Romance Cover Models

I have to admit that I haven't given much thought to cover models on romance novels. Once I got a look at the cover of my own short novel, Not Quite a Lady, I began to pay more attention. I absolutely love my cover--the male cover model conveys all the intensity and barely-restrained passion that I imagined in my hero, Sebastian Dare. I'm ashamed to say that it never occurred to me to find out who the model was.

I got a surprise earlier this week when I got an email from the cover model, Jimmy Thomas. He told me that he is having tote bags made for the upcoming Romantic Times conference and he wanted to use my cover on the tote bag. Wow!

Jimmy was kind enough to say that my cover, designed by Syneca at Ellora's Cave, was one of his all-time favorites. While it occurred to me that he might say that to all the authors whose covers he poses for, it still gave me a thrill. It's certainly my favorite cover. I even had it framed. Now it sits on my desk and provides inspiration.  : )

More importantly, Jimmy's email gave me the chance to tell him how much I loved the cover and to thank him for capturing my hero so perfectly. He conveys some incredibly smoldering passion in just a few hundred pixels. Pretty impressive if you ask me!

I feel really fortunate to have gotten so lucky with my first cover and model. And now that I'm working on my next novel, I find myself imaginging Jimmy as the hero--scorching those pixels in a black dress uniform with platinum trim. To see more of Jimmy's work, check out his website.