Juggling Life ~ by cover model and body builder, Scott Nova

     In Pennsylvania, next to the Monongahela River sat a small coal mining town that barely had 3 stop lights. Masontown; where I first picked up a weight in a weight room. I wish I could say it was from then on that I lifted weights, but sadly it wasn’t.
     I stayed skinny, bullied, and within a small circle of friends for a long period after that. But I was always drawn to the Adonis type

bodybuilders and wanted to train and look like that. I didn’t set foot back in a weight room again until around 2007 when I went to the fire academy and realized I was seriously undersized to do that job. I worked hard and ate everything in sight, and at first paid that off in small gains here and there. It wasn’t until I met Lesley, that things really changed for me in so many ways.
     Up until then, I ate anything in sight. But most of that is the wrong stuff to eat to pack on muscle. So, I hired the coach she was using for her bikini competitions and he took my physique to the next level when coupled with Lesley’s amazing meals.
     I had dated Miss Pittsburgh while in college, and she got me interested in modeling. She introduced me to a few folks in Pittsburgh but I kept hearing that I was too skinny, and that was the story of my modeling career until many years later. I had done some semi-serious events locally in Columbus, OH, but didn’t make a dime. In 2010 I was introduced to the romance cover industry while RT was in Columbus. I couldn’t make it to that event but went to RT-LA the following year and haven’t turned back.
     

My first cover came out in 2012, and almost 300 later, I'm still going strong. I’ve watched some of the most respected publishers fall, and the rise of Amazon as the primary source for getting your books out there. I always knew I wanted to approach modeling, specifically cover modeling, as a business. I monetized it very quickly, not too many models were getting paid all around the process of shoot, cover, promo. There weren’t hundreds of signings across the globe like there are now, either. In my short 9 year career so far, the landscape has changed tremendously.
     My career was at a nice stride in 2013-2015. Released scores of covers, many on sets of books for many authors. My largest to date is an 8 cover set that 4 authors did together, titled, The Son’s of Dusty Walker. I was on a 4’x8’ sticky on the wall at RT-Dallas in full color, as they say, and so I was very happy with my modeling side-hustle. Sadly, in 2016 it took a real fall because the MC genre became very popular and my look just didn’t fit that. The floppy hair, heavily tattooed look was in and moving like a freight train. I started promoting myself to the larger authors that maybe didn’t have control over their covers, but distributed their own marketing and promotional items. I starred in several live-action trailers for a half dozen large name authors. I did some professional voice work and even shot some of my own trailers.
     I never stopped going to RT, as I found I was well received there

and with the sheer volume of folks attending, I was almost always guaranteed to land 3-5 covers. I frequent Lori Foster's events in Cincinnati, OH. She puts on an amazing event and it's like seeing so many old friends. This past year in Reno, NV, RT called it quits. I was sad. RT was where I got my big breaks and made some very lasting friends. Hell, I even ended up on ABC Nightline, thanks to RT-Vegas, being interviewed at the outside bar area. I gotta say, that’s probably the absolute highlight of my career so far, and I doubt I’ll surpass it, for a skinny kid from Masontown, PA that just truly enjoys being a father, husband, and weight-lifter.
     I also have to attribute so much of my enjoyment for traveling to cover modeling as well. Up until I traveled for this industry, I hadn’t gone much outside of Pittsburgh, Columbus, and an occasional trip to Ocean City, Maryland. Now, thanks to traveling with Lesley and for shoots, I’ve seen Miami several times, Dallas, Vegas twice, Reno, Denver, Chicago several times, New Orleans, Atlanta, the mountains of Maryland, Seattle twice, San Antonio, and my next home, the mountains of Western North Carolina. And I have SO much left to see in JUST this country. And I’ve stayed in some of the nicest hotels as well.
      The reason I started this off by talking about where I started my weight lifting journey is that without the weights I’d never had a chance to be a model. Cover modeling is so many things for sure, but the one thing that is constant is that you have to have some sort of physique. Maybe not that of a shredded bodybuilder or Adonis type figure, but something that would be able to wrap the eyes and fantasies of the readers around the book.
     I don’t intend to model for another decade. I have a plan for my end game, but it takes time to develop. I am always thinking, shifting, and learning from either my mistakes or others' mentorships. I hope that I leave a nice legacy in this industry, as it's been good to me in so many ways. 

     

It's been amazing to share covers with my gorgeous wife. We’ve both taken the journey of fitness together, as well as parenthood. She’s helped me with decisions in this industry and allowed me to go on these trips and become Scott Nova, and take the hundreds of photos with my fans and authors alike. When Lori Foster or Christine Feehan get their phone out to get a selfie with this kid from podunk western PA, I’m genuinely smiling. I couldn’t be happier.
     I’ve got big plans coming, big things in this industry. I can’t say what they are, but it won't be with me in front of or behind a camera, and I’ll leave it at that. I will say, it will be debuted, when it's ready, in a VERY big way.
     I’m going to wrap up now and bid you adieu and thank you for your interest enough to finish this article. I hope it wasn’t too painful to read as I am certainly no writer or English language giant. But, before I go, I want to say thanks to some very important people to me in this industry. Certainly, being in this thing for almost 10 years now, I can’t name everyone. But there are but a few: 

     Cindy Walker – thank you! From the bottom of my heart thank you for spending a LOT of time on the phone with me explaining JUST what in the heck this wacky cover modeling industry was/is.
     Kim Killion and the WHOLE Hot Damn Designs crew – thank you. Your willingness to take a chance on me in 2011 for a shoot is what got me moving. It let me see the business side of it and I’ll forever be thankful.
     Sheila English – what can I say...you’ve introduced me to more people in this industry than I feel I could ever have met on my own. And you’re an awesome director and writer. Thank you!
     Jo Carol – thank you! I’m grateful that you always fought for the models, and always thought to include me in so many events and signings.
     My Mom and Dad – Thank you! My mom actually drove me down to Pittsburgh for my first ever casting call.
     Lesley – my gorgeous wife, thank you! You kept the fort held down at home so many times while I was traveling and shooting. You were never jealous and never stopped thinking that I could get back in shape when I’d get lazy lol. I love you!
     Authors – THANK YOU!!!! Thank you all so very much from the bottom of my heart, because without any of you willing to put me on your piece of property, your art, your work, I’d not be a cover model.

Thank you!
     Scott Nova