Claire Cock-Starkey
@nonfictioness.bsky.social
Writer (Lore of the Wild, Hyphens & Hashtags &c). Big fan of books, libraries, folklore, history. Also studying for a PhD on the folklore of death and dying in 19th century England
Pinned
As Bsky seems to be hotting up with tons of new people (hello everyone!) I thought I should reintroduce myself. I am a writer, most recently of children's books on folklore, and part-time PhD student on the folklore of death and dying in 19th c England. 1/5
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
Calling all creative writers, both published and unpublished.
First prize is £1500, including publication in the Bristol Short Story Prize anthology.
Enter your short story of up to 4000 words until 31 Jan 2026, with low income entries available on a limited basis every month.
First prize is £1500, including publication in the Bristol Short Story Prize anthology.
Enter your short story of up to 4000 words until 31 Jan 2026, with low income entries available on a limited basis every month.
We’re open for submissions!
Closing date 31st January.
Visit our website to read our submission rules, register your entry, and check out our amazing judges:
bssp.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/rules/
Closing date 31st January.
Visit our website to read our submission rules, register your entry, and check out our amazing judges:
bssp.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/rules/
November 24, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Calling all creative writers, both published and unpublished.
First prize is £1500, including publication in the Bristol Short Story Prize anthology.
Enter your short story of up to 4000 words until 31 Jan 2026, with low income entries available on a limited basis every month.
First prize is £1500, including publication in the Bristol Short Story Prize anthology.
Enter your short story of up to 4000 words until 31 Jan 2026, with low income entries available on a limited basis every month.
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
Libraries are SO important 🥹
November 22, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Libraries are SO important 🥹
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
In the UK, you could demolish a church VAT-free, but if you wanted to repair that church, you would have to pay VAT.
November 22, 2025 at 10:01 AM
In the UK, you could demolish a church VAT-free, but if you wanted to repair that church, you would have to pay VAT.
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
While I'm not quite at the point of losing my house, the harm ai has done to my animation work income is huge, like 80% gone and it makes me wonder how many freelance artists and animators ARE losing everything while billionaire con men continue to rake it in.
November 22, 2025 at 9:37 AM
While I'm not quite at the point of losing my house, the harm ai has done to my animation work income is huge, like 80% gone and it makes me wonder how many freelance artists and animators ARE losing everything while billionaire con men continue to rake it in.
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
This book caught my eye today...
November 21, 2025 at 11:41 AM
This book caught my eye today...
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
How are novelists and publishers experiencing AI’s impacts❓
Join us next week (20 Nov) for the launch of a new report on how GenAI is impacting the publishing industry. Hear from @clemicollett.bsky.social, @katemossewriter.bsky.social, and @alcs.co.uk.
Book now ➡️ www.mctd.ac.uk/events/gener...
Join us next week (20 Nov) for the launch of a new report on how GenAI is impacting the publishing industry. Hear from @clemicollett.bsky.social, @katemossewriter.bsky.social, and @alcs.co.uk.
Book now ➡️ www.mctd.ac.uk/events/gener...
November 13, 2025 at 4:05 PM
How are novelists and publishers experiencing AI’s impacts❓
Join us next week (20 Nov) for the launch of a new report on how GenAI is impacting the publishing industry. Hear from @clemicollett.bsky.social, @katemossewriter.bsky.social, and @alcs.co.uk.
Book now ➡️ www.mctd.ac.uk/events/gener...
Join us next week (20 Nov) for the launch of a new report on how GenAI is impacting the publishing industry. Hear from @clemicollett.bsky.social, @katemossewriter.bsky.social, and @alcs.co.uk.
Book now ➡️ www.mctd.ac.uk/events/gener...
Amazing! I will be opening this with glee every morning of advent while my kids enjoy their lesser (and less spooky) chocolate versions 🖤
Spooky advent calendars still very much for sale... featuring many faves of TV, film and literature. Free Christmas at Borley card with every calendar. Lots of prints and cards also available. Reposts much appreciated. Thanks folks. sarahcoomershop.etsy.com/listing/1801...
November 13, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Amazing! I will be opening this with glee every morning of advent while my kids enjoy their lesser (and less spooky) chocolate versions 🖤
Lupin had an unfortunate encounter with a weed filled field this morning...
November 13, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Lupin had an unfortunate encounter with a weed filled field this morning...
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
👀👀👀
Permanent! Full-time! A truly gold-dust job, run don't walk!
Permanent! Full-time! A truly gold-dust job, run don't walk!
A permanent Lecturer position in Children's Literature and Creative Education is available at Goldsmiths, University of London. Please consider applying and/or sharing with others. As the Head of the MA Children's Literature, I'll be working closely with the successful applicant! Deadline: 4 Dec.
Jobs system, Goldsmiths, University of London
jobs.gold.ac.uk
November 12, 2025 at 3:57 PM
👀👀👀
Permanent! Full-time! A truly gold-dust job, run don't walk!
Permanent! Full-time! A truly gold-dust job, run don't walk!
I keep seeing reels on Insta where Scandinavians use excellent cheese slicing tools & I want to get one for my cheese on toast loving son. I am not sure if the cheese wire version or the plane is the best option - any recommendations? Must create chonky slices with ease!
November 12, 2025 at 9:53 AM
I keep seeing reels on Insta where Scandinavians use excellent cheese slicing tools & I want to get one for my cheese on toast loving son. I am not sure if the cheese wire version or the plane is the best option - any recommendations? Must create chonky slices with ease!
Much excitement at the allotment yesterday as our onions have emerged! These are the first things we have planted there so it's a relief that they're actually growing 🌱
November 10, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Much excitement at the allotment yesterday as our onions have emerged! These are the first things we have planted there so it's a relief that they're actually growing 🌱
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
Look at this great fund. £200 for really small charities to spend on boring things. Easy, quick to apply.
Link below.
Please share :)
Link below.
Please share :)
Boring Fund | Christina Poulton
Applications now open!
£200 grants available for small charities, CICs and voluntary groups towards some of those boring but hard-to-fund costs.
www.christinapoultoncreative.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Look at this great fund. £200 for really small charities to spend on boring things. Easy, quick to apply.
Link below.
Please share :)
Link below.
Please share :)
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
These are the words of Mary Somerville, writing in her old age.
This pioneering scientist of the nineteenth century is the subject of our Book of the Month blog for November - written and researched by our Library Volunteer Edward Maunder.
devonandexeterinstitution.org/mary-somervi...
This pioneering scientist of the nineteenth century is the subject of our Book of the Month blog for November - written and researched by our Library Volunteer Edward Maunder.
devonandexeterinstitution.org/mary-somervi...
November 6, 2025 at 12:38 PM
These are the words of Mary Somerville, writing in her old age.
This pioneering scientist of the nineteenth century is the subject of our Book of the Month blog for November - written and researched by our Library Volunteer Edward Maunder.
devonandexeterinstitution.org/mary-somervi...
This pioneering scientist of the nineteenth century is the subject of our Book of the Month blog for November - written and researched by our Library Volunteer Edward Maunder.
devonandexeterinstitution.org/mary-somervi...
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
The latest @folkloresociety.bsky.social newsletter FLS News is out today, and contains a CFP from me and @magicnotwitches.bsky.social inviting proposals for our new @universitypress.cambridge.org series 'Elements in Folklore':
November 5, 2025 at 11:48 AM
The latest @folkloresociety.bsky.social newsletter FLS News is out today, and contains a CFP from me and @magicnotwitches.bsky.social inviting proposals for our new @universitypress.cambridge.org series 'Elements in Folklore':
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
If you believe either that Franklin discovered the double helix, and / or Watson and Crick stole her data, ask yourself how you know this. Then take a read of this article.
If I see one more stupid Rosalind Franklin take I'm going to lose my mind. Thank god for @matthewcobb.bsky.social and @nccomfort.bsky.social. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
What Rosalind Franklin truly contributed to the discovery of DNA’s structure
Franklin was no victim in how the DNA double helix was solved. An overlooked letter and an unpublished news article, both written in 1953, reveal that she was an equal player.
www.nature.com
November 8, 2025 at 7:32 AM
If you believe either that Franklin discovered the double helix, and / or Watson and Crick stole her data, ask yourself how you know this. Then take a read of this article.
On Wednesday I passed my viva with minor corrections! 🥳🥳🥳
Huge thanks to my incredible examiners Professor Julie-Marie Strange and Dr Carmen Mangion for giving me a thorough but enjoyable grilling and to my supervisor Dr David McAllister for being a wonderful mentor!
#PhDsky #PhDone
Huge thanks to my incredible examiners Professor Julie-Marie Strange and Dr Carmen Mangion for giving me a thorough but enjoyable grilling and to my supervisor Dr David McAllister for being a wonderful mentor!
#PhDsky #PhDone
November 7, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
succubus - female demon that seduces men
incubus - male demon that seduces women
vengabus - non-binary demon that likes to party
incubus - male demon that seduces women
vengabus - non-binary demon that likes to party
November 6, 2025 at 3:38 PM
succubus - female demon that seduces men
incubus - male demon that seduces women
vengabus - non-binary demon that likes to party
incubus - male demon that seduces women
vengabus - non-binary demon that likes to party
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
I said that I would post more about my visit to the Chiesa dei Morti. The church contains 18 preserved remains which have been displayed in cases since 1833. The majority were preserved by natural processes which occurred in the burial ground, and were discovered when the bodies were being relocated
November 4, 2025 at 8:30 PM
I said that I would post more about my visit to the Chiesa dei Morti. The church contains 18 preserved remains which have been displayed in cases since 1833. The majority were preserved by natural processes which occurred in the burial ground, and were discovered when the bodies were being relocated
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
If you're in need of positive and rather wholesome news, there's a high school teacher named Bryan who took a ton of freely licensed celebrity headshots at the New York Film Festival last month for Wikipedia, and I truly can't believe how drastic the upgrade is for some articles (thread)
November 1, 2025 at 1:21 PM
If you're in need of positive and rather wholesome news, there's a high school teacher named Bryan who took a ton of freely licensed celebrity headshots at the New York Film Festival last month for Wikipedia, and I truly can't believe how drastic the upgrade is for some articles (thread)
Reposted by Claire Cock-Starkey
Thread. A reminder of some of my alltime favourite facts. Starting with...there are no bridges over the river Amazon.
November 1, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Thread. A reminder of some of my alltime favourite facts. Starting with...there are no bridges over the river Amazon.
One of today's tasks is drying out this excellent crop of chillies from the gardens at work to make dried chilli flakes. Hopefully by tonight they'll be ready to be cathartically crushed!
November 1, 2025 at 10:25 AM
One of today's tasks is drying out this excellent crop of chillies from the gardens at work to make dried chilli flakes. Hopefully by tonight they'll be ready to be cathartically crushed!