Move Over Fabio. There’s A New Cover Model In Town!
BY SHARI NICHOLS
I’m sure we all remember the sexy, Italian stallion of male models, Fabio. His chiseled face and rippling pecs graced the covers of countless romance novels. Coincidentally, before I became a romance author and he catapulted to stardom as the face of the bodice ripper novel, our paths crossed back in the eighties, at a nightclub on Long Island. I was trolling the place with a group of my friends, when a very large man in a shadowy corner waved us over. At that point, none of us knew he was on the verge of becoming a household name. He was just some guy autographing glossy photos of himself and trying to garner female attention. My friends and I declined his photos, laughed and walked away, not at all interested in fawning all over him.
Now twenty plus years later, while I happened to be trolling the halls of the Renaissance Hilton at the October NJRW Conference, I had the distinct pleasure of crossing paths with a new male cover model, the gorgeous and charming John Antorino. I admit I felt a slight jolt of deja vu as I watched him chat up a slew of adoring females, sign autographs, give hugs, and pass out postcards and book jackets with his sexy photo emblazoned across the front. But this working actor, and cover model was more than just a pretty face. Not only was he an absolute sweetheart and extremely approachable, he impressed me with his wit, candor and genuine gratitude for all his good fortune. He was so engaging and down to earth, I almost forgot that steamy pictures of his naked torso as well as him in various states of undress, were displayed on a table right under my nose, but I somehow managed to look into his eyes the entire time.
This Jersey boy has graced the covers of many magazines such as: Men’s Fitness, Men’s Exercise, Muscle & Fitness, and yes, Playgirl. He’s in a new HBO series called, “The Knick,” where he plays an Italian immigrant worker as well as a show on the History Channel called, “Escaping the Holocaust.” This smoldering actor has also been featured on TV shows such as “Lipstick Jungle” and “Lights Out.” His film credits include, “Sex and the City 2.”
It was a true pleasure getting to know John and not for his washboard abs, although I can appreciate that kind of pure, male beauty as much as any red-blooded female. Honestly, I found his complete lack of ego or any trace of arrogance refreshing. The fact that he cooks and adores his mom impressed me even more. Even though John isn’t on the cover of my new novel, WITCH HUNTER. I certainly enjoyed the experience interviewing him and would highly recommend checking out his website.
Thank you Kate Hill for having me. It’s been a true pleasure and so much fun!
WITCH HUNTER -In a desperate attempt to catch a killer, a special agent hires a notorious felon to come work for the agency. In the midst of the investigation, they succumb to the dark edges of desire, placing both their lives in danger.
Shari Nichols is the author of WITCH HUNTER, a new erotic romance with Ellora’s Cave Publishing. Shari grew up in a small town in Connecticut where haunted houses, ghosts and Ouija boards were common place, spurring her fascination with all things paranormal. Ever since she read her first Barbara Cartland novel, her life-long dream has been to write sexy, romantic stories. She’s thrilled to spend her days in sweats, eating chocolate while pounding on her keyboard to create her next novel.
Website: http://sharinichols.com/index.html
Twitter: https://twitter.com/shari_nich
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharinich
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/29514513-shari-nichols
Excerpt:
Willow took a sip of her margarita and glanced down at Alex’s big hands, tanned and sprinkled with a smattering of dark hair. Funny, she never found a man’s hands sexy. Suddenly her mind filled with images of Alex trailing those big, masculine hands over her body. She wondered if he fit the stereotype. Big hands, big…
“You never did answer my question. Are you considering taking me up on my offer?” The sound of his voice pulled her from a host of fantasies. Willow dug her nails into her palm to get her head back in the game. She shouldn’t be thinking about this man in such a raw, sexual way.
“Why not? My car’s parked in the back.”She probed through the nearby crowd to check if Alex came here with bodyguards. A virtual cacophony of conversations invaded her thoughts, but nothing about protection for Alex. Once she got him alone, she’d take her chances and pray she wouldn’t be outnumbered. “Then let’s get out of here. Unless of course I’ve got some competition.” He motioned over her shoulder to the incubus whose head now lolled forward over the bar.
“I think you’re flying solo here.” She’d set her trap and let the consequences be damned. She rubbed her finger along the rim of the glass and licked off the salt.
She lifted the glass to her lips, savoring the tangy flavor of margarita mix along with the zing of tequila as it slid down her throat. Headrush. No surprise there, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept or eaten in the past forty-eight hours, existing on a combination of raw nerves and pure adrenaline.
“You missed a spot.” He ran his thumb along the seam of her lip. He put it to his mouth and licked. “Mmm, sweet.” Her plan didn’t involve foreplay…but damn he was hot. In another time and another place she would be seriously into this guy. Too bad I might have to kill him.
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