Jenn LeBlanc's Blog, page 6
March 5, 2012
Guest : Heather Long talks imagery…
I would like to welcome another author to the blog. Heather Long writes paranormal romance, and the cover of her next book should look very familiar to my readers…yes. That's GUY! Hi Guy, doesn't he look good there on that cover? Turns out he fits the character to a T.
So without further adooooo…Heather Long.
Every Picture Tells a Story
When it comes to writing a book, every author has a different technique, a different set of tools or even a ritual that they obey. Some create storyboards, others create collages and still others look for pictures of their main characters, images that can inspire them. I happen to be one those people who does a little bit of everything.
Finding My Wolf
When I wrote Marshal of Hel Dorado, I had a lot of characters to introduce. Characters I needed to picture. Some were easy, I could see them in my head and I didn't need a physical image for them, but others…others required a picture so I could keep their image firm.
I always knew what Cody looked like. Cody Morning Star, the Fevered who could shape shift into a sandy colored wolf. Cody had the most stunning blue eyes, brilliant and powerful like a summer sky over the prairie. But when he shifted, he turned into a sandy colored wolf, nearly two times the size of a natural wolf with golden-yellow eyes.
Cody is a big guy, broad shoulders, thick arms and well-defined musculature. He is a wolf, after all, but he also does a lot of physical work. Cody carries a gun, but he rarely uses it. He's good with his hands, he's got a keen sense of smell, and a dangerous temper.
Every nuance of Cody, I could see in my mind, but do you know what image I kept coming back to when I saw him? If you know me, then you know it was Chris Hemsworth…but a grittier Chris Hemsworth, with the powerful build and gorgeous golden blonde hair and beard he sported in Thor, but with an edgier sense to him — an almost Chris Pine type edge.
Blending Two Into One
If I could take the primary features of Chris Hemsworth and overlay the grittier nuance of Chris Pine, I'd have my Cody. Amusingly enough, Hemsworth and Pine were in the same film together — playing a father and a son (Star Trek). But the images still fit.
When we were putting together the cover for Brave Are the Lonely, it was important to me that we find the right guy and the right wolf — because Cody is both. Thanks to Kendra Egert and Jenn LeBlanc, I got the best of both worlds. The cover tells a story and it's Cody's.
Brave Are the Lonely
When the spirit fever struck a town, a village or an outpost, it left few if any survivors. The white man blamed the Indian saying they used their mojo on them. The Indians blamed the white man for angering the spirits. The survivors knew it didn't matter. The Fevered were forever changed.
When death seemed preferable…
Mourning his mate drove fevered wolf shifter Cody out of Texas, but a brother's need drags him back from the brink.
…and good deeds never go unpunished…
Gypsy princess Mariska only wants to protect her people and her freedom, but a dangerous choice puts her on a collision course with an angry wolf.
…the best thing that could happen to him…
When Cody touches Mariska, his wolf cannot escape the hunger that fills him. For Mariska, Cody's touch brings her a pleasure she never imagined, but is it enough to heal his fractured soul?
…was the last thing he expected.
As danger stalks all three of them, they must confront who they are or risk losing Cody forever.
His wolf. His woman. His way.
The first two chapters are available at Heather's website.
Now Heather has graciously offered up a copy of her ebook to one lucky reader…all you need to do is leave a comment here, what do you think of the visualization of Heather's hero? Does the cover work for you? Winner will be announced in THREE DAYS…aaaand GO!
Jenn
Filed under: Illustration, Images, paranormal Tagged: Brave Are The Lonely, cover reveal, Guy Marquardt, Heather Long, illustration, male, sexy, torso
February 29, 2012
Happy Birthday @Pamela_Clare
If your official birthday is only once every four years, you deserve a big shin dig. 
You can help Pamela have a bang up birthday…check out her books on Amazon here…
I recommend BREAKING POINT, HARD EVIDENCE, UNLAWFUL CONTACT, SURRENDER (even though I haven't finished it yet) well, any of them really. Get on it. 
Filed under: Birthday Wishes, Illustration, Images, News Tagged: birthday, Derek Hutchins, Jenn LeBlanc, male, model, naked, Pamela Clare, sexy, The Rake and the Recluse, torso, Trumbull, wet
February 27, 2012
Man Candy Monday – LIPS service
Here's the thing. Man Candy is my job. Really. No…REALLY. I'm not just an author (as if that isn't enough!) I'm also a photographer and my chosen trade is now shooting covers for other authors as well as the illustrations for my novels. You read that right (no actually not at all, I harbor no illusions that this maundering is beyond you because you are merely here for the flesh) my novels are illustrated. Does this make me an expert? Perhaps not, but it does bring me a WHILE lot of man flesh awareness. If you need to find a guy? I can probably help with that. Need some inspiration? Check my rolling tumblr (NSFW). I am a purveyor of visual smut.
So let's get on with it shall we? This post is a bit truncated, if you'd like the full version (READ: MORE PICTURES) visit my blog HERE. If you'd like to see my previous Man Candy Monday post which was way more popular than it has any right to be (seriously it gets more hits on my blog than naked Derek WTF?) Go read it; The ANATOMY OF A MAN. No I have no idea why that interests all of you. *snicker*
The theme this week is LIPS service. Yes. Those fleshy little buggers right between your cheeks that can turn up in a smile, a sneer, open to show the pink of a tongue, the flash of white teeth. Lips, the oh so very very important lips, because really, in most positions they are going to be right there. YOU KNOW, at eye level, something to concentrate on, so you need a good set. Right? Right. So without further ado…LIPS.
NOOOOO!!!! Not those lips! I call #inappropriate.
Can we start with my favorite pair of lips? Oh yes. Yes we can.
And how's about we follow up with some Fassy lips? The thing about his mouth is that it is simply so talented. The serious pout. The open to options pout. The wicked *I know something you don't know* grin (like I bet he is thinking I don't have any underwear on right now, and if you knew that you would lose your panties.) Then there's the concerned lips and the *come on, give it your best shot* lips followed by the *Yeah? How 'bout these lips?* lips. Oh Fassy.
COME ON!! You know you love these lips.
These are the *who…me?* lips, which is quickly followed by the…
*Yes. YOU.* lips.
Can we discuss the cute lips? Which are often followed by
COME HITHER lips? ( I love come hither lips, don't you?)
Then there are lips that you're not quite sur about. Are they *I'm going to kiss you senseless* lips? Or are they *I'm going to set you down right and proper* lips?
Then there are famous lips. I love these lips because they are so overshadowed by the eyes. Most people don't make it past the SMOLDER(halder) to get to the LIPS. Such an oversight.
And these lips are…just… *swoon*
And never to be overlooked is the *almost* lips. They are wet, because he just licked them, in preparation for…for…What exactly?
And then there's the, *these lips are merely here to guard my perfect teeth* lips.
How about the *are you serious?* lips? They are usually followed by the
*Crawl up here in the front seat with me* lips. (BTW the answer to that is always, unequivocally, YES. Resoundingly.)
Bad boy lips are so bad they are hard to see.
BAM #thatisall
These are they *HEY!! The lips are up here please,* lips. (you know it's true)
And their brother, the *I already told you once…* lips.
Lots of these lips are followed by the *I need a nap* lips. Which are just so…HAWT!
But a few are followed by the *SERIOUSLY?!?!* lips. I'm ok with that too though.
We can't discuss lips without the infamous mouth of Gandy, and his *I'm sorry you want me to do what?* lips.
or the amazing Guy and his *no they aren't, in fact, pillows* lips.
Really, it's just a mouth, and they are simply lips.
Right? Just…lips?
Except when they are…
*I speak French fluently.* Lips or
*I am going to EAT you.* lips.
otherwise…they are…merely…lips.
Filed under: News Tagged: #mancandymonday, beautiful, Candy, lip, lips, male, man, Man Candy Monday, men, models, Monday, mouth, mouths, pout, sexy
February 22, 2012
Trumbull Branches
Filed under: historical romance, Illustration, Images Tagged: family, The Rake and the Recluse, tree, Trumbull
January 26, 2012
TRATR REDUX: The trailer
Need I say anything? Did you even read these two sentences?
I thought not.
Music: Free Royalty Free Music by DanoSongs.com
Filed under: historical romance, Illustration, Images, The Novel Tagged: book, Derek Hutchins, Jenn LeBlanc, male, man, model, novel, romance, sexy, The Rake and the Recluse, trailer, video
January 11, 2012
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATIPANTS!!
So…a little something for your desktop, or iPad. Best of all, you can share with your friends. *smooches*
Filed under: Illustration, Images Tagged: couple, cover, Guy Marquardt, historical, kiss, novel, pearls, romance, sexy
January 2, 2012
Julie Anne Long – How The Marquess Was Won
How the Marquess was Won by Julie Anne Long
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I can't begin to say how much fun this book is. The incredible tension between Phoebe and Jules is so very palpable, resonant, addicting. The humor woven throughout the story is laugh out loud funny—woke up my husband laughing so hard— and the story is so well done that it kept me running on the elliptical trainer for over an hour for THREE days straight.
Overall a must read, must keep, don't touch my copy I bite book.
I never wanted to toss it across the room, there was no WTFckry, and for my first read of the year it has started 2012 off with a bang.
Filed under: historical romance, Regency, review Tagged: historical, How The Marquess Was Won, Julie Anne Long, novel, Regency, review, romance, sexy
December 21, 2011
Behind the scenes…and stuff…
The fabulous Julie Gallhue of nxt|MODEL takes the shine off of Zerek Knight
I had a big cover shoot last week and my Social Media expert, Auberry, took pictures for me. I'm going to share those too, but first I'm going to share a couple pictures of me, because I was actually pretty shocked when I saw them.
It's one thing to lose weight and see the results and be excited, but when you are as big as I was, it's different. I've lost 45 pounds since The beginning of August. It's a LOT of weight, but nobody really started noticing until recently. While that's a bit disheartening, I kept at because I was feeling better. I can feel my bones. I know that sounds funny, but when you are padded, you can't feel your bones. Now I can.
So these were some behind the scenes shots from the TRATR shoot last year:
photo by Auberry Lee
photo by Auberry Lee
photo by Derek Hutchins (yes, he is talented behind the lens too)
Yes I am wearing a sheriff's badge in that last shot. Because it's my studio and I am in charge.
The following are images from the big shoot last Saturday:
photo by Auberry Lee
photo by Auberry Lee
So there you have it. What 45 pounds looks like on me. Or off of me I guess. I am still working hard, Romance Biggest Winner has been a huge help, as had Derek my absentee trainer and all of my friends pushing me along.
I feel better than I have in a very long time, and I'm looking forward to keeping it up.
Since you came all this way, how about a few more from behind the scenes of the last shoot?
Julie does makeup for Dana, also of nxt|MODEL Denver
Levi mounts his steed. Yeah, it happened.
Derek sleeps on his mount.
Cora...uh I don't know. Neither does Derek.
Derek, freezing his bum of on Garapata beach while shooting his lookbook.
There's always more to come. But the outs are sometimes better than the ins.
Check out Derek's lookbook HERE.
FREEDOM : THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE : Part One is now available HERE
and images from the romance shoots will be available soon on a cover near you!
*smooches*
Jenn
Filed under: historical romance, Illustration, Images, News, The Novel Tagged: abs, behind the scenes, body, covers, male, models, outs, romance, sexy, studio, weight loss, w\female
December 20, 2011
TRATR redux is HEEERE!!
ACK!! It is about time. What a good bit of fun this should be.
The first book in the series is live and available from:
Filed under: CONTEST, Illustration, News, The Novel Tagged: #TRATR, erotic, freedom, Gideon, historical, Perry, release, release day, romance, Roxleigh, sexy, TRATR Redux, Victorian, Viscount Roxleigh
November 12, 2011
Cowboys, Marines and Dukes—oh my.
Worked with the handsome Guy Marquardt and beautiful Brittany Lines on Thursday for some cover shoot goodness. Here are some of the images that are not under embargo for clients:
For more images from the shoot go here
For licensing information send a request here:
[contact-form]
Filed under: historical romance, Illustration, Images, News, Romantic Suspense, sci-fi / fantasy, steampunk, western contemporary Tagged: beauty, Brittany Lines, cover, Guy Marquardt, illustrate, images, Jenn LeBlanc, model, photography, pink, portraits, romance, sexy, shoot, studio, Victorian
