Unusual and fascinating places alongside the deeper aspects of travel
Books And Travel
Claim This Podcastby Jo Frances Penn
4.9(62 reviews)
110 episodes
Updated Bi-weekly
Accepts GuestsHas SponsorsLocation 🇬🇧
59
Podcast Authority
BetaFairBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality68
Social0
YouTube76
Engagement51
Podcast Overview
Unusual and fascinating places alongside the deeper aspects of travel
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
2/21/2019
Unlock The Full Podcast Authority Score Report
See how your podcast performs across key metrics
59
Podcast Authority
BetaFairBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality68
Social0
YouTube76
Engagement51
7
Excellent Areas
2
Good Performance
10
Growth Opportunities
excellent
Episode Length
39 minutes
Performing excellently!
good
Show Notes Quality
3.0/5
Recommendations available
Unlock the full report to see detailed tips
needs improvement
Publishing Consistency
Every 22 days
Recommendations available
Unlock the full report to see detailed tips
+16 More Metrics
Unlock comprehensive insights including:
- • YouTube presence analysis
- • Social media reach metrics
- • RSS compliance scoring
- • Podcast 2.0 features
- • Technical standards
What's Included in Your Full Report
Detailed Analytics
- Complete breakdown of all 19 authority metrics
- Personalized recommendations for each metric
- Industry benchmarks and comparisons
- Technical RSS feed analysis and compliance scoring
Growth Strategies
- Step-by-step action plans for improvement
- Quick wins to boost your score immediately
- Pro tips from successful podcasters
Get your free podcast insights report
See how your show performs across every key metric
Instant delivery
No spam
Attract Better Guests
High authority scores make your podcast more attractive to industry leaders and influencers who want to appear on credible shows.
Secure Sponsorships
Sponsors look for podcasts with proven authority and engagement. Your score demonstrates your podcast's value to potential partners.
Grow Your Audience
Understanding your strengths and weaknesses helps you make data-driven decisions to expand your listener base effectively.
1 verified contact email on file for Books And Travel
Pitch yourself as a guest, propose sponsorships, or reach out directly to the host.
Recent Episodes
November 20, 2025
Alchemical History And Beautiful Architecture: Prague With Lisa M Lilly
<p>What draws a mystery writer from Chicago to the cobblestone streets and alchemical history of Prague? How can a city’s mystical atmosphere inspire a novel, and what happens when grief follows you to one of Europe’s most beautiful destinations? Lisa M. Lilly shares how Prague captured her imagination, weaving the city’s gothic romance and ancient […]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.booksandtravel.page/prague-lisa-lilly/">Alchemical History And Beautiful Architecture: Prague With Lisa M Lilly</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.booksandtravel.page">Books And Travel</a>.</p>
October 28, 2025
Blood, Wine, And Sacrifice: Folk Horror Inspired By England’s Biodynamic Vineyards With J.F. Penn And Natalie MacLean
What would you sacrifice for the perfect vintage? Can ancient pagan rituals and biodynamic winemaking create something truly extraordinary—or terrifying?<br /> In this conversation from the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast with Natalie Maclean, award-winning author J.F. Penn discusses the inspiration for her folk horror novel <a href="https://www.jfpenn.com/bloodvintage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blood Vintage</a>, set in the vineyards of Somerset, England.<br /> We explore the dark side of viticulture, from poisonous plants and blood sacrifices to the hard realities of small-scale winemaking and the mysterious practices of biodynamic agriculture.<br /> <a href="https://www.jfpenn.com/bloodvintage" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a><br /> <a href="https://www.jfpennbooks.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">J.F. Penn</a> is the award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, crime, horror, short stories, and travel memoir. Jo lives in Bath, England and enjoys a nice G&T.<br /> <br /> New Zealand wine memories. Pinot Noir tours in South Otago, including Mount Difficulty and Peregrine Vineyard, paired with wild venison and legendary Bluff oysters<br /> The birth of Blood Vintage. How a tour of Woodchester Valley vineyard, frost candles, and a note in the ancient Domesday Book sparked a dark story<br /> English wine’s climate change renaissance. How warming temperatures are making England’s sparkling wines competitive with Champagne.<br /> Inside biodynamic winemaking, inspired by a visit to <a href="https://www.booksandtravel.page/limeburn-hill-biodynamic-vineyard/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Limeburn Hill Vineyard, Chew Magna, Somerset</a>. From burying cow horns to dynamisation rituals and creating a self-contained ecosystem<br /> The dangers and romance of viticulture, and for more on this, check out the <a href="https://www.booksandtravel.page/vineyard/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview with Caro Feely, The Taste of Place</a>.<br /> Folk horror and the ‘terroir’ of terror. Exploring the question at the heart of the book: What would you sacrifice to create (or taste) the perfect vintage?<br /> <br /> You can find <a href="https://www.jfpenn.com/bloodvintage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blood Vintage</a> on all platforms in all formats now.<br /> This discussion was first broadcast across two episodes on Unreserved Wine Talk with Natalie Maclean in Oct 2024 [<a href="https://www.nataliemaclean.com/blog/podcast/blending-biodynamics-and-suspense-with-jo-penn-author-of-blood-vintage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blending biodynamics and suspense</a>; <a href="https://www.nataliemaclean.com/blog/podcast/wine-and-folklore-share-terroir-and-storytelling-with-jo-penn-author-of-blood-vintage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wine and folklore</a>]. You can also <a href="https://www.booksandtravel.page/english-vineyards-biodynamics-blood-vintage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">watch the full interview on video</a>.<br /> <br /> Transcript of the interview<br /> Natalie: Jo (J.F.) Penn is an award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of horror, thrillers, dark fantasy, crime, and travel memoir, as well as short stories. She’s also an award-winning podcaster. Her podcast is amazing, by the way—The Creative Penn. I listen to it every week, and you should too, if you have any interest in books or reading.<br /> She has a Master’s in Theology from the University of Oxford, and her latest novel is called Blood Vintage. It’s a folk horror story set in an English vineyard. I just finished reading it and it’s wonderful, Jo.<br /> You are joining us now from your home in Bath, which is nestled in the beautiful countryside of Somerset, England, about a hundred miles west of London. Welcome, Jo. I’m so glad you’re here with us.<br /> Jo: Oh, I’m so excited, Natalie. An excuse to drink wine with a friend!<br /> New Zealand Wine Experiences<br />
October 16, 2025
Mexico’s Day Of The Dead With Luisa Navarro
Why is Mexico’s Day of the Dead such a beautiful way to remember our loved ones who have died? What are the elements that go into the altar? How can tourists respectfully experience the tradition?<br /> In this fascinating conversation, Luisa Navarro, founder of Mexico in My Pocket and author of Mexico’s Day of the Dead: A Celebration of Life through Stories and Photos, shares her personal journey from rejecting her Mexican heritage to celebrating it, while revealing the true beauty and meaning behind one of Mexico’s most misunderstood traditions.<br /> <br /> Luisa Navarro is the founder and CEO of Mexico in My Pocket, and the author of <a href="https://amzn.to/3GUvyG7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mexico’s Day of the Dead: A Celebration of Life through Stories and Photos.</a><br /> <br /> Luisa’s childhood struggle with being Mexican American and how she transformed from rejecting her culture to becoming its passionate advocate<br /> The true meaning behind Día de los Muertos, its indigenous Aztec origins, and how it differs completely from Halloween<br /> The significance of ofrendas (altars), including sugar skulls, pan de muerto, marigolds, and photographs of deceased loved ones<br /> How different days honor different types of deaths<br /> Traditional foods like pan de muerto, café de olla, and how families share meals with both the living and the dead<br /> How to respectfully experience Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico while avoiding appropriation and understanding the difference between authentic traditions and commercialized parades<br /> <br /> You can find Luisa at <a href="https://mexicoinmypocket.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MexicoInMyPocket.com</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/3GUvyG7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mexico’s Day of the Dead book here</a>.<br /> <br /> Transcript of the interview<br /> Jo: Hello, travelers. I’m Jo Frances Penn, and today I’m here with Luisa Navarro. Hi Luisa.<br /> Luisa: Hi. It’s so wonderful to be here with you today.<br /> Jo: Great to meet you. Now, just a quick introduction. Luisa is the founder and CEO of Mexico in My Pocket, and the author of <a href="https://amzn.to/3GUvyG7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mexico’s Day of the Dead: A Celebration of Life through Stories and Photos, which is fantastic.</a><br /> So first up, just tell us a bit more about you and your Mexican heritage and how you bring that into your life and your business in Brooklyn.<br /> Luisa: Yes, of course. So I was actually born in Dallas, Texas. I am Mexican American. My mom is from Tila, which is Northern Mexico, and my dad is from Michoacán, which is more central and it’s actually where Día de los Muertos is very much celebrated.<br /> Growing up in Dallas, I struggled originally with my identity a lot being Mexican American —<br /> because what happened was I went to school and I only spoke Spanish because Spanish was my first language. My mom insisted that all four of her kids learn Spanish first before going to school. And then when we were in school, we all struggled to make friends because we only spoke Spanish.<br /> The teachers would criticize my mom, but my mom insisted that we would be perfectly fine and that we would learn English eventually, and she was right. And so eventually I became bilingual. And during that time, at a very young age, I discovered young kids were saying horrible things about Mexicans and I didn’t know how to handle that. I realized, wait, I think I’m Mexican.<br /> And so long story short, I didn’t want to be Mexican at a very young age. I was about four or five years old. I have these memories very vividly. And so I came home to my mom in Dallas and I said, I’m no longer Luisa, I’m now Hannah. I think I said Hana, my mom always says I pronounced it very interestingly, but I was like, I’m Hana. And I will not respond if you don’t call me Hana. Yeah, I mean, it’s very sad.<br /> But luckily, luckily, luckily,
110 total episodes available
Recent guests on Books And Travel
Guests from recent episodes — sign up to see every guest that has ever appeared on this show.
Wendy Neugent
Guest
Bradley Chermside
Guest
Catriona Turner
Guest
Deep-dive analytics for Books And Travel
Frequently asked questions
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
- What is Books And Travel?
- How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates bi-weekly.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 2 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Information about guest appearances is not available.
Legal Disclaimer
Pod Engine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with any of the podcasts displayed on this platform. We operate independently as a podcast discovery and analytics service.
All podcast artwork, thumbnails, and content displayed on this page are the property of their respective owners and are protected by applicable copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, podcast cover art, episode artwork, show descriptions, episode titles, transcripts, audio snippets, and any other content originating from the podcast creators or their licensors.
We display this content under fair use principles and/or implied license for the purpose of podcast discovery, information, and commentary. We make no claim of ownership over any podcast content, artwork, or related materials shown on this platform. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
While we strive to ensure all content usage is properly authorized, if you are a rights holder and believe your content is being used inappropriately or without proper authorization, please contact us immediately at hey@podengine.ai for prompt review and appropriate action, which may include content removal or proper attribution.
By accessing and using this platform, you acknowledge and agree to respect all applicable copyright laws and intellectual property rights of content owners. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or commercial use of the content displayed on this platform is strictly prohibited.