Vote on the Hottie of Publishing, Men’s Division

By Sarah on August 16, 2006 4:46 PM

Just as for the women, the same rules apply for the men: Get your votes in by midnight Sunday, and we’ll announce the results on Monday. Thanks from my corner, too, for everyone—friends, coworkers, countrymen—who emailed with possible nominees. There were many tasty dishes to choose from, making it difficult to whittle it down to just five. So who are the lucky guys who made the cut? Check them out…

Stephen Barbara made the cut for being, in his nominee’s words, “the most smoking hot literary agent.” At Donald Maass Literary Agency, Barbara mostly represents young adult and non-fiction projects, but when he isn’t hustling for clients and deals, “he always has a smile and a charismatically told story—and his booming voice ensures that no one is left out.”

Writers House literary agent Dan Lazar only got into the business four years ago, he’s already been tagged as one of the fastest-rising stars in the biz. But that’s only one of the reasons why he garnered several nominations for this honor. “He’s funny and charming and a stellar lunch date,” said one, while another fan said “this is the one all others should be measured against.” Oh yeah, and let’s not forget that he’s insanely young, too…

Which brings us to Hottie Number Five, Bleak House Books publisher Benjamin LeRoy, commended for his “Smarts, Passion, Wit, Charm, and a healthy, alluring dose of Just Plain Crazy.” No wonder this example of Blond Ambition has them “swooning from coast to coast.”

Michael Stearns got the nod for being “one of the few single, straight men in children’s publishing”—a rare feat, indeed. An editorial director with HarperCollins’ children’s division, Stearns got props for his “Paul Bettany-esque” looks—with “blue eyes, perfectly sculpted nose, high cheekbones, and long lean body”—but the extra points stem from his wit—and his “martini-glass-through-the-nose” stories…

In picking Riverhead/NAL marketing manager Bryant Tenorio, his nominators simply said “the picture speaks for itself.” That it does, but they did also add he is “incredibly smart, sweet, talented, and funny.”