Author Interview with Penelope Holt: The Angel Scroll

One ancient prophecy, two heartbroken lovers, and a worldwide scavenger hunt for three miraculous paintings.

Welcome to the February 4th stop on the blog tour for The Angel Scroll by Penelope Holt with Goddess Fish Promotions. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for spotlights, reviews, more interviews & guest posts, and a giveaway! More on that at the end of this post.

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Interview with the Author

If you could have one paranormal ability, what would it be?
My book’s heroine, Claire Lucas, develops paranormal abilities based on my fascination withmetaphysics and psychic phenomena. I would love to be able to psychically heal people both physically and emotionally.

What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to learn about you?
I grew up in social housing in the North of England, the grandchild of a coal miner, and the daughter of a seamstress and a window cleaner. And I was the first in my family to attend college.

When writing descriptions of your hero/ine, what feature do you start with?
I work from the outside in, beginning with a physical description, but I’m most interested in a character’s emotions and psychology, so I invest a lot of ink in exploring these facets.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?
I’m a plotter when I’m ghostwriting business books with clients or collaborators who need a concrete structure. I’m mostly a pantser when writing my novels. I start with a loose framework, a clear idea of plot points and what material I want to integrate, and then I let it take shape.

Did you learn anything from writing this book? If so, what?
I did a great deal of research for “The Angel Scroll”. I studied the claim that Jesus traveled to India during his “silent years” before he began his ministry because this features in the novel’s plot. I studied the Dead Sea Scrolls and many ancient and holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City, Rome, and Siena. I learned about Glastonbury Tor, the Celts, Druids, King Arthur, and the Holy Grail. I paint as a hobby, and I studied art from the Renaissance period because the plot hinges on prophecy and three miraculous works of art. I also studied reincarnation because the book includes prophecy, destiny, and a love that spans the ages.

About the Book

The Angel Scroll
by Penelope Holt

Published 28 June 2024
Roundfire Books

Genre: Spiritual Romance, Mystery/Thriller
Page Count: 264
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!

One ancient prophecy, two heartbroken lovers, and a worldwide scavenger hunt for three miraculous paintings.

After her husband’s death, New York artist Claire Lucas has baffling dreams and waking visions as she channels an enigmatic and healing painting of a holy man in India at the deathbed of a young woman. When widowed antiquarian Richard Markson announces that Claire’s canvas is one-third of three paintings prophesied by the Angel Scroll, a recently discovered Dead Sea parchment, she is pulled into an international scavenger hunt to find the stolen scroll and the paintings it predicts.

As she pursues the paintings with Richard across historic and holy sites in America, Israel, and Europe, Claire encounters a series of remarkable teachers. A Buddhist, a Benedictine monk, and a professor of early goddess worship all provide rich explanations for the artist’s compelling and perplexing psychic experiences — until she assembles the incredible triptych and deciphers its inspirational message for the modern world.

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Excerpt

Richard looked at the beautiful young woman who strolled beside him, the sun picking up copper highlights in her rich dark curls and catching golden flecks in her green eyes. She had been through a lot. He wanted to put his arm around her shoulder and draw her close, hold her, and protect her. Instead, he pressed his hand for a moment on the small of her back, allowing himself to feel her warm skin through her white cotton artist’s blouse before he let his hand drop.

His touch caught Claire by surprise. The gentle pressure on her back felt so intimate and filled her with unanticipated pleasure that stirred sensations in her groin. She felt an aching need to lean into him. Instead, she wandered away from his side to regain her balance. Looking in a shop window, she let herself be distracted by the display of distinctive, hand-painted pottery.

Richard felt chastened. She was so light and free with me on that amazing afternoon we spent together in Jerusalem, he thought. She seemed to love exploring the old city and markets, but since London, she’s been cool. Whenever I get close, she tenses up. I should keep some distance and not crowd her. It’s a bad idea to push unwanted affection on her when she’s obviously still grieving for Jake. It’s too soon for her to think about being with another man. And then there’s the lie I told her about Hilde.

About the Author

Penelope Holt was born and educated in England and now lives in New York. She is a novelist, playwright, business writer, and marketing executive, whose work has been performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, York Arts Center, and New York’s American Folk Theater. In addition to writing fiction,  The Angel Scroll, and The Apple, based on the controversial Herman Rosenblat Holocaust romance, Holt is a prolific writer, editor, and co-author of non-fiction, including Business Intelligence at Work A Personal Operating System for Career Success, Singing God’s Work, the story of the Harlem Gospel Choir, and many other works. She is married with two children.

Giveaway Alert!

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

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