Thursday, May 5, 2011

Interview with Cover Model JIMMY THOMAS

I want to start off and wish all of you a wonderful CINCO de MAYO!

Now, when I go to buy a book or am at the library to pick out a book, the first thing I look at is the cover. And though the mountain scenes with a castle in the background are very nice, we have to admit that the half naked hunk in the foreground is what draws our eye. We love our covers!


Today I am interviewing a man who has graced many of the covers that has captured our eye. Jimmy Thomas, the top leading male cover model is here today!. I hope you will enjoy reading this interview as much as I enjoyed getting it!
http://www.nicolenorth.com/



1) Welcome to Heart of Romance, Jimmy! We are so happy to have you. Let me start off by asking the question I am sure everyone wants to know and that is, how did you get started in the modeling profession?

Jimmy - I was approached by a gorgeous model in a nightclub that insisted I must be a model. When I told her I wasn’t, she seduced me into modeling ;) Can’t say no to a beautiful woman ;)

SARAH- Good answer! LOL!



2) Can you tell us how many covers you have graced?

Jimmy - As of April 30, 2011, I’m on 1,212 covers, but I’m on approximately 30 new covers each week, so depending on when you read this, you’ll have to do the math, lol ;)



3) You have portrayed everything from a cowboy to a sword yielding Highlander. Is there a persona you haven’t done yet that you would like to and if you have done them all, then which persona is your favorite?

http://www.kristualla.com/
Jimmy - A Sheik with a harem of 12 gorgeous naked girls ;) Lol, I haven’t done a Native American shoot yet, which I will be doing very soon… Viking, Steampunk, Futuristic, Victorian, and Military in the jungle are also next on my list. But as for a favorite, it’s whatever creates amazing images ; )



4) How long does it take to set up and shoot a cover? Do you work personally with the author?

Jimmy – Well I don’t shoot for “a” cover. I shoot a wide range of stock images per photo shoot for my stock image website, RomanceNovelCovers.com.  (RNC) where then cover artists, publishers and authors purchase the images that fit their covers. However, I also do exclusive custom shoots for specific covers for a higher rate. Those shoots range about 1-3 hours depending on the theme, setting, wardrobe, props, solo or with a female model, etc. The final images from these shoots are only available to that author.



5) You have a business out called Romance Novel Covers. Can you give us some information about it, please?

Jimmy - Yes, see above ;) But to elaborate, I have 2 price options; one is for full size printable images. The other is for web-only sized images. There are thousands of images on RNC divided into numerous genres, dozens of new images are uploaded weekly, and images are used for print covers, e-covers, bookmarks, promotional materials, trailers, blogs, website designs, and more.



6) It is my understanding that modeling isn’t the only thing you are good at. Can you tell us about you other professions?

Jimmy - Well, I started being a gigolo when I was 12…oh, oh, sorry wrong interview ;)

http://www.annabellewestonromance.blogspot.com/
I’ve been an Architectural Designer for most of my adult life. I’ve also been an NASM Certified Personal Trainer, and a Self-Defense and Kickboxing Instructor. But my passion is in producing and directing, which is what I do with my RNC shoots.



7) What are the kinds of things you like to do in your off time?

Jimmy - Having great sex as much as possible ;)

SARAH- *fanning myself over here*




8) Your websites are full of information, but we would love to know one thing about you that we wouldn’t find in your bio.

Jimmy - I wave my hair back and forth, I wave my hair back and forth, I wave my hair back and forth ;)

SARAH- I love that song!



9) A small birdie told me that you enjoy doing charity work. Could you please tell us which charity it is and how you help them?

http://www.donnagrant.com/
Jimmy - Local animal shelters in the greater Los Angeles area, recently the Capital Area Humane Society in Columbus, Ohio, and upcoming, on June 3rd in Phoenix, it will be for Huntington Disease at the Arizona Dreamin’ Romance Readers Event.



10) If you don’t mind, here are some brief questions to answer.

Luck or Destiny? – Destiny (no such thing as luck ;)

Mountains or Beach? - MOUNTAINS!

Camping or Hotel? - Camping!

Hair-Long or Short? - On me, both. On a girl, long.

Gazing at the stars or watching the sun rise? - Gazing at the stars

Hot or Cold? - Hot sex, cold nipples ;)

Satin or Lace? - Satin sheets, lace underneath ;)

Bikini or One piece? - One piece…bottoms ;)

East coast or West coast? - East coast (born and raised )

Favorite thing to drink? - Whatever she’s having

Favorite meal? - Whatever she’s cooking

Favorite movie? – On a date in the theater… anything action, thriller or sci-fi.

On a date for a rental… anything action, thriller or sci-fi… because she won’t want to watch it… refer to answer #7 ;)

www.facebook.com/MatildaMadison
Favorite past time? – Again, refer to answer #7 ;)



Jimmy, I want to again thank you for taking time to do this interview. I have had a lot of fun and we loved getting to know you. Good luck in your future and I hope you have a wonderful day.

Jimmy – Thank you very much, and thank you for the interest in interviewing me and wanting to know more about me.  ; )

SARAH- It was my pleasure!



I would like to leave some links for the fans to use so if they are interested in learning more about you and your work, they can.

http://www.romancenovelcovers.com/.

www.facebook.com/JimmyThomasDotCom.

www.modelmayhem.com/jimmythomas.

******Leave a comment for a chance to win an autographed photo of Jimmy. The winner will be announced here on Mother's Day!!!!!!!! ******

34 comments:

  1. AWESOME interview!!! I was giggling over here :) I like Jimmy's choice in movies, especially because of his reasoning behind it!!! So much fun!!!! Off to fantasize some...

    ReplyDelete
  2. HOLY HELL!!!!! HOLY HELL!!!! um..DH is not around right? Can you tell Jim that we can rent a movie and leave it at Blockbuster. :-D

    How is it possible that he made pant and want to pee my pants at the same time. Good Lord. COLD SHOWER!

    Great interview Sister Sue!

    ReplyDelete
  3. You enjoyed that interview too much, Sarah. WOW my monitor is steamin'. He does sound like a charmer, doesn't he!? Thanks for brightening up my morning. Great post!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Now you ladies understand why I had so much fun getting this interview. He is so charasmatic and just a sweetheart! Always pleasant and friendly.

    Paisley, a charmer he is! But I don't mind being charmed if it is by him. LOL!

    Lizzie- Thanks! Loved your comment.

    Eliza- Fantasizing.....been there done that...LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  5. *gasp*....still fantasizing...I reposted to my facebook page too! MUWAH!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Literally ROFL'ing over here! OMG - what a fun interview! Nice to meet you Jimmy!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jimmy - you gave yourself away. Clearly there is so much more to you than just a pretty face! (Although we love your pretty face all your pretty parts!) Business owner, producer, kickboxer, architecutal designer - whew!

    Thanks for letting us glimpse the guy behind the covers! Great interview.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great interview, Sarah!

    And Jimmy, um, wow. Just Wow. :-) *Fanning myself* I'm hoping that you'll grace one of my covers someday.

    Best of luck on all your endeavors, and I look forward to seeing you on more covers!
    ~Melissa

    ReplyDelete
  9. Just want to mention that the Native American photo shoot Jimmy mentioned will be happening at Arizona Dreamin' June 3-4 - and he's invited us all to watch! If you know ANYONE within driving or flying distance of Phoenix, pass this on. Space is limited!
    http://arizonadreamin.wordpress.com/

    Kris :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Kris- Thanks for adding the link and mentioning the shoot.

    Melissa- It will happen before you know it because you are a wonderful writer and will get signed soon.

    Robin-Thanks for stopping by. (And all your pretty parts) I love it!

    Kellie- Thanks for stopping by! I am glad you enjoyed it.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow, what a great interview!!!

    Jimmy sounds like a hoot!! Thanks so much for sharing!

    I wish him all the luck in the world!!

    :)Andrea

    ReplyDelete
  12. Great interview, Jimmy! An architectural designer? I didn't know that about you! Very cool! I've actually written a couple book in which the heroes are architects!

    *hugs*
    Paige

    ReplyDelete
  13. Got so excited about the whole architectural designer thing, I completely forgot to commend you on the work you do for animal shelters. I'm a huge animal lover and I think you rock!

    *hugs*
    Paige

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks Andrea and Paige for stopping by!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. The interview had me laughing so hard that my three year old wanted to know what was so funny. Er...

    I told her that I would explain it to her when she was, like, 30. :p

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wow what a great and charming guy Jimmy is. *grins* Thank god DH wasn't around or I would have to explain why I was drooling all over the keyboard.

    I just got word one of Jimmy's Stock photos is on my December Cover. I am so excited. It's my first Jimmy cover too. *grins*

    Thanks for sharing Jimmy. Loved the interview.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wonderful interview Jimmy. But would expect nothing less.

    LaVerne Thompson

    ReplyDelete
  18. WAIT...we get an autographed picture????? HOT DAMN!!!! I want me some Jimmy Thomas! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  19. Good looks and humor all in one package. Wow! Great interview and I'm totally stuck on #7...I have a very vivid imagination. :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Awesome interview! I had a great laugh over some of your answers, Jimmy! Thanks for all the hot and inspiring photos you provide!

    My Laird of Darkness / Jimmy cover is my favorite and it has received heaps of compliments. Thanks for posting it, Sarah!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Loving all these comments! So glad you all liked the interview :)

    Eliza: A smart man will never get a rental a women actually wants to watch, unless she's just a friend ;)

    Lizzie: LOL ;) Well shoot, lets just skip Blockbuster altogether and get down to business ;) What is up with "Jim"? Everywhere you see my name it is "Jimmy Thomas" ;) The name "Jim" is a corporate ladder-climbing, all serious kind of name, or a construction worker ;) "Jimmy" sounds younger ;) I had a health & fitness, workout and diet website TrainingWithJim.com as TrainingWithJimmy.com sounded unprofessional and non-serious. Too much upkeep to maintain, but you can still see it at www.jimmythomas.com/jimmy6.html (turn your volume up ;) and yes I designed the entire website ;)).

    Paisley: Thanks :)

    Sarah: You are too sweet! :)

    Lizzie: Thanks for the re-post :)

    Kellie: Nice to meet you too Kellie :)

    Robin : Thanks Robin :) And you're very welcome :)

    Melissa: Awww, I hope so too Melissa! Thanks :)

    Kris: Fillem' up, gitter done ;)

    Andrea: Thanks Andrea :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Paige: Hmmm, you didn't know that? Well here's a bit more ;) - I was one of the two designers of the historical "Hi'ilani Eco House" in Waikoloa Village, Big Island, HI: http://www.hiilaniecohouse.com/home.html - Still in the building stages with high video cameras filming the construction for time-lapse footage for documentary purposes, it is the first and only one of it's kind in America. It is completely off-grid and fully self-sustainable. It's earthquake proof, hurricane proof, fire proof, tornado proof and flood proof. The roof is a water catchment system designed to collect and store water in a 30,000 gallon underground tank. Everything is fully solar powered and with the house design and compass-facing direction towards the great Hawaiian winds, the house is self ventilating. The 2nd house of this kind in America is also in Waikoloa Village, Big Island, HI, being built shortly after The Hi'ilani Eco House is finished, it is called "The Hawaii Eco House" http://www.bioremediation.net/eco-house - This one has a self-cleaning bio-pool without use of chemicals, just certain fish living in it to keep it clean and it is designed like a pond where you can walk into it like you would a pond of a lake. It is partially under the house so that the winds that blow over the roof at high speeds there in Waikoloa Village, then circles down to the bio-pool's surface and gets vacuumed sucked under the house for a complete "U" where it then gets sucked up by the pressurized house-design to ventilate the house through the floor vents. Another big project we've been working on is one with the "Afghanistan World Foundation" to help rebuild Afghanistan with low-income house using retired shipping containers. We have the only pattern that has the rooms handicap accessible with single housing, or multiple by linking many together with various pre-designed floor plans that took us forever to perfect. We created this video for them to explain how it all works (you'll see my name in the ending credits as "Key Designer" :))
    http://www.afghanistanworldfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=162:awf-announces-housing-project&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=98
    Before moving to Los Angeles, I was a Senior Designer for Arthur Rutenburg Homes in Florida. They are the largest architecture firm in Florida and the largest franchised architecture firm in the country. You can see one of the 4-story houses I did here: http://www.jimmythomas.com/modeling/architecture.htm - It is in Amelia Island in Florida. All blah blah blah to me though ;) been there, done that. I can't do one career my whole life ;) As for my love for animals, I'm also working on an animal abuse prevention organization :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Suzanne: LOL!!! Too funny. Glad you liked it :)

    Raine: Awww, thanks Raine! :) And please send me the cover when you get it so I can post it :) Thanks!

    Sienna: Thanks Sienna! So sweet! :)

    LaVerne: Glad you liked it LaVerne! I guess I need to always live up to your high expectations of me huh? No problem ;)

    Lizzie: Lol, you are so funny :) You need to got to one of the conventions I go to and take a photo with me for me to post :)

    Mary: Awww, thanks Mary!!! :) Yes #7 is my favorite as well ;)

    Nicole: Thanks Nicole! You're very welcome :) And I love our cover! :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Wonderful interview! What could be better than an intelligent, gorgeous man who loves animals and is also gifted with the ability to bring to reality the wonders he's created in his mind? In my book? NOTHING could be better. Best wishes to you, Jimmy, for continued success in all you do.

    Sarah: You are da woman! I hereby nominate you for the Blog Goddess award for bringing Jimmy Thomas so close to us that we couldn't breathe.

    ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Wonderful interview. My friend Aliyah Burke has you on her up coming release in September, What the Earl Desires. Its awesome. Authors are so lucky to have him grace their covers. Thank you for taking time to think of man's best friend.

    Nan

    ReplyDelete
  26. Aw...our sweet Jimmy is at hand. Just part of the family, that's what he is. I rave about him to everyone, and you can tell how much I think of him by seeing my covers. I've got...umm...lost count on my fingers and toes, the covers I have. From steamy, Strictly Business and Suspicions of the Heart, to sizzling romance Love Rules, Always Remember.
    Nick's Baby, Beyond the Dream Catcher. Well, I've got a lot of them. Love them all, and I think my readers do appreciate him, all of him.

    What a man.

    Love ya Jimmy
    Lovea nd blessings
    Rita

    ReplyDelete
  27. I do have to say that was the best interview that I have read in a very long time. You had me in stitches. Of course, less would be better, but stitches all the same. See what you did, now I'm typing dirty!! Loved it and what great charities you are supporting. Bravo!!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Toni I agree love! So happy Leanne shared this interview :) I was looking at the Romance Novel Covers site and I was really surprised at how affordable it was ;) I thought of writing a book in the future so I bookmarked that site.

    Loved the interview and OMG no wonder #7 is so popular with him, a man like that would need lots of loving ;) I am actually sitting here looking at his personal covers going "Wow, real men like that don't exist." At least none that I have seen locally ;) Then I see he has lived in Tampa *drools* too bad not anymore ;)

    Thanks for the lovely interview, would love to win a photo of this phenomenal hunk! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Wow! Did I already say that? Wow. *fanning self* That was a great interview. I wonder if Jimmy ever takes a bad shot? Lol.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I am so excited that you all have joined Jimmy and I here and enjoyed the interview. He was a wonderful man to get to know and I will tell you that He always seemed so sincere. Even when he asked me to 'nag him' to keep him on track. Believe me, I had fun.

    Jimmy- thanks again for agreeing. I really appreciate it. HUGS and KISSES to you!!! Fantasies of #7 to me..... good trade!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hello Jimmy...*pouting*
    I missed your interview yet again! I was out of town when you were here and now I'm catching up. So hate that I missed this interview. You KNOW how much I admire you...

    Anyway, I'm actually very interested in that Viking photo shoot that's in your future. I've always wanted "Jimmy Thomas" on my cover, but never thought it possible on my Viking romances. I've always thought it would be too hard to pull off with your dark hair, but I'm sure interested in how you are going to work that out.

    Again, sorry I missed this fabulous interview (yes, you certainly entertained me with your comments) and I hope to be able to meet you one day in person. *crossing fingers*

    Thanks for being here at Sarah's blog...I KNOW she enjoyed every blessed minute of it! *snort*

    ReplyDelete
  32. Sarah - who won?

    Great interview! Robin

    ReplyDelete
  33. Thanks for stopping in Renee. Better late than never!!!

    THE WINNER OF THIS PHOTO FROM JIMMY IS OBE-NAN. Please email me at sarah-hoss@hotmail.com with your name and address. Put winner in the subject line.

    ReplyDelete