Lauren (LJ) McMenemy
@laurenwrites.bsky.social
📝Writer, editor, proofreader, coach & mentor
👻Writes the dark stuff
😈TWF EIC at Horror Tree
📣Publicity at British Fantasy Society
🤘Founder, Society of Ink Slingers
🔮Curator, Writing the Occult
👩💻Day job: Content marketing & community management
🇦🇺in🇬🇧
👻Writes the dark stuff
😈TWF EIC at Horror Tree
📣Publicity at British Fantasy Society
🤘Founder, Society of Ink Slingers
🔮Curator, Writing the Occult
👩💻Day job: Content marketing & community management
🇦🇺in🇬🇧
Pinned
a man is holding a boombox above his head in front of a car .
Alt: a man is holding a boombox above his head in front of a car .
media.tenor.com
Songs that Spotify has chucked on that I'd forgotten were awesome tunes: a somewhat regular thread.
Reposted by Lauren (LJ) McMenemy
AI advocates have warned that if every author in the class action filed a claim, it would "financially ruin" the entire industry.
Authors celebrate “historic” settlement coming soon in Anthropic class action
Advocates fear such settlements will “financially ruin” the AI industry.
arstechnica.com
August 27, 2025 at 3:53 PM
AI advocates have warned that if every author in the class action filed a claim, it would "financially ruin" the entire industry.
The @marketoonist.bsky.social on the money again today
November 17, 2025 at 3:53 PM
The @marketoonist.bsky.social on the money again today
Reposted by Lauren (LJ) McMenemy
seeing a lot of chat about the juggernaut that is romantasy in publishing at the moment, & given I am a fantasy author with a YA romantasy book out (plus, I just did a romantasy panel yesterday) I feel like I should have some startling insights. I'm not sure I do. But...
November 17, 2025 at 11:30 AM
seeing a lot of chat about the juggernaut that is romantasy in publishing at the moment, & given I am a fantasy author with a YA romantasy book out (plus, I just did a romantasy panel yesterday) I feel like I should have some startling insights. I'm not sure I do. But...
A visual prompt to kick off your creative weekend: what creature-ific worlds can you conjure from this image?
And if that whets your appetite, join us online for Writing the Occult: Creatures & Cryptids on 29 November when we’ll peer into the murky world of creatures and cryptids. 🧵⬇️
And if that whets your appetite, join us online for Writing the Occult: Creatures & Cryptids on 29 November when we’ll peer into the murky world of creatures and cryptids. 🧵⬇️
November 15, 2025 at 4:49 PM
A visual prompt to kick off your creative weekend: what creature-ific worlds can you conjure from this image?
And if that whets your appetite, join us online for Writing the Occult: Creatures & Cryptids on 29 November when we’ll peer into the murky world of creatures and cryptids. 🧵⬇️
And if that whets your appetite, join us online for Writing the Occult: Creatures & Cryptids on 29 November when we’ll peer into the murky world of creatures and cryptids. 🧵⬇️
I’m doing something I never do these days: I’ve started watching a series despite the fact it’s only dropping an episode every week like it’s the olden days.
That series is Welcome to Derry. This may be the reason.
That series is Welcome to Derry. This may be the reason.
November 15, 2025 at 4:28 PM
I’m doing something I never do these days: I’ve started watching a series despite the fact it’s only dropping an episode every week like it’s the olden days.
That series is Welcome to Derry. This may be the reason.
That series is Welcome to Derry. This may be the reason.
Reposted by Lauren (LJ) McMenemy
Tagging 👆 @thomasha.bsky.social @pseudoscott.bsky.social @chelsead.bsky.social
Everything we do is funded by you. If you can, please go to pseudopod.org and click FEED THE POD
PseudoPod is part of the Escape Artists Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit
Everything we do is funded by you. If you can, please go to pseudopod.org and click FEED THE POD
PseudoPod is part of the Escape Artists Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit
PseudoPod | The Sound of Horror
pseudopod.org
November 14, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Tagging 👆 @thomasha.bsky.social @pseudoscott.bsky.social @chelsead.bsky.social
Everything we do is funded by you. If you can, please go to pseudopod.org and click FEED THE POD
PseudoPod is part of the Escape Artists Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit
Everything we do is funded by you. If you can, please go to pseudopod.org and click FEED THE POD
PseudoPod is part of the Escape Artists Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit
Reposted by Lauren (LJ) McMenemy
For my money, Coy is the best historical/counterfactual horror author writing today. If you've not read Colossus... already: go, grab it now!
If you've read my occult novel Colossus with a Poison Tongue, please help me out by giving it a rating on Goodreads! If you haven't, the ebook is 99 cents on Amazon & Kobo. Links below.
November 14, 2025 at 10:07 PM
For my money, Coy is the best historical/counterfactual horror author writing today. If you've not read Colossus... already: go, grab it now!
When you open up a random old book in the library to find a pull-out map of the very building you’re researching… Great day in book land! 😲
November 14, 2025 at 3:11 PM
When you open up a random old book in the library to find a pull-out map of the very building you’re researching… Great day in book land! 😲
Reposted by Lauren (LJ) McMenemy
OK, thing that I can reveal is that until now, my self-published space opera books, The Questrison Saga®️ (writing as J. Dianne Dotson) were my bestsellers.Now, Dungeon Crawl at the Haunted Mall, my @chooseadventure.bsky.social out April 2026, has smashed everything else in preorders. Thank you!
Dungeon Crawl at the Haunted Mall by Jendia Gammon: 9781937133108 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books
Delve into the gnarly guts of a long-dead mall in this gloriously weird and whacked-out romp, where friendship, 80s music, and food court slushies are your weapons of choice against spandexed supernat...
www.penguinrandomhouse.com
November 14, 2025 at 12:20 PM
OK, thing that I can reveal is that until now, my self-published space opera books, The Questrison Saga®️ (writing as J. Dianne Dotson) were my bestsellers.Now, Dungeon Crawl at the Haunted Mall, my @chooseadventure.bsky.social out April 2026, has smashed everything else in preorders. Thank you!
@beverleylee.bsky.social's in the hot seat this week for the BFS 🔥
Every Friday, we meet a member of the BFS and peer deep into their soul (or, at least, a form they filled out). Today we're hitting gothic mode with @beverleylee.bsky.social, whose coming-of-age folk horror The Haunting of Wounded Birds came out this week.
britishfantasysociety.org/meet-beverle...
britishfantasysociety.org/meet-beverle...
November 14, 2025 at 12:26 PM
@beverleylee.bsky.social's in the hot seat this week for the BFS 🔥
Reposted by Lauren (LJ) McMenemy
I have this jumper. It is superb. I suggest heartily that @helleborezine.bsky.social start using “banned from Westminster Abbey” as a marketing slogan 🤘
Bit of old-school light relief from me in today’s Guardian. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
‘Demonic’ Wind in the Willows jumper banned from Westminster Abbey
Woman told to remove or cover up garment featuring 1908 illustration of Pan lest it offend worshippers
www.theguardian.com
November 14, 2025 at 10:13 AM
I have this jumper. It is superb. I suggest heartily that @helleborezine.bsky.social start using “banned from Westminster Abbey” as a marketing slogan 🤘
Says iconic director Steven Spielberg: "My early exposure to all the leviathans of the Saturday matinee creature features inspired me, when I grew up, to make Jurassic Park."
What might the creatures featured in Writing the Occult: Creatures & Cryptids inspire you to create? 🧵⬇️
What might the creatures featured in Writing the Occult: Creatures & Cryptids inspire you to create? 🧵⬇️
November 12, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Says iconic director Steven Spielberg: "My early exposure to all the leviathans of the Saturday matinee creature features inspired me, when I grew up, to make Jurassic Park."
What might the creatures featured in Writing the Occult: Creatures & Cryptids inspire you to create? 🧵⬇️
What might the creatures featured in Writing the Occult: Creatures & Cryptids inspire you to create? 🧵⬇️
Lovely to spend the eve with the musical stylings of @hannahroseplatt.bsky.social at the Old Surgery Museum, in the company of @abeaumontbooks.bsky.social & @idakeogh.bsky.social. And! bumped into Lucie Goulet & @chelseypippinmizzi.bsky.social, ending up with a random LWS catch up. Cup is full etc.
November 12, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Lovely to spend the eve with the musical stylings of @hannahroseplatt.bsky.social at the Old Surgery Museum, in the company of @abeaumontbooks.bsky.social & @idakeogh.bsky.social. And! bumped into Lucie Goulet & @chelseypippinmizzi.bsky.social, ending up with a random LWS catch up. Cup is full etc.
Reposted by Lauren (LJ) McMenemy
Our 2025 award eligibility post! If you've liked anything we've done this year, please consider it in your recommendations.
Thank you for your generous consideration.
Thank you for your generous consideration.
November 12, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Our 2025 award eligibility post! If you've liked anything we've done this year, please consider it in your recommendations.
Thank you for your generous consideration.
Thank you for your generous consideration.
Reposted by Lauren (LJ) McMenemy
I’m so very shocked 😑 let me catch my breath www.npr.org/2025/11/11/n...
Bros really are dominating podcasting
New research from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative shows that both podcast hosts and their guests skew very heavily male – and white.
www.npr.org
November 12, 2025 at 3:24 PM
I’m so very shocked 😑 let me catch my breath www.npr.org/2025/11/11/n...
How on earth did Stew find the time to write a space opera? Find out ⬇️
Celebrating the release of his latest SF opus, the space opera Project Hanuman - out now through @angryrobotbooks.bsky.social - author (and BFS treasurer!) @stewarthotston.com walks us through the genesis of the book.
britishfantasysociety.org/from-pen-to-...
britishfantasysociety.org/from-pen-to-...
November 12, 2025 at 2:17 PM
How on earth did Stew find the time to write a space opera? Find out ⬇️
it's me!
Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'girl' #BookQW and this is an extract from a story by @laurenwrites.bsky.social in Hiding Under the Leaves.
November 12, 2025 at 2:13 PM
it's me!
Look at this crazy thing Lindz did - while also studying and writing a shitload of other books, too. Hardest working woman in the biz! 💪
I spent over a year of my life writing this collaborative craft book with eleven other (fantastic! talented! good-looking!) writers.
"Sometimes a story emerges fully formed in your mind, and sometimes it’s an onion, requiring several ‘peels’ to get to the real, eye-watering heart of the matter."
"Sometimes a story emerges fully formed in your mind, and sometimes it’s an onion, requiring several ‘peels’ to get to the real, eye-watering heart of the matter."
November 12, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Look at this crazy thing Lindz did - while also studying and writing a shitload of other books, too. Hardest working woman in the biz! 💪
We're talking cryptids and creatures at the next Writing the Occult, but what are these things exactly? Let's meet a few of the more famous 'things' (mainly from the Western world) and see what they're all about.
🧵⬇️
🧵⬇️
November 11, 2025 at 3:56 PM
We're talking cryptids and creatures at the next Writing the Occult, but what are these things exactly? Let's meet a few of the more famous 'things' (mainly from the Western world) and see what they're all about.
🧵⬇️
🧵⬇️
Congrats to @stewarthotston.com as well!
It's a big day for the BFS Exec - our Treasurer @stewarthotston.com is also celebrating the release of his latest novel, Project Hanuman, out now through @angryrobotbooks.bsky.social!
Here's the blurb ⬇️
Here's the blurb ⬇️
November 11, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Congrats to @stewarthotston.com as well!
All hail the goth fae queen!
Celebrating the release of her latest historical fantasy witchlit novel, Daughters of Nicnevin – out today through Flame Tree Publishing – BFS Chair @shonak.bsky.social walks us through the genesis of the book.
britishfantasysociety.org/from-pen-to-...
britishfantasysociety.org/from-pen-to-...
November 11, 2025 at 1:20 PM
All hail the goth fae queen!
Happy book birthday to the force of nature that is @shonak.bsky.social! 🔮🧙🏴
Congratulations to historical fantasy writer @shonak.bsky.social - who also happens to be BFS Chair! - on the release of her latest witchy novel, Daughters of Nicnevin. It's out today through Flame Tree Publishing.
Here's the blurb ⬇️
Here's the blurb ⬇️
November 11, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Happy book birthday to the force of nature that is @shonak.bsky.social! 🔮🧙🏴
Reposted by Lauren (LJ) McMenemy
Genre often comes with a community of love, but the love is earned by writing which is literary, innovative and connective. The emotional muscle and poetry of writing doesn’t live exclusively anywhere - certainly not in long listed books.
November 10, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Genre often comes with a community of love, but the love is earned by writing which is literary, innovative and connective. The emotional muscle and poetry of writing doesn’t live exclusively anywhere - certainly not in long listed books.