What
started your interest in writing?
I started reading when I was four and
haven’t stopped devouring as many books as I can since then. About eight years
ago, I realized I had enough life experiences and lived in enough places
(having lived in six cities outside the U.S.
and four in the U.S.)
that I wanted to share those experiences through fictionalized stories that
take place there. Several years ago, a
story began to buzz around my brain and finally had to be written. That was a
few books ago.
What
are you currently working on?
I’m
working on finishing the Dahlia series, which is the second trilogy in The Gilded Flower series. Dahlia is
Lily’s twin sister, who is both fun-loving and impulsive. She has a past that
she has to deal with in order to move forward in her relationship with her
current boyfriend. Her fun-loving and impulsive nature is going to take a back
seat, however, when she is forced to confront her painful past. Blue
Dahlia, the first book in the trilogy will be released October 16th.
What
do you do when you’re not writing?
I’m
a stay-at-home mom, which is a never-ending job. Besides that, I enjoy baking
(and unfortunately eating what I bake), and going to the movies. The latter
being a good way to escape the chaos of New York City.
Oh, and I stare at photos of gorgeous men on the Internet for “inspiration” of
course.
What
genres do you write in?
I’ve
written books in YA and women’s contemporary fiction. The Gilded Flower series is my first effort in romance and is
definitely a fun change. There is an incredible freedom in writing erotic
romance. It allows me to take my characters to their limits and not gloss over
what is a natural and very feminine experience.
Is
there anything you would tell aspiring writers?
Read
a lot and write even more. Reading a variety of genres and styles helps you
better hone your writing skills. There are many ways to tell a story so don’t
limit yourself to copying others. Take criticism graciously. It makes you a
better writer and a more humble person. Most importantly, don’t give up. Every
setback should be motivation for your further efforts.
What
was the hardest part of writing your book(s)?
Writer’s
block. Sometimes it happens at the most inopportune times when you want to get
through a particular scene or have a deadline to finish a manuscript. The
beauty of being self-published, however, is that a deadline can always be
changed!
If
you write a series, do you reread your previous books before you begin the new
one?
If
a lot of time has passed between two books in a series, I will reread the prior
book. If not, I’ll skim it. Inconsistencies are one of the potential hazards of
writing a series.
Is
there anything you wish to say to your readers?
Thank
you, thank you, thank you!! I am eternally grateful and humbled that you enjoy
my stories and appreciate their themes. It means so much to me to have such gracious
readers. The honor is truly mine.
For
readers who haven't tried your books yet, how do you think your editor or loyal
readers would describe your books?
Hot,
steamy, fun beach reads. Through The
Gilded Flower series you get to see these young women come into their own
power and discover a lot about themselves as they explore relationships with
men and undergo personal and professional challenges.
My ladies kick ass. Lily starts out a
bit naïve in Gilded Lily, having been
sheltered in her New York
bubble, but by the end of her series in Tiger
Lily, she’s strong and confident. Her experiences, both professional and
personal, are opportunities for growth, and she seizes each one. The same will
go for Dahlia and Vi. This is a series about girl power. I want the personal
struggles of my characters to exemplify how we, as women, have the ability to
take charge of our lives and not be afraid of that power. We can make our own
rules and live by them with confidence. Yet still want men and have hot sex.
The latter being very important. : )
The men in the series are extremely
cool, even when they’re bad. You have your alphas, your nice guys and some who
fall in between. Besides their obvious skills in the bedroom and boardroom,
what I find most appealing about their characters is that they help draw out
the strengths of the female characters, which is their purpose. No one needs to
be healed or fixed by anyone else. My intention was to create strong male and
female characters that bring out the best in each other, and any insecurities
that may come up in their interaction only serve to make them stronger.
When
writing, how do you keep track of timelines, ideas, inspiration and such? By
notes on the computer, a notebook perhaps?
That
would be a good idea. Instead, I torture myself with trying to cram ideas in my
head and hope that I don’t forget by the time I get home to write them down.
Usually, I just play scenes through in my mind like a movie so I can replay
them when I sit down to write. Of course by then it doesn’t play out so neatly
or easily.
Synopsis of Tiger Lily (Book 3)—Release Date 7/20/14: Weary
from battling a hostile takeover attempt of her family’s company, Lily
seeks a distraction in Todd, an erstwhile bartender with a large trust
fund and magical tongue. Meanwhile, a connection seems to be developing
between Lily and Alejandro, a wealthy and gorgeous Cuban-American, whose
brother, Rodrigo, is dating Lily’s twin sister, Dahlia. When Alejandro
unexpectedly rebuffs Lily one night, she is deeply dismayed. But, after
seeing Alejandro’s picture with a gorgeous Latina model in the gossip
pages, Lily thinks it wasn’t just a misunderstanding. When the sisters
and brothers reunite in Aspen for a ski weekend, will Lily’s heart
remain frozen or will the fire between her and Alejandro rekindle and
melt away the ice?
Purchase Links for Tiger Lily:
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/tiger-lily-5
Adult Teaser for Tiger Lily:
Lily
tosses and turns in her bed uncomfortably. Everyone decided to stay in, so she
couldn’t get a minute alone with Alejandro. She was dying to know what he would
choose but will have to wait until tomorrow, at the earliest. She groans.
Perhaps he’ll torture her further and make her wait two days, which is when she
has to leave.
Lily
covers her face with her pillow, trying to will sleep to take her, so she can
stop having to think about any of it.
A
creaking sound startles her. She sits up quickly and turns on the light.
Alejandro tip-toes in and quietly shuts the door behind him, locking it.
He
sits next to Lily on the bed and turns off the light. Pulling back the covers,
he lays down next to her and kisses her gently on the neck. She feels his
desire pressing up against her. Her hands reach down around his firm ass to
pull him to her.
Alejandro
moves his lips from Lily’s neck to her ear, sucking and tugging on her earlobe,
sending a shockwave all the way to her core. His hands lift her silk chemise
over her head before making their way over her breasts. He fondles one, pulling
and tugging on her hard nipple while sucking the other.
She’s
desperate to pull him inside her, but he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry. He
takes his time with her breasts, kissing and kneading each one until Lily’s
swollen with desire. His tongue continues to tease her as she pushes her hips
against him, wanting more.
He
chuckles. “Patience, Lily.” He brings his mouth to hers again and begins the
dance, this one more intense. His tongue finds hers. She sucks and bites his
until his hand brushes over her clit, making her moan with need.
Alejandro
spreads her right leg open with his. He kisses a wet trail down to her navel
where he flicks his tongue before plunging his tongue into it. Lily arches her
back in response as she plays and tugs on her hard nipples.
She
allows him to keep teasing her until he makes his way down to her wet box. Lily
pulls his head up and whispers, “I don’t want to come this way. I want you
inside me.”
“This
is my choice, isn’t it?” He smiles up at her, his eyes mirroring her intense
lust.
She
nods. “Tell me, what do you choose?”
Alejandro
pulls himself up over her. “I choose you, Lily Baron,” he says, pushing himself
inside of her.
Lily
gasps as he continues to drive himself in and out of her. Every part of her
body is overwhelmed with sensation. He draws up her left leg around his waist
and plunges himself deeper into her.
“Lily,
you feel so incredible,” he whispers. She dips her tongue into his ear, making
him groan.
He
sits up and begins to push himself in and out of her even faster. She raises
her hips as she feels herself begin to come.
Lily
can hardly hold it back as her muscle begins to contract over his hard shaft.
“Oh,
my God,” he moans. “Lily, I’m going to come.”
“Yes,”
she replies. “Come with me. Let go, baby.”
A
few more hard thrusts send Lily over the edge. She cries out in pure ecstasy.
She keeps her eyes open to watch him come, enjoying the look of absolute bliss
on Alejandro’s face.
Lily
kisses Alejandro awake the following morning. “Good morning,” she whispers.
He
kisses her neck, once again sending tingles down her back. “It’s nice waking up
like this. I could get used to it.”
Lily
laughs quietly. She enjoys being in this moment with him. It makes everything
else in her life seem so unimportant.
“How’s
your ankle?” He asks, sitting up to check it.
“It’s
fine,” she replies, wincing when he moves it.
“You’re
such a tenacious woman,” he says, planting a gentle kiss on each of her breasts
before standing up.
“Where
are you going?”
“To
make breakfast.”
“You’d
rather cook, than make love to me?” She asks, hurt in her voice.
“I’d
like to eat so I have the energy to make love to you all morning, Lily,”
Alejandro replies, pulling on his pajama pants. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.
I’ll bring something for you.”
Series Name: The Gilded Flower series
Genre: Erotic romance/contemporary romance
Publisher: Indie/self-published
Synopsis of Gilded Lily (Book 1)—Release Date 5/18/14:
After catching her fiancé Jack in bed with her sister the day before
her wedding, New York socialite Lily Baron escapes to Rio, her honeymoon
destination—alone. There, Marcelo, the dark and sexy hotel masseur,
releases a heated passion Lily had never experienced with Jack. When
Lily meets handsome and powerful Brazillionaire Gustavo de Lima, she can
hardly resist him. There’s just one problem. He’s married. In this
uber-sensual city, will Lily’s reluctance to be with a married man, in
light of her own fiancé’s betrayal, give way to her burning desire for
Gustavo?
Purchase Links for Gilded Lily:
Synopsis of Calla Lily (Book 2)—Release Date 6/22/14:
Having experienced a profound personal and sexual awakening during her
solo honeymoon to Brazil, New York socialite Lily Baron rushes back to
New York upon hearing the news that her father has fallen ill. Now, Lily
must take the helm of the Baron Media empire and fend off a high-stakes
hostile takeover attempt. With the fate of the company hanging in the
balance, will Lily be able to resist the advances of the luring,
unwanted suitor in the boardroom as well as the bedroom?
Purchase Links for Calla Lily:
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/calla-lily
About the Author
Vivian Winslow was born and raised in Southern California. Before becoming a writer, she made a career out of moving around the world every couple of years thanks to her husband’s job. She currently lives in New York City with her husband and two elementary school age children, and is grateful to finally have a place to call home for more than two years. New York is the perfect city to indulge her love of shopping, the arts and especially food. If she’s not at home writing or running around the city with her kids, you’ll most likely find her indulging in pizza on the Lower East Side or having a cocktail at her favorite bar in Alphabet City. That said, she’s still a California girl at heart and would gladly trade in her heels for a pair of flip-flops to catch a sunset on the beach.
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