We’ll have more pics on the Dorchester site as soon as we’re able to load them. Christie Craig served as our official photographer and owns a camera much better in the low light than mine. But a zillion thanks to Lisa Cooke for snapping these shots while I was judging. Click on each photo for a larger version (and the ability to zoom!).
The show was divided into three sections: Casual wear, portrayal of an assigned character, and formalwear. Four judges–Marketing Manager Erin Galloway, American Title winner Marie-Claude Borque, attendee drawing winner Julie Floyd, and myself–marked contestants on a scale of 1 to 10 in each round.
I can’t speak for the other judges, but mostly I was looking for how well their looks would translate on a cover. Did they seem versatile? Knowledgeable of how to pose for a shoot? Would they work well for a photographer? But answers to audience questions done during the casual section and their definition of romance, which was read as the walked the runway in their formalwear, did come into play as well.
- Franco D’Angelo play’s Lisa Cooke’s gambler hero Dyer Straits from TEXAS HOLD HIM. Stefan takes on the angst of the hero from Jade Lee’s DRAGONBOUND, his favorite book ever as he assured us.
- Konstantinos reveals his inner animal as he portrays Sir Nico Wulfson from Kathryne Kennedy’s ENCHANTING THE BEAST
- Jimi Gaskin plays Bonnie Vanak’s title character from THE LADY AND THE LIBERTINE. Or Libertarian as initially announced.
- Jeremy Rivenburg didn’t need much of a costume to play Angie Fox’s Harley-lovin’ shape-shifting griffin Dimitri from THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR DEMON SLAYERS
- Charles Paz takes a turn about the stageEric Truglia in formalwear
- Konstantinos chooses all black for his formal ensemble
- Stefan in his formalwear
Between rounds with the models, we were entertained “Dancing with the Stars” style.
- Siblings show off the Hustle
- Heather Graham does the rumba
After all three rounds, the scores were tallied and the results:
Contestants’ Choice: Franco D’Angelo
Readers’ Choice: Charles Paz
Mr. Romance 3rd Place: Jeremy Rivenburg
Mr. Romance 2nd Place: Stefan Pinto
Mr. Romance 2009, winning an all-expenses-paid trip to New York and photo shoot and appearance on a Dorchester cover: Charles Paz
- Charles Paz with both his trophies, which were presented by Mr. Romance 2008 Chris Winters
- The whole gang
Tuesday evening represented Dorchester’s first cross-genre, multi-author signing event at the Barnes & Noble at Lincoln Center, Manhattan. And, as you can see by the photos below, the turnout was fantastic. Thanks to everyone who came out. 
Speaking of multi-author fun, Emily Bryan is giving a behind-the-scenes look at the collaborative holiday anthology A CHRISTMAS BALL, which also features Jennifer Ashley and Alissa Johnson.
