Hope Tarr's Blog » Holiday Goodness

New Contest! Victorian Goodness Galore

Hope — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:53:38 +0000

To celebrate the digital release of my Victorian-set TEMPTING as well as February as Valentine’s month, I am launching a new contest now through February 29th.

To qualify, you must:

–Purchase one ebook copy of TEMPTING, currently available on Kindle, Nook, Smashwords and ARe for just 99 cents.

–Leave a comment here (as in this original blog post, not on Facebook etc.) with your ebook order confirmation number for TEMPTING included. A simple, “Just bought it!” with the order confirmation number will suffice although longer comments are of course welcome.

Prizes: one signed copy of one of my back list paperback romances (winner picks based on availability) and a signed copy of my buddy and fellow Lady Jane’s Salon Co-Founder, Leanna Renee Hieber’s delicious Gaslight Era New York City-set paranormal YA, DARKER STILL.

Other deets: Contest closes on February 29th at 12:00 midnight EST. One prize winner will be randomly selected and announced on or close to March 1, 2012. Books will be mailed out as soon as I receive your mailing address information (off-line, of course!) and verification of TEMPTING e-book purchase.

Happy Month o’ Hearts & Flowers,

Hope

Tempting’s Second Chance at Love

Hope — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:35:26 +0000

Anyone who’s read my romance novels, historical or contemporary likely knows how I adore second chance at love stories. The opportunity to get things right the second time around, what’s not to love?

First published by Berkley/Jove in 2002, TEMPTING was nominated for a RT BOOK Reviews Award for Best Unusual Historical and was featured on NBC’s Today Show. I also received a lovely cover quote from Susan Wiggs, one of my favorite authors. It was…quite a year!

It is with the greatest pleasure that I release the “new and improved” digital-first version of TEMPTING. I say “new and improved” because I’ve had the leisure—and additional decade of writing experience—to edit the book so that it more closely reflects what I always meant for it to be.

The book of my heart.

To celebrate February as the host month for Valentine’s, and to thank my readers for more than a decade of loving support, I am offering TEMPTING for just 99 cents now through February 29th. The book is available for purchase on Kindle, Smashwords and All Romance Ebooks (ARe). (Nook version coming soon!)

I hope you enjoy TEMPTING, Christine Tremayne and Simon Belleville’s unusual love story. Please look for their very special cameo appearance in VANQUISHED, the first in my Men of Roxbury House Victorian-set trilogy. For now…

Happy Month of Hearts & Flowers,

Hope

A LONG FATAL LOVE CHASE & Lady Jane’s

Hope — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:16:33 +0000

A hasty, ill-advised marriage to a fiendish rake, a doomed devotion between a handsome young priest and the lovely, desperate girl he’s befriended…

No, not Collen McCullough’s THE THORN BIRDS but A LONG FATAL LOVE CHASE by Louisa May Alcott.

Written in 1866 a few years before Alcott’s revered classic, LITTLE WOMEN, A LONG FATAL LOVE CHASE was never published in Alcott’s lifetime. Deemed “too sensational” (translation: too risque) by her male publisher, the book was shelved among her private papers for more than a century and only rediscovered and published in the 1990′s.

As a middle school student, I adored LITTLE WOMEN and well, A LONG FATAL LOVE CHASE is not it. Written for serialization to keep the author’s perennially impoverished family of Transcendentalist intellectuals out of the poorhouse, the book is more penny dreadful than great novel. Still, the themes Alcott addresses–stalking, spousal abuse, bigamy, and a woman’s right to independence and freedom–resonate with a raw contemporary clarity.

As the title suggests, A LONG FATAL LOVE CHASE doesn’t end happily. Despite the every other chapter cliffhanger (it was meant to be serialized), the only true suspense is for whom the chase will prove fatal. The hastily pulled together ending answers that with no real surprises, leaving the reader not so much satisfied as relieved. Like Alcott’s heroine, Rosamund, we too are weary and ready for the chase to end.

Still, A LONG FATAL CHASE is worth a read for Alcott fans as well as fans of 19th century “women’s” literature, a literary tradition that still fascinates and inspires us today. For a wonderful paranormal YA Victorian Gothic romance in the tradition of Oscar Wilde’s THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY (only with a happy ending!), read DARKER STILL by my Lady Jane’s Salon co-founder, Leanna Renee Hieber.

And for a fun and informative treatise on romance novels throughout the centuries, check out my other Lady Jane’s Salon co-founder, Maya Rodale’s, new nonfiction e-book, DANGEROUS BOOKS FOR GIRLS.

Speaking of Lady Jane’s, do join us on Monday, February 6th, 7-10PM at Madame X, for Lady Jane’s Third Anniversary Salon. It’s our third year birthday bash and we’re celebrating with our usual lineup of fabo readers including S.b. Sarah Wendell, Lauren Willig, and Eloisa James! Special EOY contribution to our charitable recipient, Women-in-Need. Sponsors: Chambord Vodka (“Pink Your Drink”) and Beatrice.com.

Happy Month of Hearts & Flowers,

Hope

It’s Beginning to Feel A Lot Like Christmas…

Hope — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:07:31 +0000

Can the winter holidays be upon us already!?!

To help get in the holiday swing, please take two ticks and check out these contemporary and historical Christmas romance releases. Print copies may or may not be available but all are available as digital releases on Kindle and Nook.

And if you’re in the NYC area, please consider putting Lady Jane’s Salon on your to-visit list. Our winter holidays salon is Monday, December 5th, 7-9 PM where I’ll be guest reading along with my Salon Co-Founder, Leanna Renee Hieber and special guest, Patt Mihailoff. Check out the deets here.

September Lady Jane’s Salon

Hope — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:12:15 +0000

Summer may be nearly over, but at Lady Jane’s we’re carrying the sizzle into fall.

Join us on Monday, September 5th–yes, Labor Day–7:00-9:00PM at Madame X. Our featured guest authors are: Miranda Neville, Anne Herendeen & Katherine Ashe.

Authors books available for sale and signing on site.

Admission is $5 dollars or one gently-used paperback romance novel. Cash bar.

Proceeds from the salon benefit an end-of-year donation to a NYC women’s charity.

Happy Bastille Day

Hope — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:39:31 +0000

July 14th is Bastille Day, the day set aside for celebrating French independence, or the day Parisians stormed The Bastille, that bastion of l’Ancien Regime. No more Lettres de Cachet, no more near feudal era serfdom, no more aristocrats hoarding all the good food and wine.

I’ll be lifting a glass of champers to my happy place of Paris later today as well as to J’ai lu, my Paris-based publisher of La Rose de Mayfair.

Wherever you are, enjoy!

A la prochaine,

Hope

Happy Independence Day Weekend

Hope — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 16:41:20 +0000

Last Monday’s Super Special Lady Jane’s Salon was that (and more), the national Romance Writers of America Conference here in NYC was one of the best ever, and now we’re coming up on a long–and hopefully leisurely–holiday weekend.

Ahhh…

Look for video and a brief recap of Lady Jane’s coming soon. For now…

Happy Fourth o’ July!

Hope

Happy Second Birthday, Lady Jane!

Hope — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 03:54:07 +0000

On Monday, February 7th, 7-9 PM my fellow co-founders (Leanna Renee Hieber, Ron Hogan, Maya Rodale), and I celebrate the second anniversary of Lady Jane’s Salon at our beloved Madame X. It’s hard to believe!

Joining us in ringing in the Big 0-2 are guest authors Courtney Milan, Lauren Willig, and Caridad Ferrer. Guest emcee, Andrew Shaffer, will read from his historical nonfiction debut, GREAT PHILOSOPHERS WHO FAILED AT LOVE.

Signed copies of the authors’ books will be available for purchase on site.

The festivities will include a champagne toast and presentation of an end-of-year donation check to Women In Need.

Launched in February ’09, Lady Jane’s remains New York City’s first (and so far only) reading series for romance fiction. Admission is $5 or one gently-used paperback romance novel. Book donations and net proceeds benefit New York City groups assisting women in need.

Subsequently Salons meet on the first Monday of the month unless otherwise noted. Visit us here at www.LadyJaneSalon.com, on FaceBook at http://tinyurl.com/ladyjanefb or follow us on Twitter@LadyJanesSalon.

Happy Birthday, Lady Jane, and Happy Valentine’s Month!

Lady Jane’s Salon: Welcome to a New Year

Hope — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 18:41:28 +0000

If you’re in the New York City tri-state area for the New Year holiday, please join us on Monday, January 3rd for Lady Jane’s Salon. Our guest readers this month are three great historical authors: Lisbeth Eng, KT Grant and Delilah Marvelle. Visit the Lady Jane web site for event details.

Wishing you a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.

Hope

The Joy of Giving Something…

Hope — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:36:27 +0000

I first met Sally Andersen-Bruce in 2002 in Denver, Colorado at the launch ceremony for “Neuter/Spay,” the humane educational stamp series for which I had campaigned nationally since 1996. Sally was the stamp photographer for Neuter/Spay, and when we met just prior to the ceremony I immediately recognized a kindred soul.

Most recently, Sally photographed the Adopt a Shelter Pet stamp series popularized by celebrity spokesperson, Ellen Degeneres, and currently on sale at post offices nationwide. Sally is a dedicated advocate for homeless dogs and cats as well as a gifted photographer and lovely person.

Enjoy this short video on the behind-the-scenes for Adopt a Shelter Pet and please consider the joy of giving something–a loving home–to a homeless dog or cat this holiday season.

Hope