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Seren Books - September Newsletter 2012
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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
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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 |
| On Becoming a Fish by Emily Hinshelwood On Becoming a Fish was inspired by a series of walks around the 186 mile Pembrokeshire Coastal Path in West Wales, known for its spectacular views from cliffside paths skirting the Irish sea and the Bristol Channel. Deeply engaged with environmental issues through her work in community energy and climate change, the author is also a keen observer of human nature in the context of this beautiful coastline. ISBN: 9781854115775 Paperback: 8.99 |
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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 |
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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
I truly loved this post; so interested and well informed.I can see I am goin to enjoy being on here and here's to many more by you.
Enjoy your weekend.
Eddy.