Sophie Parkes-Nield
Associate Lecturer in Creative Writing
Summary
A graduate of the University of Manchester and the Manchester Writing School, Sophie is currently studying for a PhD in creative writing and folklore at Sheffield Hallam University, for which she won a Vice Chancellor's Scholarship. In 2017, Sophie won the Arvon Award at the Northern Writers’ Awards for her collection of short stories based on or influenced by English folk song.
She has also published two works of non-fiction: 'Wayward Daughter, the Official Biography of Eliza Carthy' (2012, Soundcheck Books) and 'From Light to Dark: the story of Blind Dave Heeley' (2016, Pitch). An Associate Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, she is also a frequent facilitator of creative writing workshops in the community.
About
A graduate of the University of Manchester and the Manchester Writing School, Manchester Metropolitan University, I am currently studying for a PhD in creative writing and folklore at Sheffield Hallam University, for which I won a Vice Chancellor's Scholarship. I am currently working on my first novel with my agent, Giles Milburn, from the Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV and Film Agency.
The novel’s working title is Out of Human Sight, and is set around the time of the notorious 1832 Bill’s O’Jack’s murders that occurred in The Moorcock Inn, Saddleworth, close to where I now live. In 2017, I won the Arvon Award at the Northern Writers’ Awards for my collection of short stories influenced by English folk song.
I have also published two works of non-fiction: 'Wayward Daughter, the Official Biography of Eliza Carthy' (2012, Soundcheck Books) and 'From Light to Dark: the story of Blind Dave Heeley' (2016, Pitch) An Associate Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, I am a frequent facilitator of creative writing workshops in the community, leading workshops for Oldham Libraries, The Portico Library, Saddleworth Literature Festival, Tameside Libraries, amongst others. I also founded and continue to run Mossley Writers.
Publications
Journal articles
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