May Lady Jane’s Salon: Two Salons, Double the Fun!

We at Lady Jane’s are taking our show, or rather our Salon, on the road to The Romantic Times BOOK Lovers Convention held this year in Columbus, OH. The Special Lady Jane’s Salon at RT will take place at the convention hotel, the Hyatt Regency Columbus, on Saturday, May 1st, 7-9 PM directly following the Mr. Romance Pageant. Guest authors will be Sabrina Jeffries, Linnea Sincair, and Delilah Marvelle. Squee!

Admittedly, capturing the Lady Jane’s boudoir vibe within the four white walls of a hotel meeting room presents something of a challenge, but with the help of RT’s wonderful Jo Carol and Company, we’re feeling more than up to meeting it. Think red scarves, candles, comfy seating and yes, champagne!

For those not going to Columbus, don’t despair. We’re still holding our regular monthly Lady Jane’s Salon here in Manhattan on Monday, May 3rd at Madame X, 7-9 PM. As always, admission is $5 or one gently used paperback romance novel to be donated to New York City groups serving women in need. And yes, we have another great lineup of guest authors: YA urban fantasy author, Jeri Smith-Ready (Shade); Christina Britton Conroy (One Man’s Music); and Lady Jane Salon Co-Founder, Victorian paranormal author, Leanna Renee Hieber (The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker, Book #2 in “The Strangely Beautiful” Series).

Lady Jane’s Salon, Oh What a Night!

Last night’s Lady Jane’s Salon celebrating co-founder Leanna Renee Hieber’s debut novel, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker was quite possibly our biggest crush yet.

The upper room of Madame X was crammed with attendees. Even before the program began, seating was once again standing room only–and barely that.

Leanna Renee Hieber. Photo by Morgan Doremus.
Leanna Renee Hieber. Photo by Morgan Doremus.

PRISM award winner, special guest Isabo Kelly kicked off the program by telling the story of how she and Leanna Renee first met in a New York law office followed by a wonderful reading of her work.

PRISM Award winner, Isabo Kelly. Photo by Morgan Doremus.
PRISM Award winner, Isabo Kelly. Photo by Morgan Doremus.

Leanna Renee was pretty as the proverbial picture in an authentic Victorian gown and bonnet done up in what we’re fast coming to think of as “Strangely Beautiful” blue.

The Salon and signing ended at 9:00 PM but guests lingered afterward including we four founders who took time out to mug for the camera–and yes, congratulate ourselves on yet another successful salon night.

Lady Jane’s Salon meets on the first Monday of each month from 7-9 PM at Madame X. Proceeds ($5 at the door or one gently used paperback romance novel) support Share the Love.

Founders Syndrome...From left to right, Maya Rodale, Leanna Renee Hieber, Ron Hogan & Hope.
Founders Syndrome...From left to right, Maya Rodale, Leanna Renee Hieber, Ron Hogan & Hope. Photo by Morgan Doremus.

Guest authors for October are USA Today Bestseller, Kathryn Smith and award-winning young adult author, Marianne Mancusi. As they say, stay tuned…

Hope

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of…Miss Leanna Renee Hieber

As little girls, lots of us played at dress-up, even imagined ourselves as fairytale princesses a la the Walt Disney storybook tales. I know I did.

Some of us took the fantasy well…a wee bit farther.

(L to R) Leanna Renee with photographer, Biz Urban at the August Lady Jane's.
(L to R) Leanna Renee with photographer, Biz Urban at the August Lady Jane's.

My dear friend, Lady Jane Salon co-founder, and newly minted Dorchester author, Leanna Renee Hieber took the game up a notch, make that several notches. Parading about her parents’ living room in rural Ohio speaking in a British accent and quoting the likes of Edgar Allen Poe, it was clear Leanna Renee was doing more than playing a part.

She was living a dream and quite possibly a past life.

And so was born Percy Parker, the heroine of Leanna Renee’s Victorian set fantasy romance, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker.

Percy is a most unusual romance heroine just as Strangely Beautiful…, the first in a quartet series, is a most unusual romance-think Victorian Ghost Busters. Delicious!

But there’s more. Lady Jane’s Salon has joined forced with our friends at Romance Novel TV to bring you Lady Jane’s Book Club at RNTV. Now those of you who aren’t able to attend the physical salon (as well as those of you who do) can participate monthly. The book club offers videotaped interviews with the featured salon authors as well as the ability to interact with the author and other readers via an online discussion of the book complete with a list of suggested topics.

So much goodness…

Madame X in Soho, New York City's sexiest lounge.
Madame X in Soho, New York City's sexiest lounge, the perfect setting for Lady Jane's. Photo by BizUrban.com.

Leanna Renee will be reading and signing at this Monday’s (September 7th) Lady Jane’s Salon from 7-9 PM and yes, books will be available for purchase onsite at our beloved venue, Madame X. Special guest reader: award winning author, Isabo Kelly. A special Strangely Beautiful cocktail is being… concocted for the event for the recession busting price of $5.

As always, proceeds from the door ($5 or one gently-used romance novel) will go to support Share the Love.

In the meantime, please do visit RNTV for the book club questions and a videotaped interview with Leanna Renee.

Happy Labor Day Weekend,

Hope

PS The third and final installment of Nekkid Truth: La Touche Finale will be posted here this week, so please check back for the final unveiling: before/after publicity photos of Yours Truly by the uber talented Biz Urban.