About J.F. Penn
I’m Jo Frances (J.F.) Penn, award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, crime, horror, short stories, and travel memoir.
You can find my books on my store, JFPennBooks.com, and also on Amazon, or your favourite online or local bookstore, library, or audiobook platform. You can also find me on YouTube @jfpennauthor and Instagram @jfpennauthor.
New here? My Frequently Asked Questions covers where to start, reading order, formats, the real places behind the stories, and film and TV rights.
I live in Bath, England, and when I’m not traveling for book research, I enjoy walking by the canal, and a nice gin and tonic. I’m married and we have two British shorthair cats, Cashew and Noisette, who often feature on my Instagram @jfpennauthor !
I share my travels and interview other authors about the places that inspire them on my Books and Travel Podcast. I also have lots of resources based on my award-winning memoir Pilgrimage: Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways.
I love reading, and my favorite authors include John Connolly, Jonathan Maberry, and Stephen King. Here’s a list of books I love.
You can see lots of pictures from my travels and book research on Instagram including my travels, adventures and writing inspiration.
I also share updates on what I’m working on now, as well as on social media.
The research behind the books
I’m a research junkie and love learning! All of my stories start with a real place which I often visit in person or research online, and that sparks historical, religious or mythological questions and ideas that spark a new adventure.
I have a Master’s degree in Theology from the University of Oxford and a Graduate Diploma in Psychology from the University of Auckland, and I am completing a Master’s degree in Death, Religion and Culture at the University of Winchester. That grounding in deep research methods, alongside my real life travel, shape every book. I include an Author’s Note at the back of every book and short story with the sparks, books, and other aspects that inspired me along the way.
Browse my Research Library for the articles behind the fiction, and Books by Location, or my blog and podcast on my travel site, Books and Travel, for the journeys themselves.
Connect with me here:
For Writers
If you’re interested in writing craft and creative business, check out my site for writers: www.TheCreativePenn.com or The Creative Penn Podcast.
Official Bio
J.F. Penn is the award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, crime, horror, memoir, as well as short stories. Her books weave together ancient artifacts, relics of power, international locations, and adventure with an edge of the supernatural. Jo lives in Bath, England, with her husband and two British shorthair cats, Cashew and Noisette. She enjoys a nice G&T.
Try a free thriller at: www.JFPenn.com/free
Notable Achievements
2026. Death Valley was a finalist in Best Fiction in The Selfies Awards
2024. Pilgrimage: Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways won Best Non-Fiction/Memoir at London Book Fair 2024 Selfie Awards.
2017. Destroyer of Worlds, ARKANE book 8 was a Finalist in the International Thriller Writer Award for Best Ebook Original.
2016. ARKANE boxset 1, containing Stone of Fire, Crypt of Bone, and Ark of Blood, hit the USA Today list.
2014. I became a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author as part of ‘Deadly Dozen,’ a box-set with ‘The Twelve’ thriller and mystery authors. It featured my novella, One Day in Budapest.
2013. I wrote a series of short stories based on Dante’s Inferno for Kobo’s Descent contest, a promo for the launch of Dan Brown’s Inferno. I later re-edited it and re-published as a trilogy of short stories, A Thousand Fiendish Angels.
Photos for media
Please credit Betty Bhandari.
