Isn’t it gorgeous?! Lou Harper has come up trumps again with the cover to my anthology of collected m/m short stories, Blooming Marvellous. On the cover is Ky Baptiste, narrator of the title story and street artist (hence the graffiti tulips!)
This anthology is my editing project for this week, and I’m hoping to have it published in the first week of July, and print copies ready for the UK Meet. Fingers crossed!
I finished my final draft of Merry Gentlemen and handed it into my editor just before the deadline! I ended up cutting a couple of short scenes, changing a plot point, and adding another couple of scenes instead. The whole thing ended up at 47k, which technically falls into many publisher’s definition of category length novel rather than novella–it’s certainly much longer than I’d originally intended which is probably why I was having to work right up to the last minute. It’ll be too short to go to print at Samhain, but at least the below 50k word count should keep the price down while still being a long, satisfying read.
I was far too busy to have a life! Nah, not true. I spent the weekend relaxing with friends and family, which was wonderful. I took Daisy to her favourite swimming pool in Bath, treated Dad to a slap-up Father’s Day lunch (I made him a steamed Sticky Toffee Pudding!) Of course, now I’ve got the time to enjoy being outdoors the summer weather seems to have turned tail and scarpered. Ah well. I’ll just have to spend more time sewing. Nearly finished my Bombshell Dress!
I’m really excited to be heading over to Bristol today to meet up with JL Merrow. We’re going to be checking out potential venues to hold next year’s UK Meet–including the all important evening venues (aka pub crawl!)
The rest of the week will be spent editing Blooming Marvellous – my anthology of rights-reverted short stories I’m hoping to have out in time for this year’s Meet. And then there’s all the admin and website updating stuff I need to catch up on after neglecting it for the last few weeks. *Sighs* Ah well. At least there are no big deadlines for the next six months or so!
How was your week? Got any plans for the week ahead?
Today’s post is a little late (blame Father’s Day and all those far more important family commitments), but I wanted to share some beachy pics with you. The British summer seems to be over now, so there’s even more reason for me to stare longingly at pictures of the seaside.
Especially when there’s hot naked men involved…
Head on over to the lovely Becky Black’s blog to find out more about the way I write… if that sort of thing interests you!
http://beckyblack.wordpress.com/2013/06/15/guest-post-josephine-myles/
PS – I got Merry Gentlemen, my 47k Christmas “novella” (that length counts as a category length novel, I reckon!) sent off to my editor at Samhain yesterday. Woohoo!!!
So much work! I got the first draft of Merry Gentlemen finished at the beginning of the week, then got Mad About the Boys published on Thursday, then spent the rest of the week getting Merry Gentlemen polished enough to send to a few of my trusted beta readers. It’s been a week with very few sanity breaks, and I’ve been working most evenings up till 10. I really need some time off.
All this explains why I didn’t get my usual Vintage Smut post up yesterday. Sorry about that. I had meant to. I just ran out of time.
I’ve failed miserably at work/life balance this week and have spent far too many hours sitting in front of the computer. However, looking after Daisy at the weekend meant I’ve at least had a couple of afternoons enjoying the sunshine in the park and Longleat while she’s been playing. Also, at long last the red panda at Longleat was up and about while we were there. So cute! I think they might be my all time favourite animals. Oh yes, and Daisy held an oversized Madagascan Hissing Cockroach in the animal handling hall. Brave girl!
Merry Gentlemen is due to be handed in to my editor at Samhain on Friday, so while I’ll be taking it easy today, I’ll be busy on the final draft over the rest of the week. I also have the synopsis to write. Joy. I’m definitely going to be taking a bit of “me time” today, though, and will be booking myself a long overdue haircut and getting on with some sewing. I bought myself a copy of a new retro-style dressmaking book, Gertie’s New Book for Better Sewing, and am feeling particularly inspired right now 
How was your week? Got any plans for the week ahead?
The joint anthology of mmf erotic romance short stories by the wonderfully talented JL Merrow and myself is now available to purchase from the following sellers:
Kindle US | Kindle UK | All Romance eBooks | Smashwords
However, as a special release week treat, you can get it for half price over on Smashwords. Just use coupon code AT93U prior to completing checkout. Coupon expires on 12th June, so don’t wait too long! Please feel free to share this on your social networks and help spread the news
And here’s the blurb to whet your appetite:
When three hearts collide, expect sparks to fly!
What is it about a threesome that’s so irresistible? Is it that where one gorgeous guy is good, two are even better? Or is it the thought of loving someone who’s secure enough in his relationship to let a third person in?
In this collection of five ménages-a-trois, two bestselling authors in the world of male-male romance explore the dynamics of threesomes—this time with two men and one woman. From contemporary urban settings to timeless, magical woodlands, see lovers coming together. They could be the couple next door, opening their house—and their hearts—to the third who’ll complete them, rural loners encountering spirits of the forest, or frustrated shapeshifters who need that special someone to unlock their true potential.
JL Merrow’s contemporary story ‘Dinner for Three’ features a gay couple with designs on their very willing housemate—and an inventive use of the kitchen. In ‘In the Greenwood’ by Josephine Myles, a lonely forest spirit brings together two men, but yearns to join them herself in physical form. In the next two stories, JL Merrow carries on the paranormal theme. ‘The Antithesis of Magic’ has a modern urban setting—but one where werewolves, witches and other magical creatures are the norm. So what place does that leave for a man born without magic? ‘Changeling’, by contrast, is set in the rural past when wise women knew to be wary of the Fae, and there’s a price to be paid before a young girl may wed her changeling lover. Finally, bringing things bang up to date is Josephine Myles’ ‘Kiss, Mark Two’, featuring a young couple who decide to give a threesome a try. Only trouble is, both Mark and Ty are totally straight… right?
One thing’s for certain: the women in these stories are all mad about the boys.
***
The anthology contains four previously released stories (all in Torquere anthologies), but they’ve been thoroughly edited and updated. It also contains one entirely new story from yours truly–the contemporary smutfest that is ‘Kiss, Mark Two’
I hope you enjoy the read!
Jo x
Amazingly enough, despite it being half term, the husband having reduced working hours has meant I’ve had some serious writing time. Merry Gentlemen is now nearly complete at just over 39k. Phew!
I haven’t had as much time to chill and enjoy the sunshine as I’d like, but the thought of taking a few days off once my deadlines are out of the way is currently keeping me going! Something I’ve really missed is taking the time to go for a run. I’m going to make sure I get back into that this week now Daisy’s back at school.
I have made sure to spend quality time with Daisy every day, though. We’ve been swimming a couple of times, gone to Longleat and visited the park several times too. Yesterday we had a visit from the in-laws and their new dog, who Daisy adored. We also went on a lightning fast shopping trip to Bath, where I managed to find the perfect pair of jeans–first ones I tried on, too. That never happens!!!
My “to do” list is enough to make me tear my hair out, but I will do it all! First I’ll finish the first draft of Merry Gentlemen–just a few scenes left needing completing. Then I’ll put together and publish the ebook of Mad About the Boys–coming out on Thursday. The remainder of the week will be spent on the second draft of Merry Gentlemen, so that hopefully I’ll be able to find one or two people with enough time to read and give me feedback at the weekend. Hand-in time next Thursday–arrrgh! 
How was your week? Got any plans for the week ahead?
Today’s post features three very different pictures of couples, only linked by the fact they’re taken outside in the sunshine and I happen to love them.
As always, it’s incredibly difficult to date pictures of naked men outdoors, without the clues of clothing and decor. For all I know, these could have been taken recently, but since I found them all on vintage Tumblrs we’ll just have to assume they’re the genuine article
I did manage to write for a couple of days, until real life threw a spanner in the works…
The Myles household has been afflicted. First the dh came down with what seemed to be terrible flu, then, on Tuesday evening Daisy was covered in a rash that looked suspiciously like chickenpox (which I thought she’d already had). Wednesday was a nightmare. One ill, feverish child. One husband who was told by the doctor to go to the hospital in Bath to have the swelling in his face checked out, because they thought it was shingles and dangerously close to his eye, and to top it all off, I had an appointment two fillings at the dentist. Thank God for family! My sister babysat Daisy while I drove the husband to Bath. Turns out he has cellulitis–an incredibly painful infection of the deep skin tissue. At least the antibiotics seem to be working. Right now I’m feeling so incredibly grateful for living in a country with free healthcare for all!
Since then I’ve not had much sleep dealing with a feverish, delirious child. Things got a little better at the weekend, and Daisy is now over the “ill” part of chickenpox. I thought about catching up with the writing, but decided to give myself some “me time” over the bank holiday weekend instead, so have been sewing and learning couture dressmaking techniques for my current project: the Bombshell Dress (I’m making it in deep red polka dot fabric). It’s a Craftsy course, and I’m really loving being able to take the video lessons as and when is convenient for me. Being able to watch new techniques makes them much easier to pick up than reading them in a book.
Source: polka dot bombshell dress via cut and sewed on Craftsy
I’ve got some serious catching up to do, but it’s half term so I’m not sure how much writing time I’ll find. However, I have a deadline approaching so I’ll do my best to finish the first draft of Merry Gentlemen. There’s also the Mad About the Boys anthology to turn into ebooks as soon as it’s back from the proofer. Wish me luck!
How was your week? Brits: got any plans for the rest of your bank holiday weekend?
I do love collecting vintage female nudes along with the male ones, and here are a few of my favourites. They capture the varying moods of erotic photography, from the coy and arty through to full-on pornographic posing.
Enjoy!
