Doctor Sophie Parkes-Nield BA, MA, PhD, AFHEA
Postdoctoral Researcher: National Folklore Survey (AHRC Catalyst project); Associate Lecturer in Creative Writing
Summary
I am a Postdoctoral Researcher 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 Sheffield Hallam University, where I interrogated how fiction writers represent calendar customs in their writing. Now I am a Postdoctoral Researcher 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 Sheffield Hallam University.
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
Research
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). Angela Carter and Folk Music: `Invisible Music', Prose and the Art of Canorography. FOLK MUSIC JOURNAL, 12 (4), 136-138.
Parkes-Nield, S. (2023). The summoning: folk horror and the calendar custom in Molly Aitken’s the island child (2020) and Zoe Gilbert’s folk (2019). Critique : Studies in Contemporary Fiction. http://doi.org/10.1080/00111619.2022.2143256
Parkes-Nield, S. (2022). Can calendar customs engender stewardship of our natural environment? An investigation into real-world and fictional calendar customs in the UK and their potential for environmental engagement. Green Letters: Studies in Ecocriticism. http://doi.org/10.1080/14688417.2021.2023029
Parkes-Nield, S. (2021). Locating Women in the Folk. Conference Proceedings, Sussex, 2018 (Book Review). Folk Music Journal, 12 (2), 130-131. https://www.efdss.org/about-us/publications/folk-music-journal/44-about-us/10694-folk-music-journal-volume-12-number-2
Parkes-Nield, S. (2021). Connected through Custom: Well Dressing in Jon McGregor’s Novel, Reservoir 13. Folklore, 132 (2), 208-217. http://doi.org/10.1080/0015587X.2020.1844953.
Book chapters
Parkes-Nield, S. (2023). ‘Unite and unite, and let us all unite’: the social role of the calendar custom in English communities. In Hunter, J., & Ironside, R. (Eds.) Folklore, People and Place. International Perspectives on Tourism and Tradition in Storied Places. (pp. 55-66). London: Routledge: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781003374138-5
Parkes-Nield, S. (2023). “Unite and Unite, and Let Us All Unite”. In Folklore, People, and Places. (pp. 55-66). Routledge: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781003374138-5
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). Thankstide: the calendar custom and contemporary fiction. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Clarke, D., Jones, C., & Battle-Felton, Y. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00632
Internet Publications
Parkes-Nield, S. (2023). ‘The Wicker Man Effect’ and the Everyday Folklore of UK Calendar Customs. https://www.epoch-magazine.com/post/the-wicker-man-effect-and-the-everyday-folklore-of-uk-calendar-customs
Parkes-Nield, S. (2020). Five COVID customs which emerged during lockdown. https://theconversation.com/five-covid-customs-which-emerged-during-lockdown-146130
Performances
Parkes-Nield, S. (2020). Procession. Online
Presentations
Parkes-Nield, S. (2021). ‘Unite and unite, and let us all unite’: 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’s Novel, Reservoir 13. http://doi.org/10.1080/0015587x.2020.1844953
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 Researchers’ 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