A Lip Sync-ing Good Sunday...

A coupla weeks ago my best friend, Suz, visited me in New York. Over her three-day stay, we hit the usual tourist suspects, including the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. We also took time out for some amazing meals washed down with equally amazing wines.

Sunday brunch is a big deal here in the Big Apple and for Suz's last day I wanted to do something special, something more memorable than the requisite coffee and eggs with jazz in the background. After checking with Suz to make sure she was game, I booked a reservation at Lips, self-billed as the "ultimate in drag dining."

Having never been to a drag anything, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect though I'd passed Lips many times on my walks through the West Village. Not wanting to miss anything, we arrived a few minutes early, and the host showed us to our table. Our server, Empress (see above photo with Moi), showed up in short order with a mimosa for Yours Truly and a Bloody Mary for Suz. Sipping our drinks, we gave our food orders and settled back to be entertained.

And were we ever! As this event was billed as a gospel brunch, the servers/performers all wore long purple robes and the requisite flowing wigs. Once the show started, they spent the next 45 minutes or so strutting their stuff and grinding their groove things while lip synching to a variety of popular 80's dance tunes. (How can you not love "It's Raining Men"!) Between each number, the emcee strolled between tables talking smack with the audience and generally having us rolling in, if not the aisles, certainly our seats. (The refills on the mimosas didn't hurt, either).

If you're looking for something a little different to do on your next visit to NYC, I highly recommend Lips (2 Bank Street, West Greenwich Village, NY). Plan on bringing an open mind and leaving with a smile. (The humor at Lips while good-natured and IMHO far tamer than much of what airs on today's TV is definitely adult, so I wouldn't recommend the restaurant for families with young children).

On a semi related note, a new friend of mine here in the city recently said, "God doesn't make anything that's not beautiful. It may not be your taste, and that's fine, but it's still beautiful in His eyes."

Happy Pride Week,

Hope

Book Expo America 2008

Sometimes you don't actually have to be in the limelight to um...be in the limelight.

This year's Book Expo America took place in Los Angeles. BEA is the largest publishing trade fair in the country, comparable to the Frankfurt and London Book Fairs. BEA is a great way for an author to build buzz for her book by connecting with publishing professionals--distributors, reviewers from Publishers Weekly and the like, publisher sales reps, and the list goes on and on.

For several years, I've been a regular participant, signing my books in both the Expo's in-booth and "ticketed" forums. For various reasons (hint: do you hear "deadline" bursting out of my thought bubble?) I wasn't able to attend this year's show.

Imagine my delight when folks who did go started emailing me notes and yes, photos of the large--and I mean huge--backlit poster for BOUND TO PLEASE fronting the entrance to the Harlequin booth alongside Linda Lael Miller's latest. Who knew!

To add another shmeer of cream cheese to the bagel, my other wonderful publisher, Medallion Press, had complimentary copies of all three of my Men of Roxbury House books: VANQUISHED, ENSLAVED, and UNTAMED prominently displayed in its booth.

I may not have gotten to go to all the great parties or rub elbows with the publishing brass this year but in a way, I was there. My characters certainly were. Party animals all, I'm sure they had a fab time. ;)

Hope

Win-Win!

Congratulations to the winners of my April-May contest: Paula H of Norfolk, VA; Gail H of Junction, KY and Loretta W of Buckeye, AZ. All three winners knew that in BOUND TO PLEASE, Ewan and Brianna play chess to pass the time while he's held captive. (Okay, well that's one of the ways they pass the time). ;) As always, the answer could be found in the Helpful Hint excerpt included on the Contest page.

Paula, Gail and Loretta will each receive a signed copy of my most recent contemporary Harlequin Blaze, STROKES OF MIDNIGHT as well as a signed cover flat keepsake for UNTAMED, the finale to my Men of Roxbury House historical trilogy.

Didn't win this time 'round? Don't give up! I have a great contest running from June 2nd through the 29th. The GRand Prize prize is an autographed copy of my paranormal Blaze, THE HAUNTING along with a signed copy of bestseller Monica McCarty's fabulous debut novel, HIGHLANDER UNTAMED. Two additional winners will each receive a signed copy of VANQUISHED, the kick-off to my Men of Roxbury House trilogy as well as a cover flat keepsake for one of my other books.

Many thanks to all who time out to visit the site and enter.

Hope