A cover model comes to the Playground...

This is Lauren...

This is also Lauren...

Very cool, huh? Lauren contacted me back in December trying to find copies of this book as a Christmas present for her mom. Me (being the nice person I am, of course) offered her one of my copies in return for her agreeing to come by the blog today. I've never met any of the people who model for my covers, so being contacted by her was a real treat.

I was pleased to find out that the model for my brainy heroine Ally has a great brain behind that pretty face. When she's not modeling, she's quite involved with marine biology and ocean policy. She just recently returned from Florida (her home state -- let's hear it for Southern Girls!), where she was working on a web series about protecting ocean life.

But she's here today to talk modeling and romance covers...

Was this your first time modeling for a romance cover? How’d you land the job?

Yes, this was actually my first time modeling for a romance cover. I was contacted by my agent and she explained that the job would be for a book cover and so I went to the photographer's studio to meet with them. After the photographer saw me at the casting, she called my agent to book me on this job.

Are you told anything about the book you’ll be gracing? Title? Plot basics?

No, that's what's funny about it! I wasn't told anything. I was literally told that I should bring a bikini..that's it! This is actually how it happens sometimes...they don't tell you very much information, so you have to be ready to take all the curve balls. When I booked a job for Cosmo, we shot in a beautiful apartment in SoHo. The wardrobe stylist gave me a tube top and yoga pants to wear. The photographer told me to lie on the sofa, and tilt my head back and laugh. I didn't think anything of it, because after all, it's not like I was nude. It was shot from behind the sofa so all you can see are my face and shoulders; you couldn't see the tube top or the rest of my clothed body. When the article came out, to my surprise, it was entitled "Cosmo Climax Clinic" and there is a full page picture of me not looking like I was just tilting my head back and laughing...my mother said she probably wouldn't be showing this one to the elderly neighbors back in Florida and we all had a good laugh.

So what’s it like – the actual photo shoot? How long did it take?

When I got to the studio, I was given a dressing room to change in, and do hair and makeup. As, a model, it's really important to be able to do your own hair and makeup and know what looks good on you because you might have a makeup artist and you might not, so if you don't, you have to be prepared. The makeup table at the studio had what I call the "Hollywood Star Lights"; the mirror that has all the bright lights around the perimeter so you can really see what you're doing. Good lights are really important! The shoot was about 2 hours long.

You’re in a hot clinch with (I assume) a total stranger. And neither of you are wearing much. What’s that like? What’s the professional etiquette for steamy snuggling with someone you just met?

Well, I was kind of nervous when I got to the studio, as this was my first time. But it turns out, I knew the other model. We had worked together on a job a while back and that made things much more comfortable because we could joke around. Even thought New York City is a big place, I find that a lot of times you run into the same people on jobs, and that's really fun because it's like working with your friends.

The male model on the cover is still a bit of a mystery. I can’t even see his face (because he’s nuzzling your neck!). Can you tell us anything about him?

His name is Todd and he is really tall! I had to stand on an apple box, which is just a wooden box used on film sets, to be a good height to cuddle with him. So its a good thing you can't see my feet because otherwise you would know I was cheating!

Are you a romance reader?

What I really enjoy about modeling and acting is that when you book different jobs, you get exposed to things you may not know about in your own life and it really broadens your interests. This job piqued my interest in romance novels so I can now say I am a romance reader. Besides, I think it's pretty cool to say the first romance novel I read was "about me."

Have you been on any other covers? Any plans to? Have you done other modeling recently?

I will be on the January cover of a German magazine called "Hair und Beauty". I have been in Cosmo, Gourmet Magazine, People in Espanol, Real Simple, and Parade Magazine. I am also a shoe, hand, and hair model, and I am one of the fitness models for Women's World Magazine. Currently, I am producing and hosting a web series about protecting ocean life, called The Blue Room. I would love to be on another romance cover...I think Ally needs to have another adventure!

Lauren has agreed to hang out on the Playground today and answer any questions y'all may have about romance covers, modeling, etc.

Thanks, Lauren! We're glad you're here!