Welcome to Josephine Myles Blog Tour! She’s giving away fun!
02 May 2012 22 Comments
in Josephine Myles Tags: Blog Tour, Josephine Myles
May and December – writing an m/m romance with an age gap.
I’ve just had my first May and December romance published—or should I call it a May and September romance? You see, the age gap between Ben and Ollie is only thirteen years, which I don’t see as all that big. Twenty year old Ollie isn’t bothered at having a thirty-three year old boyfriend either. No, the only one who seems to have a problem with it is Ben.
While Ben might only be thirty-three (pretty young in my book, seeing as how I’ve passed that age myself), he feels much older. His parents died when he was eighteen, so he raised his much younger sister himself. Taking on that parental responsibility along with managing his diabetes, building up a steady career in computer programming and holding down a mortgage, meant Ben didn’t find much time to enjoy being young. His brief period of hedonism when Zoe left home was cut short by kidney failure, and since then he’s led a half-life as a virtual recluse.
Ben is disgusted with himself for being attracted to someone so very young, yet he can’t get his cute parcel delivery boy out of his mind. One early scene I really enjoyed writing was when Ben can’t cope without his daily Ollie fix over the weekend, so stakes out the local park where Ollie has told him he skates:
What the hell was I doing here? It was no use trying to pretend to myself that I’d just stopped by while in the neighbourhood, because I’d taken a ten-minute detour through Reading traffic to swing by here on my way back from Zoe’s place. No, I had in fact hit a new low: predatory older man stalking nubile twink at the bloody playground. I was a fucking chickenhawk.
Compared to Ben, Ollie does sometimes seem very young indeed. I enjoyed emphasizing this with his skateboard and purple hair, and patterns of speech and phrases to suit his generation. Along with his boundless energy and enthusiasm, Ollie’s youth means he hasn’t yet had time to get established in the world. Not only is he holding down two poorly paid jobs, but he’s vulnerably housed. It would be very easy for the outside world looking on to label him as a gold-digger, out to find a sugar daddy.
Using the difference in their ages to generate conflict was a real gift to me as a writer. Not only was I able to use Zoe’s profound unease at her older brother having a boyfriend younger than her, but Ben’s self-doubts came into play. He finds it very hard to understand why a young thing like Ollie would be attracted to him for himself rather than his material wealth. I’ve always been fascinated by the way material success makes people doubt the motives of others—perhaps because I’ve never had much money myself so I’ve always known my friends love me for who I am, not what I have. I feel deeply sorry for people like Ben, who have allowed their possessions to make them suspicious of others—especially when those others are younger and poorer than themselves.
Of course, being someone who’s always had an attraction to silver foxes, I can perfectly understand what Ollie sees in Ben. Not only does he fancy the pants off Ben, but he admires his maturity and the way he took responsibility for his sister. For Ollie, Ben’s flash car and swanky pad are incidental, and he’d still be just as interested in him without them. Ollie is no vacuous twink, out to get what he can—he just needs a man he can look up to and some stability in his life. He’s keen to point out he’s not after a daddy figure, though:
“Don’t you go stressing about age gaps again. We’re fine.”
“So long as you don’t start calling me Daddy,” I grumbled.
Ollie snorted. “Believe me, one dad and one stepfather is plenty for me. I’m not after another.”
I really enjoyed playing with the age gap between my two heroes in Handle with Care, and letting Ollie gently lead Ben to realise that it really isn’t an issue. Thirteen years might seem like a big gap when the younger partner is twenty, but give them another ten years and it’s not going to raise any eyebrows. Well, perhaps that depends on whether Ollie’s still dying his hair outlandish colours…
So what about you? Do you enjoy reading May and December romances, or do you prefer your romantic heroes to be closer in age? And which is more attractive to you: the smooth skin and boundless energy of youth, or the laughter lines and wisdom of age?
Handle with Care by Josephine Myles – the blog tour
To celebrate the release of my second novel, Handle with Care, I’m on a two week blog tour. A grand prize will be awarded to a randomly chosen commenter during the tour: an exclusive Handle with Care mug (which I’m happy to post worldwide), and a $25 voucher to spend at All Romance eBooks (or alternative ebook retailer of your choice). I’ll make the prize draw on Wednesday 9th May at 9am (GMT), and will announce the winner on my blog. Visit the tour itinerary for a list of all the stops, and comment on each to increase your chances of winning!
http://josephinemyles.com/published-stories/handle-with-care/the-blog-tour/
Blurb:
The best things in life aren’t free…they’re freely given.
Ben Lethbridge doesn’t have many vices left. After raising his little sister to adulthood, he wasted no time making up for the youth he lost to responsible parenting. Two years of partying it up—and ignoring his diabetes—has left him tethered to a home dialysis regimen.
He can do his job from his flat, fortunately, but most of his favourite things are forbidden. Except for DVD porn…and fantasizing over Ollie, the gorgeous, purple-haired skateboarder who delivers it.
Their banter is the highlight of Ben’s lonely day, but his illness-ravaged body is the cruel reality that prevents him from believing they’ll do anything more than flirt. Not to mention the age gap. Still, Ben figures there’s no harm in sprucing himself up a bit.
Then one day, a package accidentally splits open, revealing Ben’s dirty little secret…and an unexpected connection that leaves him wondering if he’s been reading Ollie wrong all this time. There’s only one way to find out: risk showing Ollie every last scar. And hope “far from perfect” is good enough for a chance at love.
Warning: Contains superhero porn comics and a cute, accident-prone delivery guy with colour-changing hair. Readers may experience coffee cravings, an unexpected liking for bad mullets, and the urge to wrap Ollie up and take him home.
Kindle US: http://www.amazon.com/Handle-with-Care-ebook/dp/B0073WI0ZU/
Kindle UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Handle-with-Care-ebook/dp/B0073WI0ZU/
Samhain: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/handle-with-care-p-6754.html
Author Bio:
English through and through, Josephine Myles is addicted to tea and busy cultivating a reputation for eccentricity. She writes gay erotica and romance, but finds the erotica keeps cuddling up to the romance, and the romance keeps corrupting the erotica. Jo blames her rebellious muse but he never listens to her anyway, no matter how much she threatens him with a big stick. She’s beginning to suspect he enjoys it.
Jo’s website: http://josephinemyles.com/
Email: josephine_myles@yahoo.co.uk
Blog: http://josephinemyles.com/blog/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/josephine.myles
Twitter: @JosephineMyles
Handle With Care by Josephine Myles
02 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Josephine Myles, Samhain Publishing Tags: Josephine Myles, Samhain Publishing
Select image to purchase
Title: Handle with Care
Author: Josephine Myles
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Pages: 191
Characters: Benjamin Lethbridge, Brian “Ollie” Jones
POV: 1st Person
Sub-Genre: Contemporary Romance
Kisses: 5
Blurb:
The best things in life aren’t free…they’re freely given.
Ben Lethbridge doesn’t have many vices left. After raising his little sister to adulthood, he wasted no time making up for the youth he lost to responsible parenting. Two years of partying it up—and ignoring his diabetes—has left him tethered to a home dialysis regimen.
He can do his job from his flat, fortunately, but most of his favourite things are forbidden. Except for DVD porn…and fantasizing over Ollie, the gorgeous, purple-haired skateboarder who delivers it.
Their banter is the highlight of Ben’s lonely day, but his illness-ravaged body is the cruel reality that prevents him from believing they’ll do anything more than flirt. Not to mention the age gap. Still, Ben figures there’s no harm in sprucing himself up a bit.
Then one day, a package accidentally splits open, revealing Ben’s dirty little secret…and an unexpected connection that leaves him wondering if he’s been reading Ollie wrong all this time. There’s only one way to find out: risk showing Ollie every last scar. And hope “far from perfect” is good enough for a chance at love.
Review:
That which doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, but that which can kill us makes us reclusive, as crippled by our own fears and doubts and insecurities and guilt as by the physical limitations of a body that, after years of hedonism and neglect, is taking out its revenge on Benjamin Lethbridge.
It doesn’t seem fair, really, that after standing in as a surrogate father to his little sister, Zoe, Ben would finally start living for himself, living the sort of life his peers had always taken for granted; a life that, at the age of eighteen, Ben had set aside in order to assume the responsibility of keeping what was left of his family together, then to have it all come tumbling down around him in a haze of drugs and random sex and pretending to be someone he wasn’t that left his diabetes ravaged body in a state of steep decline. Now it’s the caretaker who’s in need of being taken care of. But no one has ever said that life is fair.
Renal failure is the price Ben paid; daily dialysis is the concession he’s making for the chance to live long enough for a kidney and pancreatic transplant. It’s a heavy debt to carry, knowing that in order for you to live, someone else has to die. But no one has ever said that life is fair.
Ben’s porn stash is the foundation for the little bit of promise he’s been able to mine from his situation. Or, rather, it’s the guy that delivers his porn who’s added that little bit of color to an otherwise dull and dreary picture. With his purple hair, piercings, tats, and knee melting smile, Ollie is the Manga-kitty-skaterboy who came swooping in, in his big yellow truck, sent by the parcel delivery gods to keep Ben in long supply of major fantasy material.
Ben’s the older man to Ollie’s twenty-year-old self, but it’s only Ben who’s hung up on the numbers. It’s lucky for Ben that Ollie’s into older men. It’s also lucky for Ben that he’s an X-Men fan and Ollie’s a comic book aficionado. It’s also lucky for Ben that Ollie’s the kind of guy that sees beyond the bloated stomach and the catheter tube and the awkwardness that has kept Ben from living out loud for so long. Whoever said life isn’t fair?
Handle with Care is the comical and clever and utterly charming story of two men who’re falling in love for the first time—not just being one half of a couple but being in a partnership—though the journey is all about the making of and making up for mistakes, until they finally get it right. Unfortunately all they have to go by is how not to do a relationship, and it’s hard to build something when what you have to work with is the raw materials of past sexual encounters and a relationship that clipped your wings before you learned that what you really wanted to do was to fly.
Ben learns to let go and to hang on, all at the same time, because it’s the sweet and lovable Ollie who shows him that it’s okay to be cautious, but it’s even better to take a chance on the something that promises to be kind of wonderful if Ben can only allow himself to fall and trust that Ollie is the one he wants to fall into.
Handle with Care is a “so nice, I read it twice” book, and it was every bit as sweet the second time around.
Reviewed By: Lisa
Tailor Made by Josephine Myles
17 Feb 2012 1 Comment
in Amber Allure, Josephine Myles Tags: Amber Allure, Josephine Myles
Title:Tailor Made
Author: Josephine Myles
Publisher: Amber Allure
Pages: Novella
Characters: Felix McAvoy, Andrew Wheeler
POV: 3rd Person
Sub-Genre: Contemporary/Erotica
Kisses: 5
Blurb:
When Mr. Wrong measures up just right!
College tart Felix McAvoy is used to causing a stir with his conceptual art pranks, but for his final show he’s planning something even more outrageous. In a last ditch attempt to seduce his jaded tutor, Felix plans to wear the canvas in a subversive display. If he’s going to do this right, however, he’ll need a tailor-made canvas suit. Fortunately, he knows just the tailor to turn to for the favour—and Felix isn’t shy about offering favours of a very different kind in return.
First year fashion student Andrew Wheeler knows Felix by reputation only—and plans to keep things that way. Andrew’s determined to save himself for the man of his dreams, and Felix couldn’t be more different from his ideal Mr. Right. There’s only one use Andrew will contemplate for Felix’s body—a model for his end-of-year project. Trouble is, it’s going to involve a lot of close contact with a nearly naked Felix, and Andrew’s never had temptation quite so close at hand…
Review:
Tailor Made is the story of two men who are both uncompromising in the way they’ve chosen to live their respective lives. They each stand firmly on opposing principals—Felix, the unapologetic manslut, and Andrew, the virgin who prefers to save himself for the one he deems as the perfect catch—until, that is, they meet and ultimately learn that oftentimes the heart is a force with which the libido can’t compromise.
Josephine Myles has artfully stitched together a story (wink, wink) that immediately drew me in with its humor and warmth. Felix and Andrew’s differences, the way in which they related to each other and drew upon their conflicting ideals while succumbing to the irresistible pull of those differences, grew into a common and mutual urge to be what the other wanted and needed, and played perfectly against the other. They also learned, eventually, that wanting and needing don’t necessarily always go hand in hand, that wanting something doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good or right for you.
This was fun and flirty story that, at times, made me want to give Felix a good thwap on the head for not grabbing on to what was right in front of him, the connection that went beyond the physical, but it was his transformation that gave the biggest payoff in the end, as the artist goes through a bit of a renaissance himself, finally realizing the beauty of love can be captured with a look from the artist who observes things from a new and intimate perspective.
Reviewed By: Lisa
Look Who’s Stopping By To Warm Us Up, Just In Time For The Holidays
14 Dec 2011 8 Comments
in Chrissy Munder, Clare London, J.L. Merrow, Josephine Myles, Lou Harper, Pink Squirrel Press Tags: Chrissy Munder, Clare London, JL Merrow, Josephine Myles, Lou Harper, Pink Squirrel Press
Winter Warmers, just what are they, exactly? According to our good and trusted friend Wikipedia: “Winter warmer is a traditional malty-sweet English Strong Ale that is brewed in the winter months. It is usually quite dark, but not as dark as a stout, with a big malt presence. Sometimes, winter warmers have a few spices, especially in the United States, although spices are not necessarily a required ingredient in a Winter Warmer. The primary characteristic is strength; the average alcohol content by volume ranges from 6.0% to 8.0% ABV and some Winter Warmers reach 10% ABV or more.”
But how many of us really choose a mug of Ale to warm us up after a day spent out in the snow and cold? Here are some other warming options from the authors of Winter Warmers. A seasonal anthology from Lou Harper, Clare London, JL Merrow, Chrissy Munder, and Josephine Myles. Five stories of winter romance from Britain and the USA that are guaranteed to raise your temperature and soften your heart in time for the Holidays.
Josephine Myles: Sweet, dark, and with a bit of a kick, a Brandy Alexander is the perfect warm-me-up beverage for a chilly night.
Brandy Alexander
1 1/3 msr brandy
1 1/3 msr darke creme de cacao
1 1/3 msr double cream
Shake with ice and strain into a champagne saucer. Garnish with grated dark chocolate. Incredibly quick and easy to make, but it tastes absolutely delicious!
Chrissy Munder: The characters in Butterscotch Kisses, my story in the Winter Warmers anthology, mix together hot cocoa and butterscotch schnapps for a quick and wonderfully tasty beverage. Try it the next time you come in after sledding with the kids and make some hot cocoa. But to truly experience a Butterscotch Kiss, you need a few other ingredients:
Butterscotch Kiss
2 oz Everclear® alcohol
2 oz butterscotch schnapps
4 oz club soda
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well, strain into a collins glass half-filled with ice cubes, and serve.
Lou Harper: Cold and windy outside makes me reach for something warm and soothing inside. Try my favorite:
Hot Apple Cider
2 quarts of apple cider
10 whole cloves
1 orange, thinly sliced
1/3 cup of brown sugar packed
6 whole allspice
pinch of grated nutmeg
1 cup dark rum (can also use spiced rum)
4 cinnamon sticks
Combine ingredient in a large nonreactive pot. Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat. To really bring the flavors together, allow to simmer for at least half an hour before serving. Garnish with a slice of orange or a cinnamon stick.
It’s okay to keep the pot warm for hours – a crockpot is perfect for this purpose.
Clare London: I’m pitching in with Mulled Wine as it plays such an important role in “Lucky Dip” in Andy and Greg’s reconciliation!
As famous British chef Jamie Oliver says, “This is dead easy to make and tastes like Christmas in a glass. It’s a lovely celebration of those traditional festive spices like cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. If you’ve got your own favourite spices, then feel free to add those to the pot too. Let everything cook away and warm up gently so the flavours have time to mingle with the wine. I like to leave my mulled wine ticking over on a really low heat and just ladle some into glasses as and when guests pop in.” Jamie, I agree!
2 clementines
peel of 1 lemon
peel of 1 lime
250g caster sugar
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
3 fresh bay leaves
1 whole nutmeg
1 whole vanilla pod, halved
2 star anise
2 bottles of Chianti, or other Italian red wine
Peel large sections of peel from the clementines, lemon and lime.
Put the sugar in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the pieces of peel and squeeze in the clementine juice. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and about 10 to 12 gratings of nutmeg. Throw in the halved vanilla pod and stir in just enough red wine to cover the sugar.
Let this simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved into the red wine and then bring to the boil. Keep on a rolling boil for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until you’ve got a beautiful thick syrup. This creates a wonderful flavour base by really getting the sugar and spices to infuse and blend well with the wine. It’s important to make a syrup base first because the mixture needs to be quite hot, and if you do this with both bottles of wine in there you’ll burn off the alcohol.
When the syrup is ready, turn the heat down to low and add the star anise and both bottles of wine. Gently heat the wine and after around 5 minutes, when it’s warm and delicious, ladle it into glasses and serve.
JL Merrow: My favorite Winter Warmer has, without question, to be Glühwein. This is very similar to English mulled wine, but often has an extra kick, due to a dash of brandy or port. I have fond memories of a long winter’s weekend in Vienna, when the temperature fell to -15 degrees Celsius, snow was thick on the ground – and Glühwein was available everywhere. There’s nothing quite like it for giving you a wonderful, Christmassy glow…
Glühwein:
1 bottle of red wine. A good general rule is to use something full-bodied, but inexpensive – and if it’s really rough, just use more honey!
2 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces 1 – 2 inches each
12-16 whole cloves
1 orange
2 tablespoons clear honey
1 heaped teaspoon allspice
1 glass of water
Method
1. Put water in large pan and place over medium heat.
2. Add cinnamon, honey and allspice.
3. While honey is dissolving cut the orange into slices. Push cloves into each slice and add to the pan.
4. Pour in all the wine. Yes, all of it. You’ll get to drink it later…
5. Turn up the heat. DO NOT ALLOW TO BOIL – do you want to waste all that lovely alcohol? 
Let the spices infuse for 30 minutes (if you’re impatient) or an hour (if you’re a purist). I know, it’s a long time to wait. It’ll be worth it, trust me!
6. Taste it. If it’s not sweet enough, add some more honey or sugar. Now is the time to slosh in a dash of brandy or port, if you think it needs a little extra kick.
7. Spoon out into a heatproof glass or mug, leaving the oranges and cinnamon behind.
8. Enjoy!
9. Repeat as necessary. And yes, it’s necessary.
And, in honor of our publisher, Pink Squirrel Press, here’s an extra warmer for us all to try:
Pink Squirrel
1 1/2 msr white creme de cacao (dark will do, which makes a Dirty Squirrel)
1 1/2 msr amaretto
1 msr double cream
1/4 msr grenadine
Rim a champagne saucer with lemon and sugar. Shake with ice and strain into glass. Garnish with a cocktail cherry and flaked almonds sprinkled on top. Mmm… tasty and sophisticated looking!
What’s your favorite Winter Warmer? Alcoholic or otherwise? Raise your glass and pick up your copy of Winter Warmers: http://pinksquirrelpress.wordpress.com/winter-warmers/
Mulled wine. Butterscotch kisses. Hideous sweaters. Candy at the beach, or a trip to a sex shop in Amsterdam. And the man of your dreams, wrapped around you…
Winter warmers come in many shapes and sizes, from the tongue-in-cheek to the hot-as-hell. Enjoy a quintet of heart-warming tales of men loving men from Clare London, Chrissy Munder, JL Merrow, Josephine Myles, and Lou Harper that are guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face.
One thing’s for sure—it’s going to be a red-hot Christmas!
Lucky Dip by Clare London
Andy Jackson always knew that class 2C’s help in preparing for the annual Christmas Fair would be a mixed blessing. Then he’s paired up on the Lucky Dip with Greg, the man who dumped him but now can’t keep away, the pupils are either lecturing him on his lovelife or losing bladder control, and no one’s fixed the broken handle on the storage room. It may all be one whoopee cushion too far for him.
Butterscotch Kisses by Chrissy Munder
Matthew Morrison is determined to conquer his fear of heights and achieve a winning outcome. At least, that’s what the best-selling, self-help book he’s listening to promises. Being stuck on a three-story tower in the middle of a snowstorm wasn’t part of the plan. With no St. Bernard in sight, it’s Cute Ticket Guy Adam to the rescue, and an outcome Matthew never anticipated.
Wintertide by Lou Harper
May meets December when Jem and Oscar chance on each other at the Santa Monica Pier, only weeks before Christmas. The two men are separated by age, social status, and their taste in candy, yet if they are both naughty and nice, they might just find holiday cheer together.
When in Amsterdam… by Josephine Myles
Brandon is on his first visit to new boyfriend Jos’s home country, just in time for their Sinterklaas celebrations. But an unexpected detour into a sex shop leads Brandon to new discoveries about himself, and a whole new dynamic to their relationship. The weather may be cold and damp, but Brandon and Jos soon heat things up!
A Pint of Beer, a Bag of Chips, and Thou by JL Merrow
What’s the best gift a young man could get for Christmas? Mohawked saxophonist Liam wouldn’t have picked the hideous collection of knitwear he’s presented with by his mum and his aunties. He’d rather have the gorgeous older man he sees every day while busking at King’s Cross. But with a little Christmas magic in the air, maybe those garish garments are just the thing for attracting a silver fox…
Winter Warmers – Now available at your favorite eRetailer including:
Amazon.com / Amazon.co.uk / Smashwords / All Romance Ebooks
Boats in the Night by Josephine Myles
10 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
in Josephine Myles, Smashwords Tags: Josephine Myles, Smashwords
Title: Boats in the Night
Author: Josephine Myles
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 164 (.pdf)
Characters: Smutty, Giles
POV: 3rd Person
Sub-Genre: Contemporary Romance
Kisses: 5
Blurb:
Like two ships passing in the night—if one was a narrowboat and the other a luxury yacht.
Disgraced private school teacher Giles Rathbourne has been sent home on extended sick-leave and is stuck in a rut of obsessive housework and drinking. His ex may have been a snobbish bastard, but without him, Giles is adrift, rattling around his huge, lonely house. When a dreadlocked narrowboater’s engine breaks down at the end of his canal-side garden, Giles is furious at this invasion of his privacy—for a while.
Smutty might not have ever held down a proper job, but the fire-dancing, free-spirited traveller can recognise an opportunity for mutual benefit when he sees it. Giles’ extensive gardens are in as desperate need of attention as the upper-class hunk is himself, whereas Smutty knows a thing or two about plants and needs a place to moor up.
A simple business arrangement between two men who have nothing else in common? It would be—if they could keep their hands off each other!
Review:
All the charm and wit of Josephine Myles’ Barging In is back in Boats in the Night, an opposites attract story that touches on the world of narrowboating but at its essence is the story of two men who seemingly have very little in common, with the exception they’ve both been burnt in the past, making trust a bit difficult to come by.
Smutty and Giles couldn’t be more different—the dreadlocked boater with little to his name and the posh teacher with the comfortable financial portfolio—but a chance encounter when Giles is at his lowest, after a bitter break up, proves to be exactly what he needs to discover that love defies both explanation and expectation, and that sometimes finding the person you want to be with means having to let go of some preconceived notions about what you thought you’d always wanted and needed.
This is the story of two men who come to discover their pasts are more closely linked than they could ever have imagined, and find a connection to each other, one based on little more than the simple fact they’ve both found someone who doesn’t necessarily reflect who he is on the surface, but offers everything he didn’t even know he wanted until faced with the possibility of losing it.
Smutty and Giles are incredibly engaging characters who drew me into their world as I cheered them on, watched them connect, and proved that love truly is the great equalizer.
Reviewed By: Lisa
Winter Warmers an Anthology from Pink Squirrel Press
28 Nov 2011 1 Comment
in authors, Chrissy Munder, Clare London, J.L. Merrow, Josephine Myles, Lou Harper, Pink Squirrel Press Tags: Chrissy Munder, Clare London, JL Merrow, Josephine Myles, Lou Harper
Title: Winter Warmers
Author: Clare London, Chrissy Munder, Lou Harper, Josephine Myles, JL Merrow
Publisher: Pink Squirrel Press
Pages: 126
Sub-Genre: Anthology/ Contemporary Romance/Holiday Romance
Kisses: 4.5
Blurb:
Baby, it’s cold outside! Beat the chill with Winter Warmers – a seasonal anthology
Mulled wine. Butterscotch kisses. Hideous sweaters. Candy at the beach, or a trip to a sex shop in Amsterdam. And the man of your dreams, wrapped around you…
Winter warmers come in many shapes and sizes, from the tongue-in-cheek to the hot-as-hell. Enjoy a quintet of heart-warming tales of men loving men from Clare London, Chrissy Munder, JL Merrow, Josephine Myles, and Lou Harper that are guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face.
One thing’s for sure—it’s going to be a red-hot Christmas!
Review:
If there’s a time of year to allow oneself to believe in the promise of love and romance, it’s the holiday season, and these five contributing authors deliver that magic beautifully in Winter Warmers, a collection of short stories that range from poignant to comical to sexy to just a little bit kinky, but will surely make you believe there’s something special about this time of year.
Clare London delivers a “the one that got away” story in Lucky Dip, in which Greg must seek forgiveness from Andy, the man he so abruptly dumped. When a fortuitous accident throws the two men together, Greg learns that the true gift during this holiday season is the gift of a second chance.
Butterscotch Kisses by Chrissy Munder is the story of a man, Matthew, who tries valiantly to overcome his fear of heights but finds that his true conquest might just be Adam, the cute ticket guy at the toboggan run who wears the squirrely hats and comes to Matthew’s rescue.
Lou Harper’s Wintertide is the supremely touching story of a May/December romance between Oscar and Jem, a man who finds healing and redemption in the arms of a near perfect stranger, and discovers that letting go and moving on does not mean forgetting.
Josephine Myles delivers an oh-so-sexy story that leaves no doubt as to whether it’s possible to be both naughty and nice at Christmastime and still get everything you want. On holiday in Amsterdam to meet his boyfriend’s family, Brandon quickly learns that where Jos is concerned, taking charge and dominating his boy is better than anything Sinterklaas could leave in his stocking. After all, When in Amsterdam…
Rounding out the collection is JL Merrow’s A Pint of Beer, a Bag of Chips, and Thou, a wonderfully clever story told by Liam, a mohawked punk with more charm and wit than anyone has a right to have. He’s had his eye on the older man he sees every day at King’s Cross station, but can’t seem to catch the man’s eye. That is, until his well meaning mum and aunts decide to brew up a strategy guaranteed to add a little bit of color to his plumage. When he finally catches Neil’s eye, Liam learns the anticipation of unwrapping a gift is half the fun of the holidays.
If you’re in the mood for a yummy yuletide collection, Winter Warmers just might be the perfect holiday treat.
Reviewed By: Lisa
Last Chance (First Impressions #3) by Josephine Myles
05 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in Josephine Myles, Torquere Press Tags: Josephine Myles, Torquere Press
Title: Last Chance (First Impressions #3)
Author: Josephine Myles
Publisher: Torquere Press
Pages: 29
Characters: Steve Carter, Jez Smith
POV: 1st Person
Sub-Genre: Contemporary Romance
Kisses: 5
Blurb:
Finding the strength to face up to your past is much easier with the love of a good man.
Surly artist Jez can hardly believe his good fortune in ending up in domestic bliss with a warmhearted man like Steve, but one morning a letter arrives, stirring up old hurts. Jez finds it hard to believe Steve will still want him when he reveals his sorry history. Steve, however, is determined to prove that he loves Jez just the way he is — and he’ll even do it before he finishes knitting his first pair of socks…
Review:
Six months have passed since Jez Smith stopped fantasizing about what Steve Carter would look like wearing nothing but his dazzling array of psychedelic socks. He doesn’t have to use his imagination any longer; now he can see them in full living color because the two men who began as strangers on the train, commuting back and forth to work each day, are now in a committed relationship.
Theirs is a story of opposites attract—the dreadlocked artist, and the clean cut editorial assistant—and their partnership works beautifully, though Jez sees reason to question why Steve would choose to spend his life with a man whose past is not only painful but is threatening to open wounds that Jez would prefer remain sealed, his family history buried behind the walls he’s built around those memories. Jez’s past went a long way to shaping the man he’s become, though his present, namely Steve and the unconditional love and support he provides, have already begun to transform Jez into someone he never imagined he could be.
A family crisis throws Jez into a tailspin that threatens his relationship, as the two men begin to avoid each other to escape the tension building between them. This growing distance is the first test of their commitment to each other, and it’s a difficult one, but it’s one they will have to overcome and face together. There’s something kind of beautiful about the way their love works—even when Jez is unsure it will be enough, Steve is right there to believe sufficiently for the both of them until he can convince Jez what they have with each other, the love they share, is all he needs to trust in.
Overcoming the pain of words that left deep emotional scars, finding a way to forgive and to heal before it’s too late is a journey Steve and Jez make together. Love is a life changing experience for Jez, for the man who was always disagreeable and distant, who was uncomfortable with public displays of affection. All Jez needs, in the end, is to know that he belongs to Steve and Steve belongs to him, and that is more than enough to see them through.
Last Chance is an incredibly touching addition to this clever and deliciously sexy series. Jez is the absolute perfect narrator, as the reader is able to witness not only his own insecurities but is given a true insight into how remarkable Jez’s evolution truly is, and how significant it is that he is able to admit he needs someone as much as he needs Steve.
Two words, Josephine: more please.
Reviewed By: Lisa
Fuzzy (First Impressions #2) by Josephine Myles
05 Oct 2011 1 Comment
in Josephine Myles Tags: Josephine Myles
Title: Fuzzy (First Impressions #2)
Author: Josephine Myles
Publisher: Free Download From Author
Pages: 8
Characters: Steve Carter, Jez Smith
POV: 1st Person
Sub-Genre: Contemporary Romance
Kisses: 5
Blurb:
When sofas attack!
When Jez gets home early and discovers his incapacitated lover hiding something under the sofa cushions, he expects it to be porn, but what Steve’s really hiding is something both embarrassing and strangely sensuous!
Review:
If you’ve read and loved First Impressions, the short story that introduced readers to moody artist Jez Smith and buttoned-up editorial assistant Steve Carter, then you already know how the two men progressed from strangers to lovers.
Told from Jez’s point of view, he and Steve captured my attention—as well as my unwavering affection—in a story that highlighted how very mistaken we can be when making hasty judgments based solely upon appearances. Jez labored under some very misguided perceptions of the man who sat across from him on the train each day, a man who appeared to be little more than a work-a-holic cog in the white collar machine. It took a heaping helping of curiosity, mixed with a good dose of courage for Jez to take a chance on Steve, and the gamble paid off brilliantly for both of them.
Living together now, Jez continues to learn more each day about the man who stole his heart: Steve’s generosity and kindness, his seemingly effortless ability to wrap his surly lover around his little finger, but most of all, Jez learns his lover is a man of unexpected talents—talents that prove to be ever so pleasurable for both men.
This little snippet is such a sweet and sexy addition to the First Impressions series. Fuzzy adds just a touch more insight into the dynamic between these men who are truly opposites in appearance, in personality, but, in the end, are entirely compatible in the only way that counts—in their love for each other.
Reviewed By: Lisa
The Barging In Blog Tour With Josephine Myles!
22 Sep 2011 11 Comments
in authors, Josephine Myles, publishers, Samhain Publishing Tags: Josephine Myles, Samhain Publishing
Clothes maketh the man
I used to think I wasn’t all that interested in clothing, and I’ve certainly never been a slave to fashion, but when I started writing I realised how important it was when creating a character. I’m not talking about dressing up my heroes in sexy clothes to titillate the readers (although there’s nothing wrong with that!), but about how the clothes we choose to wear speak volumes about our attitude towards our appearance, and can signify all kinds of things we might not be aware of.
For instance, when writing Barging In, I knew I wanted to have Robin dressed as a typical boater. This means practical, sturdy clothing that doesn’t show the dirt. Big boots are a must, and it only takes a few days living beside a muddy towpath to realise that you need to tuck your trousers into your socks. Long jeans that trail on the ground might be fine for city wear, but out in the countryside they’re just a nuisance. As far as the top half goes, layering is essential. The British weather being unpredictable, combined with physical outdoor work, means you need to wear something you can easily take on or off (preferably off when we’re writing m/m romance!)
So, Robin’s typical clothing is big, lace-up boots, combat trousers, and layers of plain, long-sleeved t-shirts. When it’s really cold he’ll have a layer of red thermal underwear as well – mmm, sexy! Robin doesn’t care what he looks like – his only concern is practicality. He doesn’t have a washing machine and needs hardwearing clothes that don’t show the dirt, as well as keeping him the right temperature.
Dan, on the other hand, is a flirty Londoner and it’s his first time on a narrowboat holiday. His wardrobe might serve him well when out clubbing, but it’s woefully inadequate for the boating life and I took great joy in destroying it as the novel progressed. I mean, who wears white training shoes on the towpath in autumn? And those tight Levis were just begging to be smeared in mud and engine grease. His favourite designer T-shirt ended up being mauled by a cat, and his skimpy thong may have been sexy, but it didn’t insulate him against the damp chill of the canal. There is one scene when they take Robin’s boat for an early morning cruise, and it’s so cold Dan finally caves in and borrows some of Robin’s thermals, as well as a knitted orange woollen hat with earflaps. Dan doesn’t stay in his borrowed clothing for long, though.
Excerpt:
“Mmm…” Robin nuzzled into Dan’s neck, the thought of him in tight swimming trunks having an effect that made his own clothing suddenly feel about three sizes too small. “You do have a thing for skimpy undies, don’t you?”
“You got a problem with that, Mr. Thermal Long-Johns?” Dan wiggled his arse as he spoke, grinding back against Robin’s erection.
Robin groaned, acutely aware of Dan’s naked chest against his arms. The clean scent of cedarwood shower gel mingled with Dan’s underlying sweetness and wrapped itself around him. Funny thing was, he really didn’t find Dan’s taste in underwear as ridiculous as he had a couple of days ago. Somehow, those thongs were just right for Dan, and that made them all right for Robin too—so long as he didn’t have to wear them himself.
“Nope, no problem. Think you look better out of them, though.” As he spoke, his hands began wandering, one rising to pinch Dan’s nipple while the other reached down to find a tempting bulge. Dan moaned, arching back and pushing against his hand. He palmed Dan’s half-hard cock through the denim, then slipped his hand beneath the waistband. Dan was naked underneath.
“What happened to the thermals?”
“Took ’em off, didn’t I? I was bloody roasting in here. Besides, they’re not exactly sexy, are they?”
“Hey! I’m still wearing mine.” It was no wonder he was so hot and sweaty. He didn’t stand a chance of keeping cool between those and the gorgeous, half-naked man in his arms.
“Yeah, well, you could make an old sack look hot. Some of us aren’t so blessed.”
Robin blushed. “You’re the sexiest man I’ve ever met,” he mumbled into Dan’s neck.
“Mmm, you’re just saying that ’cause you want to get into my pants.”
“I already am.”
***
Yes, dressing your characters is great fun… but undressing them is even more exciting!
Barging In blurb:
When the boat’s a rockin’, don’t come knockin’!
Out-and-proud travel writer Dan Taylor can’t steer a boat to save his life, but that doesn’t stop him from accepting an assignment to write up a narrowboat holiday. Instead of a change of pace from city life, though, the canal seems dull as ditchwater. Until he crashes into the boat of a half-naked, tattooed, pierced man whose rugged, penniless appearance is at odds with a posh accent.
Still smarting from past betrayal, Robin Hamilton’s “closet” is his narrowboat, his refuge from outrageous, provocative men like Dan. Yet he can’t seem to stop himself from rescuing the hopelessly out-of-place city boy from one scrape after another. Until he finds himself giving in to reluctant attraction, even considering a brief, harmless fling.
After all, in less than a week, Dan’s going back to his London diet of casual hook-ups and friends with benefits.
Determined not to fall in love, both men dive into one week of indulgence…only to find themselves drawn deep into an undertow of escalating intimacy and emotional intensity. Troubled waters neither of them expected…or wanted.
Product Warnings:
Contains one lovable tart, one posh boy gone feral, rough sex, alfresco sex, vile strawberry flavoured condoms, intimate body piercings, red thermal long-johns, erotic woodchopping, an errant cat, a few colourful characters you wouldn’t touch with a bargepole, and plenty of messing about on the river.
Available now from Amazon and Samhain.
Author bio:
English through and through, Josephine Myles is addicted to tea and busy cultivating a reputation for eccentricity. She writes gay erotica and romance, but finds the erotica keeps cuddling up to the romance, and the romance keeps corrupting the erotica. She blames her rebellious muse but he never listens to her anyway, no matter how much she threatens him with a big stick. She’s beginning to suspect he enjoys it.
Visit Jo’s website for more about her published work, saucy free reads and regular blog posts.
COMMENT TO WIN: All comments during the Barging In blog tour will be entered into a prize draw for a 10″x7″ signed and mounted print of my photograph of the Kennet and Avon canal, near Bath – as used on the cover of Barging In! What’s more, the stretch of canal shown here is the very part where Dan first crashes into Robin – ah, happy memories!
The more comments you leave, the more chances to win. Please remember to leave your email address in the body of the comment so I can get in touch with you. I’ll make the draw on 2nd October, 9pm GMT, so you have until then to leave your comments. 
Barging In by Josephine Myles
20 Sep 2011 3 Comments
in Josephine Myles, Samhain Publishing Tags: Barging In, Josephine Myles
Title: Barging In
Author: Josephine Myles
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Pages: 219 (.pdf)
Characters: Dan Taylor, Robin Hamilton
POV: 3rd person
Setting: Bath, England
Sub-Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Rating: 4
Kisses: 5
Blurb:
When the boat’s a rockin’, don’t come knockin’!
Out-and-proud travel writer Dan Taylor can’t steer a boat to save his life, but that doesn’t stop him from accepting an assignment to write up a narrowboat holiday. Instead of a change of pace from city life, though, the canal seems dull as ditchwater. Until he crashes into the boat of a half-naked, tattooed, pierced man whose rugged, penniless appearance is at odds with a posh accent.
Still smarting from past betrayal, Robin Hamilton’s “closet” is his narrowboat, his refuge from outrageous, provocative men like Dan. Yet he can’t seem to stop himself from rescuing the hopelessly out-of-place city boy from one scrape after another. Until he finds himself giving in to reluctant attraction, even considering a brief, harmless fling.
After all, in less than a week, Dan’s going back to his London diet of casual hook-ups and friends with benefits.
Determined not to fall in love, both men dive into one week of indulgence…only to find themselves drawn deep into an undertow of escalating intimacy and emotional intensity. Troubled waters neither of them expected…or wanted.
Warning: Contains one lovable tart, one posh boy gone feral, rough sex, alfresco sex, vile strawberry flavoured condoms, intimate body piercings, red thermal long-johns, erotic woodchopping, an errant cat, a few colourful characters you wouldn’t touch with a bargepole, and plenty of messing about on the river.
Review:
Prepare yourself to be thoroughly charmed by Barging In, Josephine Myles clever, romantic, and entirely wonderful journey into the world of the boating folk whose lives are lived upon the waterways of England. The river culture, that uniquely diverse society, is peopled by an interesting and lovable array of characters who’ll make you want nothing more than to hire a narrowboat and float off on your own romantic adventure.
Though he may not look the part, Robin Hamilton is a son of privilege, but he’s bookmarked that chapter in his life in favor of writing a future very different from his past, living by simple means on his boat Serendipity, earning a living by way of his talent for carpentry, taking various odd jobs when necessary. Robin is a man whose past, in spite of his posh upbringing, has left its mark. Robin’s one and only relationship with another man was a tragic failure that scarred him deeply, leaving him damaged and souring him on the mere idea of becoming involved with another man.
The problem with denial, of begrudging oneself of something craved, is that it creates a deeper more desperate temptation to indulge and satisfy that craving. Oscar Wilde once said the only way to avoid temptation was to yield to it, and that couldn’t be more true for Robin when Dan Taylor comes barging into his life, quite literally. Serendipity, indeed.
Dan is a travel writer, out and proud, who finds pleasure anywhere he can find it. Brash, bold, cheeky, confident, and utterly irresistible, Dan’s a bit of a dog when it comes to sniffing out men and sex. Any port in a storm? It seems to work for Dan but goes against the tide for Robin, who has an impossible time reconciling his attraction to a man who is the antithesis of everything Robin wants or needs or, for that matter, finds at all appealing.
But if there’s one thing Dan Taylor is, it’s persistent. Part of the fun of the hunt is the pursuit, and Dan eventually always catches his prey. Of course, it helps a little when the prey’s defenses are worn down by his attractive pursuer; though by no means is Dan and Robin’s flirtation with something that looks and feels a whole lot like love, an easy one—their lives are tipped sideways in a matter of moments. Dan’s nonchalance and insistence that theirs is nothing more than a short term fling, coupled with Robin’s surly resistance, provides for plenty of conflict and tension throughout the story. It all boils down to a fantastic and fun journey to love for two men I fell for, instantly and joyfully.
What is a man to do when the path of his life is mapped out precisely as he wants it, only to have someone come along and draw new lines that diverge and detour the plans? Does he follow, or does he insist upon remaining on course, even if it means sacrificing his own happiness?
What is a man to do when he’s spent his entire life molding himself into the person he wants to be, only to find out he didn’t know himself altogether well at all. Or perhaps he did, but then he met someone who made him want to change into the sort of man he was simply too scared to be?
It all boils down to faith and trust—in yourself and in the person who holds your heart despite every effort you’ve made to keep it safeguarded. Faith, trust, and love are those slippery slopes we all navigate, through conflict, through heartbreak, through mistakes and missteps, until we give ourselves permission to grab on tightly for the sake of our own happiness.
Barging In is a book I could read over and over again. Josephine Myles has populated it with loveable heroes, introduced a unique and colorful setting, and infused it with incredible energy and humor. This is a book that just might leave you cheering, and will most certainly reinforce your belief in the power of love.
Reviewed By: Lisa
