In a brutal post-apocalyptic world, a young girl is about to be taken to The Minotaur for a Blessing that will end her innocence.
Can her sister gain access to the fortified city of Dis in time to stop the ritual and avenge her own lost youth?

Written by J.F. Penn, Digitally Narrated.

Buy Now

Sins Of Violence. A Short Story. Digitally Narrated

Prologue of Tomb of Relics, ARKANE Thriller book 12.

A supernatural relic. A thousand-year-old conspiracy. A madman who turns death into art. It's all in a day's work for the agents of ARKANE.
When a priceless relic disappears from Canterbury Cathedral, ARKANE – the agency tasked with protecting the world from supernatural adversaries – fears the worst… and sends its best.

Now, ARKANE agents Morgan Sierra and Jake Timber are on the job. Across Europe, through historical cities and into spectral forests forgotten by time, Morgan and Jake will follow the bloody trail of hidden relics wherever it leads, whatever the cost.

But even they aren’t ready for what’s coming.

Their hunt will lead them beyond danger, beyond darkness to the shadowed heart of a hidden citadel where lives an evil unlike any they’ve ever seen… and to a dark choice that will change them both forever.

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author J.F. Penn invites you to brave her most thrilling adventure yet. A world of the strange. A world of the supernatural. A world… of the ARKANE.

Tomb of Relics Audiobook, ARKANE Thriller 12. Prologue

When ARKANE Archivist Martin Klein joins the Vatican digital archiving project, he finds an ancient letter mistakenly scanned along with the medieval papal decree Militia Dei, Soldiers of God.

It points to a dark secret the Knights Templar once tried to erase from existence, hidden in a medieval fortress under the heart of Paris for almost a thousand years.

As Martin follows the trail to the hidden Templar crypt, aided by biblical scholar Camara Mbaye, they discover something unspeakable in the vaults below Paris.

Who are the Soldiers of God and why must they rest until needed?

This is a short story featuring Martin Klein and Dr Camara Mbaye from my ARKANE world. It fits after Tomb of Relics, book 12 of the ARKANE action-adventure thriller series, but can be enjoyed as a stand-alone story. 
Sample from audiobook

Soldiers of God, An ARKANE short story. Sample.

Sample chapter from Pilgrimage: Lessons learned from solo walking three ancient ways, written and narrated by J.F. Penn

Pilgrimage attracts the seekers. Those with a question to answer, a problem to solve, a sin to atone for, an illness to be cured, a prayer to be answered. Pilgrims walk with a desire to make a change, to mark a boundary from one life to another, to heal, to escape.

I needed all of these, and more.
Perhaps you do, too.

In mid-October 2020, I walked the Pilgrims’ Way from Southwark Cathedral in London to Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, England.

The following year, in October 2021, as I recovered from COVID-19, I walked the St Cuthbert’s Way from Melrose in Scotland to Lindisfarne, Holy Island, on the north-east coast of England.

In September 2022, I walked the Camino de Santiago along the coastal route from Porto, Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

These three solo pilgrimages helped me through a ‘dark wood’ in my life and changed how I see the way ahead.

In this book, I share my lessons learned and insights from walking these ancient ways, as well as historical, religious and cultural aspects, and plenty of tips. There are also questions for you to consider around your own journey.

Part 1 goes into practical and spiritual preparation before pilgrimage, including how to make decisions about the route and whether to walk solo, as well as what to take with you, and how to face the fears that might hold you back.

Part 2 covers the journey itself with the practicalities of the pilgrim’s day, as well as how walking the path of history and facing the challenge of the way can give you much-needed perspective on life — and perhaps even a glimpse of the divine.

Part 3 addresses the arrival at your destination, and how to leave room for the gifts of pilgrimage to emerge after your return home, as well as how my three walks impacted my experience of mid-life.

At the end, you’ll find appendices with practical tips for each of the three ways, as well as a gear list and bibliography for further reading. 

I hope you find this book useful if you feel a call to pilgrimage, or a need for change in your life. These three walks have certainly been pivotal for me.

Why Pilgrimage? Written and narrated by J.F. Penn

How far would you go to see again?
Sample from my short story audiobook, written and read by J.F. Penn.

Conflict photographer, Sara Miles, loves being embedded with the military out in the desert. Her pictures pay tribute to those who fight, suffer, and die for freedom and the images she captures can turn public perception in the never-ending war. 

Her photography matters.

But when Sara is caught in an explosion out on patrol, her eyes are damaged by a face full of shrapnel. She may never be able to see through a lens again.

The military offers her a cutting-edge operation to restore her sight, but it comes with a price …

A short story with a supernatural edge from award-nominated, USA Today bestselling thriller author, J.F. Penn.

With A Demon's Eye. A short story. Sample.

Introduction of Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words, written and narrated by Joanna Penn
www.TheCreativePenn.com/shadowbook

We all long to write boldly, without filters or fear.
To spin stories that capture the messy beauty of what it means to be human. Tales that lay bare the truth of living — darkness and all.  
But something holds us back. 
Whispers of “Who do you think you are?” and “You don’t have permission to write that.” Our own self-censorship and the judgment of others keep us from writing freely — and sometimes, from living fully.
 But all great art taps into darkness, and your most compelling work emerges when you embrace your full humanity—both light and Shadow.

In Writing the Shadow, I’ll guide you on an intimate journey to explore the darkness and discover the gold lying hidden in its depths. Gold that may be the source of your best creative work in the years ahead.
The Shadow is calling. It’s time to turn your inner darkness into words.

Part 1 goes into the various ways you can tap into your Shadow. Since it lies in the unconscious, you cannot approach it directly. You need tools to help reveal it in different ways. 
You will find ideas here — ranging from personality assessments and identifying Shadow personas to mining your own writing and exploring your true curiosity — as well as ways to protect yourself so you don’t get lost in the dark. 

Part 2 explores how the Shadow manifests in various aspects of our lives. I discuss the creative wound and how it may still be holding you back in your writing life, as well as aspects of traditional and self-publishing, then expand into work and money, family and relationships, religion and culture, the physical body and aging, death and dying. 

Part 3 explores ways that you can find the gold in your Shadow, and turn your inner darkness into words through self-acceptance, letting go of self-censorship, deepening character and theme in your work, and opening the doors to new parts of yourself.

Learn more

Writing The Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words Introduction

On the winter solstice, an ancient evil demands its due in the heart of Bath.

When down-on-his-luck busker Evan takes to the streets of Bath during the Christmas market, he hopes his music will earn him enough for a warm meal and bed for the night. But after a violent robbery leaves him broken and destitute, Evan unwittingly awakens an ancient evil that demands blood sacrifice in return for vengeance. 

Lured into the dark depths beneath the city by a mysterious woman who is far more than she seems, Evan discovers the long-dormant spring of the Celtic goddess Sulis. 

Will he escape the ravenous deity or become her latest victim, a midwinter sacrifice to revive her cursed waters?

USA Today bestselling author J.F. Penn masterfully blends folklore and the supernatural in this chilling short story set amidst the history and shadows of the ancient city of Bath.

Buy audiobook

A Midwinter Sacrifice. A Short Story written and read by J.F. Penn

Val McDermid is one of the UK’s most well-known crime writers, a multi-award winning and many times bestselling author. Her Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series was turned into the TV series Wire in the Blood, and her 33 books span crime, literary fiction and children’s books, as well as many short stories.

Her latest book, The Skeleton Road, opens with the discovery of a body on top of a disused building in Edinburgh. As cold case Detective Karen Pirie delves into the case, she follows a trail stretching from Oxford to war-torn Dubrovnik and uncovers a hidden past in a forgotten Balkan village.

British thriller author J.F.Penn interviewed Val McDermid for The Big Thrill as the book was released in the UK. It’s available in the US in Dec 2014. 
Full transcript on http://www.TheBigThrill.org in October edition 2014
http://www.ValMcDermid.com
http://www.JFPenn.com

Image credit for author picture: Mimsy Moller


Buy the book

Bestselling Crime Author Val McDermid On The Skeleton Road

Some secrets should stay buried.

When renowned architect Arania Webb returns to Bristol Zoo — once her childhood sanctuary but now a derelict ruin — she discovers her late father’s hidden underground lab, which harbours a dark obsession.

Inside, she uncovers his journals documenting twisted experiments to fuse arachnid DNA with humans, creating unnatural creatures that blur the line between species. As Arania descends into the shadowy depths and explores further, she realises the terrifying extent of her beloved father’s attempts to play god.

With demolition charges set to raze the derelict zoo in minutes, Arania has little time to process the ethical transgression and madness that drove her father down an unholy path before the truth is buried forever.

But when the site manager stumbles upon her macabre discovery, Arania knows she must act swiftly to protect her family’s legacy — and her own future.

Will she find a way to escape the ruins with her father’s monstrous secrets? Or will the horrors hidden beneath the zoo ultimately consume them both?

In this short story, J.F. Penn weaves a tale of dark secrets, genetic aberration, and a legacy that blurs the lines between ethical transgression and scientific ambition, a narrative that is as much about the inner darkness of human nature as it is about the monsters we create.

This is a sample of the audiobook, written and narrated by J.F. Penn.

Buy direct

Beneath The Zoo. A Short Story Sample

Chapter 1 of Delirium, A Brooke and Daniel Psychological Thriller book 2. Available in print, ebook and audiobook formats. Read by Rosalind Ashford.

“Those who the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad.”

Devastated by grief after the death of her daughter, Detective Sergeant Jamie Brooke returns to investigate the murder of a prominent psychiatrist in the old hospital of Bedlam in London. 

As she delves into the history of madness, museum researcher, Blake Daniel, helps with the case, only to discover that his own family is entwined with the shadowy forces that seek to control the minds of the mad.

As the body count rises, and those she loves are threatened, Jamie discovers that the tendrils of conspiracy wind themselves into the heart of the British government. Can she stop the killer before madness takes its ultimate revenge?

A psychological thriller with an edge of the supernatural, Delirium is a story of love for family, revenge for injustice and the question of whether we all sit on the spectrum of madness somewhere.

Delirium, A Brooke and Daniel Psychological Thriller Book 2. Chapter 1. Audiobook

Prologue of Spear of Destiny, written by J.F. Penn, narrated by Veronica Giguere. Available at https://www.jfpenn.com/destiny

A desperate quest. A holy relic. A race against time.

When a mysterious relic is stolen from a museum in Vienna, ARKANE agents Morgan Sierra and Jake Timber embark on a deadly race against time to recover the legendary Spear of Destiny — the holy lance that pierced the side of Christ.

As they follow clues through Nazi ruins, Tibetan temples, and Washington, DC’s greatest monuments, they uncover a sinister plot that threatens to unleash an unstoppable darkness upon the world.

But Morgan also carries a curse in her veins, a shadow placed upon her that now threatens her niece’s life. To save her, Morgan must find the Spear and unlock its fabled healing powers. Standing in her way is the fanatical Jericho Command and their elite leader, Gabriel, a man both blessed and burdened by strange powers and a mysterious past.

From the ashes of World War II to the mystical peaks of Tibet, from ancient crypts to the hallowed halls of the Library of Congress and the Capitol, Morgan and Jake must brave every danger, solve each puzzle, and face down enemies both human and demonic in their quest to find the Spear before its terrible power is unleashed.

Time is running out and the fate of the world hangs in the balance — will Morgan and Jake prevail or will the forces of darkness triumph?

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author J.F. Penn comes a gripping and explosive thriller that delves deep into the heart of an ancient mystery and a chilling supernatural evil. An unputdownable story of supernatural suspense, Spear of Destiny is a rollercoaster ride into the dark legends of the past and the shocking evils of the present, with only a cursed relic lying between salvation and damnation.

Spear of Destiny is book 13 in the ARKANE action adventure thriller series. It can be read or listened to as a stand-alone story even if you have never read another in the series. There are also binge-worthy bundles available in the Add-Ons so you can read or listen in order if you prefer.

Available at: https://www.jfpenn.com/destiny

Buy now

Spear of Destiny. An ARKANE Thriller Prologue

An ancient power. A desperate quest. The clock is ticking.

Sample of Stone of Fire by J.F. Penn, narrated by Veronica Giguere (2022 edition)

When psychologist and religious expert Dr. Morgan Sierra's sister and niece are kidnapped, she's thrust into a deadly race against time to find twelve ancient stones that could unleash unimaginable power. With only days until Pentecost and the kidnapper's deadline, Morgan must use all her knowledge and resources to track down the artifacts.

She's not alone in the hunt. Jake Timber, an enigmatic agent of ARKANE, a secret British agency investigating the supernatural, has his own orders to retrieve the stones at any cost. Torn between her desperate need to save her family and Jake's mission to secure the stones, lines blur as Morgan and Jake forge an uneasy partnership.

From the holy sites of Israel and the Vatican to the desert of Tunisia and the Sonoran wilderness of Arizona, Morgan and Jake face sinister forces, ancient traps, and a fanatical enemy determined to use the stones' power for their own dark purposes. Danger, betrayal and a growing attraction complicate their quest.

With Pentecost approaching and a storm of apocalyptic proportions brewing, Morgan must confront her past and unearth long-buried secrets to have any hope of saving her family and preventing global catastrophe. Emotions run high and faith is tested as the clock ticks down.

Can Morgan stop the stones from falling into the wrong hands, or will she have to choose between saving her family and saving the world?

Fast-paced and gripping, Stone of Fire is a thrilling adventure that weaves together history, archaeology, and the supernatural into a pulse-pounding race against time. Perfect for fans of Dan Brown, James Rollins, and Steve Berry, this action-packed novel will keep you turning pages late into the night.

Stone of Fire is book 1 of the ARKANE Thriller series by award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, J.F. Penn. It can also be read as a stand-alone story.

Stone of Fire, An ARKANE Thriller Book 1 Sample

Two billion people are about to die… and they’re the lucky ones.

Sample from Crypt of Bone, written by J.F. Penn, narrated by Veronica Giguere.

When a man in a hospital gown jumps to his death from the Western Wall in Israel, the authorities think it’s just another victim of Jerusalem Syndrome: a religious psychosis triggered by a visit to the holy city.

But when a second victim ritually disembowels himself, it’s the sign of much worse to come. Thanatos — a fanatical group dedicated to the destruction of the world — is on the move again.

The only ones who can stop them are ex-Israeli military psychologist, Oxford professor, and religious expert Morgan Sierra; and Jake Timber, agent of ARKANE, the British agency tasked with investigating — and sometimes saving the world from — the supernatural.

Last time, Morgan and Jake worked together to stop Thanatos from bringing about a dark version of Pentecost. This time, Thanatos is mixing science with sacrilege — combining the Devil’s Bible with mind-control technology to murder a quarter of the human race.

Together, Morgan and Jake will travel from the hallowed halls of Oxford, to the labs of a biotech company with a dark agenda, to a chapel made of human bones. They’ll go anywhere, do anything, to stop Thanatos.

But they have to hurry.

Thanatos is on the rise. Apocalypse is at the gates. And the only way to save a quarter of the world is for Morgan to uncover the secrets of her past… at the cost of her own future. Death awaits in a Crypt of Bone.

Crypt of Bone is Book 2 of the ARKANE thriller series, but it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone story.

Crypt of Bone, An ARKANE Thriller Book 2 Sample

It is the seat of judgment. The pinnacle of holiness. It is the Ark of the Covenant… and it’s the most dangerous weapon in existence.

Audiobook sample for Ark of Blood, written by J.F. Penn, narrated by Veronica Giguere

A group of fanatics wearing masks of Egypt’s gods slaughter the curator of Cairo’s most famous museum. A cleaner in Washington, DC, discovers a decapitated head on top of a replica of the Ark of the Covenant. And someone is sharing videos of the deaths with extremists all over the world.

It’s a job too big — and too strange — for the normal authorities, but it’s right up the alley of ARKANE, the British agency tasked with investigating mysteries on the edge of the supernatural.

Normally ARKANE would send its best agents: Morgan Sierra, ex-Israeli military and professor of psychology and religion; and Jake Timber, a man as mysterious as he is dangerous.

But Jake is in a coma, nearly killed on a previous mission — so Morgan will have to go it alone. Because the death toll is rising, and there’s no time to wait.

In over her head, in constant danger. Pursued by vicious mercenaries bent on revenge, hunted by assassins willing to do anything for their cause. But Morgan can’t stop, because the Ark of the Covenant is the prize, and it may be more than a simple religious artifact.

It may be the secret to ancient alchemy, and the unlocking of a scientific breakthrough that could save the world… or end it.

Ark of Blood, ARKANE Book 3 Sample

What was drowned will be drowned again… 

Marine archaeologist Dr. Evelyn Price has spent her life uncovering the mysteries of the deep ocean. But when a violent storm uncovers an ancient timber circle off the coast of England, she faces a discovery that will challenge everything she knows.

As the tide rises and storm clouds gather, Evelyn and her team race against time to decipher the strange symbols on the wooden pillars, before the sea comes to claim its own once more.

Seahenge is a gripping archaeological short story that blends cutting-edge science with ancient myth. It will leave you questioning what really lies beneath the waves…
https://jfpennbooks.com/collections/seahenge/

Seahenge. A Short Story by J.F. Penn

Writing a book is hard work. You need a reason to carry you through the tough times. 
Why do you care about this subject so much that you want to invest the time, emotional energy, and maybe money in order to write it? What will keep you going through the process of writing, publishing, and marketing? What is your why? 
Here are some reasons people write non-fiction books.

Excerpt from How to Write Non-Fiction, Turn Your Knowledge Into Words, Second Edition, written and narrated by Joanna Penn 

Why Write a Non-Fiction Book? from How to Write Non-Fiction Second Edition by Joanna Penn

On the winter solstice, an ancient evil demands its due in the heart of Bath.

When down-on-his-luck busker Evan takes to the streets of Bath during the Christmas market, he hopes his music will earn him enough for a warm meal and bed for the night. But after a violent robbery leaves him broken and destitute, Evan unwittingly awakens an ancient evil that demands blood sacrifice in return for vengeance.

Lured into the dark depths beneath the city by a mysterious woman who is far more than she seems, Evan discovers the long-dormant spring of the Celtic goddess Sulis.

Will he escape the ravenous deity or become her latest victim, a midwinter sacrifice to revive her cursed waters?

USA Today bestselling author J.F. Penn masterfully blends folklore and the supernatural in this chilling short story set amidst the history and shadows of the ancient city of Bath.

Written by J.F. Penn. Digitally narrated by ElevenLabs.

J.F. Penn

A Midwinter Sacrifice. A Short Story by J.F. Penn

A merciless desert. An unstoppable storm. Time is running out.

The Desert Sanctuary promises an exclusive escape for the ultra-wealthy, a five-star oasis in Death Valley's unforgiving landscape. But when a devastating sandstorm cuts the resort off from civilization, paradise becomes a prison—and then a killing ground.

As the storm rages and the resort burns, eight lives collide in a desperate battle for survival:

An adventure guide haunted by the child she couldn't save
An ex-military security chief obsessed with preparing for civilization's collapse
A billionaire pursuing immortality through illegal young blood treatments
His trophy wife harboring lethal secrets and desperate plans of her own
A social media influencer with a fetish for environmental sabotage
A celebrity chef whose hunger for exotic meat leads him into a deadly trap
A writer whose search for Spanish colonial treasure unearths horrors better left buried
A resort owner watching her empire crumble as the desert she tried to tame awakens with a vengeance
Behind the luxury resort's façade lies a web of lies, betrayal, and murder. As flames consume the hotel and the storm strips away all pretense of civilization, each survivor must decide how far they'll go to escape—and who they'll sacrifice along the way.

In this pressure cooker of primal instincts and deadly ambition, the only law is survival, and the only way out is through hell itself.

Digitally narrated by the voice of J.F. Penn, produced by Simon Patrick using ElevenLabs Studio.

Death Valley. A Thriller. Chapter 1 and Chapter 2

Introduction to the audiobook, Successful Self-Publishing, Fourth Edition. Written and narrated by Joanna Penn. 

Want to self-publish your book but don't know where to start? Worried it's too complex or you don't have the right skills?
This updated and expanded Fourth edition of Successful Self-Publishing provides everything you need to successfully self-publish your book in ebook, print, and audio formats, plus proven marketing strategies to reach more readers.

Written by award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Joanna (J.F.) Penn, this practical guide shares the exact methods used to publish more than forty books and build a multi-six-figure author business.

In this comprehensive guide, you'll discover:

A quick-start roadmap for self-publishing your first book
Step-by-step instructions for publishing professional-quality ebooks, print books, and audiobooks
The sites and services to trust and how to avoid the scams
Marketing strategies that work for both fiction and non-fiction

New in the 4th Edition:
Updated publishing platforms and opportunities
Expanded section on direct sales, special editions and crowdfunding
Practical guidance on using AI tools effectively as an artisan author

Whether you're writing your first book or you're an experienced author looking to expand your publishing business, this guide provides actionable steps without overwhelming technical jargon.

Start your indie author journey today with confidence. Try Successful Self-Publishing!

Successful Self-Publishing Fourth Edition Audiobook: Introduction

One Day In New York. ARKANE #7. Written by J.F. Penn, Narrated by Jeffrey Kafer

Any wish can be granted: money, power… even death itself can be beaten back. All it takes is the blood of an angel.
When a woman is tortured, hung from a cross, and burned alive in the center of New York City, Jake Timber is already on his way. 

Tasked with locating an extremist group interested in a recently discovered relic, the Cloisters Cross, Jake expected trouble. After all, as one of the top agents of ARKANE, the secret organization entrusted with protecting the world from supernatural threats, he’s been in the game a long time, and has saved the world more than once. 

But that’s the problem. Battered and broken again and again, the constant physical and mental struggles of his ARKANE missions have left Jake scarred.

Now, his investigation will lead Jake to the Blood of the Angel: a relic that can grant any wish to whoever drinks its contents. A race against time, and against the infinite resources of Gilles Noiret, a dying, ruthless billionaire willing to sacrifice anyone else to save his own life.

But this time, the race is different. Because this time Jake isn’t sure if he’s trying to stop Gilles and save the world… or if he’s looking for the Blood of the Angel so he can use it himself. What price would he pay to ease his own pain? Would he sacrifice one person? Two?

Or maybe even an entire city?

One Day in New York (readable as part of the bestselling ARKANE series or as a standalone title) is a supernatural adventure thriller from the mind of New York Times and USA Today bestselling author J.F. Penn. Click “Buy Now” and get your copy today!

Available in: Ebook, Print and Audiobook
http://www.jfpenn.com/book/new-york/

One Day in New York. Audiobook Sample Read by Jeffrey Kafer

The perfect wine requires the darkest sacrifice.

In the rolling hills of Somerset, England, an ancient evil ripens alongside the grapes of Standing Stone Cellars…

Chapter 6 of Blood Vintage, A Folk Horror Novel. Written by J.F. Penn, Narrated by the digital voice of J.F. Penn, created with ElevenLabs. 

Rebecca never expected her architecture career to lead to the secluded rural village of Winbridge Hollow. But after a violent clash with eco-activists, she flees the chaos of London, desperate for a new start.

She seeks refuge at Standing Stone Cellars, a vineyard renowned for its award-winning wines and mysterious history, nestled in the shadow of ancient oaks and standing stones that have watched over the land for millennia.

But this vineyard is no sanctuary.

From the primal fires of Beltane to the chilling shadow of Samhain, Rebecca finds herself ensnared in an ancient cycle of sacrifice and rebirth. The disappearance of her fellow workers amidst evidence of blood rites forces her to confront a horrifying truth: Standing Stone’s exceptional vintage is nourished by more than just sunlight and soil.

As the veil between worlds grows thin, Rebecca must make an impossible choice: embrace the dark legacy of the vineyard and secure her place among its guardians, or risk becoming the next offering to the insatiable Horned God that demands his due.

Blood Vintage is an atmospheric descent into folk horror, where the line between sacred and profane blurs with each sip of wine. 

Lose yourself in a world where pagan rituals and modern ambitions collide, and discover the terrible price of belonging in a place where the very earth demands blood.


Buy Blood Vintage

Blood Vintage. A Folk Horror Novel. Chapter 6

Walker Kane didn’t believe in monsters ... Until they took his daughter.

Beneath the streets of Edinburgh, an ancient evil waits. Each year, the Grendsluagh—a prehistoric monster of insatiable hunger—demands a human sacrifice in exchange for the city’s continued prosperity. A secret society known only as the Cabal has overseen this sinister ritual for centuries, binding Edinburgh to a grim legacy of terror.

When ex-military search and rescue officer Walker Kane’s estranged daughter Emily is taken to sate the Grendsluagh’s appetite, he plunges into a race against time through a treacherous underworld of danger.

Aided by a mythology-obsessed librarian and a daredevil urban explorer with secrets of her own, Walker and his makeshift team must face nightmares at every turn to reach Emily before she is devoured. The deeper they delve into Edinburgh’s serpentine catacomb, the more their resolve is tested—by the mutated monsters of the volcanic depths and the violence of the Cabal.

To save his daughter, Walker will sacrifice everything—even his own humanity—in a heart-stopping confrontation with the monster at the heart of the labyrinth.

A stand-alone action-adventure horror novella from USA Today bestselling author J.F. Penn. Join the exploration into depths that were never meant to be disturbed. The secrets of the CATACOMB are waiting to be unearthed—if you dare.

Written by J.F. Penn. Digitally narrated by Jayce from ElevenLabs. Produced by J.F. Penn

Catacomb. A Thriller. By J.F. Penn. Chapter 1 Sample

New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller author, J.F.Penn describes her creative process, how she gets ideas, does research and uses synchronicity to write her books. 
http://www.JFPenn

J.F.Penn is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller author. She writes the ARKANE action-adventure series described as ‘Dan Brown meets Lara Croft,’ as well as the London Psychic crime thrillers, for fans of Jessica Jones. Her books have sold over 400,000 copies in 72 countries and 5 languages.

You can listen above or on iTunes or Stitcher or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and full transcript below.

    How I get many of my initial ideas from traveling. How Destroyer of Worlds was sparked by a statue of Shiva Nataraja in Delhi, and One Day in Budapest by a visit to the city and the mass grave there as well as the far right political situation.

    How I use research to delve further into places and cultural history and then synchronicity happens, in that I find ‘coincidences’ in the real world that lead into story. The importance of following your curiosity. How Stone of Fire was influenced by the burning ghats in Varanasi and Carl Jung’s Red Book.

    ARKANE Books x 7

    The ARKANE action adventure series

    Taking notes from multiple sources – books, videos, DVDs and how that leads into piles of notes that I follow down research rabbit holes.

    How some ideas bleed into several books in various incarnations. For example, the Maori aspects of Deviance sparked some of Risen Gods, and tattoos are an important part of Deviance as well as other books. How I love big themes – good vs evil, faith vs unbelief – plus the supernatural world, these keep recurring in every book

    How I plot. I know the first few scenes and main characters. I know the ending and some of the key settings for the London psychic seriesbook, some of the big scenes. Then I use The Story Grid to do a one page ‘Foolscap’ overview of the plot. (See this interview with Shawn Coyne for more detail.) Then I usually write 20,000 words before replotting, so I am a hybrid plotter/pantser.

    As I research, I start a book page on Pinterest. You can find all my boards per book at Pinterest.com/JFPenn. It’s really helpful for book cover design ideas as well as a visual experience of the book, plus marketing along the way.

    Trust emergence as you write.
    How I knew I wanted to be a writer. If you want to decide what to do with your life, consider what you want your life to look like, and what would your days look like. I wanted to spend my time learning, traveling and creating new things in the world, as well as helping people.

You can find my fiction site at www.JFPenn.com and my books in ebook, print and audiobook format on most online stores.


Find out more

My Creative Writing Process by Bestselling Thriller Author J.F.Penn

Prologue of Destroyer of Worlds, ARKANE Thriller Book 8. Written by J.F.Penn. Narrated by Veronica Giguere.

A bomb explodes in the center of London and a fragment of an ancient Hindu sculpture is stolen from the ARKANE Headquarters by a secret organization bent on mass murder. If the sculpture is put together again, it will reveal the key to the Brahmastra, a weapon with the power of a nuclear explosion.

As those they love are threatened, ARKANE agents Morgan Sierra and Jake Timber must search for the pieces of the relic before it can be activated at the Kumbh Mela, the greatest pilgrimage on earth.

In a fast-paced adventure from the slums of Mumbai to the temples of Kolkata, the Taj Mahal in Agra to the killing fields of Rwanda, Morgan and Jake must find the pieces of the sculpture before it's too late.

Destroyer of Worlds is Book Eight in the ARKANE action adventure thriller series, but can be listened to as a stand-alone story. If you love an action-packed conspiracy thriller, download a sample or buy Destroyer of Worlds now.

Buy on Audible

Destroyer of Worlds. ARKANE Thriller book 8. Audiobook sample

Sample chapter from End of Days, An ARKANE Thriller book 9.

“When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison.” Revelation 20:7

The thousand years are ended.
From New York Times & USA Today bestselling author, J.F.Penn.

A marble tablet found in the ruins of Babylon warns of the resurrection of a banished serpent in the final days. A sarcophagus is discovered in the deepest ocean, locked by seven seals scattered throughout the ancient world.

As the Brotherhood of the Serpent race to find the seals before a rare lunar eclipse over the heart of Jerusalem, ARKANE agents Morgan Sierra and Jake Timber battle to find them first.

But this time, evil threatens to destroy all that Morgan loves and she must wrestle an apocalyptic foe as well as fighting to conquer her own fears.

In a fast-paced adventure from the ruins of Iraq to the snake-handling churches of the Appalachian Mountains, from archaeological digs in Israel to the tombs of Egypt, Morgan and Jake must find the seven seals and stop the resurrection of an evil as old as mankind. An evil that will usher in the End of Days.

End of Days is Book 9 in the ARKANE action adventure thriller series, but can be read as a stand-alone story.

End of Days. An ARKANE Thriller. Audiobook Sample Chapter

When the mutilated corpse of a wealthy author is discovered, the police officer sent to investigate finds a curious diary amongst the occult objects at the scene. Will he uncover the author's secret at the ruined chapel, and is he willing to pay the price that it demands?

One of three short stories inspired by Dante's Inferno, linked by a book of human skin passed down through generations.

** Written and read by New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author J.F.Penn **

Sins Of The Flesh

A sunken city. A lost goddess. One final dive to risk it all.

Lara is part of a dive team exploring the sunken city of Thonis-Heraklion off the north coast of Egypt. When a storm threatens the site, there's only time for one last dive and Lara is determined to be on it – even if it means diving with the man who threatened her this summer.

Because The Dark Queen is down there and Lara intends to find her before it's too late …

Sink beneath the waves in this supernatural short story from New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller author, J.F.Penn. Sample from audiobook short story.

The Dark Queen. A Supernatural Short Story by J.F.Penn Audio Sample

Hello Travellers, I’m Jo Frances Penn and this is episode 1 of my new Books and Travel Podcast.
https://www.booksandtravel.page/listen/

As I begin this journey of sharing my travels, I wanted to start with three trips that have shaped my life. They may not be the highlights of my travels over the years, but they changed my view of the world. My life would have looked a whole lot different without them. Join me in Malawi, Jerusalem, and the waters of the South Pacific.

Books And Travel Podcast

Podcast link

Lake Malawi, Jerusalem, And Blue Water Sailing To Vanuatu. The Three Trips That Shaped My Life

Episode 2 of the Books and Travel Podcast
https://www.booksandtravel.page/ireland-orna-ross/

Orna Ross is an Irish novelist, a poet, non-fiction writer, and creative coach. Today, we’re talking about how Ireland features in her writing.

Writing about a country you’re from vs. writing as an outsider
Why Orna writes about Ireland
Common misconceptions about the country
Writing from memories of a childhood in a small Irish village
Poetry and writing about W.B.Yeats
Modern practices that rose out of Celtic myths
Food and drink recommendations when visiting Ireland
What travel brings to Orna’s writing and the importance of travel for writers
You can find Orna Ross at OrnaRoss.com and on Twitter @OrnaRoss

You can find Books and Travel at: https://www.booksandtravel.page/listen/

Podcast show notes

Intimate War. How Ireland Inspires The Writing Of Orna Ross

Find the Books and Travel Podcast on your favorite podcast app, or the backlist here: 
https://www.booksandtravel.page/listen/
Some call it wanderlust, an almost uncontrollable desire to travel, sometimes at the expense of common-sense. Others call it ‘fernweh,’ a German word meaning far-sickness, the opposite of homesickness.

I also like Jack Reacher’s explanation in Lee Child’s thriller, Never Go Back. “Ninety-nine of us grow up to love the campfire, and one grows up to hate it. Ninety-nine of us grow up to fear the howling wolf, and one grows up to envy it. And I’m that guy.” [Or presumably girl!]

I love the Reacher series for the vigilante justice he metes out, a sense of restoring balance to the world, but perhaps I’m also jealous of how Reacher leaves at the end of every book, with only a toothbrush in his pocket …
Here are some more reasons why I travel.
(1) Reinvention 
(2)Escape 
(3)Curiosity and book research 
(4)Perspective and gratitude
Show notes, transcript and images at:
https://www.booksandtravel.page/why-i-travel/

Show notes

Reinvention, Escape, Curiosity, Perspective. Why I Travel

Andalucia brings to mind balmy evenings with the scent of oranges in the air, the sounds of flamenco guitar, and the exotic architecture of the Moorish Alhambra. In this podcast interview, I talk to David Penny, author of The Thomas Berrington Historical Mysteries, which are set in medieval Spain.

Transcript and images at: https://www.booksandtravel.page/granada-cordoba-andalusia-david-penny/

More details

Granada And Cordoba In Andalusia, Spain With Historical Thriller Author, David Penny

There is a problem inherent in travel, especially in a world of filtered Instagram photos, social media bubbles and glossy travel magazines.

There are some places in the world that are so famous it can be difficult to know whether they live up to the hype or not. There is the myth and then there is the reality, so how do you manage the two? How do you decide to go in the first place in case it doesn’t live up to the myth, and how do you deal with the reality if you have to face up to it?

In this episode, I’m talking about Venice, which is definitely one of those places. I’ve been to Venice three times under very different circumstances and today, I’ll share some of my thoughts on the myth versus the reality.
Transcript and images: https://www.booksandtravel.page/venice-myth-and-reality-of-travel/

Myth And Reality. Beauty And Decay In Venice With J.F.Penn

Great cathedrals are places of awe and wonder, no matter your religious belief.

Whenever I visit a new place, I always go to the cathedral or church, or place of worship in the area. There is always something new and interesting to be found and you can get a particular sense of a region that way. I also love to take photos of religious architecture and sculpture, much of it crafted by devotion over many generations.

In this interview, I talk to Derry Brabbs about places of pilgrimage across Europe and why they attract so many, even those with no particular religious faith.

Pilgrimage. The Architecture Of Faith With Derry Brabbs

I’m a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, podcaster and creative entrepreneur. I write thrillers and dark fantasy as J.F.Penn as well as non-fiction for writers under Joanna Penn.

My thriller site: http://www.JFPenn.com 
My site for writers and The Creative Penn podcast: http://www.TheCreativePenn.com
Books and Travel Podcast and Blog: https://www.booksandtravel.page

Popular tracks by JFPenn