Jean Menzies

Hi I’m Jean!

I’m Edinburgh born and based. You might know me from my YouTube channel BookishThoughts where I review books, provide study tips, discuss sustainable living and much, much more.

I am also an author, PhD researcher, podcaster, and presenter.

My first book, Greek Myths: Meet the heroes, gods, and monsters of ancient Greece, was published by DK in July of 2020 and is aimed at children aged 7-11.

At the moment I am conducting my PhD research in ancient history at The University of Roehampton, where I also teach undergraduate students. I have completed both an undergraduate and postgraduate degree in classics at The University of Edinburgh. My specialties are Greek literature, Athenian law, Greek Mythology, and the history of women in Classical Greece.

In addition to this I produce the podcast That’s Ancient History, which is available on most major podcast apps. The podcast explores antiquity from its history to its place in today’s world. Episodes include interviews with authors Pat Barker, Madeline Miller, Natalie Haynes, and Alexandra Sheppard. Podcast available here.

I am currently available for freelance work; some of the services I offer are listed below.

To get in touch email me at jeansthoughts@hotmail.co.uk

WRITER

My first children’s book – an illustrated children’s introduction to Greek mythology – was published July 16th 2020 with DK, an imprint of Penguin Random House. You can order a copy here.

I am available to write online content for blogs and magazines on topics including literature and mythology. For some examples of my writing see the following:

I am also currently involved in editing a volume of academic articles for Bloomsbury Publishing along with Prof. Susan Decay and José Malheiro Magalhães, which will feature some of my own research in addition to that of various scholars working on antiquity.

SOCIAL MEDIA CONSULTANT

As well as being a member of the digital team at Pan Macmillan between 2016 and 2017, in 2018 I was the social media assistant at The Pool (online women’s magazine). Since then I worked on various social media campaigns with individual clients and companies, more examples of which can be provided.

I have extensive experience running the following platforms:

YouTube
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook

SPEAKER

I have chaired panels at literature festivals and independent events. Authors I have interviewed at live events include Christopher Paolini, Louise O’Neill, Imogen Hermes Gower, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Nikita Gill, Kirsty Logan and Jen Campbell.

I offer talks and workshops on subjects including:

Social media for authors and/or publishers
YouTube for beginners and/or businesses
Classical Mythology (all ages)
Ancient History (all ages)

And I am available as a panellist, chair or speaker for events including but not limited not:

Writing
YouTube
Social Media
Literature
Antiquity
Author interviews

I also have experience as a visiting lecturer at Roehampton University in their humanities department.

OTHER SERVICES

Prize Judge

I was one of the three judges for the 2020 Blue Peter Book Award, in collaboration with Book Trust.

Presenter

In addition to my own YouTube videos I have presented political and literary video content on BBC Scotland’s The Social, including an informative series on how to vote.

Between September ’16 and January ’18 I was the Creative Producer at the UK-based publishing house Pan Macmillan and I was responsible for the literary video series Book Break, which you can watch at youtube.com/panmacmillanbooks

I have also presented revision tips videos for BBC Bitesize, appeared as a panelist on BBC Authors Live, and created learning resources on ‘How to Vlog’ for Scottish Book Trust.