Hope Tarr's Blog » New York Scene

The Joy of Being Popular: Lady Jane’s & The Popular Romance Project

Hope — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:15:27 +0000

Last June ’11, we at Lady Jane’s had a very special group of visitors, Emmy Award winning documentary filmmaker, Laurie Kahn and her crew with The Popular Romance Project.

With grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mass Humanities, Romance Writers of America, and the Tavris Fund at Brandeis University/Women’s Studies Research Center, The Popular Romance Project seeks to “explore the fascinating, often contradictory origins and influences of popular romance as told in novels, films, comics, advice books, songs, and internet fan fiction, taking a global perspective—while looking back across time as far as the ancient Greeks.” The website, mere months old, has already received hits from 80 countries!

Please take two ticks to watch (and hopefully “Like”) the video short of Lady Jane’s Salon. The less than four minute video is packed with interviews and readings from our guest authors that night: Sarah MacLean, Karen Rose, Carrie Lofty, Dianna Love, Leanna Renee Hieber (Salon co-founder), and Eloisa James as well as brief behind-the-scenes interviews with the Lady Jane’s Salon Team including Yours Truly.

Sherry Jones, author of THE JEWEL OF MEDINA and THE SWORD OF MEDINA guesting at Lady Jane's Salon in May.

Lastly, if you’re in the New York City area, please join us for our next Salon on Monday, May 7th, 7-9PM at Madame X. Guests are Suleikha Snyder, Zoraida Cordova, Kate Cross, Alethea Kontis, and Sherry Jones!

Admission is $5 or one romance novel. Net proceeds to benefit a New York City based women’s charity.

Hope

April Lady Jane’s Salon

Hope — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 17:28:56 +0000

Join us for our next Lady Jane’s Salon as we welcome spring with guest authors Alaya Dawn Johnson, Cara Elliott and Suzanne Brockmann reading from their latest releases. Event sponsor: Little Black Dress Vodka.

Admission: $5 or one donated romance novel. Net proceeds support an end-of-year donation to a NYC women’s charity.

Lady Jane’s meets on the first Monday of the month unless otherwise noted, 7-9PM, at Madame X (Top Tier).

Guest authors’ books available for sale and signing on-site.

Please note our new website at www.LadyJaneSalonNYC.com.

Never been to a Lady Jane’s Salon!?! Check out our latest press goodness in STARRING NYC.

March Lady Jane’s Salon

Hope — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:08:54 +0000

Join me for this Monday’s Lady Jane’s Salon on Monday, March 5th, 7-9PM at Madame X. Along with hosting, I’ll be reading from Tempting and sharing the Salon stage with three great guest readers Lisa Dale, Kate McMurray, and Sarah MacLean.

Admission: $5 or one gently used paperback romance novel to benefit a NYC women’s charity.

Cash bar with $5 drink specials.

Salon ends at 9PM.

Lady Jane’s Third Birthday Bash, Oh What a Night!

Hope — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:26:48 +0000

Lady Jane's Salon Co-founders, Leanna Renee Hieber & Hope. Not pictured, co-founders Ron Hogan & Maya Rodale.

M/our Lady Jane’s Salon, NYC’s first and only monthly romance reading series, turned the Big 0-3 last night, and we pulled out all the stops and then some to celebrate Her Ladyship’s special night.

Guest authors were S.b. Sarah Wendell, Lauren Willig, and Eloisa James!

As in previous years, we made our annual End of Year donation to Women-in-Need.

Chambord Vodka champagne cocktails were the perfect way to toast three very sweet years--and counting!

We also took the opportunity to congratulate our three satellite salons in Denver, Raleigh-Durham and, most recently, Naperville (Chicago area). The latter launches tonight, February 7th. Congratulations ladies–and gentlemen!

Chambord Vodka sponsored the event with fun promo giveaways–iPhone caddies, mints, and hats–and complimentary cocktails served for our birthday toast.

Thanks to our guest authors and attendees, to my Salon Co-founders Leanna Renee, Maya and Ron for making Lady Jane’s an event to which I never fail to look forward, to Chambord Vodka for being a great birthday sponsor, and lastly (but in no way least-ly) to Amy, Karen, Alex and the great staff at our beloved host venue in Soho, Madame X for three great years–and counting.

Guests & Co-Founders take a bow. From left to right, Sarah Wendell, Eloisa James, Lauren Willig, Alyssa Montoya of W-I-N (foreground), Ron Hogan, Leanna Renee Hieber & Me!

Year #4, here we come!

Hope

Blast from the Past Video

Hope — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:34:31 +0000

OK, so I was dutifully reading Google’s new Privacy Policy Alert, an action clearly undertaken to avoid line edits on my Work in Progress, when I unearthed this blast from the past 2007 video interview on my then new book, STROKES OF MIDNIGHT.

The video, made by Pacific TV for the Romance Writers of America NYC Chapter, was shot back in 2007. Like the romance novelist heroine of STROKES OF MIDNIGHT, Becky Stone AKA Rebecca St. Claire, I too was coming to New York City with Big Dreams.

And like my fictional Becky, five years later, I’m happy to report that most of those Big Dreams have come true. So have some new ones.

As for those bangs, let’s just say I’m glad it’s 2012 in all kinds of ways.

STROKES OF MIDNIGHT is available as an e-book for Kindle and Nook users.

Happy New Year, Happy New Beginnings

Hope — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 19:51:55 +0000

TEMPTING, releasing as an audio and ebook Feb/March 2012.

I’d like to start by sharing one of my favorite quotes by another romance writer you may have heard of, Mary Ann Evans.

“You’re never too old to be who you might have been.” –George Elliot.

You tell ‘em, Mary Ann.

2011 was, in many ways the year in which seeds were sewn for me. Among those, I revived a former second writing career as a travel and freelance features writer. Despite getting a late start, I had ten articles published with EuropeUpClose, WETA’s inReads (interview with Nora Roberts) and RT BOOKReviews Magazine (interview with Julia Quinn), to hit the highlights.

Now 2012 is off to a rock n’ roll start. Check out my Step-by-Step Guide to Visiting Peru’s Machu Picchu published just this month by uber savvy travel site, BootsnAll.

On the romance front, my co-founded monthly romance fiction reading salon, Lady Jane’s, will celebrate its third anniversary (and counting) on Monday, February 6th at our beloved Madame X. Deets forthcoming but for now, know that with Eloisa James and Sarah Wendell (guest emcee) joining us its going to be quite the par-tay!

My award-winning Victorian-set romance novel, TEMPTING, will enjoy a second life early this year as both an audio and digital release. Please check back for specifics including the links.

Lastly, I have a new Facebook Author page, which will soon replace my profile page, fast approaching FB’s 5,000 friends’ limit. If you haven’t already, please take two ticks to “Like” me.

The winter holiday season may be ended but there’s no reason the “gifts” can’t keep coming. In that spirit, I wish you…

A 2012 filled with fairy tale dreams come true,

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.

August ’11 Lady Jane’s Salon

Hope — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 19:42:44 +0000

We’re back from the July break, rested up and restored after The RWA Conference and ready to go with another fab Lady Jane’s Salon.

The August Salon welcomes five fabulous guest readers. Returning to the Salon stage: Dee Davis, Mingmei Yip, and Janet Mullany. Appearing for the first time will be Kathleen O’Reilly and Ken Salikof W/A Maxine Kenneth.

The deets: 7-9PM at Madame X. $5 admission (or one gently-used paperback romance). Cash bar.

Hope you can join us.

For a recap of June’s star-studded Special Salon Event, check out the Salon blog.

Beer Gardens NYC & TV JAPAN

Hope — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 03:59:49 +0000

As many of you know from your lovely support both past and present, last fall I ventured into the app front with the release of my first iPhone app, Beer Gardens NYC.

Co-created with my partner, Raj Moorjani, Beer Gardens NYC is a guide to more than 50 NYC beer gardens by borough, neighborhood and beers. The 2.0 version, released in April, integrates Foursquare, GPS functionality and other techno bells & whistles along with enriched curated content.

Recently TV JAPAN contacted us to be part of their segment on NYC beer gardens! ((Note: pausing to catch breath yet again)). This 24/7 Japanese language news and entertainment broadcast reaches viewers in both the U.S. and Canada.

The segment aired on July 9th. (We’re the lead story!). Raj did a fab job in the interview, waxing not only enthusiastic but knowledgeable about the NYC beer garden scene and bonus, the producers included his short demo of the app. Enjoy!

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