I have been absent from here far too long. Other things have been preoccupying me; teaching, research, family, health problems, etc. Since last I wrote I have of course taught a few courses and done some writing, and attended quite a few conferences. Some memorable conferences are: Visualising the North, in Orkney (what a lovely place Orkney is), April 2016; Adaptations and History, in Oxford, September 2016; Adapting Medieval and Early Modern Culture, in Leicester in March last year; and Captivating Criminality 4: Detection, Public and Private, Past and Present, close to Bath in late June/early July last summer. I wish I could write a bit about them all but let it suffice to say that I was talking about historical fiction at them all, for instance Hannah Kent's Burial Rites and the historical novels of Elizabeth Fremantle.

This term I am on sabbatical and now finally easing into proper writing gear. After teaching as much as I've been doing in the last couple of years, plus moving to a new office at work last summer, it has been necessary to stop a bit and ruminate on the next steps as far as research and research projects is concerned. I also went to Glasgow for almost two weeks at the end of January, to do some research there and to meet colleagues and attend a symposium on Muriel Spark, whose centenary it was on 1 February. After having thought things out a bit and talked to some people, I am now in the process of starting a project with some colleagues, and hope it will take off properly at some point in the latter half of this year. I have also started working on writing up some conference papers into articles/book chapters. That will be my focus as far as research goes this term.

I will let this suffice for today but want to post some nice photos from my conference trip to Orkney in 2016. I hope you enjoy.

The Orphir Round Kirk, Orkney

Information on the Brough of Birsay

View towards Birsay

Drystone dyke at Orphir

Skara Brae

Ring of Brodgar

Orkney poets and artists' names inside St Magnus Cathedral