Category: Writing Life

Release Day for THE CINDERELLA MAKEOVER!

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TheCinderellaMakeover-1600pxToday was the release day for THE CINDERELLA MAKEOVER, Book #2 in my Suddenly Cinderella Series of contemporary fairytale-themed romances, and here in steamy Melbourne, Australia, I had quite a Princess-for-a-Day party!

I started off with a visit to RendezVous The Romance Bookstore where the lovely and knowledgeable Mirna Denic was holding down the fort–in this case the shop. Between fielding phone calls from romance enthusiasts, patiently steering each customer to the next perfect for them read, she chatted with me about my series. We even managed to squeeze in a bit of picture taking!

Next stop was Dymock’s where I chatted up the romance specialist on staff and left a stack of bookmarks for the romance fiction book club that meets monthly at the store.

A time out at the National Gallery of Victoria provided a pleasant two-hour stroll through the museum’s impressive collection of paintings, sculpture, and pottery by Australian artists.  The artistic foray was field work for an upcoming novel!

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With Mirna Denic of Melbourne’s iconic RENDEZVOUS The Romance Bookstore.

Melbourne_RendezVous Romance Bookstore_Facade_Mzarch_11_2013Melbourne_RendezVous Romance Bookstore_Book Table_March_11_2013All that walking can leave an author girl footsore–and feeling more like a stepsister who’d attempted to cram her hoof into a too tiny glass slipper than an actual princess. The remedy: a 20 minute foot massage at a local day spa!

Then it was off to dinner — a dozen local “pearls of the sea” plus a hearty steak at Pop in Hardware Lane.

Now its back to the hotel and an early lights out in prep for tomorrow’s trip down the Great Ocean Road, which follows Victoria’s ruggedly beautiful southwestern coast. .

 

 

Greetings from Oz

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Hi Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary_Hope_w_Kaola_Feb_28_2013All!

I am writing this post from sunny Melbourne, the second stage of my Australian…progress. 😉

My tour started with the third annual Australian Romance Readers Conference, ARRC2013, in Brisbane where I was honored to present our first ever overseas Lady Jane’s Salon. Four fabulous guests (Cathy Maxwell, Keri Arthur, Amy Andrews & Anna Campbell), an enthusiastic audience of more than 100 attendees, and a bistro style setting cleverly created by conference coordinator Debbie Jay et al. contributed to a rousing success. Read more about the Salon program here.

Following Friday night’s Salon, I took off my co-founder cap and put on my author tiara. Panels and a book fair rounded out the week.

Around the conference, I managed to squeeze in trips to Carrumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and Mount Tambourine with fellow author, Cathy Maxwell. Cuddling koalas, hoisting wine glasses, and dining on Moreton Bay “bugs” (trust me, they’re a delicacy) made for a spectacularly fun week. Many thanks to the delightful Megan Bamford for her extraordinary hospitality and hostessing skills.

Before leaving Brisbane for Melbourne, I stopped by the legendary Rosemary’s Romance Books and visited with proprietress extraordinaire, Rosemary Potter.

Rosemary's Romance Books-StorefrontI’ve had the pleasure of seeing Rosemary stateside over the years, usually at RT BOOK Lovers conferences but catching up in her beautiful store was truly special. Wood paneled book shelves, a fainting couch, and myriad romance novels, all meticulously cataloged and shelved, had me wishing I might make a day of my visit rather than an hour. Along with a huge hug, I left er with a stack of bookmarks for my Suddenly Cinderella series.

Tonight I am meeting local author Alison Stuart for a candlelit ghost walk of Melbourne city. Boo!

LJS_Hope_w_Guests#1_March_1_2013
Our first ever overseas Lady Jane’s Salon for ARRC2013 was a huge success thanks to the organizers, the welcoming audience, and our four great guests. Left to Right, Hope Tarr, Amy Andrews, Keri Arthur, Anna Campbell & Cathy Maxwell
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I was one of more than 65 authors signing at the ARRC2013 Book Fair.

Next week, I depart for Sydney. Please stay tuned for an article on my Australian trip for the print version of RT BOOK Reviews magazine this summer.

Good’ay!

Hope

 

 

 

The Three Faces of VANQUISHED, Vote for Your Favorite

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Vencida_PNGA few years ago Medallion Media Group, the wonderful publisher of my Victorian-set Men of Roxbury House trilogy–VANQUISHED, ENSLAVED & UNTAMED–sold the books to publishers in France and Italy. And now there is a third foreign sale to report, this time to Spain!

Libros de Seda, my Spanish publisher, kindly forwarded me the book cover for VENCIDA (VANQUISHED) and well, I couldn’t be more pleased! The photograph was taken in 1920 in Trieste, Italy. As my hero, Hadrian St. Clare, is a portrait photographer hired to take a risque photograph of my suffragette spokeswoman heroine, Caledonia–Callie–Rivers to ruin her personally and discredit her publicly, having a photograph grace the cover of this latest foreign language edition feels especially fitting.

Still, all three covers are gorgeous, all unique and vastly different visual takes on the book. Which is your favorite?

Post your vote as a comment to this blog post between now and 12 midnight EST, February 1st . One randomly selected commenter will win a free copy of VANQUISHED–digital or print, your pick.

 

 

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Won’t You Be My Sweetheart?

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Operation Cinderella_cvr_500Well, folks, 2013 is off to a bang up start! OPERATION CINDERELLA, Book #1 of my Suddenly Cinderella Series with publishing juggernaut Entangled — read the fabo breaking news about the company’s new joint venture with Big Six Publisher MacMillan here —  received a FIVE  Star review from The Romance Studio.

But there’s more…

The book is now up for TRS’s Five Star Sweetheart Vote, a “best of the best” award for those books that received  5-star reviews from the site. To vote, click here.

Voting closes on Sunday, January 13th at midnight EST, so if you liked the book, I hope you’ll take two ticks and cast your ballot.

Many thanks, TRS!

Hope

 

Let’s Stay Together in 2013!

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Happy 2013!

One of the ways I am launching this new year is by upgrading my newsletter system. (We began in late 2012 in prep). The new system requires all subscribers to re-confirm their membership on my mailing list. For those of you who have already done so, huzzah and thanks!

If you have not yet re-confirmed your subscription, please keep an eye out for a reminder email from [email protected]. Don’t see it in Ye Olde Inbox? Please check your spam/junk folder, or you can re-subscribe directly at http://hopetarr.com/contact.html.

As most of you know, I keep Hope Tarr News super low key–I only send out updates prior to a book release or other “major” news. Newsletters never go out more than quarterly, often less. Still, it’s a great way for me to keep in touch with each one of you en masse and to share news in a meatier format than Twitter and Facebook allow.

I hope you’ll take two ticks and confirm. One click and you’re done–promise!

Any technical difficulties, please contact my web team at [email protected].

Thanks–and let’s stay together in 2013!

Hope

 

Naughty vs Nice: Fifty Writers on Fifty Shades of Grey

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Fifty Shades B&N CoverFor those who’ve read the E.L. James’ Fifty Shades trilogy, and admit it, you so have, at least book #1,you know that the erotic romance between fictional characters Christian Grey and Ana Steele definitely weighs in on the naughty side–fifty shades of naughty. Readers seem to fall into one of two camps: those who love the books and those who love bashing them. Regardless, the cultural conversation continues.

So now that you’ve read the book(s), how to keep the love–or hate–fest going?

FIFTY WRITERS ON FIFTY SHADES OF GREY (BenBella Books) is the brainchild of agent and publisher Lori Perkins, a savvy compilation of fifty “insider” essays examining various aspects of the Fifty Shades juggernaut. Contributors hail from erotic fiction, BDSM, fan fiction, pop culture and, of course, romance; the essays range from tongue-in-cheek humor to no holds barred detestation to steamy homage.

My essay, “Because Love Hurts,” examines Christian and Ana’s relationship through the dual lens of romance fiction and Freudian psychology, prominent aspects of my background and ongoing world view. Other contributors include M.J. Rose, Sylvia Day, Heather Graham, and publisher, producer, and radio talk show host, Judith Regan.

The plot twist at the end of Judith’s essay is–well, as this is a PG-rated blog, you’ll just have to read it for yourself but read it you must!  ((winking wildly))

FIFTY WRITERS ON FIFTY SHADES is available as both a print and e-book at brick-and-mortar bookstores as well as from  Amazon • B&N  • IndieBound.

Hope

Celebrate the Season with A CINDERELLA CHRISTMAS CAROL

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A CINDERELLA CHRISTMAS CAROL, my Suddenly Cinderella winter holiday novella, released a few days ago, huzzah!

Think Cinderella meets the Dickens’ classic, with several storyline twists, notably the heroine, Starr, is Cinderella and Scrooge!

Many of you have met Starr, Macie’s magazine editor boss, in the series launch, OPERATION CINDERELLA. The holiday novella gives Starr her own shot at Happily Ever After with sexy seven years’ younger art director, Matt Landry–assuming she’ll set aside her Scrooge-like ways in time. Fortunately she has a visiting Christmas Spirit on her side as well as a great pair of traveling–and possibly magical–vintage red shoes.

I hope readers will enjoy A CINDERELLA CHRISTMAS CAROL, available at the Amazon Kindle Store and Barnes & Noble Nook Store for just 99 cents.

Wishing you a holiday season brimming with fairytale dreams come true!

Hope

 

Operation Cinderella HEA Release Week!

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October has been a good month for me, a very good month.

Off the bat, October 2nd was my birthday!

October 2nd was also the Blu-ray DVD release of Walt Disney’s “Cinderella,” my foremost favorite among the animated fairy tale film classics!!

And October 15th was the release for OPERATION CINDERELLA, the launch of my new “Suddenly Cinderella” contemporary series for Entangled Publishing!!!

Currently the book is available for download, $2.99, on Amazon & Barnes & Noble with additional e-tailer links coming soon…

Reviews will be rolling in over the coming weeks and months but for now please join me in celebrating this scrumptious cover quote I received from #1 New York Times Bestseller and Lady Jane Salonâ„¢ guest author, Susan Wiggs:

“This is not your mother’s Cinderella story. Hope Tarr’s rendition is funny, sassy and sexy, a fast-paced treat that strikes all the right notes. I loved it!” –Susan Wiggs

Many thanks, Susan, and thanks to all of you, my readers, who’ve patiently waited for my next contemporary romances to be born.

Happily Ever After–it’s about time, don’t you think!?!

As always, with warmest wishes for fairy tale dreams come true,

Hope

 

 

 

 

Back from Paris

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I’m back from my work trip to Paris, a whirlwind week if ever there was one. In my just six days in the city (one day spent in travel), I toured the offices of three French publishers: J’ai Lu, Bragelonne, and LeDuc, met with the senior editors at each house as well as their art and marketing staff, and had multiple meetups with a bevy of lovely and enthusiastic French bloggers including those from Au Boudoir Ecarlate and Onirik.

The meetups were held at the J’ai Lu offices and coordinated with help from the French romance review site and webzine, Les Romantiques. Merci a tous!

A dinner at La Fresque, a charming laid-back bistro situated on the site of a former open air market in the first arrondissement, followed the Monday meetup. Delicious wine, food, and conversation — e.g., the romance industry in France vs. America — kept us at the table well into the night.

Hope with Margaret Calpena, Responsible editoriale, of J'ai Lu.

As some of you may remember, J’ai Lu bought the French print rights to my Men of Roxbury House trilogy. Vanquished, renamed La Rose de Mayfair, released last spring with the publisher’s Aventures & Passions romance line. The lovely translator, Viviane Ascain, with whom I also met, will soon be hard at work translating books #2 and 3, Enslaved and Untamed, into the French as well. Bon courage, Viviane!

I also gathered photos and information for my upcoming travel articles for EuropeUpClose, including one focused on Bastille Day or, more properly, La Fete Nationale as it’s referred to in France. Viewing the shimmering spectacle of a light-bedecked Eiffel Tower and later the fireworks display from a rooftop restaurant in Monmartre was a rare and special moment, a memory for a lifetime, as well as research for my travel tips piece.

The meetup at J'ai Lu on July 16th drew nearly 20 romance bloggers from Paris and its surrounds.

Now it’s nose to the grindstone time, or at least posterior planted in the office chair, as I finish up edits on Operation Cinderella, Book #1 in my new contemporary romance series with Entangled Publishing, complete my travel articles–and occasionally take time to dream of my next trip to Paris.

Many thanks–un grand merci–to my new French friends for making this American (romance author) in Paris feel utterly welcomed and at home.

And yes, there was cake, les macarons, as well as other treats.

Hope

Happy Friday, New Video!

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Today is my first day back from a truly delightful mini-break at the beach in Ocean Grove, NJ where I celebrated the Fourth with my sweetie basking on the beach and giving all creatures crustacean a true run for their lives! (I have the seafood tower photo posted to my Facebook Page to back up my claims).

While I was away, I picked up a lovely bit of bric-a-brac, a mermaid hanging ornament with the saying, “Life itself is the most wonderful fairytale.” Indeed.

With my recent Suddenly Cinderella Series sale to Entangled Publishing, lately I’ve been doing a lot of thinking on the fairytale front. Fairy tales allow–promote–not only the possibility but the probability that extraordinary, wonderful things will happen when we least expect them–especially when we least expect them.

Please check out my latest unexpected bit of wonder, my video interview for the Author Learning Center. I gave the interview last winter and then forgot about it in the  hectic rush of holidays and deadlines. Behold, the interview went live within the last 24 hours. Please enjoy–it’s super short, promise! Likes and Shares are, as always, much appreciated.

Wishing you a fairytale weekend…

Hope