Sign in

Jay

@drjaysullivan.bsky.social
114 followers 125 following 67 posts

🚒 Digital by day, mummy-obsessed Victorianist by night⚱️ 📚 'Egyptian Gothic: 1884-1920' out now! 🕸️ www.drjaysullivan.com 🔗 lnk.bio/jayin35mm

PostsRepliesMedia
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
My first talk for Pints of Knowledge last night was fun, albeit a bit nerve wracking.
An audience seated in a dimly lit event space or bar with blue ambient lighting, looking toward a woman standing in front of a large projector screen giving a lecture. The slide displayed on the screen features a blue background with a historical black-and-white illustration of Victorian men unwrapping a mummy on a table. White text on the slide reads: "WITH DR JAY SULLIVAN / Unwrapping the Past: Why were the Victorians Obsessed with Ancient Egypt?". A pink neon sign on the wall to the right reads "STUDIO 30...... SWAY".
000
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Want to see me speak for free tomorrow? I've got 1 guestlist spot for tomorrow's Pints of Knowledge talk at Effra Social in Brixton. Doors 7.00pm. Drop me a comment to claim, first come first served.
001
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
My article for Murderess Magazine is out today! Murderess is a very cool gothic glamour magazine, and I am honoured to have contributed to the first issue. Digital copies only for now, print coming soon.
A magazine article. Text reads Egyptomania, Dr Jay Sullivan, Unwrapping the Victorians Darkest fantasy. A flat lay of magazine pages with egyptian illustrations.Another flat lay, this has an image of the Mummy movie poster.Final flat lay, includes pictures of a mummy unwrapping and of mummia.
021
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
My autumn talk schedule is ready to go! 3 online lectures, including one hosted at 7pm ET 🇺🇸 3 in-person events, including stunning Grade II Jacobean Guild Church of St Katharine Cree, Effra Social, and vampire diner Santa Carla in Margate. Swipe to see the schedule. Booking via my website.
000
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Egyptian Gothic is 1 today! 🎉🎂 Last year was a whirlwind of sold-out talks, podcasts, and interviews, so I'm excited for what's next. With perfect timing, it's also been reviewed by @theprofrog.bsky.social in @forteantimes.bsky.social. They gave 3 stars - not too shabby for academic lit crit.
Jay holds a copy of the Fortean Times.
050
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Absolutely buzzed that Egyptian Gothic was Highly Commended in the @vpfa.bsky.social Monograph Prize. Have a swipe to see what they had to say →
A promotional graphic announcing a "VPFA Monograph Prize: Highly Commended" award alongside the VPFA logo. Below the announcement is the cover of the book "Egyptian Gothic 1884–1920" by Jay Sullivan, published by Palgrave Macmillan. The cover features a black-and-white historical illustration playfully edited to show a mummy holding up a gold trophy surrounded by confetti, while a man next to him blows a colourful party horn.quote graphic with white text on a black background block overlaid onto a faded, blue-tinted historical illustration of two figures. The text reads: "There's a lot to admire in this study, not least the energy and writing style: the introduction and conclusion in particular are fun and engaging."quote graphic overlaid onto a faded, blue-tinted historical illustration of people observing a mummy. The white text on a black background block reads: "It is really well-written, well-argued, and the research ranges widely. There is an impressive range of critical approaches, ranging from visual culture to sound studies."quote graphic overlaid onto a faded, blue-tinted historical illustration of a mummy lying down with figures standing over it. The white text on a black background block reads: "The focus on different sensory experiences of the Egyptianised Gothic and the figure of the mummy in particular provides a logical but also fluid and quite imaginative structure, and the application of this 'sensory' reading is also novel in Victorian popular fiction studies."
041
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Couldn't make my talk on the Egyptianised Gothic last weekend? Well now you can catch it on YouTube 👇
094
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Here's what I've got under wraps for the next few months! 🕸️✨ Want an in-person talk? It's coming, I'm just waiting to announce. Or you can always book me 😉
an image listing upcoming events. the events are:

🏺 The Women of the Egyptian Gothic
When: Saturday, May 23 (10am / 7pm)
A free online talk for the Romancing the Gothic series, focusing on the female authors who shaped the "Egyptianised" Gothic genre.

📜 Mummies, Magic, and the Macabre
When: Thursday, Sept 10 (8pm)
I’m headed back to The Last Tuesday Society for a Zoom lecture on the heights of Victorian Egyptomania.

🎨 The Illustrated Egyptianised Gothic
When: Tuesday, Oct 13 (7pm)
We’re unwrapping visual narratives through the lenses of gaze theory, gender, and sexuality in a highly illustrated session.
130
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
I had so much fun at the Last Tuesday Society last year that I'm back again. Join me for a refreshed talk on Victorian Egyptomania. 📆: September 10 ⏰: 8.00pm BST 🖥️: Online via Zoom 🎟️: £6-10
The image is a screenshot of a mobile webpage for The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art & Natural History (part of The Last Tuesday Society). It features an advertisement for a digital event.
Event Details
Title: Mummies, Magic, and the Macabre: Inside the Victorian Egyptian Obsession – Dr Jay Sullivan – Zoom
Speaker: Dr Jay Sullivan
Description: The lecture covers the history of modern Egyptomania, exploring themes from "mummy as medicine" to "Tutmania."
Format: Digital Event – Zoom Lecture
Date and Time
Date: Thursday, September 10th, 2026
Time: 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Pricing and Booking
Cost: £6 – £10 & By Donation
Call to Action: There is a "Buy Tickets" button at the bottom of the event card.
The top of the screen shows the museum's logo and navigation links for Shop, Join, and Visit, along with a shopping cart icon in the bottom right corner indicating zero items.
011
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
FREE ONLINE TALK: Women of the Egyptian Gothic! 🦇💅 We're looking way beyond the Victorians to talk hallucinogens, covetous desires, and 80s pulp horror penned by incredible women. 🕰️ 10am & 7pm BST 🔗 Ticket link in bio! #WomenInHorror #GothicLit #EgyptianGothic #BookSky
​A promotional flyer on a dark blue background for a "FREE TALK" titled "WOMEN OF THE EGYPTIAN GOTHIC". The event is "Online via Zoom" with two sessions at "10.00am & 19.00 BST". The flyer features two inset photos: the top left shows author Anne Rice, labeled with her name, wearing dark clothing and sunglasses; the bottom right shows a blonde woman in a leopard-print dress and patterned tights standing at a wooden podium holding papers.
141
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
Made my radio debut today on BBC Radio London! If you missed it/ don't live in London then you can catch up on BBC Sounds, it's about 90 minutes in 📻
Dr. Jay Sullivan and Robert Elms standing side-by-side and smiling in a studio. They are positioned in front of a purple and pink "BBC Radio London" sign on a light gray paneled wall. Dr. Sullivan, on the left, is wearing a green floral dress with bright yellow cuffs. Elms, on the right, is wearing dark-rimmed glasses, a light blue button-down shirt, and dark blue trousers.
051
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
📻 I'm on the Robert Elms Breakfast Show this Sunday! Catch me on BBC Radio London at around 11.30am talking about my book. And if anyone wants a book recommendation that I didn't write, Robert's is excellent.
A hand holding a book titled "LIVE! Why We Go Out" by Robert Elms. The book's white cover is decorated with a collage of colorful, vintage-style concert ticket stubs, each featuring variations of the book's title, author, and fake event details like dates and venues. The person holding the book has a clear manicure with a dark blue flame design painted on the thumbnail. The background is slightly out of focus, showing dark wallpaper with a large leafy, botanical pattern.
000
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
If you prefer to watch your podcasts, my episode of After Dark is now available on YouTube. As an extremely handsy talker, I could not successfully grab a screen cap when I was not gesticulating maniacally.
A screenshot of a YouTube video titled "Victorians' Sickening Obsession With Ancient Egypt!" from the channel "After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds and the Paranormal." The video features a woman with blonde hair and a blue top speaking into a microphone in a room with purple and pink ambient lighting and indoor plants. Below the video, standard YouTube interface elements like the "Subscribe" button, like count, and "Share" button are visible.
010
Reposted by Jay
Jason D. Brawn @jasondbrawn.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
Congratulations to @drjaysullivan.bsky.social for this excellent talk called Victorian Mummymania by @forteanlondon.bsky.social #ancientmummies #egyotology #victorianmummy #victoriangothic #gothichorror
032
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
Such a great night! Thanks for coming ❤️
010
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
Catch me After Dark 💀 I'm the most recent guest on History Hit's excellent After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds and the Paranormal podcast. Join me as I delve into the Victorian's dark obsession with ancient Egypt. Available on Spotify, Apple podcasts and BBC Sounds. #podcast #spookystuff
Social media promo for the After Dark podcast episode "The Victorian's Dark Obsession with Ancient Egypt." The collage-style image includes the podcast's red cover art, a photo of the book "Egyptian Gothic" by Dr. Jay Sullivan, and mummy-themed illustrations on a wrinkled paper background.
021
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
January doesn't have to be dry! Tickets for my Fortran Society talk on January 27 are now live. Join me as I delve into the weird world of Victorian Egyptomania... wegottickets.com/event/687014/
media.tenor.com
a cartoon drawing of a mummy dancing in front of a brick building
ALT: a cartoon drawing of a mummy dancing in front of a brick building
000
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 14/12/2025
First reviews are in! You can read the full review on my website: www.drjaysullivan.com/media
A graphic with the text "First review" at the top. The center features a pull quote from the review that reads: "a thoroughly enjoyable read, allowing Sullivan to showcase a vast knowledge acquired through years of research, alongside Sullivan's quick wit and engaging writing style."A digital graphic of a magazine page layout titled "First review." The page features a book review of "Egyptian Gothic 1884-1920 by Dr. Jay Sullivan," written by Michelle Keeley-Adamson. A black-and-white image of the book cover is shown, depicting a mummy rising from a sarcophagus. The text of the review begins by discussing the sensory experience of reading, contrasting cozy feelings with the dread of "imagining we were an archaeologist placing a hand on an ancient Egyptian mummy." The footer marks this as "ISSE Magazine Issue 4, Autumn 2025, page 25."
010
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
I'm this week's guest on the excellent Ressurectionists podcast! Is being squashed into jam the best 19th century death? Is looking at mummies dark tourism? Why aren't mummies more popular? Available everywhere you get your podcasts and in video form too. 🎧: youtu.be/OyKqzmdHOpw?...
youtu.be
The Dark Victorian Obsession with Ancient Egypt: Curses, Mummies & Madness
YouTube video by The Resurrectionists Podcast
000
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 27/10/2025
✨2025 EVENTS⭐ I'm at @lcflondon.bsky.social for @victorianhand.bsky.social's conference "The Hand: Emotions, Embodiment, Identity." I'm also The Fortean Society's January guest speaker. Tickets available soon! I've also been busy recording podcasts and YouTube content, so watch this space...
An events poster featuring a woman holding a book titled "Egyptian Gothic 1884-1920" by Jay S. Sullivan. The left side of the poster has a dark blue background with the white text "EVENTS" at the top. Below the title is a schedule of two events: "08.01 Paper @ London College of Fashion 'Severed Hands in the Egyptian Gothic'" and "27.01 Talk @ The Fortean Society 'Victorian Mummymania' The Bell Pub, E1 7EX." The woman has blonde hair, dramatic blue eyeshadow, and is wearing a blue and black patterned shirt. She is holding the book up near her face.
000
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
Thanks to everyone who attended my sold out talk at The Last Tuesday Society. Your support means everything. The perfect venue to talk about the weird world of Egyptomania 💀 💜 The Museum's creatures walked away with some new reading material too... #newauthor
Jay Sullivan, a blonde person with tattoos sits at a dark wooden table in a dimly lit room. They are wearing a blue and black patterned dress. On the table is a book and a looped rope. In the background, there is a figure with ram horns and a taxidermy-like chandelier hanging above the table.
230
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
Tonight's my SOLD OUT talk at The Last Tuesday Society. Doors 18.30 Let's get spooky this summer 💀 ⛱️
Jay Sullivan is a blonde person with tattoos on their arms. She holds up a book with a blue and white cover titled "Egyptian Gothic" by Jay Sullivan.
010
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 10/08/2025
Lovely afternoon presenting at the @issegyptomania.bsky.social conference!
A screenshot of a virtual presentation about a book titled "Egyptian Gothic: 1884-1920." The screen shows the book cover, two QR codes, and a discount code. To the right, there is a video feed of a person with blonde hair, identified as "Jay Sullivan," speaking.
000
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 14/07/2025
My book is out in the world! Like a Kendrick Lamar album, my publisher just quietly dropped it last Sunday without telling me. However, academic publishing is pricey! If you don't fancy spending £110 for a hardback or £87.50 for an e-book, here's how you can support me. (🧵 1/6)
100
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 10/07/2025
What do Art Deco, cannibalism, drug use, floriography and mass-consumerism all have in common? 🤔 (🧵)
111
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
Getting real now! I'm just making the last tweaks to the proof of my book and seeing it in print is so exciting. Can't wait for you to unwrap Egyptian Gothic on the 16th August. #academia #history #victorian #firsttimeauthor
An uncorrected proof from a book. The two page spread shows both text and an illustration from Pharos the Egyptian.
030
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
Talk alert! ⚠️ Unwrapping the Victorian’s Mummy Obsession 19 Aug 18.30-20.30 Come, sip absinthe, and listen to me talk about the weirder side of Egyptomania at The Last Tuesday Society. Early-bird tickets are nearly sold out. thelasttuesdaysociety.org/exhibition/u... #history #talk #london
thelasttuesdaysociety.org
Unwrapping the Victorian’s Mummy Obsession with Dr Jay Sullivan - LIVE - The Last Tuesday Society
Please note this is NOT a ZOOM Lecture but an in person lecture. Tickets include a complimentary glass of Devil’s Botany Chocolate Absinthe. Doors open at 6:30pm and talk starts […]
010
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
My website is live! Learn more about my upcoming monograph, and get in touch to book me for podcasts, talks, and conferences 📚 #writingcommunity #history #authors
000
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
📚 COVER REVEAL AND PUBLICATION DATE ⚱️ The temperature isn't the only thing that's rising this summer... Egyptian Gothic: 1884-1920 will be out on the 5th August. Here's a sneaky preview of the cover. Pre-orders coming soon... #booksky #firsttimeauthor #egypt #victorian
An advertisement for the book "Egyptian Gothic: 1884–1920" by Jay Sullivan, published by Palgrave Macmillan, available August 5th. The ad features the book's cover on the left and a quote praising the book on the right.
180
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
If anyone is after a good social history read, pick up No Ordinary Deaths by @mollyconisbee.bsky.social. Especially enjoyed reading about the insane textile production behind Victorian mourning culture. #booksky #currentlyreading
A dark-colored book titled "No Ordinary Deaths: A People's History of Mortality" by Molly Conisbee, featuring an illustration of an urn flanked by skeletons, stands on a bookshelf.
171
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
It's outdoor reading season in London, so here's what I've been reading this week🌼 ☀️ The new @hallierubenhold.bsky.social is so good! I've been touched by how hard Belle's friends worked to find out what happened to her and to bring Crippen to justice.
A close-up, angled shot of a book lying on green grass with small white daisies scattered around it. The book is titled "The Story of a Murder" by Hallie Rubenhold, with the subtitle "The Wives, The Mistress and Doctor Crippen." The cover is primarily red and features a black and white photograph of a woman in a vintage dress.A close-up, angled shot of a book and a bottle of beer on a wooden picnic table outdoors. The book, titled "Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism" by Amanda Montell, is open and lying flat on the table. It has a colorful cover with a retro design, featuring abstract shapes and a small illustration of a flying saucer. Next to the book is a clear glass bottle of Sol beer, partially filled, with a lime wedge inside.
0202
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 27/03/2025
It's my viva-versary! 🥂 One year ago I successfully defended my PhD. I've been pretty quiet academically, but the manuscript for my book 'Egyptian Gothic 1880-1920' is now complete. Release info coming soon... 📚
030
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
Considering I only picked up photography as a hobby last year, I think these are pretty good 📸 #cinematic #DSLR
020
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
Neo-Victorian and Egyptianised Gothic? I am excited to start this one. Such a beautiful cover too. Anyone else picked it up yet? 📚 #booksky
Front cover of the book "Nephthys" by Rachel Louise Driscoll, held in a person's hand, with a decorative teal and orange design featuring a silhouette of a woman.
120
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 01/02/2025
BOOK MANUSCRIPT IS IN 🙌📚 Now to enjoy life before the Sword of Damacles that is publisher's amends drops.
Jay is a blonde, white woman. She wears a polka dot blouse and holds a cocktail. She is in a bar with dim-lighting and books on the wall.
020
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 20/01/2025
10/10 day at work as Blue's photographer 📸
030
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 07/01/2025
Look ma - I launched a social media channel! If you want to stay abreast of fire incidents in London or are interested in sick training exercise photos like these, give us a follow 🔥🚒
000
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 01/01/2025
Spending New Year with your mummy (🧵 1/2) If you give a New Year's party, keep an eye on your mummy. When people start throwing streamers, they might pull one of his loose ends and unravel him.
If you give a New Year's party, keep an eye on your mummy. When people start throwing streamers, they might pull one of his loose ends and unravel him.
100
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 26/12/2024
Merry Christmas everyone! I spent it taking pictures of the sassy street cats of Athens 📸 🐈
Jay takes a photo of a white cat on top of a car, her camera is obscured by her clutch bag.An Athens street scene with graffiti and two cats, one perched upon a car and one sat upon a doorstep.
030
Reposted by Jay
It's Pipes, Mum! Pipes is here! @scriblit.bsky.social · 14/12/2024
He's hiring a ship He's packing his cloak He's moving to England To follow some bloke Dracula is coming to town
6250851635
Reposted by Jay
Tobias Wilson-Bates @phdhurtbrain.bsky.social · 13/12/2024
Microsoft: and AS SOON as you turn on your device Teams will open! Me: but what if I don’t want- Microsoft: TEAMS WILL OPEN
88311
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 08/12/2024
Me this Sunday, as once again I find myself indexing another chapter of my book.
media.tenor.com
a video game character says you 've met with a terrible fate haven t you
ALT: a video game character says you 've met with a terrible fate haven t you
010
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃 According to Monster Holidays (1974): "Your mummy won't eat a Thanksgiving dinner, but he will enjoy the spicy smell of the dressing. He him- self was once stuffed with spices and aromatic herbs. Why not add to his aroma by shaking some thyme and sage on his chest?"
A woman simultaneously pours herbs onto a mummy and a Thanksgiving turkey.
000
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 23/11/2024
I'm not just interested in Victorian Egyptomania, so you can imagine how excited I was to see Nicholas Cage's death pyramid last month in New Orleans' St Louis Cemetery #1. Apparently the IRS can't seize tombs, making them a great financial investment if you don't pay your taxes...
Jay stands in front of a white pyramid shaped tomb in a sunny cemetery surrounded by other above-ground tombs. She is pointing to a Latin inscription which reads "Omnia Ab Uno."

Jay is a white woman with blonde hair. She wears green shorts, a black vest and white socks and trainers. 

The shadow position indicates it's early morning.
030
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
media.tenor.com
a close up of a man 's face with the words how far are you willing to go michael
ALT: a close up of a man 's face with the words how far are you willing to go michael
010
Jay @drjaysullivan.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
Joining here as a Musk-free place for my academic musings. I'm currently hard at work on my monograph 'Egyptianised Gothic and the Senses' which should be out with Palgrave Gothic in late 2025. Stay tuned for updates 📚
media.tenor.com
a cartoon of a mummy standing in front of a group of people .
ALT: a cartoon of a mummy standing in front of a group of people .
4163