The nation lost a giant of a man who had a devoting passion for Wales and the Welsh language when Meredydd ‘Merêd’ Evans died on the 21st of February 2015.

Now, in Merêd: Dyn ar Dân , the enormous contribution Merêd made to Welsh culture and politics is remembered -  as well as the man himself - the loving figure who had a deep love for his square mile. 

The diversity of the contributors found in the volume is a testament to the popularity Merêd had amongst people of all ages. Authors include Angharad Tomos, Gai Toms, Lyn Ebenezer and Cynog Dafis - each paying tribute to Merêd, to his genius and his tenacity, his vision and his affection.

There is also an article by the late Professor Gwyn Thomas, who died on the 13th of April this year.

There are also many poems paying tribute to Merêd, and the last poem written by Merêd himself, along with a host of pictures from all of the periods in his life.

'One of the greatest tributes of this volume is unwritten – that is to say that it features authors ranging from their twenties to their nineties have all contributed. Each, in their own area of expertise and each in their own style want to acknowlede their gratitude to Merêd,' said Rocet Arwel Jones.

The volume acknowledges Merêd’s contribution as a broadcaster, philosopher, performer, researcher, and educator; to the establishment of community newspapers, S4C and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, among many other things. He made large and lasting contributions to Wales during a life that spanned nearly a century.

‘He was an activist in everything he did – from earning a living as a lecturer and television product to campaigns in education, broadcasting and language acts’ added Rocet Arwel.

The volume has been edited by Eluned Evans, Merêd’s daughter, assisted Rocet Arwel Jones.

'He was a man of national and international platforms, yet nothing was more important to him than his square mile. Tanygrisiau was always there with him as he travelled to Bangor, Cardiff, America and eventually to Cwmystwyth, where he planted deep roots’ said Rocet Arwel Jones.

Rocet Arwel Jones was born in Rhos-y-bol, Anglesey and was educated at the Young Farmers Club in Rhos-y-bol, Amlwch Secondary School and the University of Wales in Aberystwyth. He has already published two books about his experiences in a humorous tour of Africa and Kenya, a volume of interviews with Emyr Humphreys and a book of oral history at the turn of the millennium. He is a familiar voice on Radio Cymru and S4C and has published poems and essays in Taliesin, Tu Chwith, Barn, Golwg, Y Traethodydd and on the internet. He is married to Sharon and is the father of three boys.

A Merêd memorial concert to celebrate the Welsh folk singing tradition will be held at Pontrhydfendigaid Pavilion on Sunday May 1st.

Merêd: Dyn ar Dân (£9.99, Y Lolfa) is available now.

Dale and Lucy are two students with an interest in the supernatural. One weekend, they travel to Sker House, South Wales, a private residence with a macabre history which has recently been converted into a seaside inn. They plan to write an article for the university magazine about a supposed haunting, but when they arrive, they meet a landlord who seems to have a lot to hide. Soon, it becomes apparent that all is not well at Sker House. An air of opression hangs over it, the true depth of the mystery going far beyond a mere historical haunting. This is a place where bad things happen, and evil lurks. Little by little Dale and Lucy fall under Sker's dark spell, and as they begin to unravel the secrets of the past, they realize they also have to do battle with the ghosts of the present.

Welcome to Sker House , a place where fact and fiction collide.

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REVIEW

On a recent work trip away in L.A. I took a day off and realised that I was confined to my motel room all day with nothing to read. Or so I thought. Checking my inbox I found a review copy of C.M. Saunders excellent 'Sker House'. I began reading and finished the same day!

It's addictive.... a real page turner. It will not scare the pants off you, although there are some eerie passages earlier on, but, it will keep you massively entertained throughout. Think 'ripping yarn' or 'H.P. Lovecraft meets Indiana Jones'.

The Indiana Jones connection is alluded to at one point in the narrative when the guests and staff of Sker House make their final stand against the other worldly horrors which infest the place:-

“This is beginning to turn into an Indiana Jones movie,” said Lucy, who seemed increasingly unimpressed with all the problem-solving.

“In that case, I hope it doesn't turn into the Last Crusade,” said Dale.

“Why? Does the hero die in that one? I haven't seen it,” said Lucy, feigning interest.

“No. It was just s**t.”

No fear of that! The final scenes, set in the catacombs beneath Sker House, combine comedy and drama with perfect pace to provide a satisfying and thrilling denoument to the creepy capers that precede it.

If you like your ghost stories with a generous side of humor then this book is definitely for you. Sker House landlord James Machen (an allusion, no doubt, to Welsh master of horror fiction, Arthur Machen) entertains us frequently with his wry observations. The alcoholic Welsh landlord, down on his luck and teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, reveals the sad story of his associaton with Sker in a series of drunken soliloquies. At one point he asks himself:-

"What was it Richard Burton said? Show a Welshman a million exits and he'll always choose the path to self-destruction. Or was it Anthony Hopkins? Maybe they both said it. Whatever. It sounded about right."

All in all I have no hesitation in recommending Sker House to anyone who has a sense of humor and a taste for the supernatural. With summer vacation time looming this book is a perfect accompaniment for long plane or train journeys and ideal for a lazy day at the beach.

INTERVIEW

AmeriCymru: How would you describe your latest novel, 'Sker House'?

In a nutshell, it's a traditional haunted house story with a contemporary twist and a distinctly Welsh flavour. Sker House is an actual location, near Kenfig on the south Wales coast. When I was a kid I used to go on family holidays to Porthcawl and Sker was a regular haunt, excuse the pun. It was in ruins then – the house been refurbished since – and there was just something about the place. There are loads of local legends and ghost stories connected to it. I thought about it a lot over the years, and always toyed with the idea of writing a book about it. When I was living in China a few years ago I had some time on my hands and decided to tackle the project head-on. During the research phase, I found that the truth is even stranger than the fiction. Of all the historical sites in Wales, Sker House is probably the most deserving of having a fictionalized book written about it. It's also one of the lesser-known sites. One of my aims was to share the story of Sker with a wider audience.

AmeriCymru: You have written many horror shorts for magazines, anthologies etc. What attracts you as a writer you to the horror genre?

I don't really know. It probably comes from being a huge Stephen King fan and being addicted to TV shows like Tales From the Crypt and Outer Limits when I was a kid. If I sit down to write, what comes out is naturally dark. Most of it has a little injection of humour, which unfortunately goes over a lot of people's heads. Writing dark fiction is also a bit of a release. My day job is writing about sport and lifestyle for magazines. I love my job, and consider myself lucky to be able to do what I love for a living, but as with most day jobs, it gets a bit monotonous at times. There's a lot of ticking boxes, writing stuffy corporate stuff, and trying to make uninteresting things sound interesting. My style, and what I write about, is largely dictated by the client or the readers. When I write fiction, I don't write for an audience, I write for myself. That's one reason why I turned to indie publishing a couple of years ago. I like the creative freedom. I control everything from the content and the cover design to the pricing, which has been a big sticking point with publishers in the past who always insisted on pricing my books way too high.

AmeriCymru: What can you tell us about your 2003 title:- Into the Dragon's Lair: A Supernatural History of Wales?

That was the first book I ever had published. Having left school with no qualifications, I was working in a packing factory in Rhymney. After my shifts I'd go home, research and write about local myths and legends. Partly because I wanted to identify more with Wales, and partly because I was just interested in the subject matter. When people asked what I did in my spare time I'd tell them, but nobody ever thought it would lead to anything, least of all me. I dreamed about being able to leave that factory. After six or seven years work, I polished the manuscript up and sent it out to about a dozen publishers. Most never replied, and the ones that did turned it down. The very last name on the list was a small Welsh publisher called Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, who liked it and agreed to take it on. It caused quite a stir when it came out, there were newspaper and radio interviews for which I was wholly unprepared, but it won the attention of the Welsh Arts Council who got behind it and I ended up getting a grant to go to university as a mature student. Since then, I've had to pinch myself every day. I am living proof that if you put your heart and soul into something, you can achieve anything.

AmeriCymru: You are also a Cardiff City fan and you have written a history of the club. Care to tell us a little more about this?

That was something I started when I was in university, again as a kind of pet project just because I wanted to know more about the club. Their history is fascinating. They are the only club to ever take the FA Cup out of England, and remain the only football club in the world to ever hold the national cups of two different countries at the same time by winning the Welsh cup the same year (1927). There's a great old photo of the then-captain, Fred Keenor, with the FA Cup in one hand a fag in the other. How the game has changed!

It's not always enjoyable, but supporting Cardiff is never boring. The first game I ever saw was a 1-1 draw with Barnet in the old Fourth Division in 1992 (I think), and I went down to Ninian Park quite regularly until I moved away in 2003. I finished the book in 2007, but couldn't find a publisher for it at the time. Then, when the club won promotion to the Premier League in 2012/13, I had another go and lo and behld, there was more interest this time around.

AmeriCymru: What's next for C.M. Saunders. Any new titles in the works?

I took a huge leap recently and scaled down my day job to pursue fiction. Not 100% of the time, but now I do about half and half. I thought if I don't do it now, I never will. I have a new novella coming out in the summer called No Man's Land, a horror story set in the trenches of World War I. It's the centeniery of the Battle of the Somme, so I'm planning on giving the proceeds to a veteran's charity. My main project at the moment is an adventure series for young adults about a character called Joshua Wyrdd, who finds a magic amulet in a rock pool in Anglesey which transports him through time. I've always been a history buff. The books are written in such a way that they aren't just adventure stories, but are also at least partially historically accurate, so they can be used as educational tools for kids. The first book is about the Roman invasion of Angelsey and the Final Battle they had there with the Celts and the druids, while the second is about pirates and sea monsters and the third will be about the witch trials.

AmeriCymru: Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?

The bond Welsh people have, wherever in the world they travel, is something that never ceases to amaze me. If I ever see a Welsh jersey in a random bar in Hong Kong, or anywhere else, I know I'm looking at a friend. We just seem to have an affinity with each other, and that is something to be cherished. I'd also like to thank Americymru, and it's members, for all their support. It truly means everything. Diolch!

Travel writer John Harrison among longlist of nine for the New Welsh Writing Awards 2016: University of South Wales Prize for Travel Writing

New Welsh Review , in association with the University of South Wales and CADCentre, is delighted to announce the longlist of nine travel nonfiction essays for the New Welsh Writing Awards 2016: University of South Wales Prize for Travel Writing. Both new and established writers based in Wales, England and Ireland are in the running for the top prize including the award-winning travel writer John Harrison.

The Prize celebrates the best short form travel writing (5,000-30,000 words) from emerging and established writers based in the UK and Ireland plus those who have been educated in Wales. The judges are New Welsh Review editor Gwen Davies and award winning travel writer Rory MacLean.

Gwen Davies, editor of New Welsh Review said: ‘This prize has gone from strength to strength in its second year with an increased number of entries and an excellent standard of writing. Branching out from our previous theme of nature, this year’s longlist of travel nonfiction sees a move towards the political.’

Virginia Astley (Dorchester, England) Keeping the River

Evan Costigan (Kildare, Ireland) West Under a Blue Sky

Hannah Garrard (Norwich, England) No Situation is Permanent

John Harrison (London, England) The Rains of Titikaka

Gerald Hewitson (Holyhead, Wales) Oh my America

Julie Owen Moylan (Cardiff, Wales) Anxiety and Wet Wipes on Train Number Four

Nathan Llywelyn Munday (Cardiff, Wales) Seven Days: A Pyrenean Trek

Karen Phillips (Pembrokeshire, Wales) Stranger Shores

Mandy Sutter (Ilkley, England) Bush Meat: As My Mother Told Me

Davies continues: ‘Such essays follow the progress of a pioneering school from its refugee-camp origins in Ghana; a Nigerian domestic scene where subtle and interdependent racial and class issues are seething under a tight lid; the rise and fall of the pre-Columbian city of Tiwanaku in Bolivia and the underground (and underwater) currents of Mayan culture in the Yucatan, Mexico. In gentler pastures, meanwhile, language, geography, history, culture, religion and philosophy are given room to reflect in pieces that champion the humble Thames-side lock-keeper, the etiquette of the Trans-Siberian station pitstop; silence and spirituality on a Pennsylvanian Quaker residency, and the highs and lows of the grand narrative on trek through the Pyrenees.’

For more information about the long listed writers please visit the website here: http://www. newwelshwritingawards.com/ longlist-1 /

The shortlist will be announced at an event at Hay Festival on 1 June 2016 ( 3-4pm ) and the winner at a ceremony at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff on 7 July 2016 ( 6-8pm ).

First prize is £1,000 cash, e-publication by New Welsh Review on their New Welsh Rarebyte imprint in 2016, a positive critique by leading literary agent Cathryn Summerhayes at WME, as well as lunch with her in London. Second prize is a weeklong residential course in 2016 of the winner’s choice at Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre in Gwynedd, north Wales. Third prize is a weekend stay at Gladstone’s Library in Flintshire, north Wales. All three winners will also receive a one-year subscription to the magazine. In addition New Welsh Review will consider the highly commended and shortlisted nominees for publication in a forthcoming edition of its creative magazine New Welsh Reader with an associated standard fee.

New Welsh Review have today also launched their Best Travel Book Poll inviting readers around the world to vote for their favourite all time travel book in the English language. A longlist of 20 titles have been selected by co-judges Gwen Davies and Rory MacLean with nominations from the students of the University of South Wales and librarians across Wales. The public can now vote for the shortlist and winner which will be revealed on 1 June and 7 July respectively.

For more information visit http://www. newwelshwritingawards.com/ best-travel-book-poll /

www.newwelshwritingawards.com

#newwelshawards

Margaret Wynne of Gwydir is remembered as ‘an angry woman’ but after reading and research author Haf Llewelyn has claimed that Margaret was ‘misunderstood completley’. Her story has been reimagined and written anew in a brand new novel published this week.

‘Y Traeth’ , which translates as ‘The Beach’, by Haf Llewelyn is set in Meirionydd during the 17 ^th century and follows the lives of some of the gentry families of the period. It follows the story of Margaret Cave who marries the nobleman Sion Wynne of Gwydir when she was still a child. Although Margaret tries to persuade herself that she belongs, she suffers the contempt of her family in law, experiences bouts of depression and longs for her little girl and husband who spends time in far away London.

When Begw comes to work as her handmaiden, a close relationship develops between her and Margaret, and Begw comes to feel that she has no choice but to stay with her mistress through it all.

‘This is mainly a story of friendship and loyalty – particularly the handmaiden Begw’s loyalty towards her mistress, Margraet,’ explained Haf Llewelyn. ‘Begw did not choose to be poor. Margaret did not choose to be rich. But what is important is the choices the two make during the novel.’

Rewriting Margaret’s story was like ‘making up for the abuse she suffered during her life’.

‘She was clearly a very lonely woman and had to bend to the society of the time. Because she could not bear an heir, she was discredited and insulted by this powerful family,’ says Haf. ‘I took to her at once. As I read more about her I began to feel closer to her. I wanted the best for her. So I decided to write another story around her.’

The beach is also a central part to the novel.

‘Many of the characters feel drawn towards the beach. It is an embodiement of an attachment to somewhere. Like the characters of the novel know the sea and the beach, I’m sure many of us feel an attachment to familiar places or some feeling of belonging.’

The events of Y Traeth happen in the same place as Haf’s other novel, Mab y Cychwr , and some characters from that novel make an appearance. But Haf stresses that Y Traeth is not a sequel.

‘You do not need to read Mab y Cychwr to read this novel,’ she says. ‘Perhaps the reapperance of some old characters is a sign of my attachment towards the world I have created!’

Haf Llewelyn grew up on a mountainous farm in Ardudwy but has lived in Llanuwchllyn for over thirty years. This is her third novel for adults, following Y Graig and Mab y Cychwr , and she has published many novels and books for children, including Diffodd y Sêr , a novel told from the perspective of the younger sister of poet Hedd Wyn, a book which won her the Tir na n-Og prize in 2014.

‘You do not need to know the history of the period or the story of the Wynne family of Gwydir to read the novel,’ added Haf. ‘The period is simply the background for the story. Not much differentiates today and yesterday in the sense that the characters would make the same decisions they make in 1612 as they would today.’

‘This is a story about friendship and human nature. And those themes are timeless.’

Y Traeth by Haf Llewelyn (£8.99, Y Lolfa) is available now.

A discussion of Y Traeth and Sian Northey’s new novel, Rhyd-y-Gro, (Gwasg Gomer) will take place at Y Fedwen Lyfrau in Galeri Caernarfon at 10 in the morning ond Saturday the 23 ^rd of April.

On Wednesday the 27 ^th of April at 7.30 pm at the Eagles Hotel in Llanuwchllyn there will be a special launch to celebrate the publishing of Y Traeth and new volume by Beryl H Griffiths, Mamwlad, by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch.

WINE TALES FROM DOLGELLAU TO VERONA

A long-standing business relationship between an Italian winemaker and a Welsh wine importer was sealed with the presentation of a book at the world famous Vinitaly wine fair in Verona this week.

Dylan Rowlands and two members of staff, Emma Williams and Terri Jones, flew over to Italy on Sunday taking a copy of his newly published ‘ Rarebit and Rioja – Recipes and Wine Tales from Wales’ to present to Vincenzo Bossotti and his daughter Cristina.

Bossotti’s vineyard features in the Welsh wine importer’s newly published book about wine.

The book’s chapters and recipes are structured around the wine producing countries from which Dylan imports and has tales about his journeys through Europe searching for wine. Vincenzo fittingly features in the first chapter.

The story began with Dylan’s first steps into the wine world as he ventured to Turin in Italy fifteen years ago to discover his first wines to import in the very same wine fair – quite a daunting affair as it is a very large expo with over five thousand producer stands on the site.

It was here where he met Vincenzo before visiting their family run vineyard in Cisterna D’asti, a beautiful little hilltop town in Piedmonte, Northern Italy.

Quality reigns at the Bossotti vineyard and this won Dylan over immediately.

‘The integrity of the winemaker is all important in a long-distance partnership like this and you have to trust the person you’re trading with to be consistent. The Bossotti family have never let me down over the years and I’m proud to sell the wine of a small family producer.’ said Dylan.

‘There is little doubt the passion of the whole family is reflected in their product, from the beautifully designed labels to the wine in the bottle. Long may this Italian - Welsh relationship last!’ he continued.

Wine shop and cafe bar Gwin Dylanwad Wine is based in Porth Marchnad in Dolgellau. Since 2003 Dylanwad have been importing exclusive wines direct from Spain, France, Italy and Austria. These are available to drink or buy in Gwin Dylanwad Wine or to take out and can be delivered throughout Britain.

Rarebit and Rioja: Recipes and wine tales from Wales by Dylan and Llinos Rowlands (£14.99, Y Lolfa) is available now.