James Morgan-Jones

How do we connect with the life of the spirit in a very material world? We are all, at some level, aware of a world beyond our immediate physical environment. Some people are particularly sensitive to it. In ‘The Glasswater Quintet’ I explore the nature of time, history and a spiritual (not necessarily religious) dimension through the lives of ordinary but passionate individuals who find themselves facing extraordinary circumstances: danger, illness, the criminal world, loss, the threat of emotional breakdown. What happens when other planes of existence break through into daily lives? Can the dead truly influence the living? What is the nature of place, and of haunting?

Wales is a nation rich in literature and mythology. The worlds ‘beyond the veil’ are woven into the DNA of the Welsh. Being rooted in this small but fascinating, beautiful and multi-faceted country gives me, perhaps, an insight into the yearning we all feel – at least at times – to explore and connect with the ‘otherworld’. This is the supernatural in its true sense: that is to say, not a place conjured by imagination, but a plane above and beyond our usual senses, giving us insights and experiences vital to our wellbeing – indeed, to our very existence.

All my protagonists are, however, very much rooted in the physical world. They face the same trials, triumphs, sorrows and joys we all do. I trained originally as an actor at the renowned Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. I like to think that my past life in theatre gives me a powerful sense of the dramatic. In my novels dramatic tension and gripping storylines run alongside the ever-present supernatural in my characters’ lives. The books are immersive, atmospheric and thrilling. This is the world of ‘The Glasswater Quintet’ – welcome!