This interesting free online 'course' has just been unveiled by famed crime writer Val McDermid (author of the Wire in the Blood series, which was turned into a popular TV series.) It's sponsored by The University of Dundee. Apparently it allows people to learn about actual modern forensics procedures by indentifying a 'body.' In the course description, it says: Experts from the University of Dundee’s award-winning Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHId) will guide you through the process of human identification. Val has just written an acclaimed non-fiction book on the history of forensics procedures, and I think this is an offshoot of that project. I'm not personally interested in crime writing, but any crime writer might find this a very entertaining thing to participate in. It starts on 7 September and runs for a few weeks. Worth a look? I don't know if folks outwith the UK are able to access this, but why not try if it interests you. https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/identifying-the-dead
I've done a few of these futurelearn courses (including one on Creative Writing!) - they seem to attract people from all over the world, so it's not just a UK thing (I'm pretty sure that one I signed up for recently was done by a Dutch uni). The good thing is, you don't have to do the course at the same pace...once you're registered for it, you can do it as you fit it in, including not getting around to it for a few months.
Thanks Jannert, Also for Crime Writers, the Crime Writers Assoc Debut Dagger comp is now open and will be to the end of Feb (I think). It's not cheap at £30 to enter but it is prestigious. Most winners and many short listed go on to be published. And they are going back to the Debut Dagger award being presented at the same awards dinner as the other awards, which i think is televised. The comp is open internationally.
