A salt-bitten thriller with teeth, a relic of the True Cross, and Researching behind the book
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Hello from Bath, I'm just back from a long weekend in Bruges and Brussels in Belgium researching my next ARKANE thriller. I saw relics of the True Cross and the Holy Blood. Very cool! Some photos above and more on Facebook and Instagram @jfpennauthor. I'm still working on my dissertation to finish up my Masters in Death, Religion, and Culture, but I hope to have more news about books to come before the autumn. In the meantime, thanks to everyone who joined the Kickstarter for Bones of the Deep back in April, and I'm excited that the book is out now in KU for ebook, and on my store and the usual platforms for print and audio. Click here for Amazon KU and other stores Thanks also for the reviews so far. I love this one! Thanks, Debbie! "A sleek, salt‑bitten thriller that reads like a storm rolling in from the black horizon. J.F. Penn blends maritime dread, relic‑mystery intrigue, and supernatural menace into a story that never stops tightening its grip." Debbie, 5 star review, Goodreads
If you enjoy the book, a review would be much appreciated, on Amazon or Goodreads, or my store. It really helps me find more readers, which in turn, helps me keep writing! Researching behind the book: Where do my stories actually come from?Over on Anna Sayburn Lane's SubStack, I talk about researching the dark side and get into travel, ancient libraries, and the serendipity of the stacks. I share my favourite unexpected finds, from the world's oldest Jewish library that opened Tree of Life, to the Somerset vineyard where they bury bones in the vines for Blood Vintage, to the moment the Talmud named End of Days before I'd written a word. If you love following curiosity into the strange edges of faith, death, and history, click below to read more. Click here to read the article on SubStack If you enjoy my research behind the books, you can always find more podcast episodes and articles at my Books and Travel site. Book recommendationsHere's what I've been reading recently. Let me know if you have any recommendations to share. The Rising Tide — Anne Cleeves. Fifty years ago, a group of teenagers spent a weekend on Holy Island, forging a bond that has lasted a lifetime. After one of them is murdered, long-buried secrets find their way to the surface again. I can't resist a Lindisfarne thriller, as walking the crossing after my pilgrimage on the St Cuthbert's Way remains one of the most memorable parts of the walk! It Wants Us Alive — Rebecca Cantrell. Demons don’t care about hot flashes, aching joints, or the ghosts that haunt Hazel Byrne. They only care about blood. And she has plenty left to spill. The Dorians — Nick Cutter. On a remote island in the Canadian wilderness, five elderly volunteers from different walks of life are given a tantalizing offer: to stall their biological clocks or even reverse them, restoring their lost youth. The chance to put death on pause—forever, perhaps. The Detective — Matthew Reilly. A quirky detective thriller with a very unusual main character from a writer of fast-paced action. I really enjoyed this! Happy reading until next time,
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J.F. Penn
For readers who want to escape ...
Hello from Bath, While I love ancient Gothic cathedrals, I also enjoy visiting gorgeous modern architecture and art, and Coventry Cathedral is a wonderful example of this, which I visited last week! If you'd like to come on a tour, you can see some photos above and more in my article below. Click here for Coventry Cathedral No writing news at the moment, as I am working on my dissertation for my Masters in Death, Religion, and Culture, but ideas for the next ARKANE thriller are bubbling away...
Hello from Bath, Spring is here and I recently attended a reunion back at my Oxford college, which was strange but also wonderful to see old friends and where they have ended up in life after 30 years. There was a moment in the old hall when a bell rung and Grace was said before dinner and the years fell away. Precious memories indeed, and you can read/listen to me talk about Oxford in this episode of my Books and Travel Podcast on Decadence, Discipline, and Dreaming Spires. Writing-wise, I...
Hello from Bath, One of the most common questions that authors are asked is: "Where do you get your ideas?" Well, for me, it's often about where I travel and what I find there. In 1999, I sailed on a tall ship from Fiji to Vanuatu in the south pacific, and something about that crossing never let me go. I just couldn’t find the right story for it ... until now. Bones of the Deep has finally arrived, with a setting that takes you out on the open ocean, the stolen bones of a merfolk culture, and...