NOT YOUR USUAL SUSPECTS

A group blog featuring an international array of killer mystery, suspense, and romantic suspense writers. With premises and story lines different from your run-of-the-mill whodunits, we tend to write outside the box. We blog several times a week on all topics relating to romantic suspense and mystery, our writing, and our readers. We welcome all comments and often have guest bloggers. All our authors can be contacted separately, too, using their own social media links.

We find our genre delightfully, dangerously, and deliciously exciting - join us here, if you do too!

NOTE: the blog is currently dormant but please enjoy the posts we're keeping online.


Julie Moffet . Cathy Perkins . Jean Harrington . Daryl Anderson . Nico Rosso . Maureen A Miller . Sandy Parks . Lisa Q Mathews . Sharon Calvin . Lynne Connolly . Janis Patterson . Vanessa Keir . Tonya Kappes . Julie Rowe . Joni M Fisher . Leslie Langtry

Monday, November 17, 2014

New Release, and Interview with Cover Model, Jason Baca

I thought I'd try something a little different today--first up, I'd be remiss not to say my newest book, COLD LIGHT OF DAY released yesterday and this afternoon I'm having a fabulous Facebook Party with lots of stunning guests (Catherine ByBee, Leah Braemel, Allison Brennan, Lori Ryan, Maureen Miller, Julie Moffett, Rachel Grant, Melinda Leigh, Kendra Elliot, Kathy Altman, and M.A. Comley) and prizes! Come join us HERE.


Physicist Scarlett Stone is the daughter of the man considered to be the most notorious Russian agent in FBI history. With her father dying in prison she’s determined to prove he’s innocent, but time is running out. Using a false identity, she gains access to the Russian ambassador’s Christmas party, searching for evidence of a set-up. 

Former Navy SEAL, now FBI Special Agent, Matt Lazlo, is instantly attracted to Scarlett but life is too complicated to pursue a politician’s daughter. When he discovers she lied to him about her identity, he hunts her down with the ruthless efficiency he usually reserves for serial killers. 

Not only does Scarlett’s scheme fail, it puts her in the sights of powerful people who reward unwanted curiosity with brutality. The FBI—and Matt—aren’t thrilled with her, either. But as agents involved in her father’s investigation start dying, and the attempts to stop Scarlett intensify, Matt and his colleagues begin to wonder. Could they have a traitor in their midst? 

As Scarlett and Matt dig for the truth they begin to fall passionately for one another. But the real spy isn’t about to let anyone uncover their secrets, and resolves to remain firmly in the shadows—and for that to happen, Matt and Scarlett have to die.


iBooks | Kobo | Amazon




Interview with Romance Cover Model, Jason Baca

Enough about me. I recently got the opportunity to interview cover model Jason Baca, and I thought I'd share it with you.
Jason Baca

Jason began his short film career in Nash Bridges (1996) in 1996. He continued acting and residing in the Bay Area before moving on to modeling. He was discovered by a photographer on location for I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) where he had been doubling for Freddie Prinze Jr.. Jason went on to pose for some of today's top magazines including Industry , Men's Workout, Men's Fitness, FitnessRX, YMLA Magazine, Hong Kong Silk, Joe Boxer Int., For Women UK, InStyle Magazine, Playgirl, Natural Muscle Magazine and many others. He has been linked to actress Jennifer Love Hewitt as well as a former Miss Florida.

In 2005, Baca began modeling for romance novel covers. As of October 2014, he has graced the covers of over 280 romance and fantasy novels. Jason is known best for his candid interviews with numerous author blogs expressing his concern for smooth skin and maintaining good health.

In 2011, he appeared in Men's Fitness Australia, Exercise & Health Magazine, Men's Workout, Optimyz Fitness and Scene Bay Area doing various interviews on how to stay fit and younger looking.


Toni: Can you tell us where you grew up?

Jason - Absolutely Toni, I grew up in Los Gatos, California. It is a wealthy town though my family was not. 

Toni: When you were a little boy, what did you want to be when you grew up? Did being a model ever cross your mind?

Jason - Well growing up, it was pretty much set in my mind as a little boy that I was destined to become a professional baseball player. My entire family was on board about it to. Modeling for romance books wasn't even a thought until way later in life. But that all ended in my 3rd year in college. 

Toni: Being a cover model sounds very glamorous—can you describe the average day of a photo shoot?

Jason - It can be very exciting. There is so much build up on approaching the day of the shoot. There is a bunch of anticipation because you are heading in the gym, working your body off to no end imagining how it's all going to turn out. 

   The night before the shoot I take things down a notch, maybe put on a "anti-stress" masque that night. Then after rinsing apply an anti-wrinkle night cream (currently the one I'm using is put out by Peter Thomas Roth and contains peptides which help diminish fine lines around the eyes.)

   The day of the shoot, I get up and shower and use only my absolute best products that I have in the shower caddy. So for a shoot coming up, I use a pomegranate & lime deep pore body wash and then for the face I use a Tea Tree Skin Clearing facial wash put out by The Body Shop. After the shower I apply an anti aging eye balm then anti-wrinkle protective cream then a nourishing moisturizer.  

  Once I walk into the studio for the shoot, I'm usually feeling very confident in myself, I feel in a bubble almost. This vibe is what is needed for these shoots. And when it comes to shooting romance covers... There are no ordinary moments. 

Toni: When I see these covers the people in them are often so compelling—do you consider cover shoots to be a form of acting?

Jason - Yes, it all is a lot of acting.  There is a lot of vanity and also a lot of thought into it. You have to put yourself in a moment in your life. Maybe it was a time in your life that you felt broken. You have to tell yourself "I've lost my mind and fallen back into my heart." 


 Toni: What’s people’s biggest misconception about your job?

Jason - That it was all handed to me. Or that God came up to me one night and said "Hey Jason, you're a nice guy, I'm going to give you a good body and nice skin and get you on a bunch of book covers" No... It didn't work like that, esp. in the beginning...  

   You see, I've learned that with anything in life that opportunity is not going to come to you, you're going to have to come to it! Some out there make a wish on their birthday of something they'd really want..  Then they go wait for it to come true but do nothing towards making it happen. Or they try one thing and if it doesn't work... They simply give up and the dream is lost..  They put too much into how the result will look like..

  While some of us act without thinking, many of us think without acting. 

   They could have that wish come true if they continue on until they get the result they want. 

ToniEver get the desire to just let it all go?

Jason - I consider myself a soldier of romance covers. A soldier does not give up what he loves, he finds the love in what he does. This is my desire. I consider myself a man of focus. I am very patient and will not make a judgement based on how I'm feeling emotionally at the time. I have a goal with this, until it is reached, I continue to strive and push myself even harder then before. 

Toni: If you weren’t a male model what would you be?

Jason - I've never thought about it since this all began. And I more than likely won't until I'm satisfied. I'm enjoying all of this way too much to be thinking about other things..  I've learned that it's the journey that brings us happiness.. not the destination. 

Toni: Where can a publisher or cover artist find photos to purchase for the romance books of you?

Jason - Sure, they go to - http://jasonaaronbaca.deviantart.com  if they see an image they'd like to use they just visit the journal section of the page. All the instructions are right on there. 

Check out Jason's Pinterest page: http://www.pinterest.com/mfrworg/cover-model-jason-baca/ 

One lucky commenter will get a signed model card from Jason :)

***

Don't forget to come to the Facebook Party, seriously, it's going to be fun :)

8 comments:

Anne Marie Becker said...

Congratulations on the new release, Toni - sounds fabulous! Loved the interview, too. :)

Marcelle Dubé said...

Congratulations on the release of Cold Light of Day, Toni! And cool interview.

Maureen A. Miller said...

Wow. Forgive my geekiness, but that was just a cool interview. I don't get out much...or get to see such scenery. LOL! A hearty congratulations to you!

Rita said...

Congrats Toni and thanks for bringing Jason to the blog.

Wynter said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Wynter said...

Cold Light of Day sounds awesome! Can't wait to read it. And it's very cool to have a celeb visit the blog.

Toni Anderson said...

Thank you :) And thanks to Jason for being grilled LOL.

Ana Barrons said...

Wait, this gorgeous guy is worried about his pores? What a fun interview, Toni, and I'm definitely buying the book. Your party was a blast!

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