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AmeriCymru: Hi Brian, and many thanks for agreeing to be interviewed by AmeriCymru. You have been both a field scientist and a Geography lecturer in your time. What inspired you to write fiction?
Brian: It's a great pleasure to talk to you. I always enjoy chatting about the writing process. You should really have asked "Who inspired you to write fiction?" and the short answer to that would be "My wife Inger." I've been writing books for many years, and now have about 80 to my name, but the majority of these relate to my research specialisms of landscape evolution and the Ice Age. I have a great affection for glaciers, having studied them in Antarctica, Greenland and other parts of the north polar regions. So in my days as a lecturer in Durham University it was natural that I should write textbooks about glaciers and landscape; my big text book on that subject, written with my good friend David Sugden, remained in print for 20 years as a key university text across the world. I also wrote books on the Ice Age for a non-specialist readership, for some of the big mainstream publishers in the US and UK.
On moving back to Wales in 1976, I started my own small publishing business called Greencroft Books, and since then I have written and published one or two books a year, aimed at the Welsh market in general and the Pembrokeshire tourist trade in particular -- with titles on folk tales, joke books, guide books, local history and traditions, walking trails and so forth. But no fiction. I thought that the writing of fiction was something for which I was not suited, given my "academic" background. My wife thought otherwise, and was convinced that I could and should write fiction. And then, in 1999, Mistress Martha Morgan walked into my life, and along came the Angel Mountain Saga. It's difficult enough to resist one strong woman, and quite impossible to resist two!
AmeriCymru: The Angel Mountain novels have been a major critical and commercial success. Care to tell our readers a little more about what inspired them?
The story -- and the inspiration -- continued over the writing of the first five novels. When "On Angel Mountain" was published ten years ago, there was such an incredible response from readers that I just had to keep going -- especially since I had only covered a year or so of her life in that first story, and the rest of it was still in my head! So I did not have to "invent" a storyline -- that was there already -- and was able to concentrate on the technicalities of storytelling to the best of my ability. So I wrote and published the other novels very quickly, at the rate of one per year for five years. Since then I have written two further books in the series, one called "Guardian Angel" and the other called "Sacrifice". Very soon sales for the whole series will hit 65,000 copies, so I have to be satisfied with that.
AmeriCymru: The novels are set on and around Carn Ingli. What role does the atmosphere of this unique Welsh landscape play in your creative process?
Brian: The sense of place is hugely important in all of the novels, as it is in most Welsh fiction. We do after all have this wonderful word "hiraeth" which encompasses both longing and belonging -- and ties Welsh people to both a place and a community. Carningli, the little mountain which stands sentinel above the town of Newport in Pembrokeshire, is so important in the stories that it becomes almost a character in its own right. Mistress Martha has a mystical relationship with it, feeling that the mountain is a part of her, and that she is a part of the mountain.
As a geographer by training, I suppose that I feel a sense of place very strongly indeed, and I think that the success of the novels is at least in part related to the fact that readers can also identify very strongly with the little details of the mountain, the cwm, and even the woodlands and streams that are prime locations in one story after another. So they share in Martha's own intimate knowledge of the landscape in which she and her family, friends and enemies live, and love, and die.
AmeriCymru: Iolo Morgannwg, who is something of a hero to many of our readers, makes an appearance in the most recent instalment of the Angel Mountain series ( 'Sacrifice' ). Without giving too much away , can you tell us what role he plays in the novel?
AmeriCymru: In 'Rebecca And The Angels' Martha becomes involved in the Rebecca Riots. Care to tell our readers a little about the historical background to this episode?
So the riots started with the destruction of a tollgate at Efailwen in Pembrokeshire, and then spread all over West Wales. But the riots were actually quite sophisticated, as riots go! The men who took part in them tried to avoid harm to human life, although they had no qualms about smashing up and burning tollgates and tollgate-keepers' houses. In all the riots they dressed in womens' clothes and blackened their faces, and prior to the destruction of each tollgate they enacted a little charade involving Rebecca and her daughters, based on the Biblical story. They used trumpets and drums, and there was a strong theatrical element in the riots, based upon the old "folk justice" traditions of the "Ceffyl Pren." The army was sent in to quell the riots, but because they were so dispersed, and because the rioters had such an effective underground communications network, the dragoons were made to look stupid and ineffectual. Thanks in part to the extensive coverage of the riots in the Times newspaper, the protestors were ultimately successful, and the Turnpike Trust laws were changed by Act of Parliament, addressing most of the grievances of the rioters.
This was such a colourful -- and important -- episode, involving spies, betrayals and secret meetings (not to mention summary justice) that it was inevitable that Mistress Martha would get sucked into the riots, given her propensity for getting involved in any good cause that might help her to make the world a better place!
AmeriCymru: Will we be hearing more from Martha Morgan? Is there any chance of a television adaptation?
Brian: You will certainly be hearing more from Martha Morgan. She hasn't finished sorting the world out just yet. There's another volume in the pipeline, which will hopefully be published in the spring of 2012. Many of my faithful readers from all over the world have said that there MUST be aTV series or films featuring the different phases of Martha's life and following her battles with a number of seriously unpleasant individuals who lust after her and her little estate on the side of the mountain. The books are action-packed, and I think they have very strong characters, and all of my readers refer to the strong "visual qualities" of the stories.
But as we all know, film and TV adaptations are hugely expensive, and in the field of historical fiction producers and directors are notoriously risk-averse. Sadly, they prefer to make yet another version of "Pride and Prejudice" or "Wuthering Heights" rather than to take a chance on something new. But I live in hope. Everybody to whom I have spoken within the TV and film industry says that there is a powerful "random" element in adaptations for the screen. All it needs is for one influential person from within the industry to fall in love with Mistress Martha as a character, to see the potential of the stories, and to act as an advocate for a film project in the offices of those who make the key decisions. So if anybody out there knows a Hollywood director, feel free to tell him or her that the film rights are still available!
AmeriCymru: You are also a writer of non-fiction. Care to tell us a little about The Bluestone Enigma ?
Brian: Sure. This book arose out of a long-standing interest in the mythology surrounding Stonehenge, and particularly the "mystical" link with the bluestones that have come from the Preseli area of North Pembrokeshire. Since 1921, the myth of long-distance human transport of the bluestones has been promoted by one generation of archaeologists after another, to the extent that it has become one of the favourite tales of the world! We all know and love the story, whether or not we have actually visited Stonehenge. It underpins the nation's tourist promotion work, and it adds huge value to Stonehenge as an iconic structure. The trouble is that there was no evidence to support the human transport myth in 1921, and there is still no evidence today.
In the book I take a hard look at where the evidence (rather than the mythology) leads us -- and this means looking at evidence in the fields of glaciology, geology and geomorphology. Inexorably the evidence leads us to the conclusion that the bluestones (which have come from maybe 30 different sources) are glacial erratics, carried from Pembrokeshire towards Salisbury Plain by a vast glacier known as the Irish sea glacier, maybe 450,000 years ago. i think that the stones were dumped by this glacier not far from Stonehenge, and that in due course they were found by Neolithic tribal groups and built into the Stonehenge monument. Maybe the location of the monument was determined above all else by the accessibility of these stones.
Needless to say, many senior archaeologists (who have based their reputations on variations on the "human transport" theme) are furious about this development. I think it's fair to say that they wish that the book would go away -- but it's been reprinted already, and it's good to know that it has sparked a good debate!
AmeriCymru: What do you read for pleasure? Any recommendations?
Brian: I'm not a great reader of fiction -- my bed-time reading normally consists of background material for whatever I am currently writing. So just now I am scanning the pages of various books on the dress and customs of high society in the Regency Period. In the next novel Martha has to learn how to cope with a number of characters who are insufferably grand!
As for my favourite fiction, up there in my top ten would be Peter Carey's "True History of the Kelly Gang", "The Shipping News" by Annie Proulx, Wilkie Collins's "Woman in White" and "A Scots Quire" by Grassic Gibbons. (By the way, I am quite convinced that Dylan Thomas got his idea for "Under Milk Wood" from Grassic Gibbons........ but that's another story.) As far as Welsh fiction is concerned, my favourite is probably Bruce Chatwin's "On the Black Hill", which is dark, claustrophobic and wonderfully evocative. Then I would have to put in the novels of Alexander Cordell. They are not particularly subtle, but Cordell has a fantastic and unique "voice" -- his tales are told in a style that has guts and grime, bravado and anger, and I think he really gets into the soul of Wales.
AmeriCymru: What's next for Brian John?
Brian: I shall continue to write both fiction and non-fiction for as long as I am enjoying myself! When it ceases to be fun, I'll stop and spend more time in the garden. I'm still enjoying the creative process of publishing as well, and the marketing and distribution work that every small publisher has to take seriously. In some ways that's the least enjoyable part of my job as a publisher, but I do value the contacts with the book trade and the feedback from traders and members of the public. I'll continue to work on the sale of film and TV rights for the Angel Mountain tales. And I would love to see my novels take off in the United States and Canada, since i'm convinced that within the Welsh expatriate community there are many folks who have still not even heard of the books. But Mistress Martha is really Mother Wales, or so I am informed by my readers! So maybe that's a line I need to follow as I seek to reach wider markets.
AmeriCymru: Any final message for the members and readers of AmeriCymru?
Brian: First of all, thank you to Ceri and his colleagues for the warm welcome to the site! It's colourful, cheerful and friendly -- and as far as I can see it does a great job in explaining what "Welshness" means and in bringing together ex-pats and the descendents of Welsh settlers from across North America! So well done -- keep up the good work!
And for readers who look at the site, please don't forget your roots. It is a sense of belonging that makes us who we are -- and whether we belong to one community or several, we draw our strength and our individuality from the mutual support mechanisms sustained by those around us. It's that "spirit of belonging" which I have tried to capture in the stories of my very imperfect heroine Martha Morgan. She falls from grace over and again, but always her angels pick her up again and reestablish her at the centre of her little world. May the angels of Americymru continue to thrive!
Some links:
About Stonehenge and the bluestones: http://brian-mountainman.blogspot.com/
The Angel Mountain Saga: http://www.angel-mountain.info/
Last spring I heard Allison Pearson speaking in Patrick's Restaurant, Mumbles, about her best-selling book 'How does she do it?'
The book has sold more than four million copies and a film has been made, starring Sarah Jessica Parker.
Allison has based the book on newspaper columns she wrote about the difficulty of bringing up children and working to pay the mortgage. The book found an echo in the lives of many women in a similar position. Despite not having children until she was in her thirties, the writer still needed money to maintain the standard of living she had become used to.
I remember in the fifties, in Fishguard, the Mothers' Union had a lively debate about whether women with families should work. The conclusion was 'Yes, if they need the money, otherwise don't bother'.
No one mentioned, or perhaps they did not realise it, that the well-being of women who go out to work is often better than stay-at-homes mothers, but it depends on the hours of the job.
Allison Pearson has gone on to write about the severe depression she suffered, probably due to the stress of working and making child-care arrangements.
The problem with life is that the years before a woman is forty and still fertile are filled with the need to build a career,manage on one's own earnings and then, vitally(!) find a man. A woman's fertility begins to wane in her thirties so time is short to achieve everything.
I can't help wondering would it be better, with so many mothers suffering from TAT (tired all the time) if they should settle for a cheaper house, change the car less often and various other economies.
I am left wondering not, 'How does she do it?' but 'Why does she do it?'
Six construction companies in South West Wales have joined forces to set up an innovative new project which will help our environment and give a major boost to community projects.
The firms are also helping to spread the gospel about sustainability issues in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.
This innovative project is sponsored by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) and supported by Construction Skills.
Working togetheris a very ambitious and novel project bringing together six very well known names in the construction industry in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, said group spokesman Andrew McElwee.
The firms taking part are - Dyfrig Dalziel Ltd, of Kidwelly; HM Building Services, of Narberth; Lloyd & Gravell Ltd, of Pontyberem; Morganstone Ltd, of Llanelli; TAD Builders Ltd, of Llanelli; and T. Richard Jones (Betws) Ltd, of Ammanford.
Mr McElwee said: The six firms are well respected in the industry and place great value in producing quality work. Traditional values have held true for the firms in their history, but they are also very focussed on building for the future.
With that in mind, sustainability issues are top of the agenda for the firms. Sustainability looks to address issues concerned with social, environmental and economic issues within the communities served by these businesses.
By having a more structured and collaborative approach to addressing sustainability in our communities, the companies will also be able to demonstrate to clients their belief in key corporate responsibility credentials. The aim is to make a greater impact in our communities.
Mr McElwee added that theWorking togethergroup was now preparing a timetable of collaborative ventures.
These will include a whole raft of ideas which have, at their heart, issues of community support and sustainability.
Ideas currently being discussed by the group include -
Volunteering
Sponsorship
Fund raising
Group challenges
Local community action activity
Work experience
In kind giving
Waste and recycling
Mr McElwee said theWorking togethergroup would soon be releasing details of its first community project.
Other ideas include looking at simple methods which will make our communities better places to live, work and play.
For example, the team members are already looking at reducing C02 emission levels on the vehicles they operate.
They are also looking at ways in which their waste and recycling projects can work hand in hand to help our environment.
Sustainability is at the forefront of the six businesses and they are demonstrating this commitment by working as a group together with their communities.
Ceri and I are talking about doing a quarterly "print" mag - it would be available online as a pdf and people could subscribe by mail for an actual physical edition of the magazine -
What would people like to see in a magazine on "Welsh America" or Welsh and Welsh culture outside Wales? What would people like to read, to learn, to hear about?
Hi all, I'm excited to announce an improvement to the Latest Activity feature you will now see a "More" button at the bottom of the feature to access older items from the feed.
Clicking that button will load another set of items, giving your members access to more excellent content.
This release will be rolled out over the next hour or so early this week Enjoy!
We call it the 'Loo-di-doo' in our house.
Once,when American friends called, one of them asked Peter where the 'Rest Room' was. Seeingthe look of consternation on his face, I stepped in swiftly to show the lady to the 'cloakroom'. (Just as well, becausehe had no idea whatshe meant).
Nowadays,the word 'Loo' has slipped into everyday use. It has been suggested the 'Ty Bach' was always housed in room 100 in French public buildings. '100'resembles the word 'loo', hence the namebut, apparently, 'loo' is a corruption of the French word 'l'eau' meaning water, as in 'gardez l'eau' - 'watch for water', which was called as a warning when a chamber-pot of slops was thrown from a windowin medieval times.
(In my novel 'Lucy Walter', Lucy tipsa full chamber-pot over some unwelcome guests - not a bad deterrent and there is documentation that this did occur).
Years ago, the word 'toilet' was considered to bemorerefinedthan 'lavatory', when referring to the 'WC'. The upper classes, fond ofcalling a spade a spade, considered the word 'toilet' very non-U, being a corruption of the French word 'toilette', meaning to wash andgroom oneself, so they stuck to 'lavatory'. Incidentally, the word 'lavatory' comes from the Latin 'lavatorium', meaning to wash oneself, which is not an accurate description of what goes on in the lavatorium, either.
It is surprising that it is only in the last twenty years or so that we have had self-flushing toilets and even now, they are the exception in Wales. (The first self-flush I came across was in Gloria Estefan's restaurant in Disney, Florida, thirteen years ago).
Now, here is the interesting bit. Anglesey Council is going to close or sell nine public conveniences in order to save thirty thousand pounds. The toilets may be used forother purposes. (What other purposes?) However, the council will give some financial support to pubs, cafes and businesses prepared to let the public use their toilets.
This brings me to a morning in Fishguard, not solong ago, when I wasaskedwhere the nearest storewith a 'Mother and Toddler' changing room was. I had to sayit was fifteen miles away.(Fishguard now has 20p a time toilets, but I don't know about the nappy changing facilities).
Toilets are essential facilities andit is a retrograde step to close them. Many people would not complain about paying for clean facilities. I know this, becauseholiday makers often ask me where they can find a good loo in town.
So, if there is an entrepreneur out there, perhaps there is 'loads- a- money' to be made out of loos.
London's always held afascination for me, ever sinceI watched 'Run For Your Money' in the 'Lyric Cinema', Carmarthen.
It was the 1950's and the story was about two miners going to the city to collect a win of one hundred pounds from a newspaper. There were many twists and turns to the story and predatory females, too, but the'big smoke' was an exciting place.
I spent a few days in London earlierthis week. At Paddington, I could not immediately find a taxi to take me to my hotel, which wasjust off Marylebone High Street (a gorgeous shopping area, French Patisseries, wonderful flavoury food, all manner of things to make my heart leap and beat with delight).
A workman, ona smoke break, realised my dilemma and suggested I took a 'bus into town.I didn't know where the stop was, so he walkedaround the corner with me, told me where the ticket machine wasandthe number of the 'bus I needed.
Next day, I got lost and asked a man holding flyers for a particular street I wanted. 'Straight down, turn left', he said. I crossed a busy road when I heard someone calling: 'Darlin' not that far', and when I looked round the flyer man had run after meto point out the way.
Later, I consulted a map, and a man on his way to the doctor's (he didn't tell me his malady) asked if he could assist me.He walkedwithme until I came to the roadI needed.
I knowLondoner's are dubbed unfriendly, but I've been before and always found them the reverse.
Later, in the evening,I was stopped by a young man dabbing at his leg. Could I help him?He had been late for his private college class and the gates were locked, sohe had climbed over some iron railings and had ripped his jeans and gashed his inner thigh deeply.
Although he was Italian, he spoke Englishand told me he was twenty from Firenza. There was a pub opposite so we crossed the road and satat an outside table.Ambulance controlsaid he wasnot toeat or drink and keep him talking. Twenty minutes later, he went off to hospital.
Next day, holiday over,the ticket machine for the Paddington 'bus did not work. The Polish driver told me to jump on, he'd stop at the next machine for me to get a ticket.
As Shakespeare might have said, 'we take and take, and we give and give' and that's as it should be.
The wonderful people at Celtic Jackalope created two great, original t-shirts for the LA West Coast Eisteddfod and they've agreed to continue offering them online, along with a black version of the AmeriCymru t-shirt! If you're one of the people that contacted me and wanted t-shirts, here they are!
(Graphics below were made by me, not pix of actual t-shirts so check their site for correct info!)
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They've got a full range of sizes, a portion of the proceeds goes to raising money for next year's West Coast Eisteddfod and they're offering free shipping on this on-line special. Get this great deal while you can and help support Welsh-American artists, promoting Welsh-American history, and bringing Welsh artists and art to the USA.
Get one of each and give those fortunate enough to lay eyes upon you the splendor of basking in your Welshness!
Thank you! I am truly honored to be this year's winner of the English language poetry competition!
By Nancy E. Wright, 2011-10-04
DearMembers of the AmeriCymru community,
I wish to express my sincere gratitude for the honor of being this year's winner of the English language poetry competition, with my poem titled "Remembering Fengdu." My thanks go to Peter Thabit Jones for his adjudication, and to Ceri Shaw and Gaabriel Becket for making this Eisteddfod possible.
I also would like to acknowledge Julian Goodwin, a Brooklyn, NY-based composer who set an earlier version of "Remembering Fengdu" to music. His excellent interpretation gave that earlier poem a new life of its own as an art song, and inspired me to revise the text. That revised version is what I submitted to the West Coast Eisteddfod this year.
My congratulations also go to runner-up Maude Larke for her poem, "An Anatomy," and to Dianne E Selden, Cynthia Baculi-Condez, Meilani Rita, Gillian Morgan, and Peter Lewis for their poems' adjudication of"highly commended."
Best wishes always!
Nancy Wright
