An emotional week... The fabulous @vpfa.bsky.social Conference #VPFAPublics full of fascinating papers, wine, and time with old and new friends! Then my last Sat teaching with Saturn Dance full of kind words, hugs, and tears (mostly mine!). A sensible if sad decision to scale back. Thank you all 🥹
July 12, 2026 at 1:27 PM
An emotional week... The fabulous @vpfa.bsky.social Conference #VPFAPublics full of fascinating papers, wine, and time with old and new friends! Then my last Sat teaching with Saturn Dance full of kind words, hugs, and tears (mostly mine!). A sensible if sad decision to scale back. Thank you all 🥹
What a fantastic three days at #VPFAPublics in Liverpool! I had an amazing time in one of the most beautiful venues I’ve ever seen. Such a joy to learn more about Victorian popular fiction while catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. Can’t wait for next year!
July 8, 2026 at 8:41 PM
What a fantastic three days at #VPFAPublics in Liverpool! I had an amazing time in one of the most beautiful venues I’ve ever seen. Such a joy to learn more about Victorian popular fiction while catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. Can’t wait for next year!
A *fantastic* time at #VPFAPublics the last few days. Fascinating papers, fruitful discussions (Some fun things on the horizon)... Caught up with old pals, made some new ones - every year I'm blown away by the incredible warmth of @vpfa.bsky.social. All the thanks to Jo and Janine for organising!
July 8, 2026 at 8:24 PM
A *fantastic* time at #VPFAPublics the last few days. Fascinating papers, fruitful discussions (Some fun things on the horizon)... Caught up with old pals, made some new ones - every year I'm blown away by the incredible warmth of @vpfa.bsky.social. All the thanks to Jo and Janine for organising!
Thank you so much #VPFAPublics. What a fantastic conference and so much to look forward to thanks to @vpfa.bsky.social wonderful community!!!
July 8, 2026 at 8:05 PM
Thank you so much #VPFAPublics. What a fantastic conference and so much to look forward to thanks to @vpfa.bsky.social wonderful community!!!
Great time at #VPFAPublics this week. And amazing to hear from @ebutler-way.bsky.social, @ccapancioni.bsky.social , & @helenaesser.bsky.social that papers at next year's conference in Aberystwyth will exclusively take place in bathing machines & on funicular railways, as unlikely as that sounds.
July 8, 2026 at 5:22 PM
Great time at #VPFAPublics this week. And amazing to hear from @ebutler-way.bsky.social, @ccapancioni.bsky.social , & @helenaesser.bsky.social that papers at next year's conference in Aberystwyth will exclusively take place in bathing machines & on funicular railways, as unlikely as that sounds.
Welcome to our new VPFA co-President, Claudia Capancioni! #VPFAPublics
July 8, 2026 at 4:10 PM
Welcome to our new VPFA co-President, Claudia Capancioni! #VPFAPublics
“Murder by beast rampage” just makes me think of “30-50 wild hogs” 🤣🤣 #VPFAPublics
July 8, 2026 at 11:11 AM
“Murder by beast rampage” just makes me think of “30-50 wild hogs” 🤣🤣 #VPFAPublics
Can you imagine trying to de-anonymise 22 Victorian sensation novels? Because Janine Hatter can! What an amazing project 😱 #VPFAPublics
July 8, 2026 at 11:00 AM
Can you imagine trying to de-anonymise 22 Victorian sensation novels? Because Janine Hatter can! What an amazing project 😱 #VPFAPublics
@andrewkingc19.bsky.social talking about how Victorians marketed Pop Fiction - and I’m very excited to learn more about Victorian marketing, particularly design and product placement! Makes me think of my trawling through Punch for crumbs of context! #VPFAPublics
July 8, 2026 at 10:13 AM
@andrewkingc19.bsky.social talking about how Victorians marketed Pop Fiction - and I’m very excited to learn more about Victorian marketing, particularly design and product placement! Makes me think of my trawling through Punch for crumbs of context! #VPFAPublics
Starstruck 🤩 Got to meet one of my academic heroes today and hear her amazing keynote on sex work and care work in Victorian Pop Fiction. How can we be more caring and sympathetic in our community social care systems? #VPFAPublics @tara-macdonald.bsky.social
July 8, 2026 at 10:09 AM
Starstruck 🤩 Got to meet one of my academic heroes today and hear her amazing keynote on sex work and care work in Victorian Pop Fiction. How can we be more caring and sympathetic in our community social care systems? #VPFAPublics @tara-macdonald.bsky.social
The Bodies panel was certainly one of my favourites too. Fascinating research presented at #VPFAPublics day 2.
Bodies - WHAT A PANEL at #vpfapublics
It was absolutely brilliant! I loved hearing from Megan Nash, Anna-Maria Grill, and @ebutler-way.bsky.social about their fascinating research!
@vpfa.bsky.social
It was absolutely brilliant! I loved hearing from Megan Nash, Anna-Maria Grill, and @ebutler-way.bsky.social about their fascinating research!
@vpfa.bsky.social
July 7, 2026 at 10:13 PM
The Bodies panel was certainly one of my favourites too. Fascinating research presented at #VPFAPublics day 2.
After many ideas and productive conversations, the second day of #VPFAPublics ended with a joyful conference dinner. We are starting with a much awaited keynote first thing tomorrow morning: Tara MacDonald’s ‘Public Institutions, Private Care: Sex Work and Care Work in Victorian Popular Fiction’.
July 7, 2026 at 9:09 PM
After many ideas and productive conversations, the second day of #VPFAPublics ended with a joyful conference dinner. We are starting with a much awaited keynote first thing tomorrow morning: Tara MacDonald’s ‘Public Institutions, Private Care: Sex Work and Care Work in Victorian Popular Fiction’.
With every narrative address, there is an underlying message to the real business people who find time to pick up her works telling them "I see you, I respect you" #VPFAPublics
July 7, 2026 at 3:47 PM
With every narrative address, there is an underlying message to the real business people who find time to pick up her works telling them "I see you, I respect you" #VPFAPublics
Helena Ifill discussing Charlotte Riddell's direct addresses to the reader, arguing that they were used as part of her campaign to become "the" novelist of London. city. Though she was interested in the lives of city women, her USP was the lives and hearts of city businessmen #VPFAPublics
July 7, 2026 at 3:47 PM
Helena Ifill discussing Charlotte Riddell's direct addresses to the reader, arguing that they were used as part of her campaign to become "the" novelist of London. city. Though she was interested in the lives of city women, her USP was the lives and hearts of city businessmen #VPFAPublics
Relieved to be finally at the @vpfa.bsky.social conference & have Victorianist info & ideas piped into my brain.
'When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the Victorian Popular Fiction Association.'
#VPFAPublics
'When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the Victorian Popular Fiction Association.'
#VPFAPublics
July 7, 2026 at 1:28 PM
Relieved to be finally at the @vpfa.bsky.social conference & have Victorianist info & ideas piped into my brain.
'When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the Victorian Popular Fiction Association.'
#VPFAPublics
'When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the Victorian Popular Fiction Association.'
#VPFAPublics
Bodies - WHAT A PANEL at #vpfapublics
It was absolutely brilliant! I loved hearing from Megan Nash, Anna-Maria Grill, and @ebutler-way.bsky.social about their fascinating research!
@vpfa.bsky.social
It was absolutely brilliant! I loved hearing from Megan Nash, Anna-Maria Grill, and @ebutler-way.bsky.social about their fascinating research!
@vpfa.bsky.social
July 7, 2026 at 11:20 AM
Bodies - WHAT A PANEL at #vpfapublics
It was absolutely brilliant! I loved hearing from Megan Nash, Anna-Maria Grill, and @ebutler-way.bsky.social about their fascinating research!
@vpfa.bsky.social
It was absolutely brilliant! I loved hearing from Megan Nash, Anna-Maria Grill, and @ebutler-way.bsky.social about their fascinating research!
@vpfa.bsky.social
#VPFAPublics Nishtha Trehan: Robert can invade Lady Audley's space, go through her things, and read her letters because she is a woman. :(
July 7, 2026 at 11:10 AM
#VPFAPublics Nishtha Trehan: Robert can invade Lady Audley's space, go through her things, and read her letters because she is a woman. :(
#VPFAPublics Nishtha Trehan: Braddon lets us into some *secret* correspondence. It transforms from private matter into public evidence.
July 7, 2026 at 11:07 AM
#VPFAPublics Nishtha Trehan: Braddon lets us into some *secret* correspondence. It transforms from private matter into public evidence.
#VPFAPublics: Nishtha Trehan: to leave a letter unopened is to censor it! (Me: in the modern British imagination, this also happens in Stoppard's ARCADIA [1990ish?] which I just saw.) 😎
July 7, 2026 at 11:01 AM
#VPFAPublics: Nishtha Trehan: to leave a letter unopened is to censor it! (Me: in the modern British imagination, this also happens in Stoppard's ARCADIA [1990ish?] which I just saw.) 😎
#VPFAPublics Nishtha Trehan (joining us online from Uttarakhand): Victorian women's letters are NOT private-sphere-only, but when they cross into the public they risk "rebounding" against their writers. (Ouch!)
July 7, 2026 at 10:59 AM
#VPFAPublics Nishtha Trehan (joining us online from Uttarakhand): Victorian women's letters are NOT private-sphere-only, but when they cross into the public they risk "rebounding" against their writers. (Ouch!)
At the heart of all her letters sits her dedication to literature and fellow writers, but also the deep friendship and love that she feels for them. Most of all, we can see the respect that she has for public institutions like the Royal Literary Fund that help those in need #VPFAPublics
July 7, 2026 at 10:50 AM
At the heart of all her letters sits her dedication to literature and fellow writers, but also the deep friendship and love that she feels for them. Most of all, we can see the respect that she has for public institutions like the Royal Literary Fund that help those in need #VPFAPublics
Helen McKenzie talking about M.E. Braddon's letters of recommendations to the Royal Literary Fund. Her letters frequently emphasise the innocence of the writer, and use very physical language #VPFAPublics
July 7, 2026 at 10:48 AM
Helen McKenzie talking about M.E. Braddon's letters of recommendations to the Royal Literary Fund. Her letters frequently emphasise the innocence of the writer, and use very physical language #VPFAPublics
#VPFAPublics: Helen McKenzie: more of the literary labor force: Mr. William Tinsley is "an untiring *****worker**** in the field of literature," said Braddon. His RLF app was rejected. (Emphasis Helen's.)
July 7, 2026 at 10:42 AM
#VPFAPublics: Helen McKenzie: more of the literary labor force: Mr. William Tinsley is "an untiring *****worker**** in the field of literature," said Braddon. His RLF app was rejected. (Emphasis Helen's.)
#VPFAPublics Braddon recommended to the RLF the "praiseworthy life and intellectual labour" of writer Miss Edith Heraud.
July 7, 2026 at 10:40 AM
#VPFAPublics Braddon recommended to the RLF the "praiseworthy life and intellectual labour" of writer Miss Edith Heraud.
#VPFAPublics Helen McKenzie: The RLF and Braddon's letters of recommendation. Wrote about 1/2 for women writers, who "toiled and fought" - breadwinners and a frighteningly modern literary precariat.
July 7, 2026 at 10:35 AM
#VPFAPublics Helen McKenzie: The RLF and Braddon's letters of recommendation. Wrote about 1/2 for women writers, who "toiled and fought" - breadwinners and a frighteningly modern literary precariat.