Category: New York Scene

Beer Gardens NYC or How I Spent My Summer Vacation

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Beer Gardens NYC, my first ever iPhone App, the fruit of my summer stay-cation, went live earlier this month at the iTunes App Store, and I am positively thrilled by the response.

app-storeThe App is a collaboration with my real life Prince Charming, Raj Moorjani. For five consecutive summer weekends, Raj and I braved soaring summer temperatures and the boos and hisses of booze-soaked World Cup watchers to visit 50 beer gardens across the city’s boroughs.

Selected venues received our soon-to-be coveted and unabashedly subjective “Top Pick” status–because when you hoof it to 50 beer gardens in the midst of a major heat wave, you should get to have your say. 😉

The App’s list of more than 900 unique international and domestic beers is search-able by brand and venue, giving the app legs long after Oktoberfest’s last hurrah.

I’m particularly proud of the detailed summaries of the scene for each beer garden, which called for me to set aside my romance writer’s tiara and put on my travel writer’s fedora instead. (No worries, though, I have a big enough head to fit both). 😉

So far, the media response has been tremendous. The cherry topping the sundae, or more properly the foam topping the brew, is today’s New York Times Diners Journal article!

To learn more about the app project, visit our website at Beer Gardens NYC. For fun factoids on beer gardens and upcoming Oktoberfest events in New York City, visit us at OktoberfestNYC.com

Happy Oktoberfest!

September Lady Jane’s Salon

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The September Lady Jane’s Salon will take place on our usual first Monday of the month which happens to be the 6th…Labor Day!

We’re proud to host four great guest authors: Rebecca Rogers Maher, Cat Johnson, Cecilia Tan, and Michele Lang. Take two ticks, head over to the Lady Jane’s web site, and read Michele’s post on the thrills and chills of anticipating her Lady Jane’s reading. And, if you can, join us live on Monday, September 6th, 7-9 PM, at Madame X (94 W Houston Street). We’ll be giving away copies of Cecilia’s Ravenous Romance trade paperback release, MIND GAMES, to our first fifty guests as well as raffling two signed copies of Anna Campbell’s latest release.

Admission to the Salon is $5 or one gently-used romance novel with net proceeds to support a NYC area women’s charity.

Up Close and…In the Flesh

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Hope reads from EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE at In the Flesh.
Hope reading at In the Flesh.

I may write the naughty bits, I do write them, but never ever do I read Those Parts aloud. Until last night, that is.

Last night I slipped on my stilettos and stepped out of my comfort zone to read at “In the Flesh,” New York City’s premiere monthly erotica reading series hosted by Rachel Kramer Bussel (Orgasmic, Fast Girls, Please, Sir).

Fittingly, the group meets at Happy Ending Lounge (302 Broome Street) in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The bar, housed in a former massage parlor complete with tile sauna rooms, now party coves, is certain to fascinate both architectural history buffs and the purely prurient of heart. Or both.

In_the_Flesh_Guest_Authors_Aug_19_2010My fellow readers were Abigail Ekue (The Darker Side of Lust), Hilary Thayer Hamann (Anthropology of an American Girl), Yona Zeldis McDonough (Breaking the Bank), Tony O’Neill (Sick City), Michelle Janine Robinson (Color Me Grey), and filmmaker Therese Schecter (How To Lose Your Virginity).

Since the theme was “Sex on the Beach,” I read a steamy (for me) lagoon lovemaking scene from Every Breath You Take, set in contemporary Belize.

But first I had a glass of wine. Okay, two.

In_the_Flesh_Crowd#2Along with the sexy snippets, there were miniature Baked by Melissa cupcakes, candy and chips, all free.

After five years, In the Flesh is closing its boudoir doors after December 16th, so if you like erotica and you’re in New York City, definitely check out it out. Meet-ups are on the third Thursday of the month. Admission is free. Cash bar.

Lady Jane’s Salon

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The July 6th Lady Jane’s Salon saw a fabulous turn out despite the steamy temperatures and holiday weekend. In addition to co-hosting two fabulous guest authors, Dianna Love and Colby Hodge, I got to guest myself! Please check out my videotaped reading from The Tutor.

The August 2nd Lady Jane’s Salon aims to send off summer with a bang. Our guests will be Anna DePalo, Erica Ridley, and Alaya Dawn Johnson. As always guest authors books will be available for purchase on site.

Lady Jane’s meets at Madame X (94 West Houston) on the first Monday of every month, 7-9 PM. Cash bar. Admission is $5 or one gently-used paperback romance novel with net proceeds supporting local women’s charities.

Speaking the Love

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From left to right, Sarah MacLean, Sarah Wendell, Hope Tarr, Tessa Woodward, Lauren Willig & Stephanie Klose. Photo courtesy of Lauren Willig.
From left to right, Sarah MacLean, Sarah Wendell, Hope Tarr, Tessa Woodward, Lauren Willig & Stephanie Klose. Photo courtesy of Lauren Willig.

Last night I had the privilege of being a panelist at WORD in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. “WORDs of Love: A Night of Romance,” celebrated the bookstore’s recently opened romance fiction section (yippee!) and brought together author, Lauren Willig (Betrayal of the Blood Lily); romance book blogger, Sarah Wendell (Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches’ Guide to Romance Novels); Avon Books Associate Editor, Tessa Woodward; RT BOOK Reviews Magazine Senior Editor/Reviews Coordinator, Stephanie Klose; and Yours Truly.

Hosted by store manager, Stephanie Anderson and moderated by the brilliant Sarah MacLean (Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake), the program covered, or rather uncovered, as many aspects of the genre as we could reasonably address in 90 minutes. For example, what is the role of cliché in romance? Or do these tropes form the foundation of the genre’s structure not unlike the conventions inherent to other genres such as mystery and science fiction?

TIME_OUT_NY_WORD_7_22_10My personal evening’s highlight came from one lady in the audience who counseled us not to defend, explain, or apologize for the romance novels we love to read and write.  “When someone questions me about why I read romance novels, I look them in the eye and say, ‘Because I love them, and I’m probably going to buy $100 more next month.’” Huzzah!

Running a close second was the attendee who told us afterward that she’d found out about the event from its listing in The New York Times. The event also made the front page of this week’s Time Out New York. I’m just sayin’…

Couldn’t make it? Don’t despair. The uber wonderful, Sarah MacLean recorded the event for your listening pleasure.

Have a lovely weekend,

Hope

Jack is Back!

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jack_276I’m a sucker for second chance at love stories. Always have been, always will be. Sometimes those love stories themselves get a second chance, too.

My Lord Jack, my Scottish-set historical first published in 2002 with Berkley, releases today with Carina Press, Harlequin Enterprise’s exclusively digital imprint.

Jack is indeed back and he’s better than ever before. Working with Angela James and the talented editorial team at Carina Press, I’ve reedited the book–and yes, I’m hopeful that I’ve learned a thing or two in the past eight years of honing my craft.

I hope you’ll take two ticks to read an excerpt. Or take more than two ticks and visit me on one of my blog tour stops for the book. Most of my guest blogging gigs, including today’s at Romance Writers of America, New York City involve a prize giveaway: one or more of my back list print releases. Prezzies, we all love those.

tutor_276And if you’re in New York City, you might just catch me up close and personal at one of my upcoming readings for my other July release, The Tutor.

Hope

Signed Copies of THE TUTOR

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Ever a woman of my word, I took time over the Independence Day Holiday weekend to visit my local booksellers and sign copies of The Tutor. If you’re in New York City over the next few weeks, you can find autographed copies at the following brick-and-mortar bookstores:

Borders Stores:

Manhattan/Wall Street, 100 Broadway, 212.964.1988

Manhattan, 32nd St. & 2nd Avenue, 212.685.3938

Manhattan, Penn Plaza, 2 Penn Plaza (adjacent to Madison Square Garden), 212.244.1814

Manhattan, Park Avenue, 461 Park Avenue, 212.980.6785

Manhattan, Columbus Circle, 10 Columbus Circle, 212.823.9775

Barnes & Nobles:

Greenwich Village, 396 Avenue of the Americas

Manhattan, 555 Fifth Avenue

Citigroup Center, 160 East 54th Street

Brooklyn, Park Slope, 267 7th Avenue

Posman Books, Grand Central Station

Not in New York? No worries. Send me a self-addressed envelope with 44 cents return postage, and it will be my pleasure to mail you a signed book plate.

Hope Tarr

PO Box 1344

New York, NY 10276

Stay cool!

Hope

Interview with RT BOOK Reviews is Up!

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My interview with the lovely Morgan Doremus is posted at the RT BOOK Reviews blog site. I hope you’ll take two ticks to check it out and post a comment.

In the interim, here’s a wee snippet of the segment.

New Yorkers don’t forget Lady Jane’s Salon on Monday, July 5th, 7-9 PM at Madame X. I’ll be reading and signing The Tutor along with authors Dianna Love Snell and Colby Hodge.

Bonus: romance blogger, Barbara Vey is in town for Thriller Fest and will be joining us as our very special guest. So much goodness…

Happy Independence Day!

THE TUTOR is Out! Plus Lady Jane’s July 5th Salon Goodness

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My July Victorian-set historical release, The Tutor is shipping from online retailers as well as showing up in selected brick-and-mortar stores–squee! I’ll be signing stock in New York City stores over the coming week and posting a list here on my blog for readers living in or visiting The Big Apple, so please check back. In the meantime, check out the excerpt and, if you haven’t already, take a few moments and enter my contest.

tutor_276I’ll also be reading The Tutor and signing copies at the July 5th Lady Jane’s Salon, so if your Fourth of July holiday plans bring you into the New York City area, please consider joining us.  We have a jam-packed evening with three other great guest authors: Toni McGee Causey, Dianna Love, and Colby Hodge AKA Cindy Holby.

Otherwise, same time, same place: 7-9 PM at Madame X. Admission is $5 or one gently-used paperback romance novel with net proceeds supporting an end-of-year donation to a New York City women’s charity.

Hope

June 7th Lady Jane’s Salon

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The June Lady Jane’s Salon proudly presents historical romance authors Cara Elliott, Amanda McCabe, and Salon Co-Founder, Maya Rodale reading from and signing their latest Regency-set releases.

LADY-jane-logoBooks will be available for purchase on site.

Details: Monday, June 7th, 7-9 PM at Madame X (94  W Houston St). Subsequent Salons on the first Monday of the month. Admission is $5 or one gently-used romance novel. Cash bar. Net proceeds support city charities serving women in need.