidBare Reviews

“Murder, mystery, and suspense are high inside of this brilliant masterpiece by Joe Cosentino.” “Every page fills the readers with intrigue.” “Edge of your seat mystery that lures readers instantly.” “Once you read it, you can't put it down.” - Danielle Urban, Universal Creativity Inc.

And now, you are back with SATIN DOLL from The Wild Rose Press. Tell us about the latest Jana Lane mystery.

In SATIN DOLL, Jana and family head to Washington, DC, where Jana plays a US senator in a new film and becomes embroiled in a murder and corruption at the Senate chamber. She also embarks on a romance with Chris Bruno, the muscular detective. Jana rubs elbows with senators on both sides of the aisle, a lobbyist, and a Washington reporter. Her husband also goes through a personal crisis.

I love the way you weave political intrigue with romance. Who was your favorite character to write in SATIN DOLL, and why?

Jana’s agent, Simon, is my favorite character for five reasons. He is amazingly resilient, old world Hollywood, incredibly funny, loyal to Jana, and most importantly, I want to play him in the movie version!

Is there a movie version?

From our mouths to the movie gods' ears.

Which one of your characters was the hardest one to write, and why?

Senator Maxmillion, the Republican majority leader of the Senate, and Benjamin Topower, Maxmillion’s wealthy super pack contributor. I’m not a top one-percenter, so I found it hard to relate to them. However, I found their drive and sense of entitlement fascinating.

With elections coming up, this book is certainly a timely one! Is Senator Cassie Castle, the Democrat senator touted to run for Vice President, based on Hillary Clinton?

Cassie is a smart, strong woman who is deeply involved in protecting the environment, women’s rights, gay rights, education, and creating jobs, like her father before her. She is also quite charismatic. So in some ways she’s very much like Hillary. In many ways, she is different. Cassie seems to wear her heart on her sleeve. And she’s dating the Republican majority leader of the Senate!          

That's a sticky situation! Have you always been interested in politics?

I’ve always found politicians like Maxmillion and Cassie fascinating. How they can speak to someone and make him/her feel as if he/she is the only person in the room. I also marvel at Cassie’s will to serve others and to make the world a better place. The issues I am concerned with are Cassie’s and Jana’s issues, so I am clearly on the liberal bent. However, I believe all the political characters in the book are treated equally in showing their good points and bad.

And then there is the studly Senator Sancho Ramirez from New York.

Like all of the characters, Sancho is a man of many secrets that all come to light.

You are certainly unafraid to delve into the darker side of human nature. In the novel, Jana is interviewed on the radio by a Christian host for Jana’s upcoming AIDS benefit. Do you think Christians would be offended by that character?

I sure hope not. Jana is a Christian who prays and goes to church on Sundays. She seems like a true Christian to me since she tries to love her neighbor as herself, not judge others, and help the downtrodden and outcasts. The radio hosts who interview Jana use their wealth, power, media chops, and religious affiliations to demean others and try to take away their rights.

As in the first two Jana Lane mysteries, Jana is tempted by a gorgeous man, this time Detective Chris Bove.

Detective Bove was great fun to write given his amazing looks, past as a professional football player, and addiction to good food. I don’t blame Jana for being captivated by him.

Me, either! Meanwhile, Jana’s husband goes through a major personal event.

I love that part of the story. It still brings tears to my eyes when I read it.

And Jana is reconnected with her best friend, Jackson.

Yes, Jackson is a Democratic congressman now. I love his sense of humor, and interplay with Jana.

Jana again uses the skills she learned as a child star to solve the crime. How do you remember all of those movie titles and storylines?

I keep really good notes on Jana’s old movies, and on each room in her Hyde Park, New York mansion.

Since the book takes place in 1983, you included a great deal of history, music, and fashion from the era. I love the Eighties, and your book is full of that flavor.

Yes, Flashdance, “Maniac,” layered hair, parachute pants, shoulder pads, lace gloves. It’s all there. I loved that period! I was also able to include Karen Carpenter’s death, the still-new AIDS epidemic and the devastation it caused when ignored by our political representatives, and dangerous proposed legislation by conservatives like the Protect the Children Act, which was a disguise to try to make gay people second-class citizens.

Which part of the novel did you enjoy writing the most?

I loved writing Jana’s banter with Bove, and Brian’s banter with Adam.

Did you use your background as an actor to write SATIN DOLL?

Definitely! As one reviewer of PAPER DOLL wrote, I used my knowledge of show business to devilish ends. Actually, I used my background in each of the Jana Lane novels, since I know the ins and outs on a movie set. Thankfully, nobody was murdered on my sets. However, in SATIN DOLL, Jana is in DC to research her upcoming role for Madam Senator. So I was able to include many famous Washington, DC historic settings like the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Memorial, Smithsonian Museum, Capitol, and the Ford Theatre.

Many of the men in the series are strapping, muscular, good-looking guys - yum! Did you do that intentionally?

You mean since I’m not? Hah. Many of the women are gorgeous, too. I’m enjoying exploring how the other half lives and loves.

Your novels are full of intrigue. Everyone in SATIN DOLL seems to have a secret.

Each Jana Lane mystery is a separate story. Readers get a complete mystery with each novel. The clues are there, and so are the plot twists and turns, and white-knuckle shocking ending.

What’s next?

In CHINA DOLL (releasing late May from Wild Rose Press), Jana heads to New York City to star in a Broadway play, enchanted by her gorgeous co-star Peter Stevens, and faced with murder on stage and off.

And after that?

I’m writing RAGDOLL now, where Jana stars in a television murder mystery series, and once again life imitates art.

Do you have another mystery series besides the Jana Lane mysteries?

Yes, the Nicky and Noah comedy mysteries published by Lethe Press. Each novel is loaded with wacky humor and romance in a fast-paced whodunit. Since I am a college theatre professor/department head, and theatre departments are havens of mystery, secrets, romance, and high humor; the series takes place at an Edwardian-style New England college. In DRAMA QUEEN (Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award for Best Mystery, Best Crime, Best Humorous, Best Contemporary novel of 2015) theatre college professors are dropping like stage curtains. With the inept local detectives, it is up to Directing professor Nicky Abbondanza to use his theatre skills (including playing other people) to solve the murders, while he directs a murder mystery onstage. Complicating matters is Nicky’s intense crush on Assistant Professor of Acting, handsome Noah Oliver, the prime suspect in the murder. In DRAMA MUSCLE, Nicky and Noah have to use their theatre skills to find out why musclemen are dropping like weights in the Physical Education department while Nicky directs the Student Bodybuilding Competition. In DRAMA CRUISE (not released yet), Nicky and Noah go on a cruise to Alaska, and discover why college theatre professors are going overboard like lifeboats while Nicky directs a murder mystery dinner theatre show onboard ship.

Have you written other books besides mysteries?

My M/M romance novellas are published by Dreamspinner Press. They are AN INFATUATION (Divine Magazine Readers’ Choice Award 2nd Place for Best MM Romance), A SHOOTING STAR, A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, and THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TALES FROM FAIRYLAND. I also have an M/M series including COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK and COZZI COVE: MOVING FORWARD, taking place on the Jersey Shore and published by NineStar Press.

I have a day job, and I find it hard to carve out writing time. As a college professor/department head, your time must be even more limited! How do you do it?

I write at night after my spouse has gone to bed. I have a beautiful cherry wood study with a fireplace, huge desk, bookcases, and window seat. My mother asked me, “Don’t you have anything better to do than write at night?” I wonder if Shakespeare’s mother asked him that? Hah.

If I had an office like that, I would be in it every spare minute! How long does it generally take you to write a book?

About three months, working evenings and weekends. When I complain about my time, my mother says, “Just think how hard you’d have to work if you had a real job like your sister’s (the accountant)”.

Who is your ideal reader of your books?

My ideal reader is a lover of mystery, romance, and Hollywood. Someone who craves being swept away by a story and becoming part of the novel. My reader loves clues, suspects, and plotlines that zigzag with numerous surprises leading to a shocking yet totally justified conclusion. Finally, my reader relishes in beautiful, lush locations and captivating characters as she/he enters the portal of my book.

Buy SATIN DOLL at:

The Wild Rose Press
MyBook
Barnes and Noble
OmniLit

About Joe Cosentino:

Amazon Bestselling author Joe Cosentino 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. His one-act plays, Infatuation and Neighbor, were performed in New York City. He wrote The Perils of Pauline educational film (Prentice Hall Publishers). Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. Look for his next novel, CHINA DOLL, in May from The Wild Rose Press.

Joe loves to hear from readers. Contact him at:

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

Winner of the 2016 Earth Day Giveaway!

Congratulations to Erin C., the winner of the 2016 Earth Day Giveaway!  Erin chose a copy of HEAVY NETTING, my book in The Wild Rose Press's Lobster Cove series:

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's contest. Please keep checking back with me for announcements of future contests. Congratulations again to Erin.  Happy Reading, and Happy Earth Day!

Guest Author: Joe Cosentino!

Today, I have the pleasure of hosting Joe Cosentino, author of the Jana Lane mysteries. Joe visits us to feature his novel, PORCELAIN DOLL.

How did you get started writing?

My mother said I was singing and dancing in the womb—and it still hurts her. Hah. As a kid I played make-believe constantly. “Let’s put on a show!” was my motto with full-scale musicals in the garage starring my sister and me. Thankfully, my parents and teachers indulged me (rather than committed me-hah). Eventually, I became an actor in film, television, and theatre. It occurred to me that acting is storytelling in the same way that writing is storytelling, so I decided to give writing a try. After writing some plays, I knew my novels would include show business in some way, since show business has always been such a huge part of my life. As an avid mystery reader, it was clear to me that my novels would also be page-turning mysteries with clever plot twists, engaging characters, romance, and lots of clues leading to a surprising conclusion. Since coming from a funny Italian-American family, I also knew humor would play a role in my novels.

What interests or excites you most about your genre(s)?

I’ve read hundreds of cozy mysteries. The warm or plush locations, humor, romance, and plot twists and turns totally captivate me. So I love writing mysteries. The Jana Lane mysteries are in The Wild Rose Press’s Vintage Line since they take place in the 1980’s. I reveled in the music, hairstyles, clothing, and decadence of that era. I was also able to incorporate some of the music, films, television shows, Broadway shows, and political and social events of the times. Finally, I really like writing a series. The leading characters are so real to me that each book is like visiting with old friends. I love Jana and I enjoy every moment with her.

Who or what is your favorite inspiration when writing?

Of course, Agatha Christie is the queen of murder mysteries. Armistead Maupin has an amazing flair for writing eccentric, loveable characters with engaging and realistic dialogue. Mary Higgins Clark blends mystery and romance so beautifully. As a child I loved child stars like Shirley Temple, Hayley Mills, and Patty Duke, seeing their movies over and over. So I created a heroine who was the biggest child star ever until she was attacked on the studio lot at eighteen years old. In PAPER DOLL, the secret behind Jana’s studio attack is exposed.

Tell me about your latest book or work in progress.

In PORCELAIN DOLL, it is 1982, and Jana is thirty-nine years old, living in a mansion in Hyde Park, New York. Jana makes a comeback film and uncovers who is being murdered on the set and why. Her heart is set aflutter by her incredibly gorgeous co-star, America’s heartthrob, Jason Apollo. The other suspects include Jana’s James Dean-type young co-star, her older John Wayne-type co-star, her children’s Eve Harrington-type nanny, the film’s gossipy makeup and hair artist, a local reverend trying to stop the film’s production, and Jason’s agent. The early reviews for PORCLEAIN DOLL have been amazing. It's been called "a character-driven story full of intrigue and passion (Kirsty Vizard, Divine Magazine)" and "Beautifully written ... flirtatiously decadent (Carol Fenton, BooksLaidBare Reviews)."

Coming soon are the next books in the Jana Lane mysteries, SATIN DOLL and CHINA DOLL, which carry on Jana's adventures.

5) Please share with us the first paragraph of your latest work.

PORCELAIN DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery, by Joe Cosentino, published by The Wild Rose Press

1982. 

Jana Lane, America’s most famous ex-child star, ran on the grounds of her estate. The forty-year-old kept up a quick pace as someone, or something, followed closely in the woods just out of sight. Her heart pounded, and sweat dropped down her neck, arms, and legs. As she turned to avoid falling into the lake, Jana raced past a large oak tree. A hand reached out from a branch. Jana screamed.

 Blurb:
 
Is art imitating life in 1982? Jana Lane, ex-child star, is doing a comeback film about murder. When a crew member is killed on the set, it looks like Jana could be next. Thickening the plot is Jana’s breathtakingly handsome and muscular leading man, Jason Apollo, whose boyish, southern charms have aroused Jana’s interest on screen and off. Will Jana and Jason stop the murderer before the final reel, or end up on the cutting room floor in this fast-paced whodunit with a shocking ending?

Excerpt:
 
As Jana sat waiting for Jack to call for action, she looked up at Jason’s encouraging face. She again was taken aback by his incredible beauty.

Reverend Charlton and Gloria reentered the study.

Jack called for quiet and action. Jana and Jason played the scene, where the detective notifies her of her husband’s death. Jason delivered his lines with warmth, vulnerability, and obvious affection for Jana. In turn, Jana listened then reacted with deep emotions, conveying shock, loss, fear, and hysteria while being comforted by the man she trusted. Jana clutched onto Jason with such force, her fingernail accidently tore a hole in his jacket.

“Cut!” Jack hollered.

While the wardrobe woman repaired Jason’s jacket, Jana noticed Reverend Charlton step out of the study again, this time with Ryan O’Halloran.

After the two men returned, and the jacket was mended, Jack called for slate and action for take two. Jana and Jason did the scene two more times. Each take was more realistic and heart-wrenching than the next, and each appeared as if it were the first time Jana was given the sad news.

After the third take, Jack shouted, “Cut! It’s a wrap. Ryan, let’s move on to the next location.”

Jana wiped the tears from her cheeks.

Jason placed his hand on the side of her face. “You’re amazing.”

“You’re not so bad yourself, partner.”

“You make me better,” he said with adoration in his true-blue eyes.

They shared a smile as again people hurried around the room like ants after a picnic.

Suddenly, Jana heard a loud crash followed by a scream. Leaping from her chair, she followed the horrified gazes of the others in the room to Ryan O’Halloran lying motionless on the floor with a Fresnel tungsten shuttered light next to his head, and blood dripping from his scalp onto the hardwood floor.

Buy PORCELAIN DOLL at:

The Wild Rose Press 
MyBook
Barnes and Noble
AllRomance EBooks

About Joe Cosentino:

Amazon Bestselling author Joe Cosentino 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. His one-act plays, Infatuation and Neighbor, were performed in New York City. He wrote The Perils of Pauline educational film (Prentice Hall Publishers). Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. Look for his next novel, CHINA DOLL, in May from The Wild Rose Press.

Contact Joe at:

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