Jenni Gudgeon
ALLi Author Member
Location: United Kingdom
Genres: Children's fiction, Fantasy/SciFi/Speculative, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Magical Realism, Speculative Fiction, Young Adult (YA), Fantasy, Folk tales
I’m a photographic artist and writer based in Fife, Scotland who creates one off art works from my photographs by etching designs directly into the photographic emulsion. If you'd told me in April 2013 that I'd become a writer I’d have laughed you out of the room. This is not something I ever expected I’d be doing. In May that year, I told exhibition visitors the silly stories I’d made up about a few mythical creatures while I etched them. Several people told me I should make these into a book, but I told them I couldn’t write. You have to be good at English to write. Three days later I woke up with the opening line in my head and realised I was going to write a book! Since then, I've gone on to write an epic fantasy novel series and a follow up guidebook to Scottish mythical creatures Writing fiction has been a revelation to me. It is fascinating, exciting, and fun to create different worlds in words as well as in pictures. I love seeing my characters’ stories come to life and watching my initial muddle of ideas untangle into flowing sentences. A lot of my inspiration comes from my local area (the Howe of Fife in Scotland), which is where my latest novel series is based - bringing local legends back to life.
Jenni Gudgeon's books
Genres: Fantasy/SciFi/Speculative, LGBTQ+, Magical Realism
Formats: E-Book, Paperback
Age Groups: 16-18, 18+
“I don’t blame you for hating me. I wouldn’t forgive what I did either.” When Jacq heads to the Garden to fulfil a prophecy, Carlin isn’t going to fall apart. It’s the perfect opportunity to bond with her brother. Carlin just has to get William onboard with the plan. The faerie king doesn’t forgive Carlin either. He kidnaps William’s friends to force Carlin back into his grasp, compelling the pair to work together to save them. A gifted doorway to the Garden brings hope, but they need stronger magic than Carlin has, and William must look beyond Carlin’s traitorous past. With the clock ticking, Carlin receives another impossible task – to complete the prophecy Jacq undertook. It’s anyone’s guess why she can’t do it. There’s only time for one mission… unless Carlin hands themself to a merciless king. Filled with terrifying fae, LGBTQ storylines, and reimagined Celtic legends, The Gift...
Genres: Children's fiction, Fantasy/SciFi/Speculative, Folk tales
Formats: E-Book, Paperback, Hardback
Age Groups: 8-11, 12-15, 16-18, 18+
Congratulations. You’ve accepted the challenge of inviting Folkland Wood’s fairies into your life. That means you will never be bored again. However, if you don’t leave Folkland, you’ll miss other creatures just as exciting. Legendary reputations are turned on their head within these pages. Some mythical creatures are friendly and a few are scary, but none act like you’d expect. Nessie hates his fame, mermaids have anger issues, and selkies wear their seal-skin as capes. This beautifully illustrated guidebook is designed to help you survive your first meetings with the characters who live around Scotland’s coast.
Genres: Speculative Fiction, Fantasy, Folk tales
Formats: E-Book, Paperback
Age Groups: 16-18, 18+
Prophecies, Schmophecies Earth’s most unenchanted stone carrier doesn’t believe in prophecies. That’s Jacq’s only option when she can’t work out how to stop the fae killing each other. Although she's crossed paths with the brutal Seelie king before, Jacq isn’t prepared for a manipulative goddess who awaits her in the Garden. The goddess uses a captivating human to entrap her, but Abilio swears he was forced into it. Can Jacq trust him in a world where even animals are spies? Deciding to follow her heart, Jacq needs to get Ab back to Earth. Unfortunately, he is enslaved to the goddess, who has her sights set firmly on Jacq. With time running out, they must escape through a doorway or be trapped in the Garden forever. If you like terrifying fae and a fresh spin on Celtic legends, buy now to follow Jacq as she dares to challenge The Prophecy, book...
Genres: Fantasy/SciFi/Speculative, LGBTQ+, Speculative Fiction
Formats: E-Book, Paperback
Age Groups: 16-18, 18+
I’ll do anything to survive another day in the Garden – even die for it. Prequel to The Society. Carlin is a nonbinary human courtesan, preparing the way for a hero they’ve dreamed of their whole life. When the gods gift you a twin, you can’t rest until they stand by your side. Except, Carlin lives in the faerie realm, where an attack on the ruthless fae king is brewing. It’s an assault with devastating consequences for Carlin, and the king's revenge follows their flight to the 1980's human world. Broken and yearning for their twin, Carlin’s efforts to connect are thwarted by the blood-soaked secrets and shameful treachery of their past. But the Garden needs its Hope. Therefore, it needs Carlin. So Carlin must learn how to accept their trauma… without drowning in it. Filled with terrifying fae, LGBTQ storylines, and reimagined Celtic legends, The Quest is book two...
Genres: Fantasy/SciFi/Speculative, LGBTQ+, Young Adult (YA)
Formats: E-Book, Paperback
Age Groups: 12-15, 16-18, 18+
One teenage girl. One stone. One faerie king to hit where it hurts. Humans who visit the Garden choose a stone, have their eyes branded, then return home bewitched and enslaved to join the Society. That’s how it’s always been until teenage Jackie arrives. When Jackie gets back to Earth, she discovers her baby brother is a changeling, she’s somehow top of the stone-carrying elite, and she’s joined her thrilled parents in some cultish self-help group. Their eyes glaze over when they say it’s hard being one of the chosen. At the end of her tether, Jackie meets nonbinary Carlin, a glamorous oddball who feels like her only ally. Carlin says to release her brother, she must break one of the faerie king’s most ancient pacts. Jackie’s confidence is flimsy at best, but she must summon the courage to take on the fae king or her brother will stay cursed...
Genres: Illustrated/Photography, Fantasy/SciFi/Speculative, Colouring Books
Formats: Paperback
Age Groups: 8-11, 12-15, 16-18, 18+
Oh no! Folkland’s mythical creatures are fading back into Faerie! Only their outline remains, and they need your help to colour them back into our world. Full of hidden animals, alarming plants, and exotic mushrooms; this inspiring colouring book lets your imagination run wild. It is a companion to Folkland Fables, and the colouring pages are faithfully reproduced from Jenni Gudgeon’s intricate and quirky illustrations of Scotland’s fairy creatures. A brilliant gift for adults and older children, with different levels of intricacy to suit all abilities. Each page is printed one-sided to minimise bleed through, which also allows you cut out and display your finished pictures. Folkland Wood is a fictional place inspired by real life Falkland Estate in Fife, Scotland.
Genres: Children's fiction, Fantasy, Folk tales
Formats: E-Book, Paperback, Hardback
Age Groups: 8-11, 12-15, 16-18, 18+
Welcome to Folkland, Scotland’s most secret Faerie wood. When you first venture beneath the trees, a gnome presents you with this beautifully illustrated guidebook. It explains how every mythical creature will behave, yet none act like you’d expect. Unicorns are big-headed, the troll is miserable, and will-o’-the-wisps blow raspberries at you! There’s another problem. All the creatures expect you to become a negotiator between the mythical and human worlds. Do you want to continue this weird, magical life, or go back to normality? After all, those flower fairies are pretty scary. By turns humorous and poignant, Folkland Fables brings each character spectacularly to life with Jenni Gudgeon’s quirky illustrations. It’s a must for children aged 8 to 80.