Explore the thin veil between this world and the next; and virtually visit Antelope Canyon and the ancient city of Prague
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Hello from wintery Bath, There are places in the world that we always plan to visit and then life happens and we never quite get there. Well, twenty plus years ago, I saw a picture of Antelope Canyon, Arizona, USA, and a few weeks ago, I finally made it! It was a quiet, cold November day and there were hardly any people around as a small group of us descended into the lower canyon with a Navajo guide, and slowly made our way through the narrow, winding slots. The bright sun shone down through the waves of rock and for some precious moments, I was alone. I'm not sure where this might emerge in a story, but last year, I visited Death Valley and that turned into a thriller, so perhaps this might go the same way! Is there a place you have always wanted to visit? Click reply and let me know! The Buried and the Drowned is out nowIf you missed the Kickstarter and you'd like to check out my short story collection, The Buried and the Drowned is out now. These dark, thrilling short stories will take you from the volcanic shores of Iceland to the silent depths of the Pacific, from the catacombs of history to the frontiers of genetic science. These stories explore the thin veil between our world and the next, between myth and reality, science and the supernatural. Available now on my store, JFPennBooks, as well as Amazon and your favourite online stores, plus, you can order at your local bookstore or library. Click here for The Buried and the Drowned If you backed the Kickstarter and enjoyed the stories, I'd really appreciate a review on JFPennBooks or your favourite store, or Goodreads here. Alchemical history and beautiful architecture: Prague with Lisa M LillyIf you've recently enjoyed Dan Brown's latest book, The Secret of Secrets, you might enjoy another virtual trip to Prague. What draws a mystery writer from Chicago to the cobblestone streets and alchemical history of Prague? How can a city’s mystical atmosphere inspire a novel, and what happens when grief follows you to one of Europe’s most beautiful destinations? Lisa M. Lilly shares how Prague captured her imagination, weaving the city’s gothic romance and ancient legends into her latest detective novel. From the astronomical clock that’s been marking time since 1410 to the legendary golem still said to rest in a synagogue, discover how this city became both a setting for fiction and a place of personal reflection. Click here to listen or read at Books and Travel
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J.F. Penn
For readers who want to escape ...
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...
Hello from Bath, It's spring here which is lovely, and I am in the final phases of preparing for the launch of Bones of the Deep, my next thriller, and also starting to research the next ARKANE thriller, Crown of Thorns. While you wait for those, you might enjoy my short story, The Black Church, now available in ebook and audiobook, human-narrated by me! It's free for a limited time from my store, linked below, and it's also in my 12-story collection, The Buried and the Drowned. A week alone...