Posted on 03/24/2007 4:21:57 PM PDT by martin_fierro
Harlequin books seeks "real men" for covers
By Jonathan Spicer 2 hours, 10 minutes ago
TORONTO (Reuters) - Real men don't pose for the cover of a Harlequin romance. And that's something the publisher wants to change.
Representatives of Harlequin Enterprises, the world's biggest publisher of romance novel series, inspected the assets of about 200 men who lined up at a Toronto casting house on Saturday to prove they could flutter readers' hearts better than professional models.
"We're looking for some guys that are not your usual models, but have that iconic look that women go for -- sexy, sensitive, beautiful and fit," said Harlequin spokeswoman Marleah Stout, who attended the open casting.
"We want real men ... exactly what you think in your mind when you're fantasizing or imagining that ideal man."
Toronto-based Harlequin, a division of newspaper group Torstar Corp., sold 131 million books in 94 countries last year. It estimates that a third of American women have read at least one of its titles.
Until now, the publisher relied on modeling agencies to supply bodies for its concupiscent covers. But the readership -- predominantly female and averaging 42 years of age -- was upset when slight, young cover models clashed with the brawny, mature heroes described within.
"Some of the heroes are captains of industry, billionaires," said Deborah Peterson, a Harlequin creative designer and a judge at the audition. "A lot of the models were too young, men in their twenties ... and our audience likes men a little bit older, a bit bigger, than the runway models."
At the Toronto casting, chiseled hopefuls shed their shirts and donned a cowboy hat for the panel while a handful of other judges watched on closed-circuit camera in an adjacent room.
Several were asked to return for a book cover shot, where they may earn up to C$250 ($215) an hour, according to male modeling agencies.
Others indulged their own fantasies.
"From what I understand, (Harlequin) readers are women who want to escape from the relationship that they're in," said auditioner Carlos Troccoli, 30, who was tall, sturdy and muscular. "I can bring that to them."
so if they allow men to look real, when will they allow women to look real, as in , like 99.9% of women, flaws and all....
Real men don't eat quiche or pose for romance novel covers.
lolz
I know just the guy...
ROFLz!!!!
Close enough for Harlequin?
Uh, there's a limit to the amount of reality we want in our fantasies! We want our "real" men to be 35-45, in fantastic physical condition, and the only dose of reality should come in the form of a scar or two to make them look more rugged. We want the heroine of the romance novel to look like we like to imagine we looked at 28. If we lost ten pounds and got a makeover and grew long golden tresses down to our hips and had a boob job and lipo and lip implants.
So the answer to your question is No.
You know ,that really took work to get there
Your tagline says it best!
I have to confess I didn't make that up; I saw it somewhere and stole it but don't know who to give credit to.
And by the way, I don't read romances but I am acquainted with someone who makes a heck of a good living writing them. The covers of these things fascinate me. Half the fantasy is in owning a dress like the ones in the cover art.
I guess it's impossible to explain humor, but I don't understand WHY, when I see that photo, I can't stop laughing.
My eldest of brothers one night, while having a party, began to read the back of one of these books aloud -- which should have been done in a soft, silky tone, but was read out as any ordinary man would do. Our sides were splitting and ever since, I've read them to my daughter that way.
Half the time, I enjoy paraphrasing the silly things to her in the way I tend to envision the characters were they real, "Joe Bob was a'comin down the mountain when he heard Ma a'screamin, 'Joe Bob, our darlin' child ain't hanging around here in my belly not nare 'nother minute. I gots myself these other nine yungins to look after.
"You best leave ole Ray and Billy down thar in that thar shed alone with y'all all's suds and come boil me up some rags.
"But you best be sure to feed Smokey when you come up the steps beforst he goes out awanderin' to kill another of Mr. Hill's cheekins agin."
Just for laughs. :-)
oooh baby!
Can i post your picture here and totally turn the direction of this thread around??
And you could find a new career (wink!) "oooh baby" is right!
If you wanna scare people this early in the morning, I can't stop you. :P
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