"IT'S ALL ABOUT THE HAIR"
By
CJ Hollenbach
It does seem like my life isn't my own. Just as I was preparing
to go to the RT convention in Daytona Beach I got a call to do,
not one but TWO covers for Zebra Books in NYC. I'm sure I will
die the day before I am awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. That's
just how my luck runs. Last year I did a cover the day after I
got back from Germany. Luckily, the jet lag hit me the day after
the shoot. Life's timing sucks a great deal of the time.
I
was referred to the art director doing the covers by super-cover
artist, Jon Paul Ferrara, and the best friend I've never met.
(He did my "Her Master And Commander" cover) It seems
they needed a long haired blonde. Who else are they going to call?
So,
I had to scramble to get a flight for the Tuesday shoot. I managed
to get up there and was early as usual.
I
was met at the studio by Sharon Spiak, who is a well known costume
designer and artist. She did the costumes for the shoot. I met
Sharon 14 years ago when we did "The Joan Rivers Show"
together. I hadn't seen her since her tragic accident last year
when she was hit by a van and nearly killed. She looked great
and was as hilarious as ever. There were kisses and hugs all around.
My
partner for the shoot was a breath taking model named Ewa (pronounced
AVA) De Cruz. She was half Dutch and half Egyptian, managing to
get the absolute best of both cultures. Ewa is being tauted as
the next big female romance model. She was a dream to work with,
charming as she was beautiful.
The art director/artist was there and was about my age. He said
he hated to paint on long hair. He loved mine adding "NOBODY
has hair like that anymore!" At one point during our shoot
he had the photographer just shoot me by myself with my hair being
blown by a gale force fan. "It's all about the hair CJ!"
he yelled. I am no fool. I know they could find younger guys in
New York with these pecs and these cheek bones, but they aren't
going to find anybody with this hair! So, you have to call Ohio.
Ewa
and I did 2 covers back to back for author Jennifer Roberson's
novels, "Lady Of Sherwood" and "Lady Of The Forest".
Ewa asked me early on in the shoot if she could touch my exposed
chest. "May I touch his chest....PLEASE?" she asked
the photographer and giggled. Permission granted! The female photographer
didn't think I was holding Ewa close enough at one point and yelled
at me. I wanted to tell her my crotch was grinding into her butt
so hard if I was any closer I could be arrested.
We
actually wrapped early as the next set of models showed up. A
dark haired guy and a tall, curly haired blonde woman, who were
both young enough to be my children. Both were also jaw droppingly
beautiful. I wondered where all these astonishingly perfect human
specimens lived, certainly not in Ohio. Then, I remembered "Oh
yea, these are New York models, dumbass!"
I
hopped in a cab and went back to reality to await my next call.
You know my motto "Has hair, will travel....."
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