Doctor Sophie Parkes-Nield BA, MA, PhD, AFHEA
Postdoctoral 香蕉视频er: National Folklore Survey (AHRC Catalyst project); Associate Lecturer in Creative Writing
Summary
I am a Postdoctoral 香蕉视频er on the AHRC Catalyst project, the National Folklore Survey, exploring England's customs, belief and folk narrative. I am also an award-winning fiction writer and teach Creative Writing as an Associate Lecturer.
About
I am a writer of novels, short fiction, life writing and music journalism. I hold a doctorate in creative writing and folklore from 香蕉视频, where I interrogated how fiction writers represent calendar customs in their writing. Now I am a Postdoctoral 香蕉视频er on the AHRC Catalyst project, the National Folklore Survey, exploring England's customs, belief and folk narrative. I am part of the Centre for Contemporary Legend (CCL) at 香蕉视频.
My debut novel, Out of Human Sight, was shortlisted for the NorthBound Book Award at the 2021 Northern Writers' Awards and was published by Northodox Press in 2023. My short fiction has been awarded a Northern Writers' Award and is published by Comma Press and Levenshulme Old Library and features in LOOM, Dear Damsels, Rituals & Declarations, Streetcake and The Pygmy Giant, among other titles.
I have also published two works of life writing, the official biography of my all-time musical hero, Eliza Carthy, and the story of 'Blind Dave' Heeley, West Midlands legend and endurance athlete.
Teaching
Creative Writing
Creative Writing MA
The Novel
香蕉视频
Folklore, especially the representation of folklore in literature, and calendar customs.
Creative writing, prose fiction and the novel.
https://contemporarylegend.co.uk
Centre for Contemporary Legend (CCL)
The Folklore Society
Publications
Journal articles
Parkes-Nield, S. (2024). . Folk Music Journal, 12 (4), 136-138.
Parkes-Nield, S. (2023). . Critique : Studies in Contemporary Fiction.
Parkes-Nield, S. (2022). . Green Letters: Studies in Ecocriticism.
Parkes-Nield, S. (2021). . Folk Music Journal, 12 (2), 130-131.
Parkes-Nield, S. (2021). . Folklore, 132 (2), 208-217.
Book chapters
Parkes-Nield, S. (2023). . In Hunter, J., & Ironside, R. (Eds.) Folklore, People and Place. International Perspectives on Tourism and Tradition in Storied Places. (pp. 55-66). London: Routledge:
Parkes-Nield, S. (2023). 鈥淯nite and Unite, and Let Us All Unite鈥. In Folklore, People, and Places. (pp. 55-66). Routledge:
Books
Parkes, S. (2023). Out of Human Sight A Historical Mystery.
Parkes-Nield, S., & Heeley, D. (2016). From Light to Dark: The Story of Blind Dave Heeley. Pitch Publishing.
Parkes, S. (2012). Wayward Daughter An Official Biography of Eliza Carthy. Soundcheck Books.
Theses / Dissertations
Parkes-Nield, S. (2024). . (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Clarke, D., Jones, C., & Battle-Felton, Y.
Internet Publications
Parkes-Nield, S. (2023). 鈥楾he Wicker Man Effect鈥 and the Everyday Folklore of UK Calendar Customs.
Parkes-Nield, S. (2020). Five COVID customs which emerged during lockdown.
Performances
Parkes-Nield, S. (2020). Procession. Online
Media
Parkes-Nield, S., & Clarke, D. (2025). . [Website]. National Folklore Survey for England/SHU SCII project:
Presentations
Parkes-Nield, S. (2021). 鈥楿nite and unite, and let us all unite鈥: English calendar customs and the reunion of our post-pandemic communities. Presented at: Belonging 2021: Postgraduate Colloquium, Online, 2021
Parkes-Nield, S. (2021). Connected through Custom: Well Dressing in Jon McGregor鈥檚 Novel, Reservoir 13.
Parkes-Nield, S. (2020). Celebrating Christmas with Calendar Customs.
Parkes-Nield, S. (2020). Cheese-rolling, Pace-egging, Soul-caking: Can Calendar Customs Engender Stewardship of our Natural Environment? Presented at: Earth(ly) Matters, Online
Parkes-Nield, S. (2019). Writing fiction with folklore. Presented at: Newer 香蕉视频ers鈥 Day, University of Hertfordshire
Other activities
Writer, contributor to Songlines and Rock 'n' Reel
Reviewer for NAWE
Reviewer for Folk Music Journal
Peer reviewer for Gramarye, the journal of The Chichester Centre for Fairy Tales, Fantasy and Speculative Fiction