About Josephine
Josephine Pennicott’s latest mystery novel, Poets Cottage, is published by Pan Macmillan.
In November, 2011, Poet’s Cottage and a second mystery novel that Josephine is currently working on sold in a bidding war to prestigious publishing house, Ullstein in Germany. Poet’s Cottage will be published in Europe in 2012.
Josephine is an award-winning writer in the crime genre. Her story Birthing The Demons won the 2001 Scarlet Stiletto, and she has won the Kerry Greenwood Domestic Malice Prize twice, with Hail Mary (2003) and Tadpole (2004).
Josephine’s previous novels were in the dark fantasy genre: Circle Of Nine (2001), Bride Of The Stone (2003) and A Fire In The Shell (2004).
Circle Of Nine was named as one of 2001′s best debut novels in The Year’s Best Fantasy & Horror (Terri Windling & Ellen Datlow, editors). A Fire In The Shell was shortlisted for Best Horror Novel in the 2005 Aurealis Awards.
Although born in Tasmania, Josephine’s early years were in Papua New Guinea.
Josephine’s teenage years were in Oatlands, a beautiful historic village in the midlands of Tasmania. Here she spent her time exploring caves around Lake Dulverton, listening to the stories her grandfather and her father told her and gathering an abundance of material on life in a small community. Material which would prove invaluable when she came to write Poet’s Cottage.
Shortly after leaving Oatlands District High School, Josephine enjoyed a gypsy lifestyle where she travelled around Australia working in a range of jobs and having adventures. All of which provided a valuable apprenticeship for her writing.
She has worked in a range of jobs (including nurse, housemaid, life-drawing model and sales assistant) and has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of New South Wales.
Josephine admires many writers across a range of genres but her ‘Holy Trinity’ that she has long loved and admired are Enid Blyton, Agatha Christie and Daphne du Maurier.
Enid Blyton
Josephine is represented by Selwa Anthony Author Management Agency.
Daphne Du Maurier
Agatha Christie
Josephine lives in Sydney, Australia, with her writer partner David Levell and their daughter Daisy. When she is not in her garden writing shed, she enjoys kundalini yoga, reading, comparative religion and being in nature.
You can write to Josephine at PO Box 926 Broadway, Sydney, 2007 NSW.
Josephine is represented by Selwa Anthony Author Management Agency.
for media enquires for Josephine please contact Jace Armstrong at Jace.Armstrong@macmillan.com.au
Praise for Poet’s Cottage (Please see Poet’s Cottage section for more reviews.)’
‘It’s testimony to Pennicott’s exquisite prose that just as you think you understand where the characters and stories are heading, your expectations are overturned. I loved this about the novel. What I also loved is that I could see these characters; what they wore, ate, how they walked. I could feel the wind on my face, walk through the misty streets of Pencubitt, and feel the cold embrace of Poet’s Cottage. Pennicott evokes time and place with a light and meaningful touch: a word, a mood, a gesture all bring the past and present lives of those dwelling in the village into acute focus. This is a gorgeous, sometimes harrowing but always moving and deep story that remains with you long after the last page. Simply lovely. A triumph.’
Thank you, Karen Brooks, Australian Author, columnist, journalist, corporate and educational speaker, academic and social commentator.
Dec 02, 2010 @ 08:06:16
Hi Josie I promised to write before the end of the decade & here I am a decade late!Have been playing with the kids laptop-Im pretty much computer illiterate-& decided to try & find you & there you are! How wonderful!XO
Dec 29, 2010 @ 05:48:55
Wendy, it’s brilliant to hear from you. I have often thought of you over the years and would love more of an update on your life. Please contact me when you get a chance and let me know a bit more. I promise to reply with snail mail or computer! xx
Nov 06, 2011 @ 00:19:53
Hi Josie. ave been reading these pages of yours for what seems like forever & have finally decided to try & contact you. Loving thoughts to you & your family.
Lisa Howard
Feb 13, 2011 @ 02:27:10
Hi
I am the son of Margaret Pennicott of Oatlands Tas, is it possible we are related?
Could you reply via my email.
Cheers
Andrew
Feb 15, 2011 @ 09:01:37
Hello Andrew,
I’ve just written to you with all the family connections.
Thanks for finding me. xx
Oct 12, 2011 @ 10:40:26
Dear Andrew, this is a long shot but if you do stray back here, I’ve lost your email in a computer crash and my father would like to contact you, urgently. Best Wishes. J
Apr 12, 2012 @ 03:35:35
Tracey R
Apr 12, 2012 @ 01:47:26 [Edit]
Kia ora Josephine! I purchased Poet’s Cottage 2 days ago when I spotted it at Dymocks Bookshop at Broadway Shopping Centre whilst waiting for an appointment. What a find! The beautiful cover caught my eye and the outline on the back sold it to me. I have some family history roots in Tasmania myself and I thought this would help uncover the mystery of Tasmania for me. It did…and more. I read it in 2 days and that was only because I was interrupted last night by going to see The Pogues (which were brilliant). I was transported by the story. Beautiful and painful. Brought me to tears many times. Thankyou so much for such an incredible gift. I feel blessed to have come across this book purely by chance. I trully hope the book sells all around the globe and that you receive many awards and accolades for it. My favourite book of 2012 without a doubt. Arohanui from an Australian Maori xoxoxox
Apr 12, 2012 @ 03:49:42
Hello Tracey,
First of all, I hope you don’t mind that I moved your comment from WEBSITES to the ABOUT ME as I thought it was so special and I didn’t want it to get lost. I had forgotten I had that link WEBSITES myself! Such a strange coincidence as I was in the Dymocks Broadway yesterday after having taken my daughter to see the Lorax and I said, ‘can you spot Mamma’s book?’ There it was with a lovely poster and only one copy left which was terrific to see (unless of course Dymocks had just ordered three…) And in a sad-sack way I had to force (I mean encourage) my daughter to pose next to the one little copy that was waving happily at me.
I really can’t thank you enough for your beautiful words and that Poet’s Cottage meant so much to you. I know it meant an awful lot to me as I was writing it. I know the ancestors were whispering away and rustling in my writing shed when I finished it. To think that your ancestors might have been doing the same to you means really the world to me. And yes, the cover design is really stunning and Nada (the artist who designed it) captured my words and the secrets of Poet’s Cottage perfectly.
Thank you so much for supporting the book and for allowing me to guide you through my cobbed streets of Pencubitt and into the white cottage by the sea that contains the bones and dreams of the characters I love so much. All blessings. Namaste. xx
Apr 24, 2012 @ 02:07:28
Jenny Alderton
lalderton@skymesh.com.au
203.48.242.193
Submitted on 2012/04/24 at 1:53 am
Hello Josephine. I have just picked up a copy of Poet’s Cottage and had to write to say I absolutely love it. Three quarters of the way through at the moment and still have no idea what happened in the cellar and if there really was a devil chained up down there. Usually I can guess “who dunnit” before the ending but no this time. I love Tasmania. Hobart is my favourite place. My husband and I try to get over from Victoria at least once a year.
Apr 24, 2012 @ 02:08:33
Hello Jenny,
thanks so much for your kind comment. I always get so excited when I know somebody has bought Poet’s Cottage and is enjoying it. Hobart/Tasmania is beautiful, isn’t it? The journalists who live there that interviewed me said, ‘Stop telling everyone as we don’t want everyone finding out!’ Magic island with so much variety and depth to the space. I’m not surprised that there are so many creative people who become inspired there and live there. I hope you continue to enjoy reading the book and let me know how you get on with the devil in the cellar.
Shhh… keep the secret.
Love Josephine xx
ps I might move your email to About Me on the blog so it doesn’t get lost. Hope you don’t mind, let me know if you want me to remove it from there but I’ll reply here to you. Thanks again for not only your support but also taking the time to let me know you’re enjoying the mystery. I’m just about to head back out to my writing shed and so that’s a lovely energy to head back there with.