Sarah Penner, "The London Séance Society"

Beyond the Next Chapter with Whitney Clark

Sarah joins the podcast to discuss her second novel, THE LONDON SEANCE SOCIETY. Book number two comes just two years after her instant New York Times #1 bestseller, THE LOST APOTHECARY. That literary tsunami-style splash was made on the heels of leaving a long, successful career working in finance. Yes, finance! Sarah talks with Olivia about her past career and the perk of traveling regularly to London, where she says, “she felt like I’d lived a previous life there. I felt so enchanted by the old brick alleyways... really enamored of it all. I knew I wanted to set my first book there and ended up setting THE LONDON SEANCE SOCIETY there as well.”

Sarah talks about researching her Victorian-era novel, writing strong female characters like Lenna and Vaudeline, and her own adventure gaining perspective of a séance, digging deeper into what grieving people are seeking when they desire connection with those who have passed, and how those emotions can make us vulnerable.

THE LONDON SEANCE SOCIETY is released March 7, 2023 by Park Row Books. For more on the author visit sarahpenner.com Also mentioned in this podcast: HESTER by Laurie Lico Albanese. To hear Olivia’s previous conversation with Laurie about this book, listen to this podcast episode from October 20, 2022.