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Under the Christmas tree and in my stocking I found fifteen delightful goodies. Santa got my wishlist and decided that I such a good girl it was time to give me free reign to be naughty for the rest of the year. What did I find?
Firefighter: Dressed in red and holding a massive hose.
Cowboy: Riding long and hard and deep in the saddle and very sweaty.
Vampire: One little nibble, one little bite.
Duke: In full dress regalia with his cravat tying his hands to the bed.
Desert Prince: Under a starry night on top of a pile of colorful cushions.
CEO Tycoon: When he’s slumming it in old skintight blue jeans and a black turtleneck or dressed to the nines.
Brooding Recluse: In a garden under the bright sunshine surrounded by multitude of flowers.
American Farmer: With his shirtsleeves rolled up and dinner simmering in the oven.
Viking Warlord: After a raid and claiming his rights and new found treasures.
Time Traveler: In the past (my present) when he's too confused and awed to get very far.
Detective: He can solve my mysteries anytime.
Pirate Captain: Cue clinch cover swoon and complete and total surrender.
Medieval Knight: Under the furs with a fire burning hot and bright.
Interstellar Pilot: No cliche fall among the stars for us, my pilot will take me to the far reaches of the universe and beyond.
Highlander: Warrior or Laird! I’m not picky! Just give me strong muscles and a kilt.
I know this video is slightly dated - came out back in March (2009) - but I think it's really interesting.
200 + Motorbikes! Wow! Half the time I had no idea what he was talking about. Did you? He was sure excited about them though! My biggest obsession is romance novels. I definitely have 200 of those around!
Some notable quotes:
"My agency, they always worried about me riding motorcycles. But you know what, life is too short. I love motorcycles. I love speed. It's not because the job I do that I'm going to limit my life."
"My goal is 365. There are 365 days in a year, so I'm not quite there yet."
Thanks to the artist, Zach Weiner, of Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal for this comic... made my day! Now where's the store so I can go order mine? Haha.
Busy, busy, busy! No rest for Mr. Romance. Charles Paz is already off working on photo shoots and got a wicked sunburn for his efforts. Don't worry Charles, I know right were the aloe is and I can help rub it in... I mean... uh... ahem... right. Where was I? Oh yes, between some crazy antics at the shoot and aloe rubbing Charles and I sat down to go into detail on his win at Romantic Times 2009.
How does it feel to not only win Mr. Romance, but to also be Readers’ Choice?
I was shocked and surprised. Winning Mr. Romance is truly an honor and a privilege. I'm very excited to be a part of all of this. A year ago I wouldn't have thought I could be anything; now I have this. Winning this competition is cool because I get a cover contract, and getting to come back next year to be a part of the ceremony is an extra cherry on top.
Winning the Readers' Choice, in my opinion, is just as sweet as the cover model win. I'm glad that I made a great impression with the people who attended the convention because, let's face it, this week was all about them. It's about them having a great time and enjoying themselves. For me to be a part of their experience and getting to contribute to them having an awesome time is something I can't explain. I'm just very honored to have met such wonderful people at this event and want to let them know that this means a lot to me.
What was your favorite part about the competition and the convention?
My favorite part of the competition was winning, duh! HAHAHAHA! Seriously though, I enjoyed giving the crowd a show and making sure they enjoyed themselves. Hearing the crowd react to things I did during the competition was very cool and reassured me that they were being entertained, which was the main point of the competition.
As far as the convention goes, I'd have to say that seeing a group of people so passionate about something all gathered in an area is always an awesome thing. I'm very new to this world of Book Lovers. Seeing and experiencing what they love was something I will not forget. Probably one of the coolest things was seeing the readers meet the authors that they love and getting their books signed. The smiles on these ladies faces were priceless.
What were some of the things you did behind the scenes at RT?
Most of the time behind the scenes was spent rehearsing for our show. If we weren't at an event, we rehearsed. I didn't get much downtime, but I did manage a few gym sessions while I was there. It was almost like a trip in Vegas, where the only time you are in your room is to take a shower and a power nap. LOL. I spent a lot of time as well chatting with people by the pool and around the convention. I didn't stay in my room, I made sure I was out and about.
Funniest thing a person said to you while in Orlando:
Funniest thing someone said to me? Well, if it was said, I guarantee it was said by fellow contestant Franco D'Angelo. The entire time he had all of us guys cracking up. We were like two sides of the same coin. My stomach hurt from laughing so much.
One of the things that was kinda funny, that actually made me blush a lot, were the women there that would tell me, "I'm too old for you, but my daughter is not. You should meet her." It was said more than just a few times and it was very flattering.
How do you think winning this competition will affect your image?
I hope that this will boost my image and help me get seen. I'm on Model Mayhem. That was what I have been doing before this event. You can actually see my work by going to that site and searching my number #591117. It's just a sample of what I have done. I'm looking forward to doing the book cover for Dorchester Publishing and hope that the this can help me land other covers and possibly acting as well. I'd love to take this win as far as I can and hope that you all will see me again.
One piece of advice you’d give future Mr. Romance candidates:
The best advice I can give to the other guys is this... The competition is cool and fun, but remember the real reason why you are there: the people. Somebody told me this is their Christmas, their one chance to get away and have a vacation to have a good time and relax. Make sure you remember that when you are speaking to them. You will get noticed by publishers and authors, and you will get business cards for future projects, but make sure everyone there is having a great time. I can safely say that me and the other guys did a great job doing that. Every time I looked around, I saw them engaged in conversation with people and they all looked like they were happy. That's what matters most!
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I would love to thank everyone I met this week. You all helped make it one of the best times of my life. The contestants, the readers, the organizers, all of you guys are very much appreciated and words can not express how thankful I am for all of this. I hope everyone got home safely and that I am looking forward to seeing you all next year! =-)
C’mon, sit down, relax and grab a cuppa Joe. Well no, a cuppa Eric actually. Eric Truglia sat down with me recently to discuss what went down at the Romantic Times Convention in Orlando where he was a contestant in the Mr. Romance contest. Giving us a unique look on the experience Eric shares why he competed along with exclusive behind-the-scenes gossip!
One thing you think the ladies should know about you:
Eric: I love to make people smile and laugh. I enjoy bringing happiness to others.
Why did you decide to compete in Mr. Romance?
Eric: I was always self conscience about myself. I lost a lot of weight and my confidence in myself started to rise, and that's why I started up modeling plus the reassurance given to me by my loving girlfriend. I really enjoyed it and wanted to see how far I could go. I've noticed that if I start toeing at something I end up getting too nervous and let fear take control of my actions. So instead of toeing at the edge of the river I dove head first into it.
What was your favorite part about the competition and the convention?
Eric: My favorite part about the competition was that it reminded me of my high school theatre days. Rehearsing everyday and being behind the stage brought back great memories. The fact that all of the competitors, to me at least, bonded together like the way the crew and the actors did at my school made the feeling more surreal.
My favorite part of the convention would honestly have to be that I finally met and get my picture taken with the author who first got me into reading: Pears Anthony. I honestly had to force myself to stop from babbling to him. He is one of my biggest heroes. I never thought in my entire life I would meet him let alone shake his hand.
What were some of the things you did behind the scenes at RT?
Eric: Behind the scenes I helped out whenever I could as to take some of the load off of the hands of the staff, who by the way are some of the greatest group of people to be around and I was honored to work with them and my fellow competitors.
Funniest thing a person said to you while in Orlando:
Eric: Scuba! Inside joke with the guys.
One piece of advice you'd give future Mr. Romance candidates:
Eric: To future candidates I just say be yourself. Don't try and be something you're not. People can see through that.
PS... When I saw this picture of Eric, my mind did a little fizzle...
Why? Because he totally looked like the new members of the New Moon crew, you know the ones, those in that sexy werewolf pack running around in La Push these days.
Now if Eric were cast as Jacob Black, I would be over the moon, pun intended, because Eric is hot! What say you?
Ladies (& Gents), I would like to introduce you to Mr. Stefan Pinto, the first-runner up at the Romance Times' Mr. Romance contest. Scoring a romance novel contract and some extra publicity, Pinto says he's a "full-time geek, sometimes model." Who doesn't love a sexy brain? Heck, brawn and brains, I know he has, as Mr. Pinto is so kindly helping a friend of mine code and slice her website up in Adobe-land. I tell you, the more I know about him, the more delectable he becomes. From sheiks to doctors, rogues to bosses, billionaires to bronco-riding cowboys, he's sure to make us swoon. Pinto took some time away from his busy schedule to give me some exclusive, first-hand information going behind the scenes of the competition, as well as, a unique perspective on the world of romance novels.
Why did you decide to compete in Mr. Romance?
Stefan: A friend who runs a PR firm in NY, receives RT magazine and suggested I enter. It never occurred to me that I will be a contestant let alone even place in the top five!
How do you feel about winning 2nd place at Mr. Romance?
Stefan: Ecstatic! It is a dream come true for me. I know that sounds cliche, but you must understand; I was once overweight. Growing up, I suppose you could say I was a "nerd" (I still am, actually). Yea, I had zits, wore glasses and had buck teeth.
What happens now?
Stefan: Ha ha. I don't know. I've been in touch with Circle of Seven productions and they have been very forthcoming with their responses. I am looking forward to working with them.
What was your favorite part about the competition and the convention?
Stefan: Bonds. I connected with some of the contestants as well as with some of the authors. Everyone was open to meeting and this was what is most important to me. I really enjoyed the people I met and know that we will remain in touch.
What were some of the things you did behind the scenes at RT?
Stefan: As we spent most of our time with each other, we developed some strong bonds. There is always that initial sense of trepidation when meeting new people that you will be competing with, but ultimately, if you are willing, you can develop some wonderful relationships. We spent a lot of time making fun of one another, in jest of course, sharing our experiences and giving advice.
Funniest thing a person said to you while in Orlando:
Stefan: What is your intellectual capacity? I answered, and we ended up having a nice chat. I wonder if she voted for me?
One piece of advice you'd give future Mr. Romance candidates:
Stefan: Bring snacks! It is a grueling competition mostly because of the back-to-back events and you do not want to run low on fuel. I go crazy when I am hungry.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Stefan: This event changed my life. It was truly an opportunity and I am blessed to have shared it with such enthusiastic and considerate people. Everyone was just amazingly wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Aww... isn't he terrific? You can find Stefan on Twitter, Pinto Factory, Facebook, and Model Mayhem. Be sure to drop in and say hi, he's very friendly and amiable.
I just got off the phone with Jeremy Rivenburg, one of the gorgeous models going for Mr. Romance on Saturday. He sounds as wonderful on the phone as he looks; soft-spoken, polite. His voice is sinful and I got to talk to him for just over thirty minutes. On top of that he's a genuinely nice guy who's a little bashful and very modest. Below is the transcript of the interview:
1. Why do you think you're the best candidate for Mr. Romance?
Jeremy: You know I don't know if I'm the best. The reason why I am here is because someone chose me. I didn't sign up for this on my own. I was asked to do this. I was sponsored [Between Your Sheets]. Annette Batista, who I shot a romance novel trailer with said that I would be good as a cover model and that I would do well at it. I would give it my best.
2. What type of romance cover do you see yourself doing?
Jeremy: I can pull off different looks. As I said before I did a book trailer. My character was named Sam; I was a vampire in the process of turning. Supernatural stuff, which is interesting. Several of my model shots, I've been told, would be great on a book cover. I hear I could pull off really well being as a vampire.
(I can see him as one of those devilishly handsome but withdrawn and brooding heroes, not necessarily a vampire, but one of those scarred and wounded heroes from historicals.)
3. One thing you think the ladies should know about you:
Jeremy: Hmm.... I guess that I'm shy. I'm a pretty shy guy. I'm not the kind of guy who... I guess that's not good here [Romantic Times Convention]. I'm forcing myself to be confident, more outgoing, and talkative. Some of the ladies here know that and they come over and say hi to me, ask me how things are going. It's helped to open me up a little bit... One lady last night told me that that's what she liked about me.
4. In 3-5 adjectives, how would you describe yourself?
Jeremy: Shy, sarcastic-I joke around a lot or whatever you want to call that, hmm... this is more difficult than I would have thought. Nice guy, I'm not a bad boy.
He is certainly nice and down to earth! It was such a pleasure to chat with him.
Ladies, I'd like to introduce you to Charles Paz, one of the candidates for Mr. Romance this year at the Romantic Times Convention. If you're at the convention don't be shy, say hello. I wrote Charles yesterday afternoon and he was such a sweetie to text me his responses right away. Isn't he wonderful? You can find him on Facebook and ModelMayhem!
1. Why do you think you’re the best candidate for Mr. Romance?
Charles: I feel I'm the best candidate because I portray a character that readers can relate themselves to. Someone who looks like they are a hero. Someone that takes care of a woman and treats them right. Basically, it's what I am in real life. Respectable, humble and protective.
2. What type of romance cover do you see yourself doing?
Charles: I see myself doing anything. From cowboys to knights in shiny armor. I'd love to do covers that would have me being the hero and saving the woman, but with my versatility, I'd be honored to be on the cover of any style.
3. One thing you think the ladies should know about you:
Charles: The ladies should know that I'm a very caring and sincere guy. I put others first and always make sure that people are ok. Some of my friends say that I care too much, but I blame my mom because she raised this boy right :~)
4. In 3-5 adjectives, how would you describe yourself?
Charles: And a couple words to describe me are loyal, caring, strong, passionate and determined.
So what do you think? Is Charles Paz the next Mr. Romance?
Today's hottie is the Brazil actor with Italian ancestry, Rodrigo Santoro. If you're a fan of Love Actually then you'll know who he is... Rodrigo plays Karl, the loveable architect with the most adorable nerdy chic glasses.
Gives you a whole new appreciation for that blood and guts movie doesn't it?
Looking at the IMDB profile of Santoro, all of us are going to be super lucky this year. He's coming out in 5 films in 2009 if they are released on schedule.
In 2004, Santoro was slotted as #9 on People's Most Beautiful List. The way to this man's heart is ice cream with chocolate.
"I love both the sun and the moon, day and night. But I enjoy the day the most because I live in Rio and I can play sports." - Rodrigo Santoro
Santoro can grace the cover of my romance novel any time!
I've been over at Jessica's blog Racy Romance Reviews and I stumbled upon her post for google search terms. Some of the searches are truly hilarious, but there was a mysterious question that cropped up time and again in the search terms.
I saw him on the inside cover and immediately I wanted to know the answer too. The man is scrumptious! So I started the search and surprise, surprise - Jessica's blog posts come up as one and two on the search engine, which wasn't very helpful because as I already knew the name to the gorgeous hunk was not going to be there. So who is he?
The Answer:
Ben Whitaker!
Go Amazon forums for providing me with that tidbit. Once I figured that out I looked for him on other romance covers. Ben is also the model for A Reputable Rake by Diane Gaston and Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn.
This is his model page, which has a few pictures and information on him. If only there were more information on the internet for me to glean...
Hey Ben! If you see this post contact me! I want to interview you! Grin.
Looks:
Height: 1.88
Chest: 98
Waist: 82
Hips: 94
Shoes: 44/45
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown
I hereby dubbed Ben Whitaker as Mr. Eight for the Search for Fabio. Consider this his nomination! I know I want to see him on more covers and I know you do too!
KarLynP says:
He is going to give Nathan Kamp a run for his money. Yum!
L. Magee says:
Oh, yeah, that Ben Whitaker has one killer smile!
lovetherain says:
I just got Seduce me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas & the cover model on the inside flap is sooo good-looking. I usually don't like who they pick to portray the characters, but this guy was dead on.
Rafael Lazzini, a Brazilian male model, was recommended as a candidate for our Fabio search by Lex Valentine. When you get the chance to take a closer look later in this post at the boy you'll see he's the epitome of salty goodness. At 6'2" and 176 pounds, Lazzini is a mean lean muscle bound machine! It's hard to tell, but this handsome devil has green eyes... and the most perfectly kissable lips... le sigh.
His look is very versatile; long hair, short hair, dressed up or dressed down. He can be your corporate love interest, perfect for a contemporary romance or your rich play boy, perfect for those Billionaire categories. He can even be your personal down to earth handyman, or your Cabana boy. I have the pictures to back me up too!
Here he is as the driven corporate executive. I love how the suit fits him with jacket or without! I'd like to get me some of that!
Rafael as the rich play boy and as the sexy handy man minus his tool belt. So hard to choose... which would you pick?
But that's not all... I even have some pictures to show off the yummy goodness going on beneath the great clothes. Not work friendly, and be warned you'll want to get a cup to drool in!
If you think viewing Rafael in still photographic form you should see him in motion. Check out the youtube video of some of his photo shoots:
If this is what is grown in Brazil - I'm going to start importing some seeds and grow my very own hunk garden tomorrow! Who's with me?
So I just learned that my "Search for Fabio" posts are part of a wider search for Mr. Romance.
Variety announces that Mr. Romance is going to be a New Regency film and is about a skeptical guy entering the Mr. Romance Pageant contest in hopes to win back his lost love. Does this sound a bit far fetch? Well it's not! This contest does exist!
This upcoming years contest is sponsored by Dorchester Publishing and the winner will appear on one of their romance novel covers. Grand prize also includes a cash prize of $1,125.
The contest will be held in Orlando, FL, USA this year. You can nominate your Fabio by contacting Cindy Walker.
This man is 260 pounds of pure muscle. Third-generation WWE Superstar, short-time professional football player, and Hollywood actor he is one of the most recognized celebrities. Dwayne Johnson is the Rock. He ranked #61 on VH1's 100 Hottest Hotties, which I think is such a shame because the Rock could give any woman heart palpitations from a mile away.
However, if you think this gorgeous hunk could protect you from spiders with all his rippling pectorals you’ll be surprised to learn that he has a fear of them. But while this domestic task may be beyond him, he could certainly cook you one of his family favorites in the kitchen!
We have seen him in several well known movie titles, the first being the The Scorpion King. He’s currently filming 3 for release in 2009. Seeing him in Get Smart was fun as the Rock always wanted to be a villain in a James Bond movie, and Get Smart is a great spoof of the Bond films.
In the past he's been nominated the worst actor for the Razzie awards and finally received one for his part in Doom. I say to this - who cares? Show some more skin! We love the Rock because he's gorgeous. If others think he has the acting range of well a rock, that's their problem. He'll sell tickets to any movie he's in and that's the bottom line. I also think he could sell a ton of books too - yum!
The Rock is married to Dany Garcia and has a daughter, Simone Alexandra. The young girl in Game Plan is not his daughter for those wanting to know.
Nothing beats a lazy morning or evening, a good book in hand, and a bubble bath. Is there anything more delightful than this personal pampering treatment? I can’t think of anything unless it’s a good book, some tea and a rainy afternoon curled up somewhere under a blanket.
However this post isn’t strictly about personal pampering it’s about finding another Greek Adonis to grace the covers of our romance novels. Since this is Bond Week, I am electing Daniel Craig to our line of new Fabios. I am generally not attracted to blonds, but I have to admit his lines are very good… very very good.
For a twist on the female walking out of (ocean) water:
Can you see why he's a wonderful pick for James Bond and as the next Fabio? If you don't trust me yet, go see him at the start of the torture seen in Casino Royale- this man has absolutely the most wonderfully powerful thighs I have ever seen. Yowza! You could melt just looking at him.
Quantum of Solace is the second of five contracted Bond films Craig has signed on for. Critics claim that Craig is the first Bond to truly portray Bond's character as seen in Ian Flemming's novels. What say you? Do you agree with them?
Craig says this about his character James Bond: "Am I the good guy or just a bad guy who works for the good side? Bond’s role, after all, is that of an assassin when you come down to it. I have never played a role in which someone’s dark side shouldn't be explored."
Now let's play the trivia game! Below are some James Bond questions - do you know all the answers?
1. What year was Bond created?
a. 1950
b. 1951
c. 1952
d. 1953
2. Which author did not write a James Bond novel after Flemming's death?
a. Jonathon Cape
b. Kingsley Amis
c. John Pearson
d. Raymond Benson
3. Which of the following names did Flemming throw out as unsuitable names for Bond?
a. Peregrine and Sidney
b. Peregrine and Carruthers
c. Sidney and Carruthers
d. none of the above
4. Bond is said to be born in the Chinese year of:
a. dragon
b. rat
c. ox
d. snake
5. How many film adaptations are there of Bond?
a. 19
b. 20
c. 22
d. 25
Highlight for Answers:1. d 2. a 3. b 4. b 5. c
How did you do? Very good or kind of poorly?
So I think I might have lied at the beginning of this post... the truest way to pamper yourself is to wrap up in Daniel Craig. Haha. Or if that option isn't available go see him in Quantum of Solace in theaters.
C’mon, sit down, relax and grab a cuppa Joe. Well no, a cuppa Eric actually. Eric Truglia sat down with me recently to discuss what went down at the Romantic Times Convention in Orlando where he was a contestant in the Mr. Romance contest. Giving us a unique look on the experience Eric shares why he competed along with exclusive behind-the-scenes gossip!
Loading ...
4. In 3-5 adjectives, how would you describe yourself?
Ladies, I'd like to introduce you to Charles Paz, one of the candidates for Mr. Romance this year at the Romantic Times Convention. If you're at the convention don't be shy, say hello. I wrote Charles yesterday afternoon and he was such a sweetie to text me his responses right away. Isn't he wonderful? You can find him on 
Today's hottie is the Brazil actor with Italian ancestry, Rodrigo Santoro. If you're a fan of 
then you'll know who he is... Rodrigo plays Karl, the loveable architect with the most adorable nerdy chic glasses. 
and 
where he played Xerxes. 
Looking at the IMDB profile of Santoro, all of us are going to be super lucky this year. He's coming out in 5 films in 2009 if they are released on schedule. 
?
Go Amazon forums for providing me with that tidbit. Once I figured that out I looked for him on other romance covers. Ben is also the model for 
by Diane Gaston and 
by Julia Quinn.
So I just learned that my "
This man is 260 pounds of pure muscle. Third-generation WWE Superstar, short-time professional football player, and Hollywood actor he is one of the most recognized celebrities. Dwayne Johnson is the Rock. He ranked #61 on VH1's 100 Hottest Hotties, which I think is such a shame because the Rock could give any woman heart palpitations from a mile away.
. He’s currently filming 3 for release in 2009. Seeing him in 
was fun as the Rock always wanted to be a villain in a James Bond movie, and Get Smart is a great spoof of the Bond films.
. I say to this - who cares? Show some more skin! We love the Rock because he's gorgeous. If others think he has the acting range of well a rock, that's their problem. He'll sell tickets to any movie he's in and that's the bottom line. I also think he could sell a ton of books too - yum!
- this man has absolutely the most wonderfully powerful thighs I have ever seen. Yowza! You could melt just looking at him.
