ah musbe losin meh mind ... I know I did set it up but I musbe be forget to press "POST" either is dat or de mods deleted de following post ..
well here it is again or for de first time
Allyuh gyals should nominate some of dese men for the Harlequin competition.
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/editorialsletters/story.html?id=d309c38e-f3fd-4f5a-97d4-645216ac1e54&k=82652
Top models not beefy enough for Harlequin -
Wanted: real men for cover shotsIan Munroe, National Post, Published: Thursday, March 22, 2007
TORONTO - Harlequin Enterprises, tired of relying on modelling agencies that supply them with thin, boyish-looking camera fodder, is preparing to hold open casting for the first time in search of some average-looking men to grace the covers of its romance novels.
"We usually cast through the modelling agencies," said Deborah Peterson, a creative designer with the Toronto-based publisher of women's fiction, "but the reason we decided to do it is because what
we're finding is the models we're getting from the casting agencies are getting progressively younger and younger, and skinnier and skinnier."Harlequin Enterprises is the largest publisher of romance novel series in the world, selling books in 94 countries and producing more than 115 titles a month.
"I think it's actually just been a change in the fashion world," Ms. Peterson said of her company's difficulty finding the right male cover models. "We sort of get the trickle-down effect from that because we go through the same agencies.
"It's actually become a huge problem for us."
The company held its last audition for cover models in January in New York City. But Ms. Peterson said it was open to professional models only. The Toronto audition willmark the first time the company has looked outside of the modelling world to find new talent, she said.
The company has sent out mass e-mail invitations to the audition, which will take place all day Saturday at a casting agency in the Queen and Parliament street area, and is advertising the event on local radio stations.
Carole Reynolds, agency director at Sutherland Models, which has worked with Harlequin for more than 10 years, would not say whether her company has started in recent years to look for slimmer body types in its male clients. But she said the romance novel company could be becoming more selective about the cover models it uses. "It may be that they're just narrowing down, and realizing that there are other books that they're casting for, that aren't going to be filled through a modelling agency."
Ms. Reynolds also said Harlequin, which typically relies on a male protagonist of chiselled physique for its titles such as Slow Hand Luke and Jack & Jilted, is often looking for more muscular models that her agency typically wouldn't carry.
"It's difficult because we only have a limited pool of guys who might be able to--even if they're slightly augmented -- look right. It's easier for us to provide the James Bond guy or the New York, sophisticated-businessman guy."
Peter Duck, a professor in Ryerson University's School of Fashion, said he was not surprised to learn Harlequin is facing a shortage of manly models, given trends in the fashion industry. "The agencies, I'm sure they're getting this look that's been popular for the last few years, which is very skinny, tall and young."
Mr. Duck also said the grownup- looking male models could be making a slow comeback. "You look at Armani and some of the other Italian [fashion companies], and the men are starting to look a little more masculine."
Rate your favourite Harlequin book cover hunks at nationalpost.com/media.© National Post 2007