From L to R: Salon founders Hope Tarr, Ron Hogan & Leanna Renee Hieber. Alyssa Montoya from WIN.

Monday’s celebration of Lady Jane’s Salon’s fourth anniversary was a magical night indeed. We began the festivities with a champagne toast courtesy of Entangled Publishing.

Guest author, Sarah MacLean.

Guest author, Ruth A. Casie.

Following the toast, founders Ron Hogan, Leanna Renee Hieber and Yours Truly (AKA Hope Tarr) each took a turn at the mic to express what the past four years have meant to us as well as our appreciation for: the staff of our beloved host venue, Madame X;  the Salon night sponsors, Entangled Publishing and Three Olives Vodka; and last but never least our wonderful audience. Without your continued enthusiasm and support, Lady Jane’s could and would not exist.

The first half of the program featured readings by guest authors Ruth A. Casie and Sarah MacLean. Seen circulating in the crowd was Sarah’s fellow Avon/Harper Collins author, Eloisa James.

At the mid-session break, guests took the opportunity to purchase books on sale courtesy of our wonderful onsite bookseller, Posman Books.

But of course no birthday celebration would be complete without cake! Or libations! Guests noshed on miniature gourmet cupcakes, again courtesy of Entangled Publishing, while sipping on “The Lady Jane” and “The Scoundrel,” two chocolate and cinnamon-infused-vodka cocktails provided by Three Olives Vodka.

Then it was back to “business” with our annual donation presentation to our recipient charity, Women in Need. Alyssa Montoya took the stage to give a brief and poignant introduction to the good works that WIN accomplishes on behalf of formerly disadvantaged women and children in New York City.

Salon co-founder Hope Tarr–yes, me again–stayed on stage to read a snippet from Book #2 in her Suddenly Cinderella Series, tentatively titled PROJECT CINDERELLA, as well as to fill everyone in on the upcoming Lady Jane’s Salon she will be holding on Friday, March 1st at the Australian Romance Readers Conference (ARRC 2013) in Brisbane, Australia. Our first ever Salon off US soil will feature four fantastic guest authors: Cathy Maxwell, Keri Arthur, Amy Andrews, and Anna Campbell. Read more about that here.

Guest author, Jennifer Probst.

Jennifer Probst rounded out the readings with a scene from THE MARRIAGE BARGAIN. Think “Must Love Dogs” meets “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” — and yes, we know we are “dating” ourselves with the latter reference.

The evening concluded with a raffle of KNIGHT OF RUNES donated by Ruth A. Casie. As always at Lady Jane’s, those net monies will support our next year’s donation to Women in Need.

From L to R: Sarah MacLean, Ron Hogan, Jennifer Probst, Ruth A. Casie, Hope Tarr & Leanna Renee Hieber

2013 promises to be our best year yet. Please join us on Monday, March 4th at 7-9PM with guests Kate McMurray, Ashlyn MacNamara and Sara Humphreys.