Podcast Archives - Books And Travel

Traveling By Cruise Ship With Wendy Neugent

Subscribe: Spotify | Email | TuneIn | RSS

Have you ever wondered what it’s really like to live and work on a cruise ship? Is it all glamour and exotic locations, or is there a hidden, more challenging side to life at sea?

How do you cope with being away from family for months at a time, and what strange events unfold on these floating cities? In this episode, former cruise ship entertainer Wendy Nugent talks about her journeys and how they inspired her mystery novels.

If you like episodes about the sea/books, check out episode 1 where I talk about my tallship journey from Fiji to Vanuatu, Sailing around the world with Tom Dymond; Tallship sailing in Galveston, Texas, and Sailing the Pacific with Nadine Slavinski.

Wendy spent a decade as part of an award-winning magic act performing on cruise ships all over the world. She traveled from Alaska to Venezuela, Bermuda to Tahiti, and many exotic ports of call in between. Now, Wendy uses her insider knowledge of cruise ship life to write entertaining cozy mystery books set on cruise ships.

Wendy’s journey from a theater graduate to performing on ships around the globe
The highs and lows of life at sea, from incredible shore excursions to the challenges of being away from family
The strict social hierarchy and unique culture on board, with crew members from many different nations
The weird and wonderful things that happen on cruises—from ship fires to rescuing refugees—that inspire her mystery novels
Practical tips for potential cruisers on choosing the right itinerary and ship size for their travel style
How to make a tiny, temporary cabin feel like home, especially when your cabin mate is a performing parrot
Recommended books

You can find Wendy at WendyNeugent.com.

To The End Of The Earth: Walking Spain’s Camino de Santiago With Bradley Chermside

Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | Email | TuneIn | RSS

How can a physical journey trigger profound inner change? What draws a non-religious person to undertake a Catholic pilgrimage? What happens when you encounter both the best and worst versions of yourself on the same path? Bradley Chermside, international best-selling author, entertainer, and host of the El Camino de Santiago Podcast shares his transformative journey.

You can also find my memoir, Pilgrimage, and lots of pilgrimage and Camino resources here.

Bradley Chermside is an international bestselling author, copywriter and multi-award winning singer and entertainer. He’s the host of the El Camino de Santiago Podcast, and today we’re talking about his book,The Only Way is West: A Once in a Lifetime , 500 Mile Adventure Walking Spain’s Camino de Santiago.

Life before the Camino and why walk a pilgrimage if you’re not a Christian
Spiritual and personal influences
Highlights of the Camino, and the challenges along the way
Meeting people, walking together and alone
Balancing life after Camino — and why Bradley continues to walk the routes
Recommended books

You can find Brad at BradleyChermside.com and also on the El Camino de Santiago Pilgrims Podcast.

I was also on Bradley’s Camino podcast talking about my own Camino experience here.

The Geography of Belonging: Finding Home With Catriona Turner

Inner Travel, Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | Email | TuneIn | RSS

What does home mean when you are always moving on? What does belonging mean when your address changes every few years? And how do we reconcile our evolving identities with the places we’ve left behind? Catriona Turner talks about her travels from Scotland to France, to Congo and Uganda, and back home again over 14 years, and how she has redefined what she calls home.

For more episodes on home, check out my solo episode on Sanctuary, Retreat, Belonging: The Importance of Home in Difficult Times; and for more on Third Culture Kids, check out the interview on Djibouti with Rachel Pieh Jones. You can also find more about my thoughts on home in my memoir, Pilgrimage: Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways.

Catriona Turner is the Scottish author of Nest, A Memoir of Home on the Move.

Life in Kampala, Uganda – discovering an unexpectedly cosmopolitan city with thriving coffee and food scenes
Experiencing the Republic of Congo – navigating life in Pointe-Noire, a Francophone oil city with strong French influences
The challenges of living in transition – the struggle between temporary mindset and embracing the present moment
Unpacking the loaded terms ‘expat’ and ‘immigrant’ — privilege, cultural integration, and identity
The evolution of “home” – from a fixed geographical location to a multidimensional concept that travels with you
How children experience third culture living
Repatriation challenges – seeing your own culture through new eyes after years abroad
Unexpected appreciations – discovering the beauty of Scotland through foreigners’ perspectives
Book recommendations for understanding global living, going home, and repatriation

You can find Catriona at CatrionaTurner.com and her book, Nest, on Amazon.

Ancient Mysteries and Modern Travels. Egypt With Luke Richardson

Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | Email | TuneIn | RSS

Why does Egypt continue to fascinate curious travelers? What hidden chambers might lie beneath the pyramids of Giza? How does the duality of Egyptian mythology influence thriller writing? Join thriller authors J.F. Penn and Luke Richardson for a conversation that weaves together archaeological intrigue, travel insights, and the creative process behind crafting compelling adventures in one of history’s most enigmatic settings.

Luke Richardson is the bestselling author of the Eden Black Archaeological Thrillers and the International Detective Thriller Series.

Why Egypt continues to capture the imagination: Ancient myths, tombs, and timeless sites
Modern Cairo and Garbage City
The Oasis of Siwa
The Pyramids of Giza, and recent archaeological finds about what might be underneath
Travel tips for modern Egypt
Recommended books

You can find Luke at LukeRichardsonAuthor.com and his books on Amazon. You can also find his trip notes and pictures at LukeRichardsonAuthor.com/egypt

If you enjoy thrillers inspired by and set in Egypt, check out The Giza Protocol by Luke Richardson and Ark of Blood by J.F. Penn.

Walking Amongst The Dead: Graveyards, Cemeteries, And Ossuaries With J.F. Penn

Podcast, Religious, Unusual Places

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | Email | TuneIn | RSS

“The meaning of life is that it stops.” — Franz Kafka

I’ve always felt most grateful to be alive when I walk among the dead. That might sound strange, but bear with me!

Step through a lychgate into a church yard or descend a narrow stone stair into a catacomb or ossuary, and the pace and the noise of the world falls away. In these quiet spaces—graveyards beside ancient churches, sprawling Victorian cemeteries, underground chambers decorated with bones—I consider the shortness of life, memento mori, remember you will die, and it puts life into perspective. I can hear my own heartbeat more clearly, and the stories begin to rise.

Paris catacombs, Photo licensed from Canva

In this episode, I’ll take you with me to a handful of places that have shaped some of my stories and travel memoir. If you’ve read my ARKANE thrillers or the Brooke & Daniel series, you’ll recognise many of the names.

But whether you’re here for research, reverence, or simple curiosity, I hope you’ll find something to spark your imagination and, perhaps, shift your perspective on these places that so many stay away from.

What’s the difference between a graveyard, a cemetery, and an ossuary?
Why am I so fascinated with these places?
Sedlec Ossuary, Kutná Hora, Czech Republic
Paris Catacombs, France
Kensal Green Cemetery, London, England
Crossbones Graveyard, Southwark, London, England
St Louis Cemetery No. 1, New Orleans, USA
Capuchin Catacombs, Palermo, Sicily
Archbishop’s cadaver tomb, Canterbury Cathedral, England
Mass grave in the Dohány Street Synagogue, Budapest, Hungary
Graveyard of St Mary and All Saints, Boxley, Kent

Thin Places and Tidal Shores: Lindisfarne, Holy Island, With LK Wilde

Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | Email | TuneIn | RSS

What makes the tiny island of Lindisfarne a “thin place” where the spiritual and physical worlds seem to meet? How does living in such a close-knit community shape one’s identity? And what secrets lie beyond the tourist paths on this ancient sacred site? LK Wilde and J.F. Penn talk about their love of Lindisfarne.

Laura is the award-winning author of historical fiction, romance, and uplifting feel-good fiction. Her novel Silver Darlings is set on the Northumberland Island of Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island.

Where is Lindisfarne and what makes it unique as a tidal island?
Holy Island, the rich Celtic Christian heritage and Viking history
What it’s like to grow up on a remote island with only 150 residents
Lindisfarne as a “thin place” where spiritual experiences feel more accessible
Natural wonders: sand dunes, seal colonies, and bird sanctuaries
Essential safety tips for crossing the tidal causeway
The fishing heritage that inspired Laura’s novel Silver Darlings
Local delicacies: fish soup, fresh crab sandwiches and the potent monastic mead

You can find Laura at LKWilde.com and her books on Amazon and other stores.

Podcast

Follow Jo Frances Penn