UN-COVERED#5: Mark at Fashion Week in Italy + BIG Contest!

This contest is now closed--thanks to all who entered!

Mark Perini, Tempest Series Cover Model

Yes, there's a contest in this post so read through it cause it's pretty epic!!

Back by popular demand is another episode of Un-covered from Tempest (and now Vortex!) own Model Jackson, Mark Perini! Mark has been busy this summer, leaving his home base in NYC and traveling all the way to Italy for many many weeks...and my first thought when I heard this news was of course, "Omg! Jackson goes to Europe in Vortex!" coincidence? I think not.

It's all part of a much bigger plan. Pretty soon, Mark will start time traveling.

First off, if you didn't catch the big cover reveal of Vortex, check this out and if you've missed previous UN-COVERED posts, here they are:

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Okay, on to Model Jackson in Italy for fashion week...just a side note, Mark told me this was his first trip to Europe so he has a ton of pictures of his own sightseeing quests. All the photos are courtesy of Mark Perini from Mark Perini incorporated and the captions are his notes and insights with none of my clever insertions. Like this one:

January 22nd, 1506, is the official date of birth of the Pontifical
Swiss Guard...

First off, Italian Fashion Week is held in Milan, Italy.

According to FashionTV.com this summer's Men's fashion week was full of "sex appeal and great fashion." Designers included: Gucci, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, and a whole bunch more but those are the only ones I've actually heard of so I left the others out.

me in a runway show for Jose Isaias

Also! Mark revealed to me that he got a chance to meet THE Giorgio Armani! Now that's a name I've definitely heard of. Here's the little interview we did via emails when he returned from across the pond.

ME: what it was like in Italy? What was the weather like and did you do most of your model work inside or outside?

MARK: It was 90 Degrees the whole time. But everything I shot was inside but Italians don't love A/C so some places don't use it at all, which was a bummer.

photo of me on set at a shoot in Italy

ME: Were all the people you were working with Italian? How did you communicate?

MARK: Everyone loved New York so everyone wanted to practice English! Or at least try to. 

ME: Favorite food in Italy?

MARK: Pasta Carbonara from Rome

View from the top of Duomo, overlooking the city of Milan. 

ME: Any tips for those vacationing or traveling to Italy for whatever reason? Or in my case, fantasizing about it.

MARK: Best tips for Italy in the summer are bring comfortable shoes your going to be walking a lot. Wearing shorts in Italy makes you a tourist even if it's scorching outside. Try all the food Italy has to offer I never had a bad meal and I was there for a month.

The town of Brunate also known as the "Balcony of the Alps"  is apart of Como Lake

Me: And, of course I have to ask, what do you think of the Vortex cover??!!

MARK: I really love the new cover it came out amazing. I feel like James Bond.

Look! I found Tempest in an Italian Bookstore!

And last but not least, THE CONTEST! 

PRIZE: Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) of Vortex signed by BOTH myself AND Mark Perini! And a Hardcover of TEMPEST signed by BOTH myself AND Mark Perini! Yes, that's right, it a big prize! Whoot! Signed book marks will also be thrown in for fun!

AND there will be THREE WINNERS!! yes THREE! Two books each! 

Prize:signed Hardcover of Tempest

Prize: signed ARC of Vortex

For more info about the above books go here 

DEADLINE: August 25, 2012, 11:59pm (CDT)

DETAILS: I'm going to ask all of you what you'd like to see from future UN-COVERED posts...I can't say for sure that we'll choose your topic idea but we will totally consider it. 

1) Mark on dating and relationships

2) Mark reviews a YA favorite

3) Mark interviews another model

4) Mark reveals his most humiliating moment from Junior High

5) The 4-1-1 on Mark's very first modeling job

6) Beauty tips for guys 

Contest is open Internationally. To Enter fill out the form below--Name, email and your vote for a topic idea gets you an automatic entry. To earn extra entries you can do any of the following things and each will earn you an extra entry:

1) Follow me (Julie Cross) on Twitter @Juliecross1980

2) Follow Mark on Twitter @MarkTPerini 
3) Like the Tempest Series on Facebook
4) Comment on this post in the comment section. Tell us what you think.
5) Tweet about the giveaway
6) Share about the giveaway on your facebook page

Drawing will be held on August 26, 2012 and the THREE winners will be notified via email and announced on the blog the Monday following the contest.