Adam Chromy said he looked to the Alloy model for a recent packaging deal he closed with Penthouse. The Artists and Artisans agent, who's worked with the erotic brand in the past—he represents former Penthouse Pet—turned—author Victoria Zdrok (Dr. Z on Scoring)—said he was asked by the company to come up with some new concepts after that 2008 book, which was published by Fireside.
The result is a series called Life on Top that, according to Chromy, taps into an audience Penthouse wasn't going after—women. “I was trying to figure out what was making Gossip Girl work,” Chromy explained, referring to the YA series—turned—TV show that Alloy packaged and developed. Chromy, who wanted to appeal to women since they generally buy more books than men, settled on trying to translate Gossip Girl's “idea of wish fulfillment” from YA to erotica. The ensuing project was bought for print by St. Martin's Press—St. Martin's Griffin published the first of two books on September 15—and follows Penthouse Pets in their glamorous lives, with the series title being a double entendre referring both to the good life and sex. Each book is written pseudonymously by Clara Darling; the first book revolves around three friends, which Chromy said makes it a more erotic variation on Sex in the City.
Following the St. Martin's deal, Chromy reached an agreement with Cinemax for a TV series based on the books. After reading that the cable channel was looking to do more upscale erotic programming—investing in shows with deeper story lines and character development amid the sex and nudity—Chromy pitched Life on Top and quickly got a green light. Cinemax's Life on Top began airing on October 3 as part of the channel's Friday After Dark lineup (known for its soft-core porn offerings) and will run through December; Chromy said he's waiting to find out if the series will be renewed for another season.
Somewhat new to the art of packaging, Chromy said he's looking to do more, creating ideas that work in print and beyond.
