Tag: New York City

Nekkid Truth

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Yes, it’s that time. Time to retire my lovely but alas somewhat dated (2006)publicity photos and forge that new photographic frontier: photos that actually look like me. Currently.

To that end, today, all day, I’ll be primping, prepping, and yes preening for new photos by Manhattan photographer, the lovely and talented Biz Urban.

And bonus, we’re going to shoot before as well as after photos with mayhap even some behind-the-scenes tossed in. If we’re lucky, the cats may get into the picture (so to speak), too.

Check back here for the Nekkid Truth: me as God made me with (gulp) four or so decades added on.

Should be most…revealing. 😉

TGIF,

Hope

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

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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

Seeing Stars, Part II: NYRP Picnic

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Last week I attended the New York Restoration Project’s eighth annual spring picnic as the guest of Lady Jane Salon co-founder Maya Rodale.

Founded in 1995 by actress-songstress and all ’round uber talent, Bette Midler, NYRP carries out the Divine Miss M’s vision of a cleaner, more beautiful New York for all residents regardless of zipcode. The organization “restores, develops, and revitalizes underserved parks, community gardens, and other open spaces in New York City.”

As a city resident, Ms. Midler, I heart you! 

Held at beautiful Fort Tryon Park, a NYRP recipient, the evening rolled out with cocktails and marvelous munchies at the New Leaf Restaurant. Afterward, guests retired to the dining tent where we were treated to a delicious barbecue dinner by BLUE SMOKE. Emcee Judy Gold had us rolling in the aisles, which given the quantity of barbeque I put away was pretty painful.

Throughout the night, trees were adopted, jokes cracked, and yes, songs sung. Living legend Tony Bennett favored us with a classic song, and Ms. Midler ended by leading us in a sing-a-long that included her unique version of “Happy Days Are Here Again.” Other celebrity attendees included Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Nina and Tim Zagat, Cynthia and Dan Lufkin and O Magazine editor-at-large and Oprah’s BFF, Gayle King (See photo op).

Pardon my "dear in the headlighhts" look. Hope cozies up to the camera with Oprah BFF, Gayle King. Photo courtesy of Narda Ducheine.
Pardon my deer in the headlights look. Hope and Oprah BFF, Gayle King, cozy up to the camera. Photo courtesy of Narda Ducheine.

The Divine Miss M definitely put the “fun” back in fundraiser. To heck with rushing home to tune into American Idol and learn the fate of Adam Lambert. Though the evening ended at 9:00, I could have danced all night.

 But the celebs needed their beauty sleep and well, it was a “school” night.

To learn more about the NYRP and opportunities for volunteering, visit the organization’s web site at www.nyrp.org.

Divinely Yours,

Hope

Seeing Stars…

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Yesterday’s Matthew Modine sighting turned out to be but the kick-off to a plethora of Real Live Celebrity sightings. (And the RL’s are ever so much perkier than the alternative). 😉

Thanks to Regency historical author, and Lady Jane Salon co-founder, Maya Rodale who asked me along as her guest, I attended the twenty-fifth anniversary of “A Gala Evening of Readings” hosted by Literacy Partners. For the past thirty-five years, Literacy Partners has provided “hope and opportunity for adults who cannot read” in the form of free adult and family literacy programs reaching more than 25,000 disadvantaged New Yorkers.

Held in the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the evening was “gala” indeed, the guest list studded with stars, the plaza outside a veritable red carpet Who’s Who of Manhattan socialites and celebrities from the news media and literary worlds, all decked out in designer duds. Note: We didn’t look any too shabby ourselves but since shutter-bugging didn’t seem to be quite the thing, you’ll have to take my word for it).

At the pre-program cocktail reception, Yours Truly, along with Maya and our mutual friend, Scandalous Woman Elizabeth Kerri Mahon jostled for vino and noshes with celebrity attendees including Martha Stewart (she sat two rows behind us in the auditorium later), Tommy Tune (“Jenny, Jenny…”), Barbara Taylor Bradford, Barbara Walters, and Barbara Goldsmith to name but a few. (And yes, that’s a lot of Bab’s).

The main event featured readings by Barbara Walters (who read the prologue from her recent memoir), Marie Brenner (author and writer-at-large for Vanity Fair), Christopher Buckley (son of the late William F), and David Wroblewski (The Story of Edgar Sawtelle).

Sarah Lindsey, Rob of Romantic Times BOOKREviews, and Hope share the love at the May Lady Jane's.
Sarah Lindsey, Rob of Romantic Times BOOKReviews, and Hope share the love at the April Lady Jane's. Photo courtesy of Rob, RT Mag.

In like support of literacy and general feel-goodness, I hope anyone in the New York area, or in town for Book Expo America will join us for the June 1st Lady Jane’s Salon. We’ve just added a fourth fab author to our line up. Talented historical author, Diane Gaston will join Amanda McCabe in reading from their anthology, The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor, May ’09, a featured book for Harlequin’s Diamond Anniversary.

Diane Gaston. Photo courtesy of www.dianegaston.com.
Diane Gaston. Photo courtesy of www.dianegaston.com.

As always, the proceeds support Maya’s charity, Share the Love, which reaches out to groups serving women-in-transition as they work to build hopeful, independent lives.

Hope

Live from New York–Real Live Celeb Sighting

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Okay, I just all but brushed shoulders with Matthew Modine (“And the Band Played On,” “Gross Anatomy”), one of my all-time favorite actors, and I’m just un-cool enough to hop online and report it.

I say “all but” because at six feet four he stood head and shoulders above me. I was dashing out to pick up my morning cuppa–okay, more like my afternoon cuppa but well, I am a writer–when I saw two men walking up Broadway toward me. The one was tall, good looking (make, that hot or better yet, sizzling), and wearing this uber cool turquoise tapestry vest over a white cotton tee, a look that seemed a lot more California than New York. The other guy was…well, don’t ask me. I’m sure he had a great personality.

And then I realized just who He was.

Like two ships sailing past one another in the night, Matthew and I brushed by. He never broke his stride or his conversational train-of-thought. I, on the other hand, was likely bug-eyed and slack-jawed, in the throes of a full-on Fan Girl Moment. But props to me, at least I was cool enough not to invade his personal space. I mean, it is Manhattan, not LA.

And Manhattan is well, pretty great. We city dwellers may live in apartments the size of the average workplace cubicle, but really, when the city is your oyster (shell), how much personal space do you need? Every time you walk out your building, there’s this amazing, butterflies-in-stomach feeling that something wonderful, magical, may just be around the next corner. It’s sort of like living if not in a fairytale then certainly a romance novel. You may have to slug through sidewalks stacked with garbage and wait in line with your fellow 1.2 million “neighbors” for just about everything but somehow that’s okay because you know, just know, there’s going to be something positive, something wonderful waiting at the end of it all, so long as you remember to believe.

Happy Monday,

Hope

Lady Jane Salon Recap

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Last night’s Lady Jane’s Salon was uber fab. I know I say that every month but that’s only because it’s true.

Smart Bitches, Trashy Books blogger, Sara Wendell is well, one smart b—- as well as a total hoot, the perfect guest emcee. And bonus: she read aloud from her book, Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches’ Guide to Romance Novels, waxing eloquent on, among other topics, sexually impossible positions.

Memo to Sarah: you had us at “turgid boner.”

Smart Bitch Sarah Wendell rocks the house as guest emcee.

A round of belly laughs, not to mention an anatomy lesson was enjoyed by all.

Our guest author readers were Alisa Sheckley/Kwitney and Lady Jane co-founder Maya Rodale. Alisa read from her latest paranormal, The Better to Hold You set here in the Big Apple. Warewolves on the Upper West Side, oh my! And just when I was convinced cab drivers and pizza delivery guys were the main urban predators.

 

 

Maya and EBF Tony steam up the microphone, and the windows--and the guests!

Maya read a very sexy scene from The Rogue and the Rival with the help of her “EBF” i.e., English Boyfriend, Tony. Together they rocked the house–and steamed up the windows.

Memo to Maya and Tony: next time how’s about adding some pantomime, hmm?

Last but never least, the Romantic Times BookReviews folks were once more out covering the event for the magazine’s blog. Thanks to Managing Editor Liz French and Web Manager, Rob DiCaterino for the incredible support! (In point, most of these pics come courtesy of Rob’s shutterbugging).

As for Yours Truly, last night was the perfect antidote to the Deadline Blues.

Otherwise, the stats stay the same: First Monday of the Month (May 4th), 7-9 chez Madame X. May is also the host month for Book Expo America America, so we’ll be packing in the out-of-towners as well! Hopefully that’ll include…YOU!

Hope and Dorchester author, Liz Maverick, get this (after) party started.

Hope

Lady Jane’s Salon, Monday, April 6th

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I’m still deadlining on the sequel to Bound to Please, but I absolutely had to take a wee breakie pooh to plug this Monday’s Lady Jane’s Salon. Guest authors are Alisa Kwitney/Alisa Sheckley, author of The Better to Hold You and our own Maya Rodale, who will read from The Rogue and the Rival. But as they say, there’s more…

Sarah Wendell of the crazy popular blog Smart Bitches, Trashy Books and author of Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches Guide to Romance Novels will be our guest emcee. How cool is that? (Hint: not really a question).

And yeppers, I’ll be there along with my founder buds: Maya Rodale, Leanna Renee Hieber, and Ron Hogan.

Otherwise program details remain the same: 7-9 PM at the uber swank Madame X. Admission is $5 or one gently used romance novel, all to benefit Share the Love, a nonprofit that reaches out to groups serving women in transition.

Okay, I’m headed back to Medieval Scotland for now, but so long as I can escape my “keeper,” I’ll see you there. 😉

Hope

Coffee Talk with Lady Jane

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When Paul Ohlson, Marketing Manager for my wonderful publisher, Medallion Press rang me up to ask if I’d be game to participate in Medallion’s online radio spot at BlogTalk Radio, I didn’t hesitate, not for a nanosecond.

“Sure thing,” I said (or something like that), “So long as you don’t mind me blabbing about this cool new reading series/salon some buddies and I put together in New York. Perchance you’ve heard of her…I mean it.

It’s… Lady Jane’s…”

Paul was more than enthusiastic and so we did this interview thing, which was uber fun due in no small part to the fact that Paul, whom I’ve never actually met “in the flesh,” so to speak, has one of the sexiest voices ever.

But I digress…

My interview is part of “Great Authors Revisited“(almost sounds as though I’m on Mount Rushmore or something–perish the thought) and the podcast will be posted starting, yeppers today through March 31st. So, if you have some time, seven minutes to be exact, I hope you’ll check it out.

Speaking of checking out, I’m off for multiple weeks to parts if not unknown then certainly ready to be explored again: Paris and London in the main. I’d like to say I’ll be blogging madly in real time on all my adventures but likely I’ll be too busy…well, adventuring. Not to mention the escargot eating and the cheese eating and the basking in butter overall. But, mes enfants, when I get back…Ooh la la, when I get back…

Hope

Happy Valentine’s Day & Congrats Contest Winners

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What better way to ring in the Day of Hearts and Flowers than by announcing good news?

((Okay, well maybe I can think of an even better way, but I do try to keep the blog-o-zine at the PG-13 level)).

Congratulations to my three latest contest winners: Jean M of Broomfield, CO; Patricia B of Jonesborough, TN; and Jessica P of Norman, OK. Like so many of you who entered, these savvy ladies knew that in Every Breath You Take…, for years Cole has been rooting for Alex to finish that novel.

Each winner will each receive an Untamed coverflat keepsake and a signed copy of Strokes of Midnight.

Didn’t win this time ’round? In love and life, there’s almost a second chance lurking around the corner. Check out my current Contest and see how you can win and yes, Share the Love with women working to build independent lives.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Hope

Slightly Naughty Half Dozen

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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