Keeping busy in the genie world!

Apologies for the limited blogging this week, but it has all been a bit manic at this end, as I continue to try to sell my house and juggle a few other things at the same time!

I have recently started a new temporary part-time job for six months working for a local member of the UK parliament as a caseworker, to cover for a friend who is away travelling on a trip of a lifetime. This is a role I worked on last year for a member of the Scottish Parliament, which is as immensely rewarding as genie work in helping folk with everyday problems. As a consequence, I will be cutting back on my genealogical research service for clients up to Christmas to an extent, albeit not completely (I was over in Belfast on a research trip for a client last Friday, for example), but I will be continuing as normal on writing, teaching and speaking chores. If you are seeking research done in Scotland before Christmas, do drop me a note and I will see if I can fit it in, but if not, I will happily direct you to trusted colleagues who will certainly be able to help.

I am now delighted to confirm that I will be heading over to the USA next year on two conference trips, the first to the Celtic Connections conference in Illinois at the end of July 2020, and the second to run the Irish tract for the ISBGFH's British Institute in Salt Lake City in October 2020. The last time I was in either Illinois or Salt Lake City was during a filming trip for a Scottish Television documentary series in 1999, and so I am very much look forward to both. I will blog more about both of these in due course.

Over the next few weeks I will be finalising my third book this year for Pen and Sword, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, and am looking forward next month to the release of my Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd edition) - you can pre-order this book at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483.

I have several talks up and coming in Scotland and England for the rest of this year:

• October 5th 2019 Lanarkshire Family History Show - An Irish house history
• October 5th 2019, Aberdeen & NE Scotland FHS (Glasgow branch) 2pm-4pm, Renfield Saint Stephen's Church Centre - Glasgow, 260 Bath St, Glasgow G2 4JP - Discover Scottish Church Records
• October 19th 2019, Manchester & Lancashire FHS, Manchester, England - Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis
• October 21st 2019, Glasgow & West of Scotland FHS. Irish genealogy - house history, and Q&A
• November 13th 2019, Central Scotland FHS, Stirling, Scottish Research Resources before 1800

My next Pharos based Scottish courses are coming along soon also:

Scottish Research Online (102)
Course Length: 5 Weeks
Start Date: 02 Sep 2019
Cost: £49.99
https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102

Scotland 1750 - 1850 - Beyond the OPRs (302)
Course Length: 5 Weeks
Start Date: 04 Nov 2019
Cost: £49.99
https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302

So little time, so much genealogical work to be done...! :)

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.