Moving into autumn, I am happy to look back on a productive and quiet summer of writing and researching. In June my first poem was published in Door=Jar Magazine (Issue 7), and my ‘Beauty and Alienation in Medical Photography” paper came out in Journal of Visual Communication in Medicine. I also have done some peer-review work with Mortality journal. It is a fantastic way to help encourage and engage with new scholarship, and of course, it feels good to be referred to as a specialist in the history of photography.
As with any writer, the bulk of my time is spent on research. At the moment I’m working on an upcoming non-fiction book on horror cinema. I’ve found a really amazing and fresh topic of which I will say more once a publishing contract is signed, but it means I get to marry my academic research with an unrelated passion of mine.
Right now I am at the Nairn Book Festival for inspiration and networking. If you are in Scotland, the festival goes on for the entire week, and there are a great variety of events that may pique your interest.
Looking ahead to the winter I have a smattering of speaking engagements and am particularly excited about speaking at the Prince’s Trust Institute. It is a wonderful organisation for students and teachers alike, and encourage you to check it out and see what other talks are on! Also coming in the winter are a series of walks, so keep your eyes open and I will update you with dates and information.
Lauren Jane Barnett 