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.
Do you enjoy travel memoirs with a combination of personal reflection and practical tips? Are you interested in solo walking, or are you considering walking the Camino de Santiago or other multi-day walks?In this book, I share my lessons learned and insights from walking three ancient ways — the Pilgrims' Way and the St Cuthberts Way in England, and the Camino de Santiago Portuguese Coastal route.
It also includes historical, religious, and cultural aspects, and plenty of tips and 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.
- Plus, appendices with practical tips, a gear list and bibliography
How far would you go to see again?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.
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 read as a stand-alone story.
Is victory worth blood, sweat, and flame?Cass blows glass for a living — but when she’s not cranking out tourist pieces to pay the bills, she creates unique glass art with the dream of winning a prestigious award that might just change her life.
But Cass has a problem.
The heat and intensity of the glassblowing hot shop have damaged her eyesight — and time is running out.
She only has one chance left to win and a rival artisan stands in her way, the trophies on his shelf testament to his enduring popularity.
When his son comes to work alongside Cass, she must make a choice that will change their lives.
A choice that will cost Blood, Sweat, and Flame.
A sunken city. A lost goddess ... and the woman who longs to find her.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 author, J.F.Penn.
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: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?SINS OF TREACHERY:On the death of their Grandfather, twin brothers Simon and Gestas are left a map covered in alchemical symbols that could lead them to great wealth and power. But they find more than they expected in the frozen wastes of the Arctic north ...SINS OF VIOLENCE: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?
