I’ve been attending Lady Jane’s Salon pretty regularly since it’s inception, and so when it became my turn to read, I was both excited and nervous. Excited because I’d come to enjoy both the spirit of camaraderie that the salon offers to the people who come, and the wonderful variety of readers that contribute to the salon’s atmosphere. Nervous, because I wanted to let neither the attendees, nor the other readers nor the founders down.  If I was going to fall, I was going to fall big.

So on December 6^th, it was my turn. Regulars, friends and even my parents were in attendance. After Ron Hogan’s fabulous introduction, it was my turn to climb the famous stairs to the platform at Madame X’s. I made it up without falling, and managed to both sit on the stool and adjust the microphone without causing damage. Then it was time for me to speak.

I happen to be a Jekyll and Hyde for public speaking; I’m not quite sure why that is.  I’m either ‘on’ or …not. I either nail it, or stutter through, and I can never tell which one is going to happen before I open my mouth for the first time. That night, I was on. The audience laughed at the right points, the words came flowing out of my mouth, all contributing to a general feeling of perfect synergy. I even sang the passages I’d chosen to sing well enough that the song was recognizable. It was a victory in the truest sense of the term.

Once I’d finished, it felt almost like any other Lady Jane’s night; there were two other readers to go. Brenda Chin spoke next, and gave us all a summary of Harlequin’s 60^th anniversary year and the amazing changes that Harlequin was instituting starting in January. I also got to hear Hope Tarr, a friend and one of the founders, read from her brand new Scottish Historical, Twelve Nights.

But it also seemed slightly miraculous. That night we also heard about Harlequin’s amazing contribution to ‘Share the Love,’ and I was able to share it all with my friends and family. Thank you all so much for allowing me to be a part of this wonderful community, and I will definitely be attending on January 4th.

*Read the books of our Salon guest authors. Romance Novel TV  and Lady Jane’s Salon will post them every month.

*Discuss, watch videos, and chat online with the author and other readers only at romancenovel.tv.

*Visit Lady Jane’s Salon in NYC on the first Monday of every month to hear the author read from her work. Have a drink and chat with romance novelists and readers galore. If you can’t make it to the city check back here for videos and blogs.

We, the Lady Janes, are thrilled to work with super lovely Romance Novel TV  Ladies. We’re also especially excited that our own Leanna Renee Hieber is the first book club author this month! Read on about her super special spectacular salon event coming up on September 7th….

I didn’t know what to expect when I got the invite to read at Lady Jane’s Salon but the reading group’s name, its focus on romance, and the setting, the Madame X lounge in SoHo, intrigued me. I had to make the 224 mile drive from Boston to NYC and meet the Lady Janes. Last Monday night, I arrived at the Madame X lounge, the most colorful setting I ever had a reading in…Read more.

Visit www.beantowncubanito.blogspot.com for the full post and video featuring Johnny chatting about why gay men and woman enjoy the same kind of books.

Delilah Marvelle, Anna DePalo, and Johnny Diaz. That’s right–a boy!

Best of all? This month, we are waiving admission. So re-read your old romances once more and spend five bucks on a drink at the bar. Come September, we’ll be back to collecting books and bucks for Share The Love.

WHEN: Monday, August 3, 7-9 PM; monthly meet-ups to follow on the first Monday of every month.

WHERE: Madame X, 94 Houston Street (btw LaGuardia and Thompson Streets), New York, NY 10012, 212.539.0808. Nearest subways: F,V,B,D at Lafayette, N, R at Prince Street.

Last night, I moseyed on down to Madame X for the July edition of Lady Jane’s Salon.  This reading series has quickly become a must-not miss event here in New York.  It’s hard to believe that no one came up with the idea of hosting a romance reading series in New York until this year! What were we thinking? No matter, thanks to founders Hope Tarr, Ron Hogan, Leanna Renee Hieber and Maya Rodale, Lady Jane’s is here to stay. The wonderful thing about the Lady Jane’s Salon reading series is not only is it a great way to catch up with friends, and also networking, but it also gives the readers a chance to give back by donating gently used books to Share the Love.

Ron Hogan was a delightful comprere for the evening’s festivities. This month’s event was very special because Susie Felber, the daughter of the author Edith Layton who passed away recently, gave a wonderfully funny and touching speech about her mother.  I didn’t think it was possible to laugh and cry at the same time! I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a run on Edith Layton on Amazon.com today after hearing Susie’s memorial to her mother last night.

The next reader was RWA NYC‘s own Dee Davis (who was our author of the year at last year’s Golden Apple Awards).  Dee read from her book A Match Made on Madison.  If you watch Millionaire Matchmaker on Bravo, or are a big fan of Sex and the City, you will love this book.  After a brief pause so that we could refresh our drinks (I’m a big fan of the Indecent Proposal), we had two authors whose work I was unfamilliar with, but I can’t wait to read their books, Anthea Lawson and Diana Love.

Again, another fantabulous evening at Lady Jane’s.  If you are in New York the first Monday of the month, you cannot miss this event.

Visit Elizabeth at www.scandalouswoman.blogspot.com or at the next Salon on Monday, August 3rd.

Lady Jane’s Salon returns on Monday, July 6th with more splendid romance authors!

Debut historical author ANTHEA LAWSON will from her RITA nominated work Passionate

Award-winning local author DEE DAVIS will read from A Match Made On Madison

New York Times bestseller DIANA LOVE will read from Whispered Lies

SUSIE FELBER will pay tribute to her her mother, romance novelist EDITH LAYTON.

You already know the details, but here they are again for your convenience:

WHEN: Monday, July 6th, 7-9 PM

WHERE: Madame X, 94 Houston Street (btw LaGuardia and Thompson Streets), New York, NY 10012, 212.539.0808. Nearest subways: F,V,B,D at Lafayette, N, R at Prince Street.

Admission is $5.00 or one gently used romance novel.  Proceeds to benefit Share The Love a nonprofit organization that provides gently used romance novels to groups helping women in transition, such as homeless or domestic violence shelters. Why? Because everyone deserves the pleasure of a good story and a happy ending. Co-sponsors: Share The Love and Ron Hogan of Beatrice.com. Cash bar.

The authors of Operation L.O.V.E.: Tara Nina, Anne Elizabeth, C.H. Admirand.

RT Rob sings us a song

Our next salon is Monday June 1st. Details coming soon!

Local NYC author J.S. Hawley will be reading, along with the authors of Operation L.O.VE.: Anne Elizabeth, Tara Nina, and C.H. Admirand.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each book of OPERATION: L.O.V.E. is donated to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation whose mission statement is “The Special Operations Warrior Foundation provides full scholarship grants and educational and family counseling to the surviving children of special operations people who die in operational or training missions and immediate financial assistance to severely wounded special operations people and their families.”  This book debuts the new military anthology line for Highland Press.

As always, admission is five bucks or a gently-used romance novel to benefit Share The Love (which will be splitting the proceeds with Operation L.O.V.E this month!). 

WHEN: Monday, May 4th. 7:00-9:00 pm. 

WHERE: Madame X, 94 Houston Street (btw LaGuardia and Thompson Streets), New York, NY 10012, 212.539.0808, www.madamex.com. Nearest subways: F,V,B,D at Lafayette, N, R at Prince Street.