Thinking About Kiwis on this Hump Day!

For the past couple of weeks I've had a New Zealand tv series playing on Netflix while I work.  The show is fabulous fun and it has me thinking about the hunkiest of hunks from the land of Kiwis, Jonah Lomu!

Oh those legs!

He played rugby and led a seriously mean haka [here's great clip on YouTube of the All Black's vs Tonga who have their own pre-game ritual], both of which were on my mind when I wrote New Zealand in my An Invitation to the World series - specifically, one of the two retired rugby heroes, Maori hunk Timu Tuhaere.

You can buy An Invitation to the World: Russia and New Zealand at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid│All Romance│BN

Snakes + Jewelry + Book Talk = read on!

On Saturday I was flipping through the April issue of InStyle when I came across a page full of jewelry, snake jewelry.

Normally a crowded page doesn't make me pause, but it did this time and I laughed thinking about the one piece of reptile jewelry that I've had a character wear.  It was a ring and Bodhi Burke, the hero from India in the An Invitation to the World 2 series - oh, and it didn't go on his finger :-)

You can buy An Invitation to the World 2: China and India at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid│All Romance│BN

What is a Good Swing?

I've written a scene or two that involved a swing - "Highland Heat" and "An Invitation to the World: China" come to mind - and the Encyclopedia of the Exquisite tells where the inspiration for such a device came from, at least it has to my writing.

"A suspended seat that oscillates backward and forward." is the brief description and pretty much states the basics, but the good stuff is in the details.

"In this diversion there are very many pretty shrieks, not so much for fear of falling off as taht their petticoats should untie," The Specatator noted in 1712.  "The lover who swings his lady is to tie her clothes very close together with his hat band before she admits him to throw up her heels."

Even better were the from Honore Fragonard who made swinging appear to be a bit of naughty foreplay.  Her skirts aren't tied and her lover is looking at her, um, dainty ankles and lovely legs.  Back in the day, The Swing [to the right] by Fragonard was denied entrance into England, but it now hangs in that country's Wallace Collection.

Best of Torrid Teasers Vol. 2 - Tilly Greene's excerpt #4

AN INVITATION TO THE WORLD:  INDIA [Contemporary Erotic Romance]

Bollywood starlet, Sati Chaudhari, has had most her life controlled by her uncle, except for one thing. He can’t manage who she loves. While away from his authority, she meets and eventually marries Bodhi Burke, a hotel mogul. Unfortunately, their need for secrecy continues, and their busy lives keep them apart. Not satisfied, he buys a private island, a place for them alone.


Excerpt (G-rated)

Chapter One

"What a beautiful day. I can't believe it's deserted out here on the Theosophical Society's grounds. It's a national holiday and the city is bursting at the seams with people, but not out here. I'm happy we have it all to ourselves. It's so peaceful sitting here beneath this big old banyan tree."


The young couple had eyes only for each other as they prepared to take a major step in their lives together.

"Are you sure with what we're about to do, Sati?"

"Oh yes, Bodhi, most definitely. I love you, belong with you and will have you as my husband."

"My heart, you know your remaining family, your uncle and his clan, will no longer claim you as a Chaudhari."

"I understand. Yes, I'm grateful they took me in when I was young, but there has never been any love or respect for me as a person. Up to this point my uncle has dictated my life. It's time for me to take control and make my own decisions. I'm responsible for choosing where I go for the rest of my years and it's with you." She reached over and stroked her fingertips across the masculine stubble decorating his cheek.

He was a strikingly handsome man, which made her a very lucky woman to possess his heart.

As she defied convention by touching him in public, she thought about her life. She had worked very hard and the result had been her reputation as a beloved Bollywood starlet. It was only business, she understood that. Still, she'd been pleasantly surprised when her agent, Vasin told her how the name Sati Chaudhari on a marquee was sought after. It meant millions upon millions of rupees earned for those with their fingers in the pot.

There was often a downside to success and hers was being overworked. A while back she'd been on a set, filming and the press had started to speculate about the cause of her apparent exhaustion. Not wanting to have anything negative associated with her or the film, Vasin had pushed for a break.

Thankfully, an opening for a spa weekend at the exclusive Raj Lake Palace floating on Lake Pichola in Udaipur had been found. She'd headed straight there, looking forward to the peace they offered in the beautiful setting. Unfortunately, once she stepped into the lobby a guest had recognized her and the restful weekend looked impossible. After having gained her autograph, he'd begun to make a nuisance of himself. Then her future husband had stepped around the corner and into her life.

"Do you remember when we first met?" Her query was barely heard over the rustling leaves.

"How could I forget? You appeared so fragile in the lobby as that fan was trying to push in on you."

"You stepped out from around the corner and took my breath away. So very handsome and, like a knight in shining armor, you escorted me away from the chaos and handled everything personally. You made me feel so special."

She smiled with fond memories over that first weekend. It had been full of confidential meetings where they'd talked about their likes and dislikes, dreams of the future and the horrors of reality. By the end her break, they'd made plans to meet up gain, and then again. Eventually their secret rendezvous led to even more interludes.

It would be fair for people to believe he was obnoxious, arrogant and snobbish, being born into a family of privilege, yet she'd never found him to be any of those things. In fact he was the direct opposite.

Bodhi Burke was a confident and open-minded man who worked hard in the family hotel business and was determined to take the company around the world. With an Englishman and half-Indian woman for parents, he mainly took after his Anglo father. Very tall, physically fit and handsome, yet his mother's genes were definitely in the mix with his silky soft, rich brown hair and light hazel eyes.

Fixing her eyes to his, she thought how the surrounding thick, long black lashes would be the envy of many women. Suddenly, she felt nervous and Sati looked for assurances.

"Do you have doubts?"

"None." There was no change in his direct gaze, nothing in his body language that showed any hesitation. He was as sure as she that their decision was the best one for them both. "Sati, my love, have I told you today what a beautiful bride you make?"


Now available from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid

Best of Torrid Teasers Vol. 2 - Tilly Greene's excerpt #3

AN INVITATION TO THE WORLD:  CHINA [Contemporary Erotic Romance]

On her lunch break, Jia Li is kidnapped off a busy street in San Francisco's Chinatown, and wakes up on an airplane. Terrified and blindfolded, she doesn’t understand what is happening, until her captor reveals himself as her ex-boyfriend Yi Burton. He is determined to save her life and bring her back into his arms, and this can only happen on his private island. 


Excerpt (G-rated)

Chapter One

She was on a flight from hell!


Time had no relevance for her. Days, hours, minutes no longer mattered. She was scared for her life.

Having her wrists cuffed to the armrests and her ankles to the legs of the seat didn't help either. Gooseflesh flashed along her skin, the terror of her situation causing her to feel colder than she was.

Her breath shuddered from her chest in great gulps of air. She couldn't stop hyperventilating, and it didn't seem to matter that she was well on her way to passing out. Every pore in her body was reacting to her fear. She was shaking uncontrollably. The hood they'd covered her head with shut out all sense of sight, leaving her fear to feed upon itself. Her lips quivered pitifully, as her tears gathered strength for another deluge.

Jia Li was absolutely terrified. Reality slowly settled in, relentlessly squeezing her chest like a vise. One thing was for sure, this was really happening to her.

Trying to catch her breath, she forced herself to think back to how she'd ended up in this nightmare. Anything to take her mind off what was coming next.

The day had been a typical Monday afternoon in San Francisco. It was a beautiful warm summer's day with the usual breeze chilling things down just enough for a light sweater to be necessary. She'd been running errands, the last one putting her in the heart of Chinatown during the busy lunch break. After having fought her way through throngs of tourists, she'd finished and had started to make her way back to her apartment when she was grabbed. In a flash she'd been pulled back into a narrow alley.

A strong arm had wrapped around her waist and a hand pressed against her mouth, instantly silencing her. Jia faced the street and watched people passing by without so much as a glance to witness her mounting trouble. She dropped her bags and clawed at the hand covering her mouth. She tried to kick back at the man holding her but only managed to trip herself as he dragged her backwards.

Without anyone seeing them, they slipped through a door, and she was gone.


Now available from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid

Best of Torrid Teasers Vol. 2 - Tilly Greene's excerpt #2

AN INVITATION TO THE WORLD:  NEW ZEALAND [Menage a Trois]

Kiri Kanawa had been gifted with finding and possessing love, unfortunately it came in a non-traditional way. The intensity of her feelings, along with her parents’ disapproval was too much to handle, and scared her away from true happiness. Now Timu Tuhaere and Luke McClure have her back, on their islands, and will do what it takes to keep her there.


Excerpt (G-rated)

Chapter One

“Kiri, I do not want to hear anymore about it! The LuTi Shipping account is your responsibility, anything the company insures is for you to personally inspect, add to their existing account and promptly write up a new policy. There is no way we are going to loose them as a client merely because you are being missish about something so juvenile as you used to date the owners at some point in the past. Neither man has ever mentioned having a problem with you as their account manager so move on, pack up and get your tush over to this island paradise of theirs, do your job or resign.”

“Sometimes you are a real asshole Tane you know that?”

“Yes, so I am told on a daily basis. Now are you heading out to the Dubai or not?”

“I am going, but I think you should know that I am angry at you right now.”

“That is obvious, you cursed and that never happens. What I hope is that you will get over it sooner rather than later. We have been friends before workmates so remember that.”

“Ggrrrrr!”

“Be careful little girl and call me.”

“Yeah yeah yeah.”

The big ex-rugby player waited until the adorable blonde steamed out of his office before picking up the phone. Sitting in his chair he turned away from the door and looked out over the boats sailing across Waitemata Harbour here in Auckland. But he saw none of the beauty before him.


“Hello?” A relaxed voice echoed over the line.

“Timu Tuhaere, you are a shithead! That little girl is angry as hell and I do not like being the one to upset her.”

“That is because you are a softy man.”

“This is not funny Timu, I swear if Kiri gets hurt in this little plan of yours and Luke’s then I am going to beat both your asses around the world from that little island of yours and back again.”

“If by the end of this month that beautiful woman is not happy then I will not put up a fight, and neither will Luke.” “Tell me again why you need her to go down there?”

“Look, you know that we both have been in love with Kiri since she was a teen and we were home from university for the summer but her mother did not approve of me – too much of an older bad boy I guess. Kiri started bringing Luke to cover the fact we were still dating and then it becomes complicated and too personal. Just know that for the past five years we have both tried to leave her alone but in buying this place we did a lot of talking and have decided this is what would be best for all three of us. Neither one of us wants her upset, at the same time we are both now too set on this path to have it any other way.”

“Okay but I meant what I said, do not hurt her in any way. Clear?”

“Clear. Shit Tane, you still doing the haka each morning?”

 “Bet your ass I do.”

The other man laughed loud, Tane could not help but soften a little. These three people were all his friends, Kiri from childhood and they guys from university, he just hoped everything worked out for them, but that did not mean he would not still worry about their survival.

“Kiri cursed.” He let that drop quietly and that was when he realized Luke MacAlister was on another line listening to the call.
 
“Oh man, she is angry.” Luke was slightly less gruff than the other two men, but not by much.
 
“Hey Luke.”
 
“Hello Tane.”
 
“Yup, I think you two have an uphill battle coming your way in the form of a little blonde angel, she will not make anything easy for you.”
 
“That is fine, anything worth having is worth a fight, isn’t that right Timu?”
 
“Right you are Luke. Our fight is about to begin Tane, wish us luck.”
 
“Luck.” He hung up because there was nothing left to say, but there was plenty rushing through his mind about the triangle that has existed for what seemed like forever.


Now available from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid

Best of Torrid Teasers Vol. 2 - Tilly Greene's excerpt #1

AN INVITATION TO THE WORLD:  RUSSIA [Light D/s]

Russian businessman, Vasiliy Beketov, bought an island to be his home away from home. Everything was going his way and suddenly, he was hunted down for no reason other than being a success. Finally back in control of his life, Zura Girard comes to his private sanctuary as a designer, and ends up becoming much more.


Excerpt (G-rated)

Chapter One

Vasiliy Beketov, Russian billionaire businessman detained for more than three years has been released. Leading French lawyer Etienne Girard has been pleading his client’s case of ill treatment at the hands of the Russian government to many influential groups looking for their support. After finagling EU lawyers at The Hague to look into the case the rabid civil rights’ advocate, quickly secured their backing before moving over to the United Nations to gain their support as well. Pressure against the Russians has exponentially built over the past 14 months leading to a plea agreement agreeable to both parties. Vasiliy Beketov is to divest all current holdings within the motherlands borders, be them majority or less than a one millionth of a percent, his name is to be struck out and the billionaire must leave the country for good – exile. In return the accused will admit to a lesser charge and time served for fraud and the harsher claim of treason will be dropped. When contacted for comment of future plans for Beketov, Girard would only state that he would be leaving Moscow’s notorious Matrosskaya Tishina prison for home.  Five Months Later on a Flight

Zura Girard sat in a sumptuous first class seat on her way to Dubai in order to meet a man whom she has never met in person but still feels like she knows him on a deep level. Up to this point the relationship with her client has been derived from their email communications and a rare phone call.

Reputed to be a ruthless businessman would be an expected moniker for a successful man in a country new to capitalism. However, the very unflattering terms applied to him in the media did not match the gentleman she has been working with regarding the decoration of a newly built second residence on his private island.

To own a private island is a dream for everyone, but only a small percentage of society has the means to make such a purchase. One of three hundred manmade islands set in the Arabian Gulf off the coast of Dubai. Before problems with his government gained momentum the purchase for one of The World’s island at over 15 acres had been made and an opulent estate home built. In one of their earlier discussions, her client had let it be known that he was no longer comfortable in the massive structure. A desire was expressed for something with a more personal feeling to it, less confining, and as a person with the means can do, the building of another residence to fulfill these needs was now complete. Lifting the fine crystal glass Zura took a sip of the chilled fizzy water before shifting her seat to further recline. Instantly an airline staff member was at her side.

“Would Mademoiselle like help with her foot rest?” The quiet accented voice of the air host was close but not as to be an invasion of her personal space. With a nod the young man knelt down and helped set it all up so she was comfortable beneath a light blanket. The light was turned off and her glass moved onto the tray further away so as not to be knocked. “Would Mademoiselle like anything else to make her comfortable?” Shaking her head, Zura thanked the host for his assistance then she closed her eyes to try and relax. If she was lucky doze some before landing in the hot dry country she was to be visiting for an undetermined period of time.

She hoped she could sleep but was so excited that at this time it did not seem possible. It was not just the thrill of a traveling or the new job, although the challenges presented by a new commission were always a large part of her eager anticipation. In this case, however, the blame for her heart racing, quick shallow breathing, and an occasionally wicked thought could all be laid quite honestly before her new client, Vasiliy Beketov.

A handsome, strong featured man in a typical dark business suit with his brown hair cut short and sharp, almost piercing, lighter than light blue eyes that rested against a face tan enough to prove he spent time out of doors was the image most depicted in the media. Dark serious suits highlighted shoulders, making them appear broad and strong, capable of taking on the world and winning. One picture she had seen showed him standing next to her father and the other man towered over his lawyer so she guessed he must be comfortably over six foot.

In her dreams she had added more details. He would be tan all over, hard and ripped, as her American friends would say, and in possession of a magnificent cock always hard for her. The bigger problem for her lay with his mind and soul, both drew her as much, if not more, than his body tempted her libido.

The first email had arrived about a month after he had been released from prison and whisked off to parts unknown. It had been short and to the point. Etienne Girard, her papa, had recommended that the recently freed man contact her regarding the decorating of a new residence.

The fact that her father had recommended her was interesting. Normally he took no interest in the career she practiced and excelled in other than the usual parental pride. It did not take long for her to determine it was because of her alternative lifestyle choice that had this interesting man asking for her professional services.


Now available from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid

Best of Torrid Teasers Vol. 2 is OUT!

Tilly Greene

Ever wonder how wild and kinky life can get on a private island?

RUSSIA
Russian businessman, Vasiliy Beketov, bought an island to be his home away from home. Everything was going his way when suddenly, he was hunted down for no reason other than being a success. Finally back in control of his life, Zura Girard comes to his private sanctuary as a designer and ends up becoming much more.

NEW ZEALAND
Kiri Kanawa had been gifted with finding and possessing love. Unfortunately it came in a non-traditional way. The intensity of her feelings, along with her parents’ disapproval, was too much to handle and scared her away from true happiness. Now Timu Tuhaere and Luke McClure have her back on their islands and they’ll do whatever it takes to keep her there.

CHINA
On her lunch break, Jia Li is kidnapped off a busy street in San Francisco's Chinatown and wakes up on an airplane. Terrified and blindfolded, she doesn’t understand what is happening, until her captor reveals himself as her ex-boyfriend Yi Burton. He is determined to save her life and bring her back into his arms, which can only happen on his private island.

INDIA
Bollywood starlet, Sati Chaudhari, has had most of her life controlled by her uncle, except for one thing. He can’t manage who she loves. While away from his authority, she meets and marries Bodhi Burke, a hotel mogul. Unfortunately, their need for secrecy continues, and their busy lives keep them apart. Not satisfied, Bodhi buys a private island, a place for them alone.


Cheri Valmont

Care to take a dare on a future time?

Take a trip to the alien planet of Kazphyr from the technologically advanced country of Kantrer to the wilds of the forbidden country of Velorn: A place where circumstances force inhabitants to improvise when it comes to finding love and keeping it forever.

SEX MACHINE
After repairing a Zand pleasure ’droid, android technician, Teena Andrenas is offered a chance to meet Zand and the first pleasure ’droid ever created. The owner of Zand Robotics, Zand Gorsend, soon realizes Teena is the female for him. Can he convince her he’s real and meant to be her one, true mate?

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY SEDUCTION
The Kazphyrian government is forcing all able-bodied citizens to find a mate. Bradeon Gosh-Ere and Hankren Tereamin want a special female mate who will accept them both and the relationship they share as lovers. When Drendar Kyntrel accepts the temporary position to help, can the males convince the suitable Dren to accept them as her mates for life?

THE COMMANDER’S MATE
Aimee Syncire wakes to find herself a prisoner of the Velornian Legion commander, JarrRon Ry Vere. Aimee’s determination and will to survive draws Jarr from the first. When circumstances force JarrRon to release Aimee, he must find a way to bring her back and convince her to accept him as his true, barbarian mate.

ALIA’S DEBT
When Princess Alia Faddei is bought from slavers as a ‘gift’ for GarinRig Ossur, she is determined to serve the debt of honor due for her rescue. From the moment Alia encounters Garin, she wants him. Alia’s fulfillment of her debt could mean her death. Can Garin and Alia be together without forsaking their honor or their lives?


Susan M Sailors

SHADOWS OVER SEA VIEW
Victoria moves into Sea View expecting to find the ghost her grandmother told her about. She dreams of a man named Quentin, then discovers he is real—and a vampire. She agrees to help him end his curse, hoping it will all end with him in her arms, not the grave.

TREASURE
Katie O’Brien came to the Bluebird Inn hoping for a vacation. But when a pirate named Jack seduces her then confesses he’s a ghost, her plans change drastically. Jack hopes he can convince Katie to give them both the chance to find the true love that could save them both.

STARS AND STRAPS
Tasha left her home world because she’d always felt unfulfilled as a princess. She’d never been sure what she was missing until a bounty hunter named Cade found her. Now Tasha has another mission—convincing Cade that what they’ve found is worth far more than the bounty on her head.

UNFORGETTABLE VOYAGE
Deacon books a cruise on a pleasure ship to make his business partner Lukas happy, but then he meets Romana. Deacon soon begins to believe that, despite his partner’s pleasure-only attitude, love is still a possibility and great sex doesn’t have to be optional in a real relationship.


Now available from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid

Fabulous Fashion News!

Judith Leiber has been making unique, fun, and stunningly beautiful handbags for years, and she still creates the must have handbag! Well, to celebrate self-publishing her biography [which I'd love to read], she's hitting the road. Alongside her travel mini-museum exhibition of her bags, she'll be signing her book "No Mere Bagatelles: Telling the Story of Handbag Genius Judith Leiber & Modernist Artist Gerson Leiber".

While it doesn't appear as if the book will be widely available, it would definitely be worth it to attend one of her retrospectives at either Neiman Marcus or Bergdorf Goodman, view the exhibit and purchase a book for her to sign. If you live near East Hampton NY, you can always stop by the Leiber Museum on Old Stone Highway, check out her bag collection, and most likely pick up a copy of her book there as well.

On a side note: Did you know that there are a couple of white peacocks in "An Invitation to the World: China"? There are and they're called George and Gracie.

eBook Talk!

I'm watching a show on French Polynesia/Tahiti and Paul Gauguin was how the show started. Even though it's a food/travel show [truly enjoy Anthony Bourdain's books and tv series No Reservations] the host talked about Gaugiun's desire to drop out of European society and submerse himself in the local life.

This immediately made me think about multicultural mixes and did you know I've written a few of those? Guess what? I have and truly enjoy doing them. Cultural differences tickle my imagination. So, let me tell you about a few of them.

I've mentioned this one before, in the tattoo/piercing blog, but in An Invitation to the World: New Zealand has Kiri Kanawa, half Maorian and half Anglo, Timu Tuhaere, a Maorian hunk of a rugby player, and Luke MacAlister, also a rugby player but an Anglo with blond hair and blue eyes. This threesome makes for a unique triumvirate.

The other story in the first book is Russia. Vasiliy Beketov, or Vasya, is a Russian and his soon to be lover is Zura Girard, a French-American.

Now, I imagine you believe the second duet in the An Invitation to the World series is also multicultural. It isn't, at least not like the first set is. India has Bodhi Burke, and English-Indian and Sati Chaudhari, pure Indian, and China has Yi Burton, a Chinese American, and Jia Li, pure Chinese.

On top of the characters in this series being a mix, the settings are as well, although they all end in the same place. New Zealand and India start in those countries, China starts in San Francisco, California, and Russia is pretty much set in the final location for all these stories. The lovers all make there home on a private island [shaped and located in the archipelago like their homeland] in The World is located in the Persian Gulf, Dubai, UAE.

eBook and Book Talk!

Today, doing laundry, shopping for grad gift and weeding, I got to thinking about tattoos. I'm not entirely sure why, but I was, and the subject led me to pick out stories I've written with unique ways characters have chosen to celebrate their bodies. Tattoos and piercings, I find them interesting.

So which stories are they found?

An Invitation to The World: New Zealand has Timu Tuhaere, a Maorian hunk of a rugby player who "sported a tribal tattoo that snaked from his knee around his inner upper thigh and up to finish atop a spectacularly muscular ass."

The Gilded Cage has Max Stephenson, a Brit with "four metal balls of his magic cross piercing." My editor had one comment when this piercing was later detailed: ouch and yet it offered nothing but pleasure.

The Painted Lady is a bit different in that they aren't tattoos, but Saffron Hoyt has her body painted to suit some very erotic images, like "...in the guise of a naked Princess Leia sitting before Jabba the Hut from Return of the Jedi...".

Fun times, I wonder what other areas I've touched on before?

Only a few of days remain...

to get your free copy of "An Invitation to the World: Russia".

Russia allows a persecuted man to take control of his life and find his other half.

Before his troubles, Russian businessman, Vasiliy Beketov bought an island in The World and it was to be his home away from home. At the lowest point in his life, Zura Girard enters his life as a designer and ends up meaning so much more to him. When they first speak, they both know there is a connection, but is it love?

Free Read available from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid for February only.

Just for February!

Whiskey Creek Press Torrid has "An Invitation to the World: Russia" as its FREE read!

As an extra bit of sweetness, they've also put "Come, Sweet Creature" and "Extreme Speed, Total Control" at a discount!

What a fabulous way to kick off the month!

Naughty Thought for Monday

I wrote 'An Invitation to The World: New Zealand' [an erotic romance with two rugby players and the women they both love] a few years ago. At the time of its release, I posted a great version of the Haka, a dance the All Blacks [New Zealand's National Rugby team] do before every match to intimidate their opponents.

Well, here's a new tradition: nude touch beach rugby before the tri nations test match tournament begins.



Interesting.