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The deadline for entries in the 2012 West Coast Eisteddfod Online Competitions has now passed. Entries were accepted until 12 midnight ( PST ) on September 15th.

Once again, we would like to thank all our entrants for their excellent contributions and wish everyone pob lwc/best of luck in the contest.

Winners will be announced at the West Coast Eisteddfod in Portland, Oregon on October 13th. Winning entries will be posted here and the winning contestants will be notified by email.

Watch this space for exciting announcements about our 2013 online competitions......coming soon!!!

As a Welsh-American I am ambivalent towards the Royals. My grandfather was a dedicated nonconformist and believed the Twdors were the last to hold a rightful claim to the British throne. He was a firm believer that Owain Glyndwr was the last, true Prince of Wales.

That said, I want to state in the strongest terms possible that in my opinion the French magazine which published the semi-nude pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge while she honeymooning in a remote, private villa in France should be condemned in the harshest terms. To do such a despicable thing while chanting the tired, boring mantra of "freedom of speech or press" rings so hollow. It is offensive. Why doesn't the magazine in the name of freedom publish a picture of Mohammed? Remember van Gogh or Rushti? We all know the answer: They are sniveling little cowards and their only true devotion is to the gods of the Franc (or Euro). They pick on Kate precisely because they know they can cite their self-righteous platitudes with impunity.

This is my first post on here and it may take me a little while to work my way round her so bear with me.

AsI haveadded in my profile myself and my partner Dai love to explore the Welsh countryside ;he is a genius with the camera and I write the poems/article etc.

I write poetry in Welsh and English but mainly in English.

LatelyI have been experimenting here at home composing poems in various genre; this one is a Rictameter poem.

In Rictameter poetry the syllables run in each line as follows:- 2,4,6,8,10,8,6,4,2.

All comments welcome especially constructive criticism;I hope you enjoy.

A favourite haunt of mine;

Carew Castle in South Wales.

xxxx-

So proud

Yes so mighty

Every memory thrives

Sensing those soldiers approaching

Yesteryear beckons us to its bosom

Protection so felt in each stone

Raw strength will conquer all

Carew Castle

So proud.

xx

I now look forward to sharing; reading and getting to know many of you on here.

Diolch yn fawr.

Eddy(Eiddwen)

.

Seren Books - September 2012

Nerys Williams wins the 2012 Eithne Strong Award for Best First Collection.

Congratulations to Seren poet Nerys Williams, who has won the Eithne Strong Award with her debut poetry collection Sound Archive . The award is presented annually for the best first collection of poems published by a poet in Ireland. Nerys beat off competition from three other poets, which included another Seren talent, Eoghan Walls with his fantastic debut collection, The Salt Harvest . Sound Archive was also shortlisted for two prizes last year, the Forward Prize for Best First Collection and The Michael Murphy Prize . Prize winning poet Nerys Williams is originally from Wales but moved to Ireland in 2002, where she lectures in American Literature at University College, Dublin.

The Poetry Garden at Foyles, Southbank

On Saturday 15 ^th September, Rhian Edwards will be reading from her debut poetry collection, Clueless Dogs at The Inpress Poetry Garden Market, an end of summer extravaganza of contemporary poetry on the Foyles lawn outside one of London's most iconic arts venues, the Southbank Centre. Clueless Dogs is currently on the shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection .

The Inpress Poetry Garden Market will have events running throughout the day, including readings by numerous poets, a poetry market to buy pamphlets, books, anthologies and special editions, and the announcement of the Indian Summer Poetry Competition winner. Click here for full details of this event.

The Poetry Garden is free to attend and you do not need to pre-book.

New Titles

Forthcoming Titles

Call Mother a Lonely Field by Liam Carson A memoir of an Irish-speaking childhood in Belfast and a moving testament to growing up during the Troubles. Call Mother a Lonely Field mines the emotional archaeology of family, home and language, the authors attempts to break their tethers, and the refuge he finds within them. Carson confronts the complex relationship between a son thinking in English, a father dreaming in Irish and a mother who, after raising five children through Irish, is no longer comfortable speaking the language in the violent reality of 1970s Belfast. "An immensely pleasurable book, and a valuable addition to the canon of Irish autobiography. - The Irish Times ISBN: 9781854115881 Paperback 8.99

Sen Tyrone: A Symphony of Horrors by Mark Ryan Published posthumously, this illustrated novel describes a young mans search for his absent father and the horrors he encounters on his journey. Sen OBrien left his wife and son in County Tyrone to find work as a collier in the South Wales Valleys. He last sent money and a letter from somewhere called Aberuffern (the mouth of hell in Welsh). What follows for his son Jack, is a series of macabre, mythical encounters with individuals who have come across the avaricious and merciless Sen. ISBN: 9781854116475 Paperback: 8.99

See How they Run by Lloyd Jones New Stories from the Mabinogion Small-minded, malicious academic Dr Llwyd McNamara has a grant to research one of Wales biggest heroes: rugby player big M. But as plays with his USB sticks in his little office, the gods have other plans for him. Prize-winning author Lloyd Jones tackles this retelling of the Third Branch of the Mabinogion: Manawyddan son of Llyr, with his usual ingenuity, imaginative intelligence and zest for language to create a skilful and hugely enjoyable tale. ISBN: 9781854115904 Paperback: 8.99

Bird, Blood, Snow by Cynan Jones New Stories from the Mabinogion The original Peredur tale recounts the adventures of a youth bent on recognition as a knight in King Arthurs court. In true questing fashion, he defends maidens, defeats giants, and eventually overcomes the witches who have cursed him. Award-winning author Cynan Jones turns the tale into a modern Quixotian romp. Hoping to save him from the same fate as his father and brothers dead, jailed or missing Peredurs mother takes him from the sink estate. But the world wont be held at bay. When local kids cycle into his life, he follows. ISBN: 9781854115898 Paperback 8.99

Beyond the Pampas: In Search of Patagonia by Imogen Rhia Herrad Beyond the Pampas is an entrancing journey to the ends of the earth in search of an ideal. Its journey that takes off in unexpected directions, leading the author to a new perspective on her own life and those in the remote reaches of Patagonia. It traces the fortunes of the 19th century Welsh colony in Argentina, and tells the story of the indigenous peoples of that vast, inhospitable territory. ISBN: 9781854115911 Paperback 9.99

Meet the Author

Friday 14th September, 2pm: Candy Neubert launches her Channel Island-set novel Big Low Tide at the Guernsey Literature Festival, Guille-Alls Library. She also has a poetry reading with David Charleston on Saturday 15th September, 2.00pm at the Poetry Cafe, Costa Coffee, The Arcade. Entry to both events is free, but booking is required.

Tuesday 18th September, 6.45pm: Graham Mort and Andrew Greig will be reading as part of the Wordsworth Trusts Poetry Season 2012. Graham will be reading from his latest collection Cusp , his first since Visibility: New and Selected Poems . St Oswalds Chrch, Grasmere, Cumbria, LA22 9SW. Tickets 8 (7 in advance). Visit www.wordsworth.org.uk for more information

Friday 21st September, 2pm: Bowery Poetry Segue Academic/Language Reading Series celebrating Womens Work: Modern Women Poets Writing in English . Readings from Phillis Levin, Joy Katz, Marilyn Nelson, Eva Salzman. With special guests from Ireland - Siobhan Campbell & Martina Evans. Venue: Bowery Poetry, 308 Bowery (btwn. Bleeker & Houston), NY NY 10012. (F train to 2nd Ave, 6 to Bleeker) Contact: Bob Holman bobholmanpoet@gmail.com

Saturday 22nd September, 2pm: Patrick McGuinness will be reading from his award-winning debut novel The Last Hundred Days at the Throckmorton Literary Festival . For more information call 07592775177

Friday 21st September, 7.30pm: BOOK-ISH presents a Poetry Evening with Paul Henry and Gillian Clarke at the Bear Hotel, Crickhowell. Tickets 5.00 from Bookish or www.book-ish.co.uk

Friday 28th September, 11am: Sculpture unveiling at Cheapside, Bridgend. Two pieces of sculpture by David Annand will be unveiled as part of the regeneration of Bridgend Town Centre. Seren poet Rhian Edwards has been comissioned to write two poems to be engraved on the scupltures.

Thursday 4th October, 7.30pm: First Thursday poetry and fiction readings. Award-winning Seren authors Lloyd Jones See How They Run and Emily Hinshelwood On Becoming a Fish will read at Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff

Thursday 4th October, 9am until closing: National Poetry Day at John Lewis. Rhian Edwards is Poet in Residence at John Lewis (Cardiff). Rhian will be creating Poetry Takeaways on Bookmarks, Poems over the tannoy and odes to wedding lists.

Saturday 6th October, 7.30pm: Poet Anne Cluysenaar will be reading at Poetry on the Border along side Myra Schneider. The Drill Hall, Lower Church street, Chepstow NP16 5HJ

Poem of the Month

Slugs

Each night the slugs have found a way of getting in.
They slip through cracks, inhabiting corners,
edging up table-legs, walls, or chairs.
With their slug etiquette, slug gestures,
are they silently dreaming of lettuces, hostas?
Do they elegise greenhouses, commune with their dead?
Or fantasize brethren on distant planets?
What mistakes do they make, and how will they tell us?
Do we ask their forgiveness? Do they imagine us saved?
Of their psychobiographies will I ever be sure?

Occipital horns conduct in the darkness.
They know nothing of envy, nothing of blame.
In the gastropod inchings of their midnight seances,
the slow rehearsals of molluscular dance,
theyre themselves absolutely, beyond imitation.
And their silvery cast offs Isadoras
just at the moment in the silvery moonlight
when she sheds her scarves to a million star.

From Deryn Rees-Joness latest collection of poetry Burying the Wren

A Poetry Book Society Recommendation

Welcome to Autumn and to Blodwen's New 'Hafod' and 'Hendre' Rare Breed Textile Collections.

Tomorrow the Welsh Women's football team faces Scottish women's in the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) European championship:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19602359

http://www.uefa.com/womenseuro/matches/season=2013/round=2000256/match=2007852/prematch/preview/index.html

Welsh Women so far have three wins, three defeats and a draw -

We can leapinto the breaking surf and stand alongside Achillesas he gazes up at the shimmering walls of Troy and dreamsof immortal glory. We can shudder in dark underground caverns as we huddle alongside Bilbo Baggins and listen in terror for the flapping of webbed feet on the coldhard floor.
To deny children entrance to theseworlds is nothing short of a crime. That is why your greatest asset as a writer is the ability to write a great story. The power to capture the imagination and send the reader into strange new worlds or back into the distant past while engaging their emotions and intellect is nothing short of magical. It is also an ability that is becoming rarer and therefore evenmore precious.

"Good story means something worth telling that the world wants to hear. Finding this is your lonely task." He makes a very insightful observation when he says," A culture cannot evolve without honest powerful storytelling" "The love of story", according to McKee also embraces, "The love of the dramatic. . . The love of truth. . .The love of humanity. . .The love of sensation. . . The love of dreaming. . . The love of humor. . . The love of language. . . The love of duality. . .The love of perfection. . .The love of uniqueness. . . The love of beauty. . . The love of self - a strength that doesn't constantly need to be reassured, that never doubts that you are indeed a writer. You must love to write and bear the loneliness."

As independent self-published writers it is essential we promote our work but without these qualities our work will not stand the test of time. Let Robert McKee's words be a call to arms for us all.

This week we delve into the world of fantasy. I am currently writing a paranormal fantasy for children of all ages, BILLY:Family Secrets,and one thing struck me as important. I needed to root my story in the familiar before branching out into the unexplored. Free chapters are available from this blog.

So this week's featured authors are from the fantasy genre:

The author in the middle of the bottom row has recently had her book mentioned in an article onthe Western Mail online. Read the aricle HERE

Here are some of our talented Fantasy Indie Authors

REPORT: What Is Behind the Mysterious Disappearances at Firgrove Colliery - The Pit of Shadows?

Readthis disturbingreportnow in the first issue of our online magazine. CLICK TO ENTER
THIS WEEKS DEBATE: "Is Soaking Your Conker In Vinegar Overnight Cheating?" - VOTE NOW

A retired religious education teacher from Ystradgynlais has released Satans Alternative, a new apocalyptic thriller set in 2012 where mankind is facing elimination. Writing under the pseudonym of James Stevens, this is Steve James second novel after retiring, following his successful debut, The Judas Codex.

Coming from a strict chapel background it was inevitable my views on the Bible would be tinged with bias, but my time spent in the Royal Air Force altered that, said Steve James. Experiencing other faiths at first hand I began to question my beliefs, and that questioning shaped my teaching career. During the mid 1970s I developed lesson plans which were based on comparative religions. Controversial at the time, by the 1980s they had become the norm and compulsory by the 1990s. The words of the author Robert Griffiths, one of my brightest pupils, speaks volumes about my open-minded style of teaching; You prompted us to view the scriptures from a critical rather than devotional perspective.

My interest in writing goes back a long way, explains the author. The idea for my first novel - The Judas Codex - which pre-dates the Da Vinci Code by some thirty years, took root in the 1970s. A busy teaching schedule meant I didn't have time to put pen to paper, which is a shame; by now I might have been a household name. Each of my novels touches on my early experience of the church and the way primitive ideas impacted on it.

Each of Steve James novels has a kernel of truth. Satan's Alternative touches on a problem that is global; set in the year 2012, the present era, it deals with the collapse of the world monetary system. There appears to be only one ending - Armageddon. In the past the onset of two world wars decimated the population and helped create new growth. A third would benefit no one; there would be very few survivors and no economy.

What makes Satan's Alternative unique is that it takes apocalyptic literature to a new level. Faced with social unrest on an unprecedented scale, the world seems doomed, but one man sees things differently. Convinced he is the modern Noah, he bases his solution on the Book of Genesis; the world must be cleansed of sin so that mankind can begin afresh. The author adds, What occurs in the book is possible, perhaps inevitable. As in the first novel I want the readers to say, yes I know its a work of fiction; but what if? Steve James spent his formative years in the Royal Air Force, serving mostly overseas. He is a retired Head of Religious Studies and holds a Bachelor of Education form Cardiff University as well as a Bachelor of Divinity in Theology.