Salon Recap: Another Fabo Lady Jane’s…

August is typically a Dead Zone month here in Big Apple Landia, but you’d never know it from the turn-out at last night’s Lady Jane’s Salon. Yes, we had another packed house and great, diverse readers as per always.

Author Johnny Diaz. Photo courtesy of www.bizurban.com.

Boston Globe features writer and author, Johnny Diaz came down from Beantown to read from his latest contemporary release, Boston Boys Club, which he dubbed as a gay version of Sex and the City–think romantic, poignant, and yes, delicious!

Local author Anna DePalo read from her Silhouette Desire, The Billionaire in Penthouse B, showing us that “housework” can be fun but “mistresshood” far “funner”!

Last but never least, the lovely Delilah Marvelle fogged up the windows by reading from her wickedly humorous Lord of Pleasure in a (very authentic sounding) British accent, no less. And FYI, can that lady ever rock white satin and feathers!

 

Delilah Marvelle was a marvel in white. www.bizurban.com.

Distinguished attendees included faces both familiar and new including powerhouse literary agent, Donald Maass; Scandalous Women blogger, Elizabeth Kerri Mahon; bookseller and reviewer, Stacey Agdern; blogger, Kwana Jackson; RWA/NYC prez, Karen Cino; and Rob DiCaterino, Web Manager for RT BOOK Reviews.

Up next month at Lady Jane’s: Salon co-founder, Leanna Renee Hieber debuts The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker–wearing full Victorian regalia, no less. Don’t miss it!

Hope

Me lifting my glass at the August Lady Jane's. www.bizurban.com.

PS: You Alert Readers out there may have noticed that our photos for this month’s Salon come courtesy of the uber talented, Biz Urban. In the next month or so, look for updated publicity photos of yes, me, all taken by Biz. And bonus: I’m going to get my courage up and my Jamie Lee Curtis on and pose for before and after shots…emphasis on the before as in before the makeup goes on. Yes, you’ll be treated to a behind the scenes gander at me and just me, as God made me–well, plus a few decades added on. Should be most…revealing.

Monday, June 1st Lady Jane’s Salon: Double the Fun

This month we build on the BEA buzz to welcome not our usual two, not three, but four super fab guest authors: Marjorie M. Liu, Wendy Corsi Staub, Diane Gaston, and Amanda McCabe.

For this month only the Salon will go an extra hour from 7:00 to 10:00 PM to accommodate all the goodness. Otherwise stats remain the same: Madame X, 94 W Houston (between Thompson & Laguardia). Admission is $5 or one gently used paperback romance novel to benefit Share The Love.

Hope

Congratulations Contest Winner!

Congratulations to my mid-April contest winner, Amira H of Humboldt, Nebraska. Amira’s prize package, a signed copy of Strokes of Midnight, my contemporary Harlequin Blaze and Vanquished,the launch to my historical “Men of Roxbury House” miniseries, is en en route to her “as we speak.”

Daisy Jane settles in with a good Hope Tarr book. Photo courtesy of Her Person, Rebecca G.
Daisy Jane settles in with a good Hope Tarr book--better yet, two! Photos courtesy of Her Person, Rachael G.

Here at hopetarr.com we pride ourselves on promoting compassion for all creatures great and small. “Animal-friendliness” is a big part of the brand for my books. I’m happy to report the critters are reciprocating in kind! Please savor these photos of Daisy Jane, the four-legged companion of my mid-March contest winner, Rachael G of Cairo, MO. Check out Rachael’s blog for more photos as well the dish on her latest reads.

Didn’t win this time ’round? Dinna fash as my Scottish historical hero, Ewan Fraser of Bound to Please would say. I’m offering the same great prizes through June, so if you didn’t win, there’s still time to head over to my Contest page and try your luck again. Someone’s gotta win. It might as well be…You.

Hope

Live from New York, It’s Lady Jane’s!

Our Lady Jane’s Salon, Manhattan’s first (and so far only) reading series devoted to romance fiction goes lives tonight. Featured authors are Andrea Pickens and yes, this Hope Tarr chick. In the spirit of ramping up for Valentine’s Day, we’ll be reading from our latest steamy romance releases and engaging in witty repartee during the Q&A.

I’m happy to report the buzz is well, buzzing. So far we’ve made TIME OUT NEW YORK, Yelp.com, and Eventful.com. Romance Novel TV will be on hand to cover the event as will Publishers’ Weekly’s own beloved romance Blog Mistress, Barbara Vey.

If you’re in the Big Apple Tonight and looking for a recession-buster outing to brighten the Monday Blues, join us at Madame X, 94 West Houston from 7-9 PM. $5 or one gently-used paperback romance novel gets you in, with proceeds to benefit Share The Love. Can you say “Oy vey and what a deal?”

Hope

Slightly Naughty Half Dozen

Many thanks to my author buddy and fellow Lady Jane Salon co-founder Maya Rodale for having me guest blog. Answering her Same Six Questions AKA Slightly Naughty Half Dozen was too much fun.

Here in the Big Apple we’re ramping up for the debut of Lady Jane’s Salon this Monday, February 2nd from 7-9:00 PM with guest author Andrea Pickens followed by yes, Yours Truly. What’s Lady Jane’s? Check out my Media and Events page for event details.

Hope

Proudly Presenting…Lady Jane

Once upon a time three romance authors and one blogger went out in Manhattan after attending one of the city’s many literary reading series. Amidst the pungent aroma of cigars and single-malt scotch the conversation turned to the sad fact that there exists no reading forum for romance fiction in Manhattan, the seat of the publishing kingdom. And that struck us–oops, them–as really rather sad.

Then one of the romance writers, we’ll call her Princess Maya, got this gleam in her eye. All, well, gleamy-eyed, she looked ’round the Round Table (okay, it was a booth, but…), drew a deep breath, and announced, “Jeepers, let’s start a romance reading series of our very own!”

Okay, she didn’t actually say “jeepers.” I’m totally making that part up but the rest, for sure, is right on the money. And within that 30 seconds or so of yes, sheer brilliance, Lady Jane was born.

Co-sponsored by Share the Love and Beatrice.com and co-founded by Maya Rodale, Ron Hogan, Leanna Renee Hieber, and yes, Moi, Lady Jane’s Salon is Manhattan’s first (and so far only) reading series devoted to romance fiction. The Salon will meet on the first Monday of every month starting February 2nd, 7-9 PM at the uber swank Madame X lounge in Tribeca.

The program format will be two author readers per evening with a short break between and a Q&A gab fest finale. Andrea Pickens and Yours Truly will be getting the party started in February; future authors TBA.

Admission is one gently-used romance novel or $5, your pick. All proceeds will benefit Share The Love, a non-profit organization that distributes gently-used romance novels to groups assisting women-in-transition. That we get to read our books and share the possibility of Happily Ever After beginnings with women working to build hopeful, independent lives is more than the best of both worlds. It’s the stuff of which real life fairytales are made.

For directions and other delicious details, please check out my Media and Events page. And for more juicy behind-the-scenes scoopage, please plan to stop by our live chat this Sunday, January 25th at Romance Novel TV.

Wishing you sweet dreams and candy-heart kisses…

Hope

Holiday Goodness Challenge: Yes, We Can! We…Did!

To borrow President Elect Obama’s campaign slogan, “Yes, we can!” Even better, we did.

Many thanks to the following generous souls who participated in my Holiday Goodness Challenge to benefit the ASPCA by giving a gift of $10, in some cases, more to support formerly homeless companion animals.

A once homeless pet has something to purr about--because of you. Image courtesy of www.aspca.org.
A once homeless pet has something to purr about--because of you. Image courtesy of www.aspca.org.

Debbie J, Levittown, NY

Jessica D, Arlington, VA

Jennifer K, Ashburn, VA

Madelina R, Parlin, NJ

Jacquie D, Atlanta, GA

Heidi B, Kylertown, PA

Mary R, Brentwood, NY &

Kay A, Blaine, MN.

Because of you, we reached our goal of $100–and saved the life of one dog or cat this holiday season. I mailed your signed copies of Vanquished over the weekend, so hopefully you’ll receive the books sometime this week.

Romance fiction writers are some of the kindest, most generous folks on the planet, ever ready to lend a helping hand to a good cause, and my Holiday Goodness Challenge was no exception. My heartfelt thanks go out to the following publishers, online communities and authors: Romantic Times BOOKReviews Magazine, The Rebels of Romance (Liz Maverick and Marianne Mancusi), Romance Vagabonds, Medallion Press, Jacquie D’Alessandro, Leanna Renee Hieber, and Heidi Betts.

Finally, I have a new contest posted, with copies of Strokes of Midnight and cover flat keepsakes of Untamed as giveaway prizes. Please check back later in the week when I post last month’s contest winners. The latter might just include…You!

Happy Tales/Tails,

Hope

Happy New Year

2008 has been an amazing year for me. Highlights include a move to Manhattan, my first but definitely not last trip to Ireland and yes, the release of two more novels, Bound to Please and now Every Breath You Take...

Many thanks to all of you who stopped by Book Talk with J&J yesterday to chat with me about Every Breath You Take… Among those who visited to cheer me on were bestselling writer buddies, Jacquie D’Alessandro and Tony and Lori Karayianni w/a Tori Carrington. Never doubt that the romance writing community harbours some of the kindest and most generous souls on the planet. And congratulations to my three prize winners: Elaine (Lainey), Sara H, and Sarah T. I hope you enjoy my New Year’s themed Blaze, Strokes of Midnight.

In the spirit of ringing in the new, I’ll be blogging at FreshFiction.com on Monday, January 12th, and yes, there will be at least one of my back list books offered as a give-away prize. Please check my web site’s Media + Events page for event listings throughout the year.

Finally, thanks to all of you who’ve taken up my Holiday Goodness Challenge to benefit the ASPCA. Donation receipts are rolling in, but we’re not to our goal of $100 quite yet, and I have copies of Vanquished still to give away. In these tough times, your generous $10 gift means more than ever before.

Wherever you are tonight and however you choose to celebrate…

May 2009 be a year of fairy tale dreams come-true.

Hope

Random Reports from City Girl on the Street

Okay, it’s officially spring in New York, which is to say gray, windy, and cold
–still. Despite the scrumptious array of spring clothes on tantalizing display in the storefronts of West Village boutiques and the designer chains on Fifth–think crayon colors, bold geometric patterns, and belted waists–like most of my fellow Manhattanites, I’m still tooling around in turtlenecks and wool.

Still, it’s spring, the pollen is in full bloom, and all in all people including Yours Truly are walking the streets with a uh…spring in their step. (Sorry, couldn’t resist).

Tomorrow, Saturday, I’m the guest speaker at the Romance Writers of America/NYC chapter brunch at PJ Clarke’s. I’m still working out my presentation, but it’s basically a not so shameless take-off on Donald Trump’s THE ART OF THE DEAL. In my case, I’ll be speaking on the ART OF THE RE-DO, both in writing and yes, in so-called “real” life.

PJ Clarke’s is on the waterfront, so here’s hoping its warm-er. Afterward I’m on tap to meet a friend and hit a couple of the Chelsea art galleries having receptions. I doubt I’ll buy any art but hey, someone has to help out with all that free wine. 😉

Like my Strokes of Midnight heroine, Becky Stone, I check my online horoscope and yes, tarot readings just about every day. It’s a big world out there, make that a big Universe, so I like to cover all my bases. I’m happy to report the Hanged Man, Hermit, and Death card (yikes) are no longer showing up in my Love & Relationship sector!

See, it really must be spring…

Happy Weekend,

Hope