Fabio Lanzoni did not disappear after becoming one of the most recognizable romance-cover models of the late 1980s and 1990s. He expanded into acting, television, advertising and books published under his name with professional writing collaborators, then pursued business interests and life away from the camera. A 2024 report described him as entering retirement, but it does not establish his exact current work schedule.
How Fabio turned cover fame into other work
His fame as a romance-cover model opened doors beyond modeling. A 2015 Washington Post profile describes film and television appearances, advertising, books and a business venture selling protein powder. It also follows his interests in property and motorcycles at that time.
Advertising kept his familiar image in the public eye. In a 2006 Psychology Today interview, Fabio discussed campaigns for I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! and Nationwide that played on his sex-symbol persona. He said, “I like to make fun of myself. I don’t take myself seriously, because there is so much more to life than just being good looking.”
What books did Fabio publish?
Books appeared under Fabio’s name, but it would be misleading to describe the novels as works he wrote alone. The Washington Post reported that he published novels with a ghostwriter. Journalist Michael Small, who says he wrote a 1993 PEOPLE cover story about Fabio and ghostwrote Fabio’s official biography, also discusses the romance novel Pirate and the Fabio After Dark CD on his podcast page. Small describes Pirate as written with help from a professional romance novelist.
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The Washington Post reported that Fabio had earned as much as $150,000 for a book under his past novel deal. That is a historical figure from the 2015 profile, not a statement of current income.
What is known about his later life?
The Washington Post’s 2015 profile also presented Fabio’s outlook beyond work. Speaking about relationships and happiness, he said, “In life, you have to be happy with yourself first, number one,” and, “I have an amazing life.” Those are comments from that interview, not evidence of his present-day circumstances.
A Yahoo News page reproducing a PEOPLE report says that Fabio described himself in a March 2024 interview as happy with where life had taken him, especially as he entered retirement. That report offers a later snapshot, but does not verify whether he has stopped all professional activity or what his current routine is.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the cover-count claims differ
There is no settled total for Fabio’s romance-novel covers in the sources cited here. On his podcast page, Michael Small says the 1993 PEOPLE story he wrote used a figure of 1,300, while Fabio’s official website now claims 3,000; the discussion acknowledges that the numbers shifted. Because the figures conflict, it is safer to describe him as appearing on a large number of covers rather than repeat either total as definitive.
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