The Violet Trilogy Blog Tour and Giveaway by Vivian Winslow

 

Book Title: The Violet Trilogy

Author: Vivian Winslow

Genre: Erotic Romance

Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions

Appearing in The Lily and Dahlia Trilogies of Vivian Winslow’s incredibly steamy Gilded Flower Series, Violet Rai, or Vi, is Lily and Dahlia Baron’s sharp-witted BFF, who is always up for a party and a hot guy. But, in The Dahlia Trilogy, there are hints that Vi’s world is quickly coming apart.

Wild Violet (Book 1): In this flashback story, Vi, the strikingly beautiful daughter of an Indian business magnate and English supermodel, is enjoying a privileged lifestyle in New York City while a college student at NYU. Yet, in her senior year, Vi learns that her strict and traditional father intends to force upon her an arranged marriage and a career working for his conglomerate in Dubai. When Vi is paired with sexy Spaniard, Andrés Costas, in her ballet class, not only does she find herself falling for him, but he introduces her to a shockingly different world—one that offers her the prospect of escaping her father’s plans, but at a price. Hidden Violet (Book 2): With her hidden past about to be exposed, Vi turns to her longtime friend and confidant, Thomas Squires, for help. Yet, they may just risk exposing their feelings for each other in the process. When Lily’s engagement to Alejandro is threatened by ex-lover Gustavo, Vi is forced to come clean with her best friend and possibly destroy the lives of those she loves. Now that her secrets are no longer hidden, Vi faces the most difficult challenge yet—how to build a new life for herself outside of the shadows. True Violet (Book 3): Things are heating up for Vi in Dubai, and it's not just the desert climate. Vi is starting to come into her own—having the hottest sex of her life and poised to take over her father's multinational conglomerate. Yet, her suspicions are confirmed when she uncovers a plot to destroy not just her but her best friends' lives. With an unlikely ally, Vi seeks to ruin those behind the plot. Will Vi be able to have it all and find her lasting happiness in the arms of the man she loves? * Each trilogy of The Gilded Flower Series may be read independently, though the background from the earlier trilogies may be helpful to the reader. The Lily Trilogy is the first in the series, followed by The Dahlia Trilogy and then The Violet Trilogy. The entire Gilded Flower Series is now available.


Darra's Review:

I have truly enjoyed The Violet Trilogy. Each of the books I would read within a day. Vivian's books never let me down. She keeps you enthralled throughout her books. Disappointment? Not a chance.

Vi is a strong, one of a kind character. The last book, Hidden Violet, left me longing for more. Would she end up working for her father? You will find out. Vi has only planned for her to leave her previous life in the past. To take care of what has been haunting her.

She is moving forward with her life and now is left with the question: Where do I go from here? Samir had a tiny role earlier in Vi's trilogy. In this book, he is now one of the main characters. I believe you will like him as much as I did. So much more than what meets your eyes.

When it comes to books, you as a reader will try to pick a team (one of the guys). I can't deny he is a team that is on my favorite list.

The end of the book is unexpected. The usual happily ever after with massive amounts of babies did not happen. I like when the story is like life. You move forward one step at a time.

Read the whole series, The Gilded Series. It will help give you more understanding of who Vi is and her BFF's. Absolutely necessary.

I rate the book a 4.6. The Violet Trilogy gets a 4.7. Muy Bueno

 

Excerpt from Wild Violet

Chapter 2 Sweat drips down Vi’s chest as they finish the barre work. Despite every window being open, there’s no respite from the heat for the dancers who pack in the two adjoining studios. Even in the summer, the class is full of people trying to keep up their skills for possible auditions, with the exception of Vi who does it because it’s one of the only times she’s able to feel happy and free. She takes in the mix of people as she gulps down her water—men and women, mostly in their twenties, although some teenagers who look like they could be ten years-old, the majority of them beautiful, and all of them with absolutely gorgeous dancer bodies. She tosses her water back into her bag and takes her place in front of the mirror. “Today, half of you go there,” the instructor says in a thick French accent, making a slicing motion with his arm to divide the class and pointing to the other space. The dancers move obediently. Monsieur Renard appears to be about sixty-five and has perfectly coiffed silver hair that goes well with his perfect posture. Despite being dressed in pants and a collared shirt, he doesn’t have a drop of sweat on him. “The rest of you will be paired off. Pas de deux.” Vi searches the room for a partner. This isn’t what she signed up for today. She likes M. Renard’s class because he demands perfection and complete control from his dancers. Every position, hip movement and alignment always has to be just right. It forces her to focus, to allow her thoughts and self-doubt to melt away and for those ninety minutes to just be. But it’s too late to leave. She doesn’t back down from a challenge. “Mademoiselle Rai,” M. Renard points to her. “Why are you not with someone? Or is your partner invisible?” He chuckles and turns to talk to the pianist. She smiles back and with her hands on her hips says, “Seems no one finds me worthy to be his partner. Perhaps you would like to be my partner, Monsieur Renard.” He smiles and laughs, revealing yellow teeth stained from cigarettes and coffee. “Mademoiselle Rai, if I were younger, I would have you for a partner and you would not forget that experience.” He approaches her and says, eyeing her up and down, “Malheureusement, my youth is gone and the women along with it.” Not taking his eyes off Vi, he reaches out toward the right with his arm and snaps his fingers. “Monsieur Costas. Dance with Mademoiselle Rai. You are both beautiful. You will fit well together.” Pointing to the girl who was originally paired with him, M. Renard instructs her, “You go dance with the others.” Vi glances over at her new partner gliding toward her, ignoring the dirty look from the female dancer. As soon as he reaches her, he places his hands on her waist and says, “You’re the lucky one who gets to dance with me today.” She chuckles as she moves her feet and arms into fifth position. “The same can be said of you, Monsieur Costas.”

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 and her incurable wanderlust. 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 fashion, 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 eating at the newest restaurant in her beloved 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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True Violet Release Day by Vivian Winslow

True Violet by Vivian Winslow

The Violet Trilogy #3

The Gilded Flower Series #9

Genre: Erotic Romance

SYNOPSIS

In this final installment of The Gilded Flower Series, shocking secrets are revealed and the long-buried truth comes out.

Things are heating up for Vi in Dubai, and it's not just the desert climate. Vi is starting to come into her own—having the hottest sex of her life and poised to take over her father's multinational conglomerate. Yet, her suspicions are confirmed when she uncovers a plot to destroy not just her but her best friends' lives. With an unlikely ally, Vi seeks to ruin those behind the plot. Will Vi be able to have it all and find her lasting happiness in the arms of the man she loves?

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Darra's Review:

 



I have truly enjoyed The Violet Trilogy. Each of the books I would read within a day. Vivian's books never let me down. She keeps you enthralled throughout her books. Disappointment? Not a chance.

Vi is a strong, one of a kind character. The last book, Hidden Violet, left me longing for more. Would she end up working for her father? You will find out. Vi has only planned for her to leave her previous life in the past. To take care of what has been haunting her.

 She is moving forward with her life and now is left with the question: Where do I go from here? Samir had a tiny role earlier in Vi's trilogy. In this book, he is now one of the main characters. I believe you will like him as much as I did. So much more than what meets your eyes.

When it comes to books, you as a reader will try to pick a team (one of the guys).  I can't deny he is a team that is on my favorite list.

The end of the book is unexpected. The usual happily ever after with massive amounts of babies did not happen. I like when the story is like life. You move forward one step at a time.

Read the whole series, The Gilded Series. It will help give you more understanding of who Vi is and her BFF's. Absolutely necessary.

 I rate the book a 4.6. The Violet Trilogy gets a 4.7. Muy Bueno



 

 

 

Excerpt

Chapter 26
Relief spreads over Vi during breakfast as she politely engages in conversations with other division heads. It’s the last day, and her father’s closing remarks, scheduled after the breakfast, will mark the end. Despite the beautiful beach setting, the week has been long and tiring. She arrived in Muscat believing she could predict her future—well, at least the next month. But now, thanks to her father, it’s all turned upside down. She faces a monumental decision that will impact her life, and it’s not something she anticipated when she agreed to move to Dubai. She begins to bite her thumbnail nervously as Azahr invites their father to the podium to speak.

The theme of the conference was about divergent economic growth across global economies, which really meant how to ensure the continued success of Rai Industries. The senior Rai goes on about this, expertly discussing and even countering some of the claims made by the economists who spoke during the conference. He does it admirably, showing how sharp he remains at seventy.

Toward the end of his speech, he takes a turn Vi doesn’t see coming. She had asked him to give her a week to think over his offer, but clearly his grunt meant a ‘no’, not ‘yes’.

            “Now, before I close, I want to thank my son, Azahr, for all his hard work in coordinating this conference, and also for his years of loyalty to Rai Industries. I want him to know that his allegiance has brought pride to me and our family.”

            The audience erupts in restrained applause.

           Her father holds up his hands to indicate he isn’t finished. “I expect you all have also had the pleasure of meeting my charming daughter, Violet, this week. It was important to me that you have a chance to get to know her.”

            Suddenly all eyes in the room focus on Vi. She straightens and forces a reserved smile. This isn’t what she agreed to, but obviously this is her father’s way of saying there’s only one answer. Why did she ever expect him to actually listen to her?

            “Over the next few months, Violet will be transitioning to take over as CEO of Rai Industries.”

            Vi can feel her stomach tense. Her palms begin to sweat, and she quickly looks over at the Exit sign, gauging how long it will take for her to get out. This isn’t what she asked for, nor is it what she wanted. No, she wanted a position in Rai Industries, not any one in particular, just something that would give her closer access to her brother, to put her suspicions to rest.

            Now, the game has changed. Not only will Azahr be out for blood, but her father has exposed her to the scrutiny of her colleagues and anyone else who may want to find out more about the mysterious, illegitimate Rai daughter. She mentioned this to him over lunch when he first proposed this idea. His response echoed Samir’s. She was ultimately untouchable. Personal judgments be damned. Vi would be secure. But at what price?

            She gulps for air, trying to quell the chaos of emotions that are raging through her, uncertain of how to proceed. Her mind is in a fog. Her usual philosophy of following where the universe is pointing her seems to be failing her when it appears to be her father acting as her master.

            Vi squeezes her hands together, digging her nails into her palms to calm herself. When she hears her name again, she looks over at her father who is motioning for her to join him. Beside him, Azahr looks like he’s about to have a stroke.

            Her father moves the microphone closer to her. To Vi’s surprise, her words come out more composed and articulate than she would’ve expected.

            “Thank you, Father,” she says, nodding toward him. Then looking out onto the faces of the people who soon will consider her their boss, she says, “Thank you to all of you. I understand that it may take time to place your trust in me to fill the rather large shoes of my father.” Vi looks at Samir quickly. “I do not intend to replace him, because it would be impossible. Rather, I hope to continue his tireless work and devotion to Rai Industries and see it achieve his vision of success and growth in the coming years. My father and I have discussed what that means, and we agree that diversifying Rai’s portfolio as well as investing in the people of India will be the best course for our future.” She reaches out and takes her father’s hand. Together, they raise their hands in a sign of victory, a camera flash momentarily blinding them.

            Azahr walks out, wading through the throng of people coming up to congratulate Vi and her father.

            As soon as Samir approaches, she smiles at him and shakes his hand.

            “So last night was an interview of sorts,” he says.

            She shrugs. “Nothing was certain. I asked for time to decide, but he obviously had made up his mind.”

            “And you? Have you made up your mind?” His tone suggests hope.
 

            Vi cocks her head and smiles. “Perhaps. When I do, you’ll be the first to know.”

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About Vivian 

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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New Release! Hidden Violet by Vivian Winslow. Don't forget the Giveaway!

HIDDEN VIOLET

Vivian Winslow

The Vi Trilogy, #2

The Gilded Flower Series, #8

Genre: Erotic Romance

SYNOPSIS

With her hidden past about to be exposed, Vi turns to her longtime friend and confidant, Thomas Squires, for help. Yet, they may just risk exposing their feelings for each other in the process. When Lily’s engagement to Alejandro is threatened by ex-lover Gustavo, Vi is forced to come clean with her best friend and possibly destroy the lives of those she loves. Now that her secrets are no longer hidden, Vi faces the most difficult challenge yet—how to build a new life for herself outside of the shadows.

BUY NOW

EXCERPT

Chapter 29

Vi takes a few deep breaths. She never prepared herself for the moment when she’d have to confess everything to her friends. Keeping secrets seemed natural for her, a form of self-protection, at least that’s how she saw it. As her life began to unravel, she couldn’t help but wonder if she had lived more openly, more honestly, whether she would’ve been able to avoid the trap that comes with leading a double life. What she didn’t foresee is that the price you pay for living such a life is that you cheat yourself and those who love you out of knowing you fully. Yet Vi can’t regret any of this. It’s done. All she can do now is seek forgiveness.

“I don’t know where to begin,” she says, leaning her arms on her legs, looking sincerely at Lily.

“Begin with how you got started in the business,” Lily says firmly.

“I knew a guy who did it.”

“That’s too vague. What’s his name?”

“Andrés Costas.”

“Wait, I know that name,” Dahlia interjects.

Vi nods, “I’m sure you do.”

Lily pauses. “You were at NYU?”

Vi nods. “He was in a dance class I was taking the summer before senior year.”

“And he just said, ‘hey you wanna be my pimp?’” Lily replies sarcastically.

Vi gives her a warning look. “Not like that. I never pimped him out. We started hanging out for a while. You might even say we dated.”

“You had a secret boyfriend?” Dahlia asks.

“Boyfriend is a stretch. We couldn’t be exclusive, but we kind of were. I wasn’t seeing anybody while we were together.”

“How long was that?” Lily grills.

“About six months.” Vi looks up at the ceiling, realizing how bad it all sounds when she’s saying it out loud. “But it wasn’t like we were dating like you and Jack were. We just hung out at my place, or went out occasionally to some local bar. It was easy and nice to have a friend.”

“And have you had any boyfriends since?”

“That’s irrelevant.” Vi grows defensive. “It has no bearing on what’s going on now.”

“I beg to differ,” Lily argues. “You’re supposed to reveal what you’ve been keeping from me.”

“No boyfriends,” Vi says flatly.

“Except Thomas,” Dahlia butts in.

Her friend gives her a warning look.

“What about Thomas?” Lily asks curiously.

“Nothing!” Vi replies, becoming frustrated by the turn in the conversation. “Aren’t we supposed to be discussing other things?”

“Thomas is someone else we only learned about this year.”

“And you’ve known each other a long time,” Dahlia adds. “He’s so in love with you, he doesn’t even bother hiding it when I bring it up.”

“You talk about me to him?” Vi is incredulous.

Dahlia shrugs her shoulder and feigns innocence. “Just briefly. I can tell the way you get all flushed and excited when he comes up that you feel something too.”

Vi shakes her head. “It’s not the same. We’ve known one another since we were young. That’s all. It would never work between us.”

“Why not?”

Vi runs her fingers along the armrest of her chair. “We’ve seen each other at our worst.”

Lily and Dahlia both begin to speak, but Vi holds up her finger. “Wait. I know some say that’s a good thing, but for us, it’s why we’d fail. I’m too jaded, and war broke him. I’m not going to fool myself into thinking our love could save us.”

“Oh my god, you just said it!” Dahlia squeals.

Vi looks away. “It was merely an expression.”

Lily scoffs. “Lying to yourself isn’t going to make the feelings go away.”

“That’s enough about Thomas. Let’s move on,” Vi tells them.

                                                                        BUY NOW

Darra's Review:

There is not one book from Vivian I have not liked! And another great book for the Vi Series. I can't believe the is true, however this book had the best cliffhanger of all her books from the Gilded Flower Series.
There is so much that happens, I can not give enough details. I do have to say.. I love Violet. Not just because she is awesome, but because she is calm and calculated. Her relationships have all collided into one book. First Andre, then Thomas, somewhere Gustavo gets in the mix, to lastly leave me with Samir. Which his story is left for the final book of the Vi Series.
All and all, I am looking forward(to say the least) to read the next book. The Vi Series will consume your mind and I have moments during the day I think of what is to be next. Plus seeing the hot guys on Vivian's FB page makes my day!
Vivian Winslow tops herself each time and has never let me down. Kudos my friend. No pressure on my expectations for your next book!

 

 

Also we are giving away The Dahlia Trilogy RIGHT now on FB. Comment on the post and you will be entered to win!

 

 

New Release and Review for Wild Violet by Vivian Winslow!

 

WILD VIOLET by Vivian Winslow

The Vi Trilogy, #1

The Gilded Flower Series, #7

Genre: Erotic Romance

Synopsis

Wild Violet is the first installment of The Vi Trilogy of the Gilded Flower Series. Appearing in The Lily and Dahlia Trilogies of the Gilded Flower Series, Violet Rai, or Vi, is Lily and Dahlia Baron’s sharp-witted BFF, who is always up for a party and a hot guy. But, in The Dahlia Trilogy, there are hints that Vi’s world is quickly coming apart, and her dark secret is about to be exposed.

In this flashback story, Vi, the strikingly beautiful daughter of an Indian business magnate and English supermodel, is enjoying a privileged lifestyle in New York City while a college student at NYU. Yet, in her senior year, Vi learns that her strict and traditional father intends to force upon her an arranged marriage and a career working for his conglomerate in Dubai. When Vi is paired with sexy Spaniard, Andrés Costas, in her ballet class, not only does she find herself falling for him, but he introduces her to a shockingly different world—one that offers her the prospect of escaping her father’s plans, but at a price.

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt

Chapter 2
Sweat drips down Vi’s chest as they finish the barre work. Despite every window being open, there’s no respite from the heat for the dancers who pack in the two adjoining studios. Even in the summer, the class is full of people trying to keep up their skills for possible auditions, with the exception of Vi who does it because it’s one of the only times she’s able to feel happy and free. She takes in the mix of people as she gulps down her water—men and women, mostly in their twenties, although some teenagers who look like they could be ten years-old, the majority of them beautiful, and all of them with absolutely gorgeous dancer bodies. She tosses her water back into her bag and takes her place in front of the mirror.

“Today, half of you go there,” the instructor says in a thick French accent, making a slicing motion with his arm to divide the class and pointing to the other space. The dancers move obediently. Monsieur Renard appears to be about sixty-five and has perfectly coiffed silver hair that goes well with his perfect posture. Despite being dressed in pants and a collared shirt, he doesn’t have a drop of sweat on him. “The rest of you will be paired off. Pas de deux.”

Vi searches the room for a partner. This isn’t what she signed up for today. She likes M. Renard’s class because he demands perfection and complete control from his dancers. Every position, hip movement and alignment always has to be just right. It forces her to focus, to allow her thoughts and self-doubt to melt away and for those ninety minutes to just be. But it’s too late to leave. She doesn’t back down from a challenge.

“Mademoiselle Rai,” M. Renard points to her. “Why are you not with someone? Or is your partner invisible?” He chuckles and turns to talk to the pianist.

She smiles back and with her hands on her hips says, “Seems no one finds me worthy to be his partner. Perhaps you would like to be my partner, Monsieur Renard.”

He smiles and laughs, revealing yellow teeth stained from cigarettes and coffee. “Mademoiselle Rai, if I were younger, I would have you for a partner and you would not forget that experience.” He approaches her and says, eyeing her up and down, “Malheureusement, my youth is gone and the women along with it.” Not taking his eyes off Vi, he reaches out toward the right with his arm and snaps his fingers. “Monsieur Costas. Dance with Mademoiselle Rai. You are both beautiful. You will fit well together.”

Pointing to the girl who was originally paired with him, M. Renard instructs her, “You go dance with the others.”

Vi glances over at her new partner gliding toward her, ignoring the dirty look from the female dancer.
As soon as he reaches her, he places his hands on her waist and says, “You’re the lucky one who gets to dance with me today.”

She chuckles as she moves her feet and arms into fifth position. “The same can be said of you, Monsieur Costas.”

Chapter 3 

“Come have coffee with me,” he says as Vi enters the stairwell. He’s leaning against the wall of the landing, dressed in torn, loose fitting jeans and a half-tucked, casual white button down, with two buttons undone. His beauty can only be regarded as perfectly masculine with dark, chiseled features and lean, ripped muscles. In fact, his entire body is muscle, which is to be expected for a dancer. Yet, there’s an ethereal quality to the man standing before her, the way he walks and carries himself. Vi’s never met anyone like him, which intrigues her. However, he’s so aware of his looks and the effect he has on others that it makes her ambivalent to his charms.

“Too hot for coffee,” she replies quickly as she begins her descent. He follows her down the stairwell and out onto Broadway.

“You can have it iced.”

“No thank you, I’m not interested in having coffee.” The reply is half-hearted because a part of her is curious. Of course she can imagine herself sleeping with him. The image of him taking her on the studio floor had flashed through her mind when his hand brushed her inner thigh as she moved into attitude. It sent a shockwave through her that she couldn’t forget.

“Then we’ll get water. I’ve seen you drink that.”

Vi shakes her head and stops walking. Turning to him she says, “Persistence isn’t a charming quality. It’s creepy and borders on stalking. You should make a woman feel respected, not just desired.”

He grins and puts his hands into his pockets. “So I take it that’s a no to any beverage.”

“You learn fast,” she says, hailing a taxi. Vi knows if she stays near him any longer, she might just sleep with him. One more glance at his fine form confirms that.

He holds the door open for her. “Maybe next time.”

She can sense from his smile that he’s not any easy person to resist, and who is she to pass up what could be an incredibly memorable fuck? It just has to be the way she prefers—on her terms.

Purchase Links

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Darra's Review:

I have talked about Vivian's book quite regularly on our blog. And for good reason. I truly have loved each book. Vivian's stories are not the same story we all have read before. Never one dimensional. Each book has evolving plots that surprises me each time. I always gravitate to each new series.
With that being said, Vi was a completely different from what I expected. Even though she may have had some money in her pocket like her B-fries, she is now in a position where she has to stand on her own. Of course she meets some guys in the book. Andre mostly. He blew my mind. I did not like him as much as Dahlia's man. However he thru me for a loop. Andre does whaaaa?
Vi started to Whaaaa?  She goes to Dubai and whaaat?

Okay, enough with the what's. I was lost when the book ended. The word cliffhanger does not explain how lost it left me. It might was well said To Be Conti....

I need more of Vi. Expectations are high and I know Vivian will meet them. There are many things left to be told. I can't wait to read more.

Of course, I give it a 5!

About Vivian Winslow

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.

Connect With Vivian

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

Cover Reveal and Interview with Vivian Winslow for Blue Dhalia

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



BLUE DAHLIA IS THE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF

THE DAHLIA TRILOGY OF THE GILDED FLOWER SERIES.

New York socialite Dahlia Baron is falling for her Latin lover, Rodrigo Cruz, the scion of the Mama Linda Latin foods empire, and hopes to take the relationship to the next level. But there’s a dark secret that she must deal with first in order to truly give her heart to him. When Dahlia visits the man from her past, will the undercurrents of her emotions let her go to Rodrigo or will they pull her back to the one person who stands between them?

Blue Dhalia is available October 16th! Put it on your book list!

Amazon

 

Interview with Vivian Winslow!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q & A

 

1.       I loved The Gilded Flower Series. (sorry not a question). What made you decide to become a writer?

 

I don’t mind a non-question.:) I love that you loved it!

Writing is probably the only thing I’m qualified to do after all the moving around I’ve done without a steady job. Haha.

Seriously though, having lived in a variety of cities and countries and encountering so many different types of people along the way, I just started to imagine what it would be like to fictionalize my experiences and those of some of my friends. At some point, a story began to swim around in my head, and I couldn’t shake it, so I finally decided to get it out. It felt wonderful to connect with the characters and develop stories for them. That was a couple of       books ago, and I haven’t looked back since.

 

2.       Do you plan to continue writing this genre (Erotica Romance Hotness)? Or will you be moving into other directions after this series?

I’m quite enjoying this genre right now. I’ve written women’s fiction and YA, so this has been a welcome change. It is incredibly freeing to be able to write steamy scenes and just go to that sensual place with your character. Sex is such a natural act, and I think that, if it’s incorporated well, it can really enrich a story. That said, once I finish The Gilded Flower series (and perhaps the extras that come with it), there’s a YA book that is screaming for me to finish. Hopefully I can get to it by next summer.  I can’t work on multiple projects at one time. I worry that one voice will bleed into the other, so I prefer to keep projects separate.

 

3.       How did you come up with the storyline?

 

            I was suffering from some serious burnout with a women’s fiction manuscript I had been   

working on for a long time. A friend of mine suggested I try writing in the erotic romance genre, which is one of her favorite. She helped me hash out the storyline, and Gilded Lily was born. Although it didn’t have that working title at the time, since Lily’s original name was Sara. About a quarter of the way into the book I changed it to Lily, and somehow the rest (the title of the book and characters’ names) came together. The one thing I was pretty clear about is that I wanted the story to include places I’ve lived or visited since I love to travel and feel that it provides the perfect kind of challenge for a character to adapt to a new setting. Once I had introduced all of the main characters in Gilded Lily, I realized that it would lend itself to a full series, and suddenly The Gilded Flower series was born.

 

4.       Who would you cast as Lily, Gustavo, Dahlia, Alejandro, Todd . . . I could name drop many more but that would be a massive collage!

After watching the Endless Love remake, I would love Gabriella Wilde for the roles of Lily and Dahlia Baron. Kim Basinger as Poppy, the twins’ mother, and Dennis Quaid for the twins’ father. Who wouldn’t love Scott Eastwood to play Todd? He looks like he could play the sexy bartender. There are some great Latino actors who would be well-suited to play the leading men in Lily and Dahlia’s lives:  Brazilian actors Cauã Reymond as Marcelo and Rodrigo Santoro as Gustavo; William Levy for the part of Alejandro; and Diego Boneta as his younger brother, Rodrigo. Victoria Justice would make a beautiful Rosa. There are so many gorgeous Indian actresses who can play Vi. Deepika Padukone would be great for the role.

Just wait until The Dahlia Trilogy. There will be more gorgeous men!

      5.       Lily has such a major transition from book 1 to book 3. What did you want the readers to think about her? (Only asking because I usually want to punch the main characters. Lily is not at all annoying and whiny).

 

I’m glad you didn’t want to punch her.:) I quite like her as well. I hoped readers would go from sympathizing with Lily to appreciating how she worked through her personal issues. Like most people in their twenties, Lily needed to work out what she wanted in life, both personally and professionally. Maybe some women have it figured out, but I certainly didn’t, so it was natural for me to write a character who needed to come into her own and figure things out as she goes along. By figuring it out, I mean, learning whom she can trust, who is worth giving her heart to and how her family and past influenced the choices she made in her life. I went through that in my own way, as I think many have. And I believe that when you come out of that and can own the choices you make, it makes for massive personal growth. I hoped readers would get that.

 

6.       Did you plot all three books of the Gilded Flower Series at once? Or did you write while you went?

It probably would’ve made my life easier if I had outlined the story. It didn’t seem necessary for these novellas. It was quite fun just to let the characters lead and allow the story to evolve that way. If I had had a fixed idea for how I wanted the story to go, I don’t think they would’ve been as interesting. That said, I do try to have some vague idea of the plot so that the story flows and ties well with the previous books.

7.       There are so many characters in these books that have left me wanting to know more about them! Can we expect more books including them? If not, please? I am counting about 20 more book! Three to match each person.
 

Ha. If that happens, I’ll be writing non-stop for the next several years. As it stands, only Lily, Dahlia and Vi will have their trilogies. There are a few more who may get their own standalone novellas. This will depend in part on how the story ties up by the end of Vi’s trilogy. Right now, I’m planning books for Poppy (the twins’ mother), Todd (the sensual bartender), and Rosa (the youngest of the Cruz siblings).

 

8.       How did you want to portray Gustavo as a person as a whole? Not just personal, business as well. I can give you a 3 page essay about what I think of him. However I will restrain myself.

 

 Awww. He’s someone you love to hate. I had no idea how Gustavo’s character was going to evolve until I was writing Calla Lily. Until then, I was (get ready for this) even considering him as Lily’s HEA (I can’t believe I just wrote that!) Gustavo, to me, embodies the qualities and attitudes of powerful businessmen and alpha lovers I’ve encountered over the years. Their intelligence, charm and sexuality make it difficult to dislike them fully. But once he tried to buy Lily’s family’s company, I realized there would be no redemption for him.

Love and hate are two sides of the same coin. If Lily and Gustavo were going to end up together, she would’ve ended up on an entirely different trajectory as a character, and the story would’ve had to focus on forgiveness and her ability to make her peace being with a man who was married when they met. I feel like his being married was key to her growth and maturity as a character. If they were going to come back together, his marriage would’ve become their greatest obstacle, which would’ve diminished her personal growth. This is a series about women coming into their power as individuals. Finding love is a wonderful and fun consequence, but not the main objective. Had Gustavo and Lily stayed together, the series would’ve only been about their relationship and not her growth as a person.

 

9.        Also, Todd. At first I can’t say I was a fan. But there is a story to his past that is screaming to be written. Will he get his story told?

 

Yes!!! I like Todd’s character a lot. I didn’t realize when I wrote him in Gilded Lily that he would be a recurring character. But something about his quiet, self-contained, and sensual manner made me want to bring him back. His backstory is interesting, and I look forward to sharing it with readers. I’m considering a trilogy on a few of the men of The Gilded Flower series, which would include stories for Todd, Ben and . . . name your third. Not sure about that one although I have some idea based on The Dahlia Trilogy. And no, it won’t be Gustavo. My sincerest apologies to anyone who would like for him to have a separate book. I do love his scandalous character, but his story won’t make an interesting book.

 

10.   Would you ever want your books to be considered as possibilities for a TV show or movie?

 

Absolutely.  There are a lot of characters in this series, and the storylines definitely lend themselves to a TV show more than a movie. When I realized that The Lily Trilogy would become The Gilded Flower series, the story began to take a telenovela-like feel, which is such fun to write.

 

11.   Getting a massage after reading Gilded Lily sounded like a must! It was absolutely hot..and Marcelo. What happened to him? Sigh

 

In one of the original storylines, he was going to be a bigger character than he turned out to be. I thought perhaps Lily would end up falling for Marcelo and bring him back to NYC. (It no longer fit once Gustavo became such a major character). Marcelo wasn’t her HEA (that was never in the cards for them), and it didn’t take long before I realized that it would’ve taken the story in an entirely different direction. It wouldn’t have been a balanced story, with the rich girl-poor boy scenario. I wanted the characters to be on more equal footing, though not simply in terms of wealth, but also of life experiences or emotional maturity.  I didn’t want any of the characters to have to be “saving” the other. There would’ve been a lot of turmoil between Lily and Marcelo, and I didn’t want that for either one of them. I’m not especially fond of two characters going back and forth for too long. She has her back and forth with Gustavo, but it works. Not too much tormenting and I love you/I hate you. That gets old really fast. 

 

12.   Latin guys, huh? I’m starting to think you may know a little more about them then I do. Explain!?
 

Haha. You want me to tell you all my secrets, don’t you?:) I lived in Spain and Brazil for a few years, as well as other European countries. Something about Latin men stands out. Can’t explain it. Perhaps it’s the macho thing combined with their general love and adoration of women. (I’m generalizing, I know, but have you noticed how much they show their appreciation of women?).

 

13.   Now the fun questions! Favorite city: Rio, NYC or Miami?

Ugh. Why make me choose. They are all hot and sexy in different ways. To live, NYC. Miami for a short getaway, and Rio for pleasure. If I really have to choose, then I’d say NYC. It’s an all around awesome city that has everything.

 

14.   Cuban food vs Martini’s vs NY hot dogs?

Again, do I have to choose? Martinis at Bar Pleiades (where Lily has her voyeur experience in Calla Lily). They use gorgeously large, green olives. Cuban food is a close second.

 

15.   Favorite ice cream?

 Earl Grey and Pistachio are my all time favs. Were you expecting me to say mint chocolate chip? :)

 

 

 

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About the Vivian Winslow:

Having spent most of the last two decades abroad, Vivian Winslow currently resides in New York City with her husband and two grade school-aged children. Her stories are heavily influenced by her ex-pat experiences. The Gilded Flower Series is her first foray into erotic romance.

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