Ernesto Patino's Page

One Last Dance by Ernesto Patino

Marco Anissi comes out of a comma, days after his car slams into a light pole—the same pole he had crashed into exactly ten years ago, killing his fiancé, Susan. Coincidence? Not to him.

Her spirit has reached out to him in a way he would understand. If it had happened on a different date, in a different place he would have missed it entirely.

With the help of Susan’s mother, Marco learns that a woman named Julia Tinsley had received her daughter’s heart. She lives in Tucson where she works as a dance teacher. Obsessed with the idea of reconnecting with Susan’s spirit, Marco travels to Tucson. But he can’t just walk up to Julia and introduce himself. What would she think—a complete stranger wanting to meet her?

He signs up for lessons, hoping to develop a relationship. Now, Marco must make a decision: tell the truth about himself and risk losing Julia with whom he’s falling in love, or remain silent and enjoy his new life with her.

Cold Coffee Press Book Review For One Last Dance by Ernesto Patino

A powerful story told by a master story teller. One Last Dance by Ernesto Patino is a love story that will draw you in and hold on to you until the last word leaves you yearning for more.

Do you believe in coincidence?

Marco Anissi is confronted with this question when he wakes up from a comma after a car accident. This is not just any accident. He hit the same light pole ten years ago that killed his beloved Susan.

Deeply believing that Susan is spiritually reaching out to him, Marco goes to get advice from Professor Rangan about arranging a meeting with the recipient who received Susan’s heart. What he hears from the Professor will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. You will have to read the entire conversation, but at the end of their visit he told Marco that “Susan's spirit will detect your presence.”

Marco learns with Susan’s Mother’s help that Julia Tinsley is the lady that received Susan’s heart. Marco travels from Miami Florida to Tucson Arizona in hopes of meeting her to see if he can get closer to Susan. Following the professor’s warning to take things slow because the recipient might not be very receptive to his needs, he signs up for dance lessons with her as his instructor.  I quote what Marco writes in his journal.

“I met Julia for the first time today. Though she was not as I imagined her, I immediately felt a strong connection. Susan’s presence was palpable as Julia agreed to be my teacher despite the fact she only takes advanced students. I won’t build up my hopes just yet. Though it’ll be hard not to, considering that we’ll probably spend a lot of time together in the days and weeks to come. Meanwhile, I’ve got to find some kind of job, something with flexible hours that will allow me to see Julia as often as possible. I don’t want to drive a cab again unless I have no other choice. It would be great if I could work in a restaurant. It might even be fun. Tomorrow I’ll check out a few places, preferably close to my apartment and the Sonoran Ballroom Academy.”

How does Marco reach out to Julia as his instructor in a non-threatening way?

Should he tell Julia about Susan’s heart that is beating inside her?

Should he tell her about the second car accident and his belief that Susan’s Spirit has sent him to meet her?

With Marco’s feelings for Julia growing, he is confronted with the biggest dilemma ever. Should he tell Julia what he has just learned?

Can he risk this fragile friendship that might develop into something more and bring him even closer to Susan?

With well-developed characters and a story that will tug at your heart, One Last Dance is an unpredictable romance with uncommon circumstances. Ernesto Patino writes this love story from his heart and I especially enjoy love stories written by a man. With forty-four chapters, journal entries and letters this is a fiction that will leave a mark on your soul. You will close the final chapter wondering about the afterlife and the imprint of a donated organ on the recipient and beyond.

Cold Coffee Press/Cafe endorses One Last Dance by Ernesto Patino. This author has also published ‘In The Shadow Of A Stranger’, ‘Web Of Secrets’ and ‘The Last Of The Good Guys’ on Amazon. We reviewed this book from Kindle/PDF format. The review was completed on June 25, 2016. For more information please visit Cold Coffee Press http://www.coldcoffeepress.com

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The Last Of The Good Guys by Ernesto Patino

When three former cops commit suicide, private investigator Alec Santana knows it's not a coincidence.

An ex-cop inexplicably commits suicide in Miami and his widow turns to her husband's best friend, Alec Santana, for assistance. Soon after, two more ex-cops commit suicide. After talking to one of the widows, Santana discovers they all had a single event in common: they responded to a Christmas Eve fire almost fifteen years ago.

Threatening letters turn up, prompting Alec to dig deeper into events from the past. He knows he's on the right track but things turn dangerous as someone tries to run him off the road. The police refuse to help, insisting there's no connection between the suicides and recent accidents. Alec hits one dead end after another in his search for suspects and he nearly gives up, until he uncovers a shocking secret...

Genre: Mystery

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In The Shadow Of A Stranger by Patino Ernesto

As a result of a chance encounter with a Holocaust survivor on vacation in Mexico City, young attorney Antonio de la Vega learns that his natural father is a former SS officer who committed heinous crimes against the Jews during World War II.

Obsessed with the idea of meeting his father, Antonio embarks on a search that takes him from Mexico to the United States and ultimately to South America, meeting ageing ex-Nazis, vengeful Jews, and an alluring young woman who has been assigned to watch his every move.

Meanwhile, Antonio's semi-recluse mother is suddenly faced with the possibility that the man she once loved may soon reappear . . .

Genre: Mystery

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Web Of Secrets by Ernesto Patino

Some family history is too dangerous to be revealed. Sarah Baker's search for the truth about her adoption uncovered a tangled web of deadly secrets.

A phone call from a blackmailer turned Sarah's life upside down. The man claimed to know the circumstances of her illegal adoption thirty years ago. He also revealed some shocking facts about her real parents.

Rather than have the blackmailer go public with information and risk her husband's career, she agreed to a one-time payoff. Their situation was far from resolved, and doubts about her heritage put a strain on their once ideal marriage.

Sarah still didn't have verification of the truth. She needed more details.

Were there any brothers or sisters, or other family members nearby?

Had the same blackmailer approached them too?

Hiring a Private Investigator seemed the only option, but it meant opening a Pandora's box. Sarah needed confirmation and closure, and was willing to take the risk.

Ex FBI investigator turned P.I. Joe Coopersmith was up to the task, but working on a thirty-year-old mystery wouldn't be easy. Joe didn't realize it might also turn deadly...

Genre: Mystery

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Cold Coffee Press Spotlight Interview With Author Ernesto Patino

Ernesto Patino grew up in El Paso where he graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso. He received a Bachelor of Music degree and taught school for a couple of years before joining the FBI as a Special Agent. His career spanned 23 years, most of which were spent in South Florida.

Currently lives in Southern Arizona where he divides his time between writing and working as a private investigator. His hobbies include playing the Flamenco guitar and ballroom dancing. When he is not working on a case or writing a book, you can usually find him at a local dance studio, practicing his steps.

Author of four novels, In the Shadow Of A Stranger, Web Of Secrets, The Last Of The Good Guys and most recent, One Last Dance. “I believe that my purpose as a storyteller is simply to write a good novel that people will remember long after they’ve read the last page”. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers Organization (ITW).

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What makes you proud to be a writer from Southern Arizona? Though I lived in South Florida for over twenty years, I now consider myself to be a proud resident of Southern Arizona. My latest book, One Last Dance, is set mostly in Tucson. I took the liberty of mentioning people and places that local residents will recognize. 

What or who inspired you to become a writer? I can’t say that anything or anyone inspired me to become a writer. I’ve always wanted to write, first short stories and later novels. It is a creative outlet for me, much like playing the guitar and dancing. 

Did your environment or upbringing play a role in your writing and did you use it to your advantage? The characters in my novels are loosely based on people I met during the course of my life as an FBI agent, and later as a private investigator. So, yes, I would have to say that my environment or in this case, my chosen profession played a role in my writing. 

When did you begin writing with the intention of becoming published? When I wrote my first short story, I did it for my own amusement. Then I wrote other stories—mostly to improve the quality of my writing.  Not until I wrote my first novel, In the Shadow of a Stranger, did I seriously think about becoming a published writer. The book was published in London by Robert Hale Ltd.

What has been your most rewarding experience with your writing process? The most rewarding process for me came about three quarters into my first novel, In the Shadow of a Stranger. By then, the plot and characters were fully developed and I knew that the story about a Nazi living in South America would have a satisfying ending.

What has been your most rewarding experience in your publishing journey? Of course, just getting published by a legitimate publisher is exciting.  But the most rewarding part for me as writer was when a reader told me for the first time, that she enjoyed my book.

How many published books do you have? Five

Book Titles:
A Boy Named Paco (out of print)
In The shadow Of A Stranger
Web Of Secrets
The Last Of The Good Guys
One Last Dance

Do you come up with the titles before or after you write the manuscript? I prefer to write the book first and then come up with a title. I want to take my time selecting the right words that will complement the theme of the book.

Please introduce your genre and why you prefer to write in that genre? I write mysteries, though my first book was a children’s book and my latest, One Last Dance, is a love story. Because of my law enforcement background, I’m more comfortable writing mysteries and related genres. A new novel that I finished recently is a mystery titled Enough to Make the Angels Weep.

What book tittle would you like featured in this interview? One Last Dance

What was your inspiration, spark or light bulb moment that inspired you to write the book you are seeking promotion for? My love of dancing inspired me to write One Last Dance, set in the world of ballroom dancing. Many of the characters are composites of ballroom dancers I have met over the years.

What one positive piece of advice would you give to other authors? My best advice to authors, especially those who are trying to get published, is to not give up. If it takes fifty query letters, there’s still a chance that the next one will land you a literary agent or an offer to publish your book.

Who is your favorite author and why? I am a great fan of Elmore Leonard. I admire his style, which he talks about in his illustrated book, Ten Rules of Writing.  I have adhered to his rules in almost every book I have written.

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