Release Blitz & Giveaway: The Perfect Whore by Josephine Myles

Universal Buy Link

Cover Design: Lou Harper

Length: 58,000 words approx

Blurb

Being the object of everyone’s sexual fantasies ain’t all it’s cracked up to be…

On a mining colony planet a long way from Earth, bandit Jedd Lightning dreams of making enough money to get his ship space worthy again. During a robbery at a high-class brothel, he meets gorgeous alien rentboy Storm and is instantly smitten—but the heist goes south and Jedd has to high-tail it out of there with only half the loot.

Enslaved by a fierce Madam, Storm’s shapeshifting talents make him the most sought after whore on Talmak. He literally can’t stop himself becoming his client’s fantasy lover. Sick of enforced transformations, he wants to escape, but he’s closely guarded and has no experience of the unfamiliar city outside the brothel.

Storm is willing—and eager—to do anything to persuade Jedd to break him out of his gilded prison. Lucky for him the arrogant outlaw needs Storm’s help to free his crewmate, held as hostage by a vicious mob boss who wants Jedd to complete the theft he was hired for. Storm keeps blowing away Jedd’s expectations—but with both the law and the mob against them, they could end up with nowhere left to run.

Excerpt

“Stick ’em up, people. This is a raid. I want all your valuables, right now…” The last words trailed away as Jedd took a really good look at the naked, sweaty couple on the bed. His target, the Right Honorable Senator Artaxico Thrublet, was on his knees behind one of the most gorgeous bodies Jedd had ever clapped eyes on.

A body on hands and knees. A most decidedly human and male body…
Shit, had he gotten the wrong room? Jedd squinted at the client, trying to work out if it really was the senator. He was definitely Talmaki, with his lizard-like body, orange, hairless skin and bulging eyes . But no, he’d studied footage of Artaxico and recognized his large nose and the ridiculous looking rows of diamond studs up both his pointed ears.

“Hold on, just let me finish. Uh!” Artaxico shuddered to a stop, his belly wobbling as he panted obscenely. Jedd winced at the sight. He knew interspecies mating went on—everyone had heard the tales—but intellectual knowledge wasn’t the same thing as having it thrust in your face. Talmaki just weren’t his idea of sexy.

Okay, there had been that one time he’d got drunk enough for a fumble in an alleyway, but the alien’s cock had been kind of scary, and things hadn’t got very far. But maybe the gorgeous young whore was used to those luminous, scaly shafts of meat. Maybe he even enjoyed them. 

Was he enjoying Talmaki cock right now? He was certainly hard enough.
Right now Jedd couldn’t see the expression on the whore’s face as it was buried in the mattress, but maybe that was for the best. There was no way he could be handsome enough to do that incredible body justice. 

No wonder the senator had decided to try him as a change from the celebrated Divine. The rentboy moaned through his own orgasm, just moments after the senator, and drenched the sheets below him in spunk.

Artaxico withdrew, revealing an intimidating length of glowing scarlet cock, then collapsed back onto the bed. He reached out to pat a perfectly formed buttock. “Run along now, sthweetie. I wouldn’t want you to get caught up in any of this nasty business.” 

The lad scooted down to the end of the bed facing Jedd, exposing an equally impressive prick which was filling up again in what must be a record-breaking time.

And as for his face… Suns above! Those were lips Jedd would give anything to see stretched around his dick. But no, he had a job to do, and he wasn’t about to get sidetracked by some hyper-sexed rentboy, no matter how astoundingly gorgeous he was.

“The boy stays,” Jedd ordered. Artaxico gave him a puzzled look, but Jedd pressed on. “I want your datapod and passcode, now!”

“Not a chance in hell. That passcode is top level sthecurity,” Artaxico lisped. “I really don’t imagine there’s anything an ignorant monkey like you could do that could force me to sthpeak.”

Okay, just as he’d feared, but Jedd had his back-up plan. “Oh yeah?” Jedd strode over to the bed and grabbed the lithe young man under the arm. There was a brief moment where he was distracted by the sensation of naked skin against his own, but he couldn’t afford to lose any time so he pulled the whore upright, holding the charge gun to his temple.

“Your strumpet gets it if you don’t talk. And don’t think this is a bluff. I never bluff.” He pulled the lad tighter to him for emphasis, but this had the unfortunate effect of bringing more of his own body in contact with those taut muscles, and his face even closer to the thatch of chestnut curls.

His nose was on a level with the top of the whore’s head, and he pulled in a lungful of the most divine, arousing musk. Feeling a familiar tightening in his pants where he brushed up against those pert buttocks, Jedd cursed his over-active libido. “I’m warning you! The code, now!”

Artaxico just laughed, a mocking bray that wound Jedd up worse than finding a firebug had crawled into his beer. “Utter nonsense! I’ve stheen killers before – by the sthuns, I employ enough of them, and you really don’t have that look in your eyes. You’re just an overgrown wassat, aren’t you?” The senator twitched his nose in a near perfect imitation of one of the pesky rodents.

Jedd fumed. First a monkey, now a wassat. He turned the gun on the senator. “Okay then, if you don’t give me that passcode this instant, you get it. I mean it!”

“Like you’ll ever be able to get it off me if I’m dead. Does that antique piece of crap even have the power to kill? Looks more like something my wife would carry to stun any overconfident admirers.”

Goddammit, how could the man tell? Jedd waved the gun as threateningly as he could. “You willing to take that risk?”

Artaxico laughed again, getting up to his feet. “What risk? There’s security everywhere in this place, you know? I’m just going to stroll out of here and call the guards, and you’re not going to do a thing to stop me.”

Oh, wasn’t he? Jedd aimed at Artaxico’s head and pulled the trigger. “Ha! Not so clever now, are you?”

“Is he going to be all right? That was just a stun, wasn’t it? “ The godlike young man had a voice to match his physique—a rich and sultry baritone that rumbled against Jedd’s breastbone.

The senator snored before Jedd had a chance to answer, and the lad melted back against him, sighing with what sounded like relief. Their close contact made a certain part of Jedd’s body grow stiffer while the rest seemed to want to melt into a puddle.

Would the rentboy mind sneaking in a quickie? Jedd would even pay if he had to, the lad was that gorgeous. Or would the stun charge have set off the internal alarm system? Probably best not to risk dawdling too long.

Still, seemed a shame to waste a moment like this now that Artaxico was unable to interfere. Jedd loosened his hold and let the young man turn in his arms. Holy fuck, Jedd could feel the whore’s massive erection prodding his thigh.

He took a deep breath, forced it out. Focus. Not here. Not now. Just gather information. “Captain Jedd Lightning, at your service. And who might you be, gorgeous creature?”

The man chuckled, stepping away from him and turning to fix him with a pair of intensely soulful deep green eyes. “My working name’s Divine, but you can call me Storm.”

“Divine? But… You’re meant to be a girl!” Jedd spluttered.

The young man gave a maddening, secretive smile. “Divine can be whoever you want, Captain. Divine is simply the title of your ideal lover.”

“So they swap you around depending on what the johns want? There are other Divines?”

“Something like that. But please, call me Storm.” A plaintive note sounded in his voice and his lower lip jutted in an almost-pout. “No one ever does these days.”

Storm. It suited him, as there was a wildness in those eyes that Jedd thought he recognized, something he glimpsed in his own reflection every morning. Focusing on Storm’s eyes proved a challenge, though, when there was all that naked flesh to feast his gaze on.

Smooth, bronzed skin, with just enough hair between those dark nipples to make him want to run his fingers through it. Jedd’s gaze followed the trail down all the way to the most majestic cock he’d ever seen. It reached up invitingly, as if seeking Jedd’s hand.

“You have quite an imagination, don’t you?” Storm said, staring down at himself as if in fascination.

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.

Joís novel Stuff won the 2014 Rainbow Award for Best Bisexual Romance, and her novella Merry Gentlemen won the 2014 Rainbow Award for Best Gay Romantic Comedy. She loves to be busy, and is currently having fun trying to work out how she is going to fit in her love of writing, dressmaking and attending cabaret shows in fabulous clothing around the demands of a preteen with special needs, an incessantly curious pre-schooler, and a bun in the oven!

Website and blog: josephinemyles.com/
Facebook: facebook.com/josephine.myles.author
Twitter: @JosephineMyles
Newsletter: eepurl.com/hrQ4s
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=8383406

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Review: Junk by Josephine Myles

Junk by Josephine Myles
Samhain Publishing
Novel: 350pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
Letting go is the first step to healing…or bringing it all crashing down.

When an avalanche of books cuts off access to his living room, university librarian Jasper Richardson can no longer ignore the truth. His ever-growing piles of books, magazines and newspapers can no longer be classified as a “collection”. It’s a hoard, and he needs professional help.

Professional clutter clearer and counselor Lewis Miller thinks he’s seen it all, but even he has to admit he’s shocked. Not so much by the state of Jasper’s house, but by the level of attraction he still feels for the sexy bookworm he remembers from school.

What a shame that Lewis’s ethical code forbids relationships with clients. As Jasper makes slow but steady progress, though, the magnetic pull between them is so strong even Lewis is having trouble convincing himself it’s a temporary emotional attachment arising from the therapeutic process.

Jasper longs to prove to Lewis that this is the real deal. But first he’ll have to lay bare the root of his hoarding problem…and reveal the dark secret hidden behind his walls of books.

Review
Jasper Richardson is a librarian and just overall cuddly geek. He goes to work comes homes and does the odd hook up via internet. He doesn't have much of a social and that is mostly in part to the fact that he's hoarder whose life is completely taken over by books. Every room in his home is occupied by books, some rooms he can't access and others there is barely room for him to get in or out of the house. Jasper is embarrassed, he's at his wits end and maybe he's finally in a place to ask for help. He decides on a local professional clutter clearing agency and hope that he can finally get his life order.

Clutter clearer and counsellor Lewis knows he and his sister have their hands full when he sees Jasper house for the first time. Jasper thinks that all the information in books is somehow important and he keeps bringing more stuff home and his home is death trap. Just one wrong move and all those books could start tumbling down on the man he finds so incredibly adorable. The upside is that Jasper is willing to make changes but there is more to Jasper than his hoarding dealing with some underlying emotional issues.

Jasper and Lewis's relationship starts as client/counsellor but it’s very clear their attraction for each other. Lewis is trying to do the right thing and keep it only professional but Jasper isn't having any of that and want more than a working relationship. Of course there are all types of thing that could go wrong and the author does tackle them so them finally coming together is legit. Lewis gives Jasper a few months to make sure his feelings are legit and that he can stand on his own but I kept thinking "Jasper is a grown ass man Lewis. He's a hoarder not a man suffering from being a man-child". Then he becomes all contradictory and moves into Jasper house (said he wasn't gonna do that anymore) which totally irked me. I feel like they could have been partners but Jasper needed to be in his home alone for a bit. I get that the love is strong but I'm not on board with the whole moving in thing.

The writing is amazing like all Jo Myles are but I'm not in love with this one. One thing I did love was seeing Brandon and Jos from When in Amsterdam and they're still freaking awesome. I liked Lewis and really liked Jasper and did enjoy them together but overall I wasn't wowed.

Should You Read It? Of course, Josephine Myles is always a must read for me in everything. While Junk did not make it as a fave for me, it’s still a pretty amazing story about a man finding his happy end and finally breathing.

4 Pants Off

DarienMoya

Guest Post & Giveaway: On losing my series-writing virginity by Josephine Myles

~I am super excited to have Jo Myles on the blog today, it's always such a pleasure when she stops by. Be sure to leave a comment along with your email to win a great prize.~

Hello, my name is Jo Myles, and I’m a series writing virgin.


Oh, okay, I’m not really that innocent when it comes to the wicked allure of series. I already have a series of three short stories (The First Impressions books) and a Screwing the System short to my name, but so far, despite having been writing full-time for over two years, I don’t yet have a proper series of novels or novellas out there. That’s made me feel like a bit of an outcast among other writers in the m/m romance genre, all of whom seem to have at least one series under their belts. That’s all about to change, though, as I publish Junk, the first novel in The Bristol Collection.

First of all, though, I’d like to just make clear the difference between romance sequels and a series, as I’m using them here. To me a true sequel must pick up on the story of the main couple in the first book. In other words, you have to mess with their HEA in order to have enough conflict for another plot. To my mind, this only really works well when the first story left them at a point where their HEA was shaky, or when the romance plot is secondary to another plot, like a murder mystery. Jordan Castillo Price’s PsyCop series is an excellent example of both of these. Vic is still growing as a character, and there’s not only a new mystery in each book, but there’s also a huge amount of mysterious back-story left to unearth.

A romance series, on the other hand, is a simpler prospect. In this the books need to be linked—perhaps by setting like the Riptide Tucker Springs novels—but you can have a new cast of characters in each book. KA Mitchell is a master of this kind of series, picking up minor characters from the first book and giving their story in the next one, and I'm loving the Bad in Baltimore series in particular. I really enjoy the way this kind of series can also give us a glimpse of characters we loved from the earlier books as they now take their turn to be supporting characters in subsequent stories.

So what I’m embarking on is a series in this sense of the word. It’s something I’ve often pondered before, when minor characters have grabbed my attention and suggested they might like to have their own book. For instance, Tristan from Barging In, Dylan from The Hot Floor and Nasher from Screwing the System. So what’s stopped me so far? And just what makes Mas from Junk different?

I think what’s stopped me so far is not only the fact I have so many new ideas clamouring to be written, but it’s that I prefer series to be linked by more than simply a setting—for me the books need to have a similar theme and heat level. Tristan’s story would be a BDSM one, so it wouldn’t sit comfortably in series with Barging In, which isn’t all that kinky. I have the opposite problem when considering a follow-up to Screwing the System, as I’m not sure Nasher would really be into BDSM. And since The Hot Floor is a ménage romance, I’d want the sequel to at least contain one threesome encounter, but I’m just not sure if that would work with the partner I have in mind for Dylan.

Junk, however, doesn’t have any of these issues. Okay, so Mas’s story is turning out to be a little hotter than the first in the series (which is no bad thing, to my mind), but there are no threesomes or serious kink to contend with. And already I have ideas for the third book in the series, and am looking forward to introducing one of the characters from that one as a supporting character in Stuff.

I do find myself wondering if the reason I have the confidence to start this series is because I’d already used two characters from another story as side characters in Junk. Brandon and Jos, Lewis’s friends, first appeared in a very kinky short story in the Winter Warmers anthology. I hadn’t planned to use them in Junk, but when I began writing a scene where Lewis went to meet his friends I realised I’d have to come up with someone both interesting and plausible as a friend of the very straight-laced Lewis. It would have to be someone idealistic with a strong social conscience, and Brandon instantly sprang to mind. What’s more, he already lived in Bristol so it wasn’t like I even had to relocate him. Perfect!

It’s more than just characters and setting linking the stories in The Bristol Collection, though. All books will deal to some degree with our attitude towards possessions, and what happens when we accumulate so many of them they start to cause problems. Not all the heroes will be major hoarders like Jasper, but they’ll all have cluttered homes, as it’s a topic I find fascinating. Of course, the exact nature of the sorts of things they collect and the impact this has on their lives will differ with each book. In Stuff, Mas’s love interest is a collector of vintage clothing and machinery, and I’m thoroughly enjoying immersing myself in his fictional shop of curios. The rest of you will have to wait till May 2014 to take a visit there, though!

Readers, do you enjoy a good series or are you more into standalone stories? Any favourite series you want to share with the rest of us?

Prize giveaway: In addition to the grand prize of a sexy book tote (entry details on Jo's website) there will be a $5 ebook gift voucher awarded to one commenter from every post during the tour, up to Monday 9th September, 9am GMT (full details also on Jo's website, including the blog tour itinerary)


Junk

Letting go is the first step to healing…or bringing it all crashing down.

When an avalanche of books cuts off access to his living room, university librarian Jasper Richardson can no longer ignore the truth. His ever-growing piles of books, magazines and newspapers can no longer be classified as a “collection”. It’s a hoard, and he needs professional help.

Professional clutter clearer and counselor Lewis Miller thinks he’s seen it all, but even he has to admit he’s shocked. Not so much by the state of Jasper’s house, but by the level of attraction he still feels for the sexy bookworm he remembers from school.

What a shame that Lewis’s ethical code forbids relationships with clients. As Jasper makes slow but steady progress, though, the magnetic pull between them is so strong even Lewis is having trouble convincing himself it’s a temporary emotional attachment arising from the therapeutic process.

Jasper longs to prove to Lewis that this is the real deal. But first he’ll have to lay bare the root of his hoarding problem…and reveal the dark secret hidden behind his walls of books.

Warning: Contains a level-headed counselor with a secret addiction, a bespectacled geek with a sweet tooth, a killer “to-be-read” pile, embarrassing parents, a van called Alice, and deliciously British slang.

Junk is out now, available from the following retailers: Kindle US | Kindle UK | Nook | Samhain


About the author:
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.

For more information about Jo’s published stories, regular blog posts and saucy free reads, visit JosephineMyles.com Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/josephine.myles.authorpage Twitter:http://twitter.com/JosephineMyles
Newsletter signup: http://eepurl.com/hrQ4s

Guest Post & Giveaway with Josephine Myles

"If it pleases you, Master." What makes a good submissive? - a guest post by Josephine Myles

Eyes to the ground, Bitch!

 I'll admit it: there once was a time when I thought submissives were weak. I couldn't understand why anyone would want to be dominated by someone else, and in particular my feminist hackles were raised by the idea of women submitting to men. To me, it looked as if Dominants had it all: the control, the power and most of all, the pleasure.

However, over time and with increasing knowledge of what really happens in a D/s power exchange, I've come to realise that submission is not something for the weak-willed. Indeed, I have a great respect for the people who hand over control and power to someone else for a short while (or perhaps longer if you want to live it 24/7). It's not an easy thing to do and it takes great trust and honesty, along with a willingness to face your fears. Submissives aren't drippy walkovers, they're tough cookies.

The thing that came as a real shock, though, was the dawning realisation that when BDSM is working properly (safe, sane and consensual), it's actually the submissive who is the one getting the best deal. They're the ones being given pleasure (even if it sometimes looks like pain to an outsider). They're the ones who can lose themselves in the moment, truly alive in their bodies. And what's more, they're the ones who can end it all with a single word if they need to.

However, despite the hedonistic pleasures of submission, there are a few duties a good submissive should always bear in mind.

Honesty - because if there's one thing a dominant needs in order to plan properly, it's a comprehensive knowledge of what makes their submissive tick, both in terms of turn ons and turn offs.

Obeying orders - preferably quickly and without question... unless they happen to be teamed up with a Dominant who enjoys a Smart-Arsed-Masochist. I like to think Alasdair in Screwing the System is one of these Doms, and writing his interaction with Cosmo was always a huge amount of fun.

Accepting domination - (within pre-agreed limits) whether this means being tied up, hurt or used in all manner of degrading and delightful ways. Giant dildos optional.

Pleasing their Dominant - by maintaining good health and flexibility, and gaining new skills to please such as learning positions and mastering massage techniques. This might also include dressing in certain ways, and having body modifications like tattoos and piercings.

I have to admit, I still have a few difficulties wrapping my head around why somebody would want to go for a total power exchange relationship and live as a slave, 24/7, but I now know that by doing so, they're gaining great satisfaction and fulfilling a deep psychological need. I know I would never want to do anything like that myself, but I no longer find the idea creepy like I used to. I can see that rather than the owner getting all the benefits, they are in fact totally responsible for the well-being of their slave and that's a huge burden, not to be taken lightly.

Although it does mean you'd never have to do a chore you didn't want to do ever again. Right, I think I need a slave. Preferably one who enjoys vacuuming in the nude. Any takers? ;)

What do you think is the most important quality for a submissive to have? And if you had your own personal slave, what fiendish tasks would you set them?

Comment to win! Jo is offering a choice of a book from her backlist to one lucky commenter on this post, and all commenters throughout the blog tour will also be entered into a draw for the grand prize of a handmade suede flogger, to be announced on 25^th February.

Also, watch out for the follow-up short story, Screw the Fags. To be available as a free download from Smashwords and All Romance eBooks this week!

Screwing the System

 He’s nobody’s bitch. Until he gets a ride on the bitch seat.


Forced to apply for a job he doesn’t want, Cosmo Rawlins has only one aim in mind: fail the interview and get back to making music. Except his attempt to shock the older, sharp-suited Alasdair Grant doesn’t have the desired effect.

 Instead of getting thrown out of the office by flaunting an interest in BDSM, Cosmo finds himself on his knees, apologizing to the sexy, good-looking Top.

 Alasdair has more important things on his mind than training a novice sub, especially a rebellious bad boy like Cosmo. But there’s something beneath the younger man’s defiant attitude that’s too intriguing to ignore.

 As Alasdair takes Cosmo in hand—and for a wild ride on his Harley—he becomes obsessed with bending the young rocker to his will, both in and out of bed. Until he goes one demand too far, and Cosmo is gone in a cloud of dust. Forcing Alasdair to admit that earning Cosmo’s loyalty—and love—will involve the toughest challenge he’s ever faced.

 Warning: This title contains an overbearing Top with a less-than-glamorous job, a rebellious brat who refuses to call him sir, and a total lack of high-end BDSM clubs or playrooms. Expect floggings over the kitchen table instead.

Screwing the System on Amazon.com

About the author:
 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.

 For more information about Jo’s published stories, regular blog posts and saucy free reads, visit JosephineMyles.com

 Photo credit: istolethetv via photopin cc

Review: Screwing The System by Josephine Myles

Screwing The System by Josephine Myles
Samhain Publishing
Novel: 280pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
He’s nobody’s bitch. Until he gets a ride on the bitch seat.

Forced to apply for a job he doesn’t want, Cosmo Rawlins has only one aim in mind: fail the interview and get back to making music. Except his attempt to shock the older, sharp-suited Alasdair Grant doesn’t have the desired effect.

Instead of getting thrown out of the office by flaunting an interest in BDSM, Cosmo finds himself on his knees, apologizing to the sexy, good-looking Top.

Alasdair has more important things on his mind than training a novice sub, especially a rebellious bad boy like Cosmo. But there’s something beneath the younger man’s defiant attitude that’s too intriguing to ignore.

As Alasdair takes Cosmo in hand—and for a wild ride on his Harley—he becomes obsessed with bending the young rocker to his will, both in and out of bed. Until he goes one demand too far, and Cosmo is gone in a cloud of dust. Forcing Alasdair to admit that earning Cosmo’s loyalty—and love—will involve the toughest challenge he’s ever faced.

Product Warnings
This title contains an overbearing Top with a less-than-glamorous job, a rebellious brat who refuses to call him sir, and a total lack of high-end BDSM clubs or playrooms. Expect floggings over the kitchen table instead.

Review:
Cosmo Rawlins has to do a job interview but that doesn't mean he's got to it well. Cosmo is a musician and he's not gonna waste his time on some job when he could be making music and doing things his way. He's got a plan to show up at the interview looking all dapper an interested, and then blow its shit up by being all surprising with rope burns around his wrists. Nothing like shocking the hell out of the corporate masses, but what Cosmo never expected was Alasdair Grant. The man is literally old enough to be his father, but he's sexy and commanding and Cosmo is finding that does something to his dick.

Alasdair is a self made man, who struggled from the bottom to rise to the top. He's made his living cleaning up after other people (literally), so he knows when to call bullshit. When Cosmos comes walking into his office, he thinks he's just another punk. The interview ends up in shambles but the attraction between the men is molten. Cosmo might not be getting a job in his company but he sure will get a chance in his bed. First things first, he's got to get the cheeky brat in order and a few spanking sounds like just the thing.

Screwing the System was fun to read and I am sucker for young guy gets poked by older dude. I liked the development of Cosmo and Alasdair relationships; they are so very different from each other which I find really highlighted their qualities. I loved Cosmo, cus he's a brat and really played into his age (a little dreamy without all the responsibilities). Then there's Alasdair who is stern, hardworking and doesn't really do bullshit and Cosmo walks in and knocks him on his ass. They clash pretty much on everything, but their willingness to compromise is what made their relationship work.

The blurb does a wonderful job of telling you what to expect from the story, and it pretty much delivered it all. Yet, I feel like something was missing. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, like it needed something really angst ridden and emotional. I know it’s a feel good romance with a side of kink, but I wanted just a little bit more. Regardless, it’s still an awesome read with wonderful characters, and the diversity fans of Jo Myles have come to expect. The kink side of things is very light, some bondage, and awesmazing spanking.

I don't talk much about secondary characters, but Nasher, Cosmo's best-friend and band mate really captured my heart. He doesn't get a lot of scene time but the little that he did really did a number on me. I want him to find his own love, because I really got the sad feels from him and low self-esteem. I want him to shine!

Should You Read It? It's a Jo Myles, so like yeh go read it. Cosmo and Alasdair will bring a smile to your day, and heat things up in your pants. I will read any and everything written by Josephine Myles, because she is just that good.

4 Pants Off

Guest Post & Giveaway: The Yin to his Yang by Josephine Myles & JL Merrow

I am so excited to have Josephine Myles and JL Merrow on the blog today. You can check out my reviews for their latest releases, The Hot Floor and Pressure Head.

Why opposites attract.

Josephine Myles: I remember once reading a blog post where the author complained about there being too many opposites attract romances out there, and how it wasn’t realistic as successful couples in real life tend to have more in common than that.

 I’ll admit that blogger probably had a valid point, but let’s face it, whose real life relationship would provide enough sexy conflict to fill the pages of a romance novel? No, there’s no need to answer that in detail ;)

 I’m a huge fan of the opposites attract romance, because to me it’s a strong foundation for a character-driven story. If you have big conflicts of personality and lifestyle (and they have to be big, not merely cosmetic) then you have huge amounts to work with. You can just put your two characters in a situation, sit back and watch the sparks fly. Of course, you do have to cross your fingers and hope they’ll be sexy sparks rather than the third degree burns kind.

 What about you, Jamie? Do you think pairing opposites is too contrived? Too much like something that happens in a book rather than real life? And if so, is there anything wrong with that?

JL Merrow (Jamie): I think like most things in life, what it comes down to is this: everyone’s different. Yes, there are couples who seem more like clones - but there are also those who find love by complementing each other, rather than by having absolutely everything in common. And I know which I’d rather read about! A pet hate of mine is romances where I have to struggle to remember which guy is which. I’d much rather see two very different guys work to find the common ground they can meet on.

 Even if I didn’t believe opposites attract in real life, I’d still like to read about them. Although obviously there has to be believability, I don’t accept that books have to be exactly like real life. Think about all the conversations you might have in a day - then imagine writing them, word for word, in a book. If you’re anything like me, they’d likely be full of repetition, mis-hearings, and honestly, not that riveting to a reader. The primary purpose of writing is to entertain, and it can’t do that by being boring.

I think my favourite mis-matched couple of yours is the one from Boats in the Night: Giles and Smutty. Uptight alcoholic posh boy v. teetotal hippy firedancer. Do you have a favourite fictional odd couple yourself? (and no, it doesn’t have to be one of mine!)

 Jo: But what if my favourites are your characters?! I adore the pairing of large, tattooed and uneducated Al with diminutive professor Larry in Muscling Through--you couldn’t find two more different men, yet they work together so well! I’m also a huge fan of K.A. Mitchell’s mismatched couples, and out of her back catalogue, I would probably vote for Mason and Jon in Life Over Easy.


I have to admit, my whole character planning process revolves around finding opposing characteristics for my two leads, as well as a few areas where they will mesh perfectly. This method proved to be a real challenge when planning The Hot Floor, as how do you create three sets of opposites? I originally intended Josh to be a much more confident, tarty kind of fella, but the moment I started writing I realised that he wasn’t that way at all--that was Rai. Or at least, that was how Rai appears to be, when you don’t know him all that well.

I also had fun creating opposing physical characteristics: tall, skinny and blond Josh; lithe, compact and Asian Rai; and enormous, muscular, bald Evan. You really couldn’t mix those three up! Just as you don’t want your two leads to be too similar in character, it’s confusing if they look alike too.

What about Tom and Phil in Pressure Head: were their opposing characteristics a result of planning or simply the characters forcing you to write them that way?

Jamie: As you can guess, the guys in Muscling Through were deliberately opposites, but it wasn’t quite the same thing with Pressure Head. Tom, my narrator, was pretty much his charming, cheeky self from the word go; Phil needed a few rough edges knocked off him, but is still basically the same character I envisaged right at the start. He’s more reserved than Tom, and finds their shared past harder to let go of, but in some ways he sees things more clearly than Tom does.

So although they’re not quite opposites in the way Al and Larry are, there are still a lot of differences between Tom and Phil - and you know what? Those are my favourite bits!


And how about the readers? Do you like to read about the attraction of opposites? Have you met any real-life examples?

Comment to win! Jo and Jamie are both offering a choice of a book from their backlist to one lucky commenter on this post, and all commenters will also be entered into a draw for the grand prize (details here), to be announced on 8^th October.

  About the books: 

Pressure Head

Some secrets are better left hidden. When Tom, a plumber with a talent for finding hidden things, is called in to help the police locate the body of a missing woman, he unexpectedly encounters a familiar face. Phil, Tom’s old school crush, now a private investigator working the same case.

Tom’s attraction to the big, blond investigator hasn’t changed—in fact, he’s even more desirable all grown up. But is Phil’s interest genuine, or does he only want to use Tom’s talent? Meanwhile, the evidence around the woman’s murder piles up...while the murderer’s trigger finger is getting increasingly twitchy.

Pressure Head on Amazon.com

The Hot Floor
Two plus one equals scorching hot fun. Every time Josh overhears his sexy downstairs neighbors, Rai and Evan, having loud and obviously kinky sex, Josh is overwhelmed with lust…and a longing for a fraction of the love he’s never managed to find. On the night a naked Josh falls—quite literally—into the middle one of Rai and Evan’s marathon sex sessions, the force of their mutual attraction takes control. But just as Josh dares to hope, he senses a change. Leaving him to wonder if the winds of love are about to blow his way at last…or if history is about to repeat itself.

The Hot Floor on Amazon.com

About the authors:
JL Merrow is that rare beast, an English person who refuses to drink tea. She read Natural Sciences at Cambridge, where she learned many things, chief amongst which was that she never wanted to see the inside of a lab ever again. Her one regret is that she never mastered the ability of punting one-handed whilst holding a glass of champagne.

She writes across genres, with a preference for contemporary gay romance and the paranormal, and is frequently accused of humour.

 Find JL Merrow online at: www.jlmerrow.com/

 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.

 For more information about Jo’s published stories, regular blog posts and saucy free reads, visit JosephineMyles.com

Yin Yang picture courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Review: The Hot Floor by Josephine Myles

The Hot Floor by Josephine Myles
Samhain Publishing
Novel: 62,000wrds
4.5 Pants Off

Blurb:
Two plus one equals scorching hot fun.

Dumped by his boyfriend and reduced to living in a grotty bedsit, Josh Carpenter has gotten used to expecting the worst. Now he lives only for his job as a glassblower…and occasional glimpses of his sexy downstairs neighbors, Rai Nakamura and Evan Truman.

Every time he overhears the diminutive academic and the hunky plumber having loud and obviously kinky sex, Josh is overwhelmed with lust…and a longing for a fraction of what they have.

To his amazement, Rai and Evan find his embarrassing tendency to blush utterly charming, and the three men grow closer over the course of the long, hot summer. Despite Rai’s charming flirtation and Evan’s smoldering gaze, Josh is determined never to break his new friends’ loving bonds.

On the night a naked Josh falls—quite literally—into the middle of one of Rai and Evan’s marathon sex sessions, the force of their mutual attraction takes control. But just as Josh dares to hope, he senses a change. Leaving him to wonder if the winds of love are about to blow his way at last…or if history is about to repeat itself.

Warning: Contains one well-endowed stud with a sexy accent, one improbably toppy bottom boy with an unfortunate owl obsession, and one blushing naïf who can’t believe his luck. Also, the occasional indulgence in mathematical spanking and some shameless armpit sex.

Review:
There’s nothing that gets me more excited than a ménage, and when you throw a Japanese character into it O_O well… I just about lose my mind. The Hot Floor felt like it was written for me cus it embodies all the things I love to read. I am pretty much easy to please, but I do know what I want to read about in order to make a trias relationship work. I think the author did a really good and I can believe in their HEA.

Whenever Josh hangs out with his quirky friend in her apartment, he always gets an earful from the floor above. Denise's very sexy neighbours Rai Nakumura (cus I gotta put in his whole name) and Evan kinky love fest is enough to give Josh a heart attack, but somehow he finds himself lusting after the men. He thinks about what it would be like to get all down and dirty with them, but Josh knows all it will ever come to be is fantasy. First, he's too shy and blushes at the mere mention of sex, and his last boyfriend who dumped him told him he sucked in bed. So he really does not have the confidence to strike up a conversation with them.  When Evan and Rai approach him, Josh is shell-shocked. It comes as a surprise when a friendship begins to develop between the men, friendship with an underlying of “I wanna rip our freaking clothes off”.

When Josh literally comes crashing into Rai and Evan's life he fins himself wrapped up in between two men experiencing the most amazing sex of his life. With sex comes doubt and Josh fears driving a wedge between the men, and losing the two men who comes to be his closest friends. Seems it won't be a onetime deal, but Josh still fears the unexpected. What if the flame goes out and suddenly he's being kicked to curb, and Rai/Evan move on to their very established relationship.

The author did some wonderful things making the sex apart of the foundation of their relationship. The friendship part of the story provided a building block to long lasting but it's with all the loving that I think Josh was able to get it. Nothing was ever perfect from the get go, and all the troubles that they encountered really provided a realistic feel and made their relationship all the more believable.

Josh is like the ying to their yang, he's like the personality trait that Ran and Evan are missing. Rai the flamboyant sexphine, Evan the big manly cuddle bear, and Josh shy and undemanding. He is the balance they never even knew they needed. So when it comes to what’s going on in the bedroom, shit is explosive. My pants have disappeared and I am waiting for them to return cus I must do a bit of grocery shopping.

I only had one thing that bothered me, and that’s when Josh was preparing a gift for Evan and Rai. As a glassblower, Josh gets to make beautiful things so I was excited to read about him presenting his gifts to the boys. I didn't get it, and I felt like it would have been a beautiful scene so I was all let down. Though one of the gifts eventually gets buried balls deep in him >.<

Yes, I liked the crap out of it, and loved how their relationship was presented. The ending felt a bit rushed to me (but that could be cus I wanted more). I am down for a Jo Myles ménage any day, she can keep writing about Asian characters I am always down for that. Loved It!!

4.5 Pants Off

Review: Lashings of Sauce Anthology

Lashing of Sauce by Various Authors
JMS Books
Novella: 138pgs
4.5 Pants Off (Overall)

Blurb:
We Brits love our sauce, whether it's what we lash on our food, read on our seaside postcards, or write in our stories. Come and enjoy a buffet of tasty LGBTQ treats!

From marriages to reunions, via practical jokes and football matches, to weresloths and possibly the oddest Tarts and Vicars party in the world, join us as we celebrate the UK Meet in the best way we know: telling the story.

As a follow-up to the critically acclaimed British Flash and Tea and Crumpet anthologies, our talented writers bring you sixteen stories about gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and genderqueer characters enjoying what Britain and mainland Europe have to offer, with their wonderfully diverse range of cultures and landscapes and some incredibly colourful and quirky people.

This anthology is a souvenir of the 2012 UK Meet, an occasion for GLBTQ supporters to get together in a relaxed setting to celebrate and chat about the fiction community they love. Funds from the sale of this anthology will go towards future UK Meets, to which all are welcome.

Review:
The Lashings of Sauce anthology is a must read with a story for just about anyone. You want some sweet/sexy, some angst, a tearjerker, or something to put a big ole smile on your face? Well this book has it all. I love it because it offers up everything that falls under the rainbow. It’s great to see a positive representation of all sexuality, a positive look at gender, and most of all the importance of love.

I won’t spend the time talking about each of the stories, because all were good. Some better than others, but each story offered up a nice little read. You might be excited for a pants losing by some of your faves author, but the new to me/you aren’t chopped liver. They all delivered, and man I wish I was going to Brighton, so I could be apart of all the talent.

I just really want to express my love for one story in particular, and that is My Husband by Zahra Owens. This story moved me beyond words and left me in tears. All I kept thinking was “I want a love like this. I wish everyone loved like this”. It’s a beautiful Trans* story with such a beautiful message.

This was also my first time reading a story by Jordan Castillo Price 'hangs head in shame' and by the power invested in me it will not be my last. Really, such a great anthology!!

• Post Mortem by Jordan Castillo Price- Really liked this one, and such a great use of the Postal service :D
•  Dressing Down by Clare London- Gawd! So incredibly sexy, I just love when a man donnes a sexy skirt.
•  Et Tu, Fishies? by JL Merrow- JL always brings the funny, and this was funny.
• Zones by Elyan Smith- So much angst, and hauntingly sad. I enjoyed it!
• Sollicito by Charlie Cochrane- Hahaha a Were-Sloth O_o and I did look it up on Wikipedia
•  A Few Days Away by Elin Gregory - Cute
•  Vidi Velo Vici by Robbie Whyte- So cute.
• Shelter From Storms by Sandra Lindsey- A good historical story.
• Faulty Genes by Rebecca Cohen- 
•  Lost in London by Tam Ames- Cute story and one of my faves. 
•  My Husband by Zahra Owens- The Best!!
• Waiting for a Spark by Lillian Francis- Cute, and loved Tomak.
•  Social Whirl by Emily Moreton-Good F/F story
•  School for Doms by Anne Brooke - Sexy!!
•  Dragon Dance by Josephine Myles- Always a pants losing with Jo
•  Reclaiming Territory by Becky Black- Cute story about lovers reuniting. 

4.5 Pants Off

Blogoversary: Josephine Myles Giveaway

The wonderful Josephine Myles has offered up 3 books from her backlist, and that my friends is a very good thing. Haven't read Jo before and is thinking about it? Read a book or one of her short stories and can't wait to get your hands on another? Then folks you have come to the right place!

Here are reviews for a few of her books:

• Boats In The Night
• Barging In
• Winter Warmers
• Handle With Care
• Tailor Made

Contest Rules...

• Must be 18yrs or older
• Leave a comment along with email
• Winner has 24hrs to reply to my email or prize goes to someone else
• Contest runs until July 26 11:59pm EST

1 Year Of Pants Losing

Guest Post & Giveaway: Gay Superhero Comics by Josephine Myles

I am soooo excited to have Josephine Myles on the blog today, she is no stranger to Pants Off and it's always a delight to have her here. She is here today talking about her new awesmazing release Handle With Care, which I reviewed previously. Lets give a warm welcome to the fabulous Miss Myles!

Gay superhero comics

I’ve always been drawn to comics—proof I am indeed a geek at heart. However, until I started researching for Handle with Care, I had no idea there was a thriving homoerotic comic book industry out there, and one that had nothing to do with Japanese yaoi manga.

For those of you not in the know, yaoi (or Boy’s Love) comics are written by and for a predominantly female audience and have their own code of conventions, including a highly stylised relationship between seme and uke – literally translated as attacker and receiver. While there are forms of gay manga out there that feature a range of body types and relationships, traditional yaoi is likely to feature lean, adolescent heroes, with the more masculine looking character topping the more feminised one.



I know there are many yaoi fans out there, but I’m not especially drawn to the artwork or stories I’ve sampled so far—I’m very happy to hear your recommendations, though! The yaoi I’ve read just didn’t have the subversive humour and punchy artwork of my all-time favourite graphic novels, such as Jamie Hewlett’s Tank Girl and Garth Ennis’ Preacher.

When I was coming up with the character of skatepunk delivery boy Ollie in Handle with Care, I knew I wanted him to be an idealist and a dreamer. I just needed to find a way of illustrating this. Inspiration came when leafing through Cali Boys, a book of gay comic book artwork by Joe Phillips. His pictures of attractive young men getting it on had certain similarities to the yaoi tradition, but with a distinctly American flavour. Further online investigation revealed that Phillips has illustrated for various mainstream comic book franchises, including Marvel’s X-Men series.

X-Men ended up having a special place in Handle with Care, as being one of the things Ollie and Ben first bond over. Ollie spots a life-size cardboard cut out of Nightcrawler in Ben’s hallway, and offers to lend Ben his X-Men comics. There were several reasons I chose X-Men rather than some other comic book superhero series. Most importantly, in 2009 Marvel made history for publishing the first mainstream comic to feature two established male heroes kissing on page (Rictor and Shatterstar in X-Factor #45). I also knew that because of the movies, X-Men would be easily recognised by the reader. Finally, I chose Nightcrawler to be Ben’s hallway key holder not only because he’s my favourite character in the films, but because he was played by Alan Cumming—an openly bisexual actor.

Ollie eventually developed into an aspiring illustrator himself, penning pornographic superhero pictures. I was heavily influenced by the artist Patrick Fillion, whose incredibly well-endowed heroes caught my eye. It was really difficult to find any “safe” pictures to illustrate this post, as Fillion revels in explicit detail. Do check out his work if you have any interest in finding out the sort of thing I had in mind for Ollie’s artwork!


There is a huge amount of gay comic book artwork out there, and when funds allow, I hope to be able to build myself up a collection to rival Ben’s DVD stash. For now, though, I’ll be choosing my purchases carefully and taking recommendations for books that combine a strong storyline with great artwork.

What about all of you out there? Do you enjoy comics, or have you never been able to see the appeal? Care to share why?

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