Hello Creatives, We are heading into the last few months of the year, so I hope you are doing well with your creative goals for 2026! I'm just back from an inspiring trip to Los Angeles to attend the Moonshots Live conference, and I also visited the cathedral, and tried my first Waymo, which was fun! I am now focused on How to Market a Book Fourth Edition, so please click here to do my short survey before 7 October. It should be out on my store in December, and everywhere in early 2027....
25 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Creatives, I'm just back from a week's walking in the Algarve in Portugal, a much-needed break after finishing my Masters dissertation and my little book on writing short stories. Multi-day longer distance walking always helps clear the mind — and the creative cycle begins to turn once more ... I'm working on the 4th Edition of How to Market a Book next, and if you want to sell more print books in-person, check out Mark Leslie Lefebvre's Kickstarter for A Book in Hand: Optimizing Print...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Creatives, Autumn is in the air here in Bath, and I've been in a flurry of finishing energy with my Masters dissertation (finally) now done. I'm also launching How to Write, Publish and Market Short Stories on my store now and everywhere else from 1 October. More details below. What do you want to achieve before the end of the year? Click reply and let me know. How to Write, Publish and Market Short Stories Write more stories, strengthen your craft, and grow your author career. Short...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Creatives, It is very hot here in the UK and I am still battling my Masters dissertation. I am dredging up all my finishing energy for this one! I'm also about to start narrating the audiobook for How to Write, Publish, and Market Short Stories, coming end Sept/October, and I have some website rejigging for my fiction self as J.F. Penn. Lots to do! Are you struggling with a writing or author-related project? Click reply and let me know. We're all in it together this August! From blog to...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Creatives, I'm back into my dissertation at the moment, and academic writing is a challenge for sure, but worth it for the rigour of research, which I always love! Even though I'm not writing fiction at the moment, I am always open to creative inspiration, and I found much to love at Coventry Cathedral, which we visited last week. Photos above and more in the article below. Click here to visit Coventry Cathedral with me Do you find creative inspiration from traveling to new places? Or...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Creatives, We're just back from a long weekend in Brussels and Bruges in Belgium where I did some much-needed book research. Photos above and more on Instagram and Facebook @jfpennauthor if you'd like a closer look. Also, do you know about the 'windowing' strategy for publishing? It's how I release my books now and might help you think about your next release. Basically, it means releasing your book in different formats and into different channels to different audiences over time, with...
4 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Creatives, Thanks to everyone who backed my Kickstarter for Bones of the Deep! I had a wonderful signing day for the foiled hardbacks up at the BookVault printers, so all books should be with you soon. It will be out on the usual platforms over the summer. I was also in London last week for an author conference, having industry business meetings and catching up with writer friends. It's been a productive few weeks but a good reminder that the author life is not just sitting alone...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Creatives, Can you believe it's June already?! I hope you have your creative projects for the year well underway. Click reply and let me know how it's going. I'm focused on finishing up the fulfilment for Bones of the Deep Kickstarter, and if you missed the campaign, the book will be out on the usual stores in August. I'm also writing the draft of my dissertation for my Masters in Death, Religion, and Culture, so that's my main project for the next few months, alongside a new story with...
5 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Creatives, I had a book research and social trip to London this week. It's always a treat to walk along South Bank, more pics here. My Kickstarter for Bones of the Deep also finished, so I will be moving into fulfilment next. Keep an eye out for an email if you backed the campaign, and the book will be out in the usual places later in the summer. I'm also busy putting the final touches to my AI-Assisted Artisan Author webinars coming up this weekend, Sat 16 May and then an advanced...
6 months ago • 1 min read