“Authors & Inns – A Spring Lake Event”
2nd Annual Tour is Literary Event of the Season

Spring Lake, NJ (March 2008) In association with the Spring Lake and Sea Girt Public Libraries, The Historic Inns of Spring Lake are hosting their 2nd annual AUTHORS & INNS TOUR on Sunday afternoon June 8, 2008 from 1:00-5:00pm. The tour of 9 historic inns features 12 award-wining Romance Authors with a link to New Jersey.

Nine inns/hotels will open their doors to tour goers, sharing their distinctive properties for a glimpse into the historic and romantic style of Spring Lake. At the same time, prominent romance-genre authors will be at each inn meeting fans, selling and signing their most recently published books. The stories feature many of the most popular themes today from ‘international political thriller’ and ‘romantic novel set in India’ to ‘dangerous passion set in Ireland’ and ‘looking for love in the wilds of suburbia’.



The ‘Authors & Inns Tour’ features the following authors and books:

Annette Blair “Gone With the Witch”
C.H. Admirand “Pearl’s Redemption”
Tara Nina “Curse of the Gargoyle”
Dee Davis “A Match Made on Madison”
Kaitlin O’Riley “One Sinful Night”
Irene Peterson “Glory Days”
Amy Edelman “Manless in Montclair”
Lois Winston “Love, Lies and a Double Shot of Deception”
Caridad Pineiro “South Beach Chicas Catch Their Man”
Jan Coffey “Deadliest Strain”
Shobhan Bantwal “The Dowry Bride”
Nancy Harkness “Music of the Night”

The cost for the ‘Authors & Inns’ Tour is $12 (a non-refundable donation) with a portion of the proceeds given to the Spring Lake and Sea Girt Public Libraries. Each tour goer will receive a keepsake tote bag from the Historic Inns.


Nationally recognized for more than a decade for their open house Holiday Tour each December, the Historic Inns of Spring Lake are a stunning collection of 19th Century homes, dating from 1870-1888. They embody the romance and history of Spring Lake, offering the best in architectural preservation, unique character, tradition and hospitality.

Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling 732-859-1465 for details or purchased at Participating Inns, The Spring Lake Chamber of Commerce and Sea Girt Pubic Library plus BookTowne in Manasquan. On the day of the Tour, tickets can be purchased at the Spring Lake Public Library. Each ticket will include a self-guided map of Authors & Inns for visitors’ convenience.

A total of 500 tour tickets will be sold. Guests staying for the Friday/Saturday weekend will receive a complimentary Tour Ticket and guests checking in on Sunday for 1-night will receive a tour ticket plus special accommodation rate at each participating Inn. All Inn guests are invited to a private Post-Tour Reception attended by innkeepers and authors.

The radiantly refined town offers a delightful downtown experience with charming boutiques and galleries, restaurants, historic landmarks and the famous Spring Lake all with a 2-mile Atlantic oceanfront community.

WHAT: “Authors & Inns: A Spring Lake Event”
A self-guided tour of 9 Historic Inns & Authors
WHEN: Sunday, June 8, 2008
1:00-5:00pm
WHERE: Spring Lake, New Jersey
COST: $12/per person
TICKETS: 732-859-1465 – Historic Inns Association

Checks ONLY can be mailed to:
Spring Lake Chamber of Commerce
Box 694
Spring Lake, NJ 07762
732-449-0577

For Information and Book Cover Photos, contact Leigh Cort Publicity.
(904) 806-3613
leighc@aug.com

L to R: Mari Kennelly and Nina Mitchell Wells, NJ Secretary of State

In June 2007, Authors & Inns – A Spring Lake Event was launched to much acclaim throughout the metropolitan New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut area. It generated a significant amount of publicity about the participating authors on the Sunday tour, including Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark, among the 15 authors who met fans and autographed books in each of 11 historic inns.

On June 8, 2008, the event is taking place again; this year the tour features 12 New Jersey romance (genre) authors, each author paired with an inn throughout the afternoon. Once again they will be greeting fans and signing books.

The Authors & Inns Tour fulfills the Governor’s criteria for winning the award, which is working toward the common goal of improving the New Jersey tourism product, attracting out-of-state visitors and increasing tourism expenditures. Many tour attendees stayed at the inns, dined in Spring Lake vicinity restaurants and shopped in the surrounding area.

2008 Authors & Inns Poster

According to Mari Kennelly “I felt it was worth the time to apply for the Governor’s Award, hopefully to put our event into the limelight. We have such a unique and beautiful small town and it’s finally being found. We were competing against very large venues but our little event last June had more impact than we could even imagine.”

2007 Spring Lake AUTHORS & INNS Tour A Tremendous Success

Premier travel authority About.com - has recognized the Spring Lake beach as one of the Top 10 in the USA. Winning for ‘Classic Beach’, the About.com description states: “CLASSIC BEACH: SPRING LAKE, NJ. Turn-of-the-century mansions, two miles of near-secluded beach, and a lovely boardwalk represent this jewel of the Jersey Shore.

After 500 tickets were sold out and 15 participating authors collectively sold nearly 800 books to their fans, one could conclude that the 1st Annual ‘Authors & Inns Tour’ event in Spring Lake on June 10th was a huge success. It was a glorious spring afternoon as lines began forming at many of the participating 10 historic Inns. Each tour attendee received a bright yellow tote bag from the Historic Inns of Spring Lake, which ultimately carried as many as 18 books for one avid book fan.

Whether readers began their tour at the Villa Park Inn to meet Patrick Smith, author of “Spring Lake Revisited”, The White Lilac Inn to have author Gordon Hesse autograph his book “All Summer Long” or wait on line at the Ocean House to meet Mary Higgins Clark, one of the most famous mystery authors of her generation…there was a buzz around Spring Lake that innkeepers and book fans will never forget. Their ‘summer reads’ are now chosen and a comfy beach chair is all that will be needed to dive into the pages of their personalized books.

“I don’t know why I thought people would be interested in either the authors OR the inns, clearly they loved both. One couple even asked when they could buy tickets for next year’s tour!” exclaimed Laurie Carloni, owner of Evergreen Inn.

Andy Seaman, owner of Spring Lake Inn states “The Authors & Inns tour created a New York City excitement in Spring Lake. Guests couldn’t wait to see the Inn’s rooms and wandered through its vast spaces while waiting for a personal meeting with our Author Frank Finale. A very engaging man, he was amazed with the turnout and had his best single day's sale of his books, even running out of some titles before the final hour of the tour.”

Mary Higgins Clark enjoys conversation with fans, as she autographs something personal on each book at the Ocean House with proprietors Nancy & Dennis Kaloostian

Robert Murray, General Manager of Chateau Inn & Suites was amazed “I couldn’t believe the time and personal conversations that our authors spent with guests and tour goers.”

The members of Historic Inns of Spring Lake will be choosing a date shortly for the 2008 ‘Authors and Inns Tour’, with book themes to be announced at the end of this year.

THE 2ND ANNUAL AUTHORS & INNS TOUR DATE:
SUNDAY, JUNE 8 - 2008
 

• Gourmet breakfast
• Outstanding Historic Accommodations with Picturesque Settings
• Personalized & Attentive Service
• Option: Two-night stay receive 2nd night half price at Inn of your choice
• Option: Three-night stay receive 3rd night free at Inn of your choice

Participating Inns: The Beacon House, The Breakers Hotel, Chateau Inn & Suites, Ocean House, The Sandpiper Inn, Spring Lake Inn, Victoria House B&B, Villa Park House and White Lilac Inn.
 

Offered September 15, 2008 through March 15, 2009.