Sophie Haydock
Sophie Haydock is an award-winning author, journalist and curator with a special interest in hidden histories and the intersection of art, culture and society. Her work focuses on elevating underrepresented voices whose contributions shaped major cultural movements.
Her debut novel, The Flames, explores the lives of the women who inspired Austrian artist Egon Schiele. It was named one of The Times’ Best Historical Fiction Books of 2022 and has been translated into seven languages. The Italian edition, Le Fiamme, won the Premio Letterario Edoardo Kihlgren in 2024. Her second novel, Madame Matisse, examines the influential yet often overlooked roles of women in the life and work of Henri Matisse.
Sophie is the Curator of Books, Ideas and Community at Creative Folkestone, where she leads the Folkestone Book Festival and spearheads the Folkestone is a Library campaign – a strategic initiative to maintain access to literature and learning in the wake of library closures.
Her journalism has been published in The Sunday Times, Financial Times, and The Guardian. She has interviewed prominent literary figures including Hilary Mantel and Bernardine Evaristo, and serves as Associate Director of the Word Factory, a literary organisation supporting emerging writers.
Sophie holds a degree in English and French and frequently speaks at national institutions and literary festivals. She is currently preparing for a writing residency in the Arctic Circle, focusing on themes of survival, resilience and environmental storytelling.
