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Lauren (LJ) McMenemy

@laurenwrites.bsky.social

3.4K followers 1.7K following 2.6K posts

📝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🇬🇧

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Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · Mar 6

Songs that Spotify has chucked on that I'd forgotten were awesome tunes: a somewhat regular thread.

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

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Reposted by Lauren (LJ) McMenemy

Coy Hall @coyhall.bsky.social · 17h

In an age lit by fire, only the most curious and driven souls turned a flame to the unknown. The least fortunate peered beyond the veil.

This World of Vile Wonder: Horror Tales of the Scientific Revolution releases October 20. Ebook preorder up now on Amazon & Kobo ⬇️

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Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 1d

What does it take to create the dark stuff? This month's BFS expert is @danielwillcocks.bsky.social, and he's ready to answer your questions...

British Fantasy Society @britfantasysoc.bsky.social · 1d

It's October, which means - yes, you guessed it - we're going dark for this month's ask an expert column with @danielwillcocks.bsky.social !

Ever wondered why someone turns to the dark side of writing? How you can create tension? How you can unsettle, or even scare the pants off your reader? 🧵⬇️

Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 2d

Awesome competition alert! You don't even need to be a BFS member to enter this one - it's open to all members of the BAME/Global Majority Community.

British Fantasy Society @britfantasysoc.bsky.social · 2d

Our fabulous outreach officer @justmarvewrites.bsky.social has secured tickets to this month’s Black British Book Festival at the Barbican in London—and she’s giving them away to two lucky people! Find out how to enter ⬇️

britishfantasysociety.org/win-a-ticket...

Reposted by Lauren (LJ) McMenemy

Greta Colombani (she/her) @gretacolombani.bsky.social · 2d

Very new on these blue skies so I'm promoting just to the happy few, but this @britfantasysoc.bsky.social spooktacular event is happening tonight at Waterstones Covent Garden and I can't wait to peer behind the veil with these terrific authors 🌳🦀🔍

🎟️ Tickets here: www.waterstones.com/events/cross...

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Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 2d

Bah! I just shared the old version of this on the BFS account because I couldn't find the one with you in it! Sorry :(

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Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 2d

Now *there’s* a story idea!

Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 3d

Started a course on writing dark fiction: Yay!
Homework for first week is to write a short synopsis of my idea: Boo!

What is my idea?! Brain is not working. Shit.

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Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 3d

Thanks to Gemma, aka @manylittlewords.bsky.social, for sharing more about ITCH! and her process with the BFS 🖤

British Fantasy Society @britfantasysoc.bsky.social · 3d

Acclaimed horror writer, editor, voice actor, podcaster, and artist @manylittlewords.bsky.social tells us about the genesis of ITCH!, her latest feminist horror hitting shelves just in time for spooky season.

britishfantasysociety.org/from-pen-to-...

On a white background is the text: From pen to print: Gemma Amor on ITCH! The book cover for ITCH! is pictured top right; it is a bright pink with black and yellow writing, and features a close-up of an eye. Gemma is pictured underneath this: she is a white woman with long brown hair; she has one hand on the side of her head and looks at the camera with one eyebrow slightly raised.

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Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 4d

NEVER! Keep the enthusiasm!!

Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 4d

I loved this chat! Could've gone for hours... Thanks to Marko, Lorraine and Suyi for sharing so freely 🖤

David Green @davidgreenwriter.bsky.social · 4d

Great panel with @rainewilson.bsky.social, @suyidavies.com and Marko Hautala, moderated by @laurenwrites.bsky.social: Dark Fantasy vs Horror.

No fighting yet, but excellent discussion on another @britfantasysoc.bsky.social online day 🙌

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Reposted by Lauren (LJ) McMenemy

AK Faulkner @ NYCC @poopraven.bsky.social · 5d

It's a lovely morning on the internet and you are a horrible queer!

Drop your links to queer books! Yours, someone else's, tradpub, indie, share ALL THE QUEER BOOKS to make a fash shit themselves.

Go!!!

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Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 5d

Heads-up: @davidmbarnett.bsky.social will also be part of the BFS's Something Monstrous day tomorrow (online - the weather is shit, so you should totally come!), as well as joining @abeaumontbooks.bsky.social at Waterstones Covent Garden to chat supernatural stuff next Tuesday.

British Fantasy Society @britfantasysoc.bsky.social · 5d

Every Friday, we meet a BFS member & peer deep into their soul (or, at least, a form they filled out). Here's a commercial fiction writer who recently turned to folk horror - and became award-nominated as a result. It's @davidmbarnett.bsky.social!

britishfantasysociety.org/meet-david-b...

On a black background with flourishes of red dots and lines is the text: Meet the BFS members! David Barnett. David is pictured in the centre: he's a middle-aged white man with short greying hair and a trimmed beard. He wears a dark grey turtleneck and is looking into the camera at an angle.

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Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 6d

👀

Tenebrous Press @tenebrouspress.bsky.social · 6d

OoOoOoOoOoOoooooooo @momoshaty.bsky.social
@ear-a-corn.bsky.social

Get you some, Tenebrous Cult: store.tenebrouspress.com/products/cla...

Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 6d

a woman in a witch costume is looking at herself in the mirror

ALT: a woman in a witch costume is looking at herself in the mirror

media.tenor.com

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Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 6d

You know this anyway, but I’m in, however, whatever.

a cat sitting on a chair in front of a couch

ALT: a cat sitting on a chair in front of a couch

media.tenor.com

Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 6d

We’re at the Roundhouse to see The Beta Band, alongside all of London’s bearded middle-aged men in flannel shirts.

Reposted by Lauren (LJ) McMenemy

Alex Davis @alexdavis1981.bsky.social · 7d

Just two weeks to go until I'll be back at QUAD here in Derby with my latest eight-week course, where I'll be serving up an INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVE WRITING! www.derbyquad.co.uk/events/intro... #writing #writers #creativewriting #Derby #Derbyshire

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Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 7d

I totally empathise with the exhaustion of witchiness

a woman with a crown on her head and the words you have exhausted my patience

ALT: a woman with a crown on her head and the words you have exhausted my patience

media.tenor.com

Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 7d

Spooky season is upon us!!

a man in a suit is standing next to two skeletons in costumes .

ALT: a man in a suit is standing next to two skeletons in costumes .

media.tenor.com

Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 7d

The day also features: @mfalfrey.bsky.social @griffski.bsky.social
@catherineyuwrites.bsky.social @davidmbarnett.bsky.social @lindzmcleod.bsky.social
@ayidashonibar.bsky.social @davidgreenwriter.bsky.social and more!

Non-member tix are just £5. Grab yours: tinyurl.com/bfsmonster

BFS Online: Something Monstrous – The British Fantasy Society

tinyurl.com

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Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 7d

Joining me on the dark fantasy vs horror panel are Marko Hautala, @rainewilson.bsky.social & @suyidavies.com.

We'll talk about how we tread the genre-bending line between dark fantasy and horror. What are the key components of each? Is it setting? Is it tone? Is it the Big Bad?

🧵⬇️

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Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 7d

All of you who think the BFS isn't for you even though I say it covers all of speculative fiction? Here's your proof. Grab your ticket. (Membership starts at just £25 for the whole darn year, too, so you may as well get the full value and just become a member, yeah?)

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Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 7d

Plus, @shonak.bsky.social is launching her new very witchy book set in an alternative Jacobite Scotland, and she'll also interview #1 NY Times bestselling author of the dark stuff,
@missscarlettstclair.com.

Grab your £5 ticket here: tinyurl.com/bfsmonster

🧵⬇️

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Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 7d

Attn: Children of the dark! Join me and @britfantasysoc.bsky.social as we kick off spooky season in style and spend Saturday (yes, this weekend) talking about MONSTERS. How do you make a compelling monster? How do you create tension and fear? And is it horror or is it actually dark fantasy?

🧵⬇️

A dark purple background with lime green writing pronounces there's "spooky vibes only" at the next British Fantasy Society online event day, all about 'something monstrous'. There are black outlines of haunted houses and churches, creepy-looking trees, bats, and spiderwebs, too.

The blurb and line-up for Something Monstrous by the BFS; find full details at https://tinyurl.com/bfsmonster

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Lauren (LJ) McMenemy @laurenwrites.bsky.social · 7d

Definitely one for @shonak.bsky.social to keep an eye out for!

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