Hope Tarr's Blog » Furry Friends

Stamps to the Rescue!

Hope — Wed, 26 May 2010 20:04:09 +0000

As many of you may know, I founded and directed the successful Pet Overpopulation STAMP OUT Campaign (1996-2002). This grassroots effort championed by American pet lovers nationwide resulted in issuance of millions of social awareness postage stamps urging the public to “Spay/Neuter — Save a Life.” Gracing the stamps were an adorable former shelter puppy and kitten photographed by veteran stamp photographer and pet lover, Sally Andersen-Bruce. Spay/Neuter sold out, sending a strong message to the Postal Service that kindness isn’t only contagious. It’s profitable, too.

Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet on-sale as of April 30, 2010.

That humanitarian tradition continues in a big way with “Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet.” The AR Stamps were unveiled to the public by Ellen DeGeneres on her Ellen Show on March 17th and released for sale on April 30th in a star-studded First Day of Issue gala in North Hollywood. Watch the cool video segment from the Ellen Show.

But there’s more. Because shelter pets deserve a first-class meal, Ellen, co-owner of Halo, Purely for Pets is donating this high-quality pet food to feed one million shelter pets!

Sold in panes of twenty, the 44 cent stamps feature ten images, photographs of former shelter pets by Ms. Andersen-Bruce. The animals, five dogs and five cats, have all been adopted. But millions of other homeless dogs and cats aren’t so fortunate.

The Animal Rescue stamps will remain on sale in post offices around the country as well as online at the USPS store while supplies last. With 300 million AR stamps released nationwide, you may have plenty of time. Then again, given the cuteness of those furry faces and the goodness of all the human hearts involved in bringing the program to fruition, on second thought, best stock up now! In doing so, you’ll be helping to get the word out for the millions of shelter pets waiting for good homes–maybe even…yours?

To find animal shelters and rescue groups in your zip code, go to PetFinder.com.

Ellen and photographer, Sally Andersen-Bruce, First Day of Issue, N Hollywood, CA. 4-30-10.

Hope

Holiday Goodness Challenge Wrap-Up

Hope — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 21:56:21 +0000

On behalf of Marian’s Dream and the statewide and regional spay/neuter programs it supports, a heartfelt thank you to my 2009 Holiday Goodness Challengers aka Heroes (in no particular order):

Valerie Mann

Sandy Coleman

Judy Roney

Laurie Nichols

Dan McGirt, Author

Kim Swiderski

Lori Alpert

Because of you, 2010 will look that much brighter for homeless cats and the people who work so tirelessly in the proverbial trenches to ease the suffering and make Marian’s Dream of no more homeless cats that much closer to becoming a reality.

Happy 2010!

Hope

Holiday Goodness Challenge 2009

Hope — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:00:38 +0000

Times are tough, times are hard, nobody’s denying it. And though purse strings may be tight, I’m convinced hearts are bigger and more generous than ever before.

Hope for the Holidays

In keeping with the holiday spirit of counting my many blessings, including the release of Twelve Nights, my Christmas Harlequin Historical Blaze, I’ll be giving away twenty copies of Vanquished, the first of my “Men of Roxbury House” trilogy to the first twenty readers who donate a minimum of $10 to this year’s Holiday Goodness charitable recipient, Marian’s Dream: Philanthropy for Animal Advocates.

A Good Dream

Founded in 1981 as a memorial to Marian Rosenthal, Marian’s Dream is a 501(c)3 public charity with the mission of helping donors help companion animals through support of innovative programs and projects operating on the local, regional and statewide levels. Funding accessible, low-cost spay/neuter resources is a particular focus.

$200 will provide four feline spays or six feline neuters. If that sounds like a modest goal, consider that one female cat can birth two litters a year. That’s up to a dozen unwanted kittens, many of whom will have additional litters of their own.

Shelters and rescue groups are overwhelmed. The solution lies in prevention.

Goodness Spilleth Over

Hope holds Sweeney, once homeless, now very much homed-and loved!

I’ll be running the Holiday Goodness Challenge now through January 1st. You can make your donation to Marian’s Dream online via PayPal or by check. For verification, I’ll need you to send: 1) a copy of your donation receipt, either photocopy or forwarded PayPal receipt, 2) the name of the person to whom you’d like the book inscribed if you’re giving it as a gift, and 3) your snail mail address to me at hope@hopetarr.com or PO Box 1344, New York, NY 10276. If by email, please include “Holiday Goodness Challenge” in the subject header.

As we approach our $200 goal, I’ll be posting the glad tidyings here along with the first names, surname initial and home state of the first twenty generous souls to step up to the proverbial plate.

Thank you for keeping Marian’s beautiful dream of a world with no more homeless pets alive this holiday season.

Hope

PS: As always, please feel free to Re-Tweet or repost and pay the ‘goodness’ forward.

Congratulations Contest Winner!

Hope — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:09:27 +0000

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--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

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

Hope — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:41:42 +0000

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.

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

Hope — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:38:08 +0000

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

Holiday Goodness Challenge

Hope — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:41:45 +0000

Times are tough, times are hard. Nobody’s denying it. Certainly not me.

In this tough–okay, scary–economy charities are taking the hit hardest of all. Charities with missions focused on our four-legged friends are taking a particularly painful hit.

In keeping with the holiday spirit of counting my many blessings, and celebrating the publication of Every Breath You Take…, my latest Harlequin Blaze release, I’d like to give ten of you a complimentary copy of Vanquished.

The first ten readers who make a donation of at least $10 to the ASPCA will receive a free signed copy of Vanquished, the first of my “Men of Roxbury House” trilogy. My wonderful publisher, Medallion Press is donating the books, and I’ll be covering the cost of shipping.

Founded in 1866, The “A” is the first humane organization not only in this country but in the Western Hemisphere. $100 will cover the rescue, shelter, feeding and care of a formerly stray, homeless, or rescued dog or cat for a month. That’s $10 from ten people–ten of you.

In addition to donating online, you can snail mail your check to:

The ASPCA, 424 East 92nd Street, New York, NY 10128-6804

For verification, I’ll need you to send me three things: 1) a photocopy of your donation receipt, 2) the name of the person to whom you’d like the book inscribed, and 3) an address label with your snail mail address to PO Box 1344, New York, NY 10276. Once we reach our $100 goal, I’ll post the glad tidyings here along with the first names, surname initial and home state of the ten generous souls who stepped up to the plate first.

My goal isn’t to save the world, or even the whole Companion Animal Kingdom, much as I’d love to do just that. But not being able to save everyone and everything shouldn’t be our collective excuse for saving no one and nothing. None of us can save the world, at least not all on our own. But each of us has the power, the goodness, resident within us to save our small corner of it.

Peace and Love, Purring and Fetching,

Hope