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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."
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.
Publishers Weekly recently published an article on clinch covers. Since I've been running a segment on locating the next Fabio of romance novel models, I was immediately drawn to read the post. I was certain heaving bosoms, flowing hair, and orgasmic looks would be disclosed. I was pretty much right. Overall the article was pretty savvy I thought.
Two romance bloggers were quoted in it, Sarah from Smart Bitch and Kate of Romancing the Blog. Both bring up some very valid points on clinch covers. While never officially polled by readers in general, Sarah is confident based on several posts on trashing silly looking covers that readers hate clinch covers. They are "a complete and total embarrassment for the reader." Nothing screams trashy romance novel in my opinion more than a couple embracing on the cover!
This is why paperback book covers were created - its not to protect the book, it's to protect your ahem... virtue from the immaturity of those around you. Who here has had someone take the book they were reading and start searching for the sex sections and read them out loud? I certainly have been a victim of this. The worst instance was with purple headed warriors and womb-brooms... no joke. I was mortified even as I made fun of the passages too along side the other mockers. Who couldn't make fun of purple headed warriors? Still, when this happens you pretty much want to curl up and hide because stuff like that just gives the genre a bad name.
However, it's not just romance novels that are defined by a clinch style cover. Kate from Romancing the Blog says, "A clinch identifies the genre in a way that leaves no question about what you're getting between the covers." Can you name some clinch cliches belonging to other genres? I can - unicorns and flowery fairies with wings or sorceresses with long flowing robes make up fantasy novels. Though I am sure nobody's picked up a fantasy and mocked the reader for it... maybe a paranormal like a later Anita Blake.
Where do you fall on clinch covers? Love? Hate? Both?
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.
I am sure you all know exactly who I am talking about. There is only one Dr. McDreamy and that’s Patrick Dempsey from Grey's Anatomy. I can hear all the appreciative murmurs coming through the computer now – don’t deny it. Resistance to this man is futile.
Patrick Dempsey is exactly my kind of sexy. Tall, dark hair, bright blue eyes, sexy grin. I could watch him all day long. I have in fact indulged in back to back Dempsey in the past by watching Enchanted, Freedom Writers, and Made of Honor. Certainly this is an indication if not an endorsement that he could be the next guy on 400+ novels.
Here’s his interview on Ellen:
Watching that it’s no wonder he plays such wonderful slightly dorky guys. It’s because he is one. See him juggle in competition at age fifteen.
And Patrick Dempsey on the View:
And if you’re ready for a triple shot of deliciousness you can watch this last interview.
Patrick Dempsey on David Letterman:
Too bad this fabulous man is taken. He’s married to the beauty Jillian. They met when she cut his hair. How’s that for a meet cute? They’re said to be the best couple on the red carpet in both looks and dress. They have a girl and twin boys. Still, I think despite his chronic coupledom disease, which might detract sexy points for some women, Patrick Dempsey is a wonderful addition to our growing cast of hotties.
This week in the search for the next Fabio, Lex Valentine has submitted Will Chalker to our attention. Will Chalker is a British male supermodel and woo is he one gorgeous honey. Blond hair, green eyes, and ladies he's a Pisces. Chalker started modeling around 2000 and has been full-time since 2003.
He would make a great addition to any pirate romance novel. Don't you think? He pulls off the frothy white shirt very well. Move over Orlando Bloom! I bet Chalker's good with a sword...
If that weren't enough, check him out in the following two scrumptious photos. Yum! Yum!
Not only does he model underwear, Chalker is the new face of Paco Rabanne BlackXS. I personally haven't had a good whiff of it so I can't tell you what it smells like, but go ahead and take a look at him in his commercial. Not as wickedly delicious as Ian Lawless' commercial, sad to say.
Will Chalker on the Runway:
All in all Will Chalker is not a bad choice for the next Fabio. What say you? How many novels could he grace the cover of before we tired of him? Who do you nominate for the next Fabio?
Have you ever wondered how publishers create book covers? I was trolling through YouTube the other day and found this video that talked about the process. It's a little dated but I'm positive that it holds true to today as well. Even better it looks at creating romance covers and since I'm doing my Fabio replacement series this just takes the cake.
Here's the process at Dorchester Publishing:
(Dorchester Publishing is a mass market publishing firm that specializes in romance, horror, western, and thriller.)
Quick and easy overview:
Designing a book cover starts with a talk to the author. This is the initial brainstorming process. Usually authors will have ideas in their head of what they envision for the book. I say usually because there is probably an author somewhere who has no idea what they want for their book. After the author has offered up some ideas the publishing staff takes them and proceeds with fleshing them out. More ideas are added to the mix until several are decided on. These ideas are then handed over to a cover artist.
The artist works with the author and editor before sketching some ideas. Then depending on the artist the rest of the process is basically what I call the creative process. Models, photos, drawings, watercolors, digital or traditional media all are in the artists' hands. An artist I feel is chosen based on the media that they do best by the publishing house. This way the artist is already familiar with the look and feel of the style the publishers want.
Final edits, tweaking, etc. are all part of the process and eventually the cover gets a seal of approval and that's as they say the end of that.
Which brings us back to Fabio:
Fabio Lanzoni was the male model who graced the covers of over 400 hundred romance novels in the 80s and 90s. He's labeled as the "Sexiest Man in the World" by Cosmopolitan. Interestingly enough he's the first male writer of romance to publish under his own name. Titles include: Pirate, Viking, Champion, Rogue, and Comanche. Since he stopped doing covers in 1994, the search for the new Fabio is on.
I plan to have a post a week on the subject of the next Fabio and if you have suggestions tell me! Drop a comment and your hunky guy can be put in the running. Last week was Ian Lawless and this week... well it's a secret for a few more days anyway.
So I just learned that my "
Publishers Weekly recently published an 
- this man has absolutely the most wonderfully powerful thighs I have ever seen. Yowza! You could melt just looking at him.
. I can hear all the appreciative murmurs coming through the computer now – don’t deny it. Resistance to this man is futile.
, 
, and 
This week in the search for the next Fabio, 
