Ceri Shaw


 

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Category: Book News


Susan Walton



AmeriCymru: Hi Sue and many thanks for agreeing to this interview. Care to introduce yourself and your work for our readers? 

Sue: Hello! It’s a pleasure to be here. ‘Here’ for me is near Porthmadog in North Wales. However, I lived near Aberystwyth in Mid-Wales until I was ten years old, and then lived on Anglesey (Ynys Môn) until my early twenties. 

I currently work as a proofreader and editor of English, and as a Welsh-to-English literary translator. But I didn’t start off that way! 

After school I trained as a cartographer, and then worked drawing maps by hand (that’s how old I am) for various local authorities. I went to university as a mature student, but that still didn’t get me any closer to doing what I do now – my degree is in a science subject. 

By my mid-forties I had some health issues that meant that working from home and at my own pace would be better for me than working in an office, which is what I was doing at the time. I decided to retrain as a proofreader and work freelance, which is what I do now. 

AmeriCymru: What is your Welsh language background? 

Sue: I grew up in Wales, but within a monoglot English family that was culturally English and (mostly) English language social settings. I had to do compulsory Welsh at school, but back when I was at school there wasn’t the same emphasis on the language as there is now, and I failed my Welsh O Level exam at 16. And that was that, or so I thought then. 

After realising that I’d need Welsh to work in the public sector in North Wales, and after many evening classes, I got my Welsh O Level at twenty-seven years of age. I secured a job with the Snowdonia National Park (now Eryri National Park), which meant I moved to live in a very culturally Welsh area. More adult Welsh classes, and just being sunk in a Welsh community, means that I’m now a fluent speaker and comprehender, a reasonably fluent reader, and an adequate writer of emails. 

AmeriCymru: How did you become involved in translation work? 

Sue: Through my proofreading work I was in contact with publishing houses in Wales, and was asked by Myrddin ap Dafydd at the publisher Gwasg Carreg Gwalch to translate poetry selections for a bilingual book called  Hud a Lledrith Llŷn / Llŷn a Magical Place  into English. My Welsh reading skills were still quite shaky at this point. (As an aside: I later learned that being asked to translate literature is quite rare; mostly translators pitch books they think would work in translation to publishers.) 

Since then, I’ve translated another thirteen books for Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, including eight novels for older children. Through doing this my reading skills have improved. I also took the basic Welsh-to-English translation test to qualify for membership of the Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru (the association of Welsh translators and interpreters), although I’m no longer a member. 

In 2020 I was the recipient of a mentoring award that was jointly funded by Literature Wales, Wales Literature Exchange, and the UK’s National Centre for Writing. This helped me to expand into translating adult literary fiction, and the outcome is my first translation of a novel for adults,  This House , which was published by 3TimesRebel Press in March 2024. (AmeriCymru readers may be pleased to see that it’s available as an ebook from Amazon.) 

Sian Northey is the author of the original novel, which is called  Yn y Tŷ Hwn . She and I are busy on the promotional trail at the moment as a bit of a double act



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AmeriCymru: Where is the best place to go online for anyone seeking a wide selection of Welsh language children's books? 

Sue: The  Gwales  website, which is part of the Books Council for Wales, is a good place to start. Go to ‘Browse by Category’ and you’ll get a list divided into fiction and non-fiction, and by age groupings. However, you should be aware that some of the books listed are adaptations into Welsh of English books, such as those by David Walliams. 

AmeriCymru: You have translated many Welsh language children's books. Any favorites that you would particularly like to mention? 

Sue: The children’s books I’ve translated are by Myrddin ap Dafydd. They are all rollicking adventure stories, as well as providing a fun way of teaching aspects of Welsh history (and other lessons). I think he has done an especially good job with  The Moon is Red Faster than the Swords  and  Fleeing the Fascists . All the novels are exciting, but what these three have in common is particularly gripping scenes of physical jeopardy. 

I also learned a lot by translating them and several of them introduced me to unfamiliar parts of Wales. I try and make a point of visiting the locations where the stories are set. I do this in my own time, of course, and this has made for some interesting trips. I also feel that it helps with the translation process if I have the lie of the land in my head. (Remember, I’m a geographer and cartographer at heart!). 

AmeriCymru: Are you working on any translation projects at the moment? 

Sue: I have just started on my next children’s novel translation for Gwasg Carreg Gwalch. The Welsh version will be out in May – just in time for the Urdd National Eisteddfod – with the title  Rhedyn, Merlyn y Mawn . I guess the English version will be published later this year, or early next. 

Not a current project, but I’d like to translate another of Sian Northey’s novels:  Perthyn . But I guess we need to see how successful  This House  turns out to be before I can consider pitching  Perthyn . I blogged about my year of being mentored while writing  This House , and about the subsequent search for a publisher. If you wish to see whether my  Perthyn  dream comes to fruition, I’m still posting on that  blog  every six months or so. 

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

Sue: If you read any of my translations, I hope you enjoy them!

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THIS HOUSE by Sian Northey

Translated from Welsh by Susan Walton

Published by 3TimesRebel Press

Plastic-free paperback with French flaps & Wibalin® endpapers

Pages: 190

ISBN 978-1-7391287-9-1

Price £12.99 / e-book £6.99


Screenshot from 2024-04-21 14-57-11.jpg Our first translation from Welsh comes out this March. The fair trade independent publisher 3TimesRebel Press is excited to announce the publication of This House . It is the sixth fiction title in our groundbreaking and debate-sparking catalogue of works in translation written exclusively by women in minority languages. This House is written by Sian Northey and translated by Susan Walton. It is a novel that comes out of a booming Welsh literary scene, as attested by last year’s Yoto Carnegie medal being awarded for a translation of a Welsh YA novel.

Out 21 March 2024

Grief, solitude, and the inner call to be freed from her past are the threads that beautifully and tightly intertwine in this novel.

Anna has lived alone for decades. She is cocooned by, and marooned in, an isolated cottage called Nant yr Aur in the Welsh mountains. The arrival of Siôn, a young man who seems strangely at home in the house, leads to an unpicking of Anna’s past.

As Anna’s relationship with Siôn develops, her perspective on the solidity of her past shifts. Uncertainty, distortion, illusion and subtle betrayal are gradually exposed. Ultimately, a quietly devastating revelation changes the lives of both Siôn and Anna.

Sian Northey writes with economy and precision, setting out what the life of a middle-aged woman with an emotionally complicated past feels like from the inside.

'Astute, understated, compassionate. Sian Northey gently unpicks the threads of love and memory that bind us to place and to each other. A beautiful, glowing gem of a novel, now brought to a wider audience by Susan Walton's wonderful translation.'

Angharad Price, Welsh academic and novelist.

Sian Northey has been a full-time writer for the last fourteen years. Almost all her work is written and published in Welsh. She is the author of three novels for adults, one poetry collection, three short story collections, several scripts, and numerous children’s and teens’ novels. Her novels are Yn y Tŷ Hwn (Gwasg Gomer, 2011), Rhyd y Gro (Gwasg Gomer, 2016), and Perthyn (Gwasg Gomer, 2019). In 2022 she co-edited the bilingual poetry anthology A470: Poems for the Road/Cerddi'r Ffordd (Arachne Press, 2022).

Sian Northey is also a literary translator. She translated into Welsh the memoir The Journey is Home by John Sam Jones, and Alys Conran’s debut novel, Pigeon , which in its original English won the Wales Book of the Year Award in 2017. Both books were published in English and Welsh by Parthian Books in 2021 and 2016, respectively. She recently translated the award-winning The Last Firefox by Lee Newbery (Penguin Random House, 2022) under the title Y Llwynog Tân Olaf (Firefly Press, 2022).

Susan Walton has been commissioned to translate books from Welsh to English for the publishing house Gwasg Carreg Gwalch since 2009. She has had fourteen translated books published, including eight novels for older children/young adults. During 2020 Susan was mentored under the Literature Wales scheme as an emerging literary translator. This House is her first translation of adult fiction.

ABOUT 3TIMESREBEL PRESS

Based in Dundee, Scotland, and founded by Bibiana Mas, 3TimesRebel Press is an independent publisher like no other, looking to shake up the publishing world and contemporary society.

Challenging the mainstream by being rebel in three ways, 3TimesRebel Press exclusively publish books that are: written in minority languages originally; written by women; and finally written to inspire deep, challenging conversations.

As a pioneering fair-trade publisher, 3TimesRebel Press work to achieve equitable agreements with their authors, translators, illustrators and partners. Their books are locally printed in the UK using responsibly sourced paper, minimising carbon footprint and following environmentally friendly standards. This House is its first plastic-free publication.

3TimesRebel Press are keen to preserve an artisanal feel and meticulous attention to detail in everything they do. Their books are beautifully designed by award-winning master in typography Enric Jardí, and each has a visually striking cover created by a nominated artist.

Website : 3TimesRebel.com | X : @3TimesRebel | Instagram : @3TimesRebel

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THIS HOUSE gan Sian Northey

Cyfieithwyd o'r Gymraeg gan Susan Walton

Cyhoeddwyd gan 3TimesRebel Press

Clawr meddal cyfan gwbl di-blastig
gyda fflapiau Ffrengig a thudalennau gweili Wibalin®

Tudalennau: 190

ISBN 978-1-7391287-9-1

Pris £12.99 / e-lyfr £6.99


Screenshot from 2024-04-21 14-57-11.jpg Bydd ein cyfieithiad cyntaf o'r Gymraeg yn ymddangos fis Mawrth eleni. Mae'r cyhoeddwr annibynnol marchnad deg 3TimesRebel wedi gwirioni eu bod yn cyhoeddi This House. Hwn fydd y chweched gyfrol ffuglen yn ein catalog arloesol sydd wedi ennyn cryn drafodaeth – cyfieithiadau Saesneg o lyfrau wedi'u hysgrifennu gan ferched mewn ieithoedd lleiafrifol. Ysgrifennwyd This House gan Sian Northey ac mae wedi cael ei gyfieithu gan Susan Walton. Fel y tystia llwyddiant The Blue Book of Nebo yn ennill gwobr Yoto Carnegie mae'r byd yn barod am gyfieithiadau o lyfrau Cymraeg.

Dyddiad cyhoeddi 21 Mawrth 2024

Galar, unigedd, ac angen menyw i gael ei rhyddhau oddi wrth ei gorffennol yw'r llinynnau sydd yn plethu yn dynn a chelfydd yn y nofel hon.

Mae Anna wedi byw ar ei phen ei hun ers degawdau. Caiff ei gwarchod, a'i hynysu, gan Nant yr Aur, ei chartref anghysbell. Yna mae Siôn yn ymddangos, dyn ifanc sydd fel petai'n od o gartrefol yn y tŷ, ac mae hynny'n arwain at ddatod gwead gorffennol Anna.

Wrth i berthynas Anna a Siôn ddatblygu, sylweddola nad yw ei gorffennol mor gadarn ag y dychmygai. Bob yn dipyn datgelir ansicrwydd, twyll a brad tawel. Yn y diwedd mae datguddiad distaw ddinistriol yn newid bywydau Siôn ac Anna.

Mae Sian Northey yn awdur eithriadol gynnil, ac yn cyflwyno bywyd mewnol menyw ganol oed sydd â gorffennol emosiynol gymhleth.

Craff, cynnil a thawel angerddol. Perl o nofel sy'n datod edefynnau cariad a'r cofion sy'n ein clymu wrth le ac i'n gilydd. A braf yw gweld dawn arbennig Sian Northey yn cyrraedd cynulleidfa ehangach trwy gyfieithiad meistrolgar Susan Walton.

Angharad Price

Bu Sian Northey yn awdur llawn amser ers bron i bymtheg mlynedd bellach. Mae wedi cyhoeddi tair nofel i oedolion, un casgliad o gerddi, tri chasgliad o straeon byrion, a sawl llyfr i blant. Mae hefyd yn sgriptio a golygu. Ei nofelau yw Yn y Tŷ Hwn (Gwasg Gomer, 2011), Rhyd y Gro (Gwasg Gomer, 2016), a Perthyn (Gwasg Gomer, 2019). Yn 2022 cyd-olygodd, gyda Ness Owen, A470:Poems for the Road/Cerddi'r Ffordd (Arachne Press, 2022).

Ond mae Sian hefyd yn gyfieithydd llenyddol ei hun. Cyfieithodd gofiant John Sam Jones, The Journey is Home , a nofel gyntaf Alys Conran, Pigeon , i'r Gymraeg o dan y teitlau Y Daith Ydi Adra a Pijin . Yn y Saesneg gwreiddiol enillodd Pigeon Lyfr y Flwyddyn yn 2017 a bu cynhyrchiad llwyfan dwyieithog llwyddiannus. Cyhoeddwyd y llyfrau hyn, yn Saesneg ac yn Gymraeg, gan Parthian. Yn ddiweddar cyfieithodd The Last Firefox gan Lee Newbery (Penguin Random House, 2022) o dan y teitl Y Llwynog Tân Olaf (Firefly Press, 2022). Mae The Last Firefox wedi ennill sawl gwobr.

Mae Susan Walton wedi bod yn cael ei chomisiynu i gyfieithu llyfrau o'r Gymraeg i Saesneg ar gyfer Gwasg Carreg Gwalch ers 2009. Bellach mae tri ar ddeg o lyfrau a gyfieithwyd ganddi wedi'u cyhoeddi, gan gynnwys saith nofel ar gyfer plant hŷn neu oedolion ifanc. Yn ystod 2020 derbyniodd Susan fentoriaeth dan nawdd cynllun Llenyddiaeth Cymru ar gyfer cyfieithwyr llenyddol newydd. Dyma'r tro cyntaf iddi gyfieithu nofel lenyddol ar gyfer oedolion.

GWYBODAETH AM WASG 3TIMESREBEL

Lleolir y wasg yn Dundee yn yr Alban a chafodd ei sefydlu gan Bibiana Mas. Mae 3TimesRebel yn gyhoeddwr annibynnol unigryw a'r nod yw gweddnewid y byd cyhoeddi a chymdeithas.

Gan herio'r prif-ffrwd trwy fod yn rebel mewn tair ffordd mae pob llyfr sy'n cael ei gyhoeddi gan 3TimesRebel wedi'i ysgrifennu yn wreiddiol mewn iaith leiafrifol, wedi'i ysgrifennu gan fenyw, ac yn olaf wedi'i ysgrifennu i ysbrydoli sgyrsiau dwfn a heriol.

Fel cyhoeddwr marchnad deg blaengar mae 3TimesRebel yn ymdrechu i gael cytundebau teg gyda'i awduron, cyfieithwyr, darlunwyr a phartneriaid. Mae'r llyfrau yn cael eu hargraffu yn lleol yn y DU gan ddefnyddio papur wedi'i gaffael yn gydwybodol, gan wneud yr ôl troed carbon mor fach â phosib a chan gadw at safonau amgylcheddol gyfeillgar. This House fydd y llyfr cyntaf iddynt lwyddo i'w gynhyrchu heb unrhyw blastig yn y clawr hyd yn oed, peth sydd yn anghyffredin iawn.

Mae 3TimesRebel yn awyddus i'r llyfrau gael eu cynhyrchu yn grefftus a chan roi sylw gofalu i'r manylion ym mhob ffordd. Creir dyluniad hardd y llyfrau gan y teipograffydd arobryn Enric Jardí, ac mae clawr trawiadol pob un wedi'i greu gan artist penodol.

Website : 3TimesRebel.com | X : @3TimesRebel | Instagram : @3TimesRebel

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The Miners Strike Back  is a new satirical novel by ex-miner Kevin Dicks and published by Y Lolfa. It is his debut novel and has been described as ‘ Twin Town  meets the Miners’ Strike”. 

Kevin Dicks said:

“The idea for the novel came to me whilst digging in my garden I came across a few rogue lumps of coal. What if an ex-coal miner discovered a seam of coal and opened a small clandestine colliery? I saw comedy in the story and a quirkiness to the story that may appeal to readers. As an authentic voice, perhaps I could capture a little of the miners’ humour before it disappears for good.” 

Dr Daryl Leeworthy of the South Wales Miners Library, Swansea University, calls it “A madcap valleys comedy with a serious message for our times. Dicks reads like the heir to Iain Banks, Gwyn Thomas, and Boyd Clack's  Satellite City . At once hilarious, authentic, and thoroughly charming.” 

Kevin Dicks mostly worked as a surveyor’s assistant at Deep Navigation Colliery, Treharris from 1974 until 1988. He has dedicated  The Miners Strike Back  ‘For the Miners’. 

“The further I got into writing this story, the deeper a sense of injustice arose within me. I saw injustices toward the miners everywhere and they underpin the humour of the book. When Johnny the Cutter opens his secret coal mine, with good intentions to provide work for the local antisocial teens, he becomes an anti-hero you can root for. While seeing the world through a coal miner’s eyes, we want him to succeed and it becomes a battleground between employment and energy needs against climate needs.” 

“This story is unique, as to my knowledge there are no working-class novels that examine the failure to economically regenerate mining communities post heavy industry. There is very little out there regarding novels on climate change or the energy crisis and certainly none from the perspective of an ex-coal miner.” 

March 2024 sees the 40-year anniversary of when the Miners Strike began in the UK. The industrial action within the British coal industry was an attempt to prevent colliery closures by the Conservative government, and lasted until 1985. 

The Miners Strike Back  by Kevin Dicks (£9.99, Y Lolfa) is available now.

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    Wales on This Day

   Huw Rees and Sian Kilcoyne

   20 October 2022

   Hardback, £12.99, 200 pages

   ISBN: 9781915279118, Calon

 

 



Did you know that the recipe of Tennessee's famous Jack Daniel's whiskey is rumoured to have originated in Llanelli?
 

Or that the world's first radio play was set in a Welsh coal mine?  

Why was a showing of the Jurassic Park film in Carmarthen so special?  

And how is Rupert Bear connected to Snowdonia?  

Delve in to discover the stories that most history books leave out.



A fun collection of fascinating stories, facts and figures from the small country that definitely punches above its weight.   Wales on This Day  is a joyful insight into Wales’s national history, the major events and people that have made it the country it is today.  

Huw Rees and Sian Kilcoyne  run 'The History of Wales' Facebook page, now with over 170,000 followers. They are a brother and sister team, dedicated to improving their  knowledge of their country and sharing it with a wider audience.  Their aim is to provide objective and (hopefully!) interesting information, to help them and their readers better understand who we are as a nation, highlighting major past events, items of interest and the famous Welsh people that have shaped us into what we are today. Huw is a Welsh expat living in Wexford, Ireland. Sian lives in Caerphilly, Wales

https://www.facebook.com/TheHistoryOfWales/

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unnamed.jpg Wales is known for its stunning scenery and beautiful coastline. Created from several existing coastal paths – such as the Pembrokeshire Coast Path National Trail – the Wales Coast Path has attracted thousands of tourists and walkers since its official launch in May 2012. This week sees the publication of  Weatherman Walking – The Welsh Coast , the book accompanying BBC Wales’ beloved weatherman Derek Brockway’s twelfth series of the popular BBC programme. Originally broadcast on BBC Wales, all eight episodes of the series are now being shown on the BBC and are available on BBC iPlayer.  

Wales is the first country in the world to have a continuous footpath stretching along its entire coastline – 870 miles or 1,400 km long.  Weatherman Walking: The Welsh Coast  contains 15 guided walks along the Wales Coast Path, each between 4 and 8 miles. They cover a good geographical spread of the coastal path around Wales, with walks in Pembrokeshire, the Llŷn Peninsula, Anglesey, Gower, Glamorgan Heritage Coast, Denbighshire and Ceredigion. [Full list of walks to be found below].  

“I am so lucky to present a programme like  Weatherman Walking . Not only do I visit many beautiful places but I also get to meet and work with lots of wonderful and talented people! Wales is such as beautiful country and each area has something unique to offer – from the light of Anglesey to the spectacular Pembrokeshire coastline, each section is full of history, myths and the wildlife. I hope you enjoy the book and the walks featured!” said Derek Brockway.  

“This is the first time I have worked with ‘Derek the Weather’ and it’s been an absolute joy. His passion for Wales and walking has been infectious, and it’s been wonderful to see the great affection the Welsh public has for him,” says Julia Foot, the Series Producer of  Weatherman  Walking: The Welsh Coast  for BBC Wales. “I have personally walked every one of the walks in this book, often with locals or path rangers who have given me a real understanding of the particular identity of that section of Coast Path, including the wildlife, history and secrets they hold. These people have helped bring the various coastal stretches to life, so they are no longer just 2D sections of an OS maps.”    

Each walk has its own chapter and includes an OS route map and essential information for walkers as well as directions. Most walks can be paired, meaning that they can either be done separately or as one long continuous hike. Each chapter presents lots of interesting information about the landmarks that can be seen on each walk, as well as about unusual local activities or people that Derek came across in the related episode.




Derek Brockway

Derek Brockway was born in Barry, South Wales and has been passionately interested in the weather ever since he was a young boy. A qualified meteorologist, he was employed by the Met Office for 20 years and became the main weather forecaster for BBC Wales in 1997. He now presents a number of radio and television programmes, including  Derek's Welsh Weather  and  Weatherman Walking . His leisure activities include walking, squash, skiing and leaning Welsh.

Julia Foot

Julia Foot has worked for the BBC for over 20 years as a researcher, Assistant Producer, Director and now Series Producer, and on a whole range of programmes, including with Ray Mears,  DIY SOS , and for Comic Relief. In 2018 Julia was nominated for a BAFTA for an  Antiques Roadshow  special that she produced about the Holocaust.  




List of walks

Where the walks are paired, they can be done together as one longer walk if preferred.  

Abereiddy to Whitesands (Pembrokeshire)

 

Abersoch to Llanbedrog (Llŷn Peninsula)

Llanbedrog to Pwllheli (Llŷn Peninsula)

 

Beaumaris to Trwyn Du (Anglesey)

Trwyn Du to Red Wharf Bay (Anglesey)

 

Fall Bay to Port Eynon (Gower)

Port Eynon to Oxwich Bay (Gower)

 

Porthcawl to Merthyr Mawr (Glamorgan Heritage Coast)

Merthyr Mawr to Southerndown (Glamorgan Heritage Coast)

 

Saundersfoot to Amroth (Pembrokeshire)

Amroth to Pendine Sands (Pembrokeshire/Carmarthenshire)

 

Talacre to Prestatyn (Flintshire/Denbighshire)

Prestatyn to Rhyl (Denbighshire)

 

Ynyslas to Borth (Ceredigion)

Borth to Aberystwyth (Ceredigion)

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unnamed.jpg “I don’t expect everyone to agree with everything in the book – it will be too radical for some, and for others it won’t be radical enough,” says author Llywelyn ap Gwilym about his new bilingual book,  Llyfr Du Cymru Fydd / The Black Book of the New Wales  (Y Lolfa), which is published this week. 

The organiser of the AUOB Cymru rallies which attracted thousands to pro-independence marches in Cardiff, Caernarfon and Merthyr pre Covid-19 has written his vision of an independent Wales. Llywelyn ap Gwilym, who is also on the Central Committee of YesCymru, said: 

“I’ve supported Welsh independence since I can remember, but without questioning why. Since the birth of my children and moving back to Wales, I’ve thought more deeply about the politics, economics and sociology behind it: I’ve thought more about the ‘why’. Whilst writing  The Black Book of the New Wales,  I started to think that perhaps I could encourage the discourse to develop.” 

The book is an exploration of what a future independent Wales could look like. It is written in the spirit of utopian thinking: its purpose is to question what is, and to envision what could be. Some of the ideas presented are a radical departure from the status quo, while others are becoming part of orthodox leftist thinking. Similarly, there are some precedents in terms of current or former organisations and institutions, others have only been trialled, while some have not yet existed. 

The book has been described as “an exciting blueprint for building a better society” by Dan Evans of Desolation Radio and Leanne Wood, Plaid Cymru has said, “For the Indy curious, this is a must-read.” 

The percentage of people in Wales supporting independence has almost tripled over the last six years from 12% in 2014 to 35% in 2020. The Welsh Independence movement is gathering momentum, with membership of YesCymru growing from 2,500 to 17,000 during 2020, and now gets regular attention in the UK media as well as further afield. 

“I hope that the book will help expand further discussions so that more people start sharing ideas on what our values are, what kind of society we want to live in, and how independence for Wales is the most realistic path in order to achieve these changes. It would be tragic to lose the chance to ensure a better future for all who call Wales home and, on winning independence, just to recreate the inequality and unjustness that’s rife in the UK.  The Black Book of New Wales  is my contribution to ensuring a better future.” 

The Black Book of the New Wales by Llywelyn ap Gwilym (£4.99, Y Lolfa) will be available by 1 st  March.



Praise for  The Black Book of the New Wales



“Concise, challenging, doable! There are radical ideas for the kind of Wales we can be, but we need independence, and independence of mind, to unlock that potential. It can’t come from Westminster. Better a Good Wales than a ‘Great’ Britain.”

Siôn T. Jobbins, YesCymru Chair


“… a cracking piece of work. Very clear thinking. Good, sound values base. I love the references you draw on – some of my favourites – Raymond Williams, Gramsci, Bookchin, Bell Hook, Malcolm X, Maya Angelou, the Preston stuff and Mondragon. And the way you bring all the thinking together… Your book outlines why it is not tenable for people in Wales to carry on as we are and offers an inclusive vision of real independence. For the Indy curious, this is a must-read.”

Leanne Wood, Plaid Cymru

 

“A small book with big ideas! A welcome addition to the independence debate.”

Cian Ciarán, musician (Super Furry Animals), composer and YesCymru Vice-Chair

 

“Llywelyn ap Gwilym’s The Black Book of the New Wales doesn’t claim to have all the answers, it weaves together an empowering series of concepts and initiatives that are ready and willing to form new institutions and structures.”

Ben Gwalchmai, Founder of Labour for an Independent Wales


“An exciting blueprint for building a better society.”

Dan Evans, Desolation Radio


“Llywelyn ap Gwilym’s  Llyfr Du  is an essential contribution to the vision that will liberate Wales from the decaying British state.”

Sam Coates, Undod

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A Message From North Wales


By Ceri Shaw, 2020-11-30

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Hi from North Wales

I hope that you’re all keeping safe and well.

I’ve got a special offer to share with you – perfect for a few enjoyable hours.

Audible have given me codes that allow FREE downloads of the audio version of my Inspector Drake novels. The great thing is that you DON’T need to have a subscription to Audible to enjoy the audio books.

I only have a LIMITED number of codes and they are only for the US and the UK so if you’re in Canada or Australia or elsewhere my apologies.

Some of you may have taken up the offer of codes for   Brass in Pocket   the 1 st   Inspector Drake novel narrated by the super talented Richard Elfyn.

Now I’ve got FREE code for   Worse than Dead   the second Drake adventure. If you’d like one, then click on the link below.

AUDIBLE CODE US

AUDIBLE CODE UK

I always enjoying hearing from my readers so do please get in touch.

Regards / Hwyl fawr

Stephen .

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Hi from Wales

I hope that you’re all keeping safe and well.

My thanks to everyone who has bought  Times Like These , the fourth Inspector Marco novel that was launched recently. I’m really pleased with the reviews and comments from readers.

“Stephen Puleston does for Cardiff what Rankin does for Edinburgh- uses a Capital city as a perfect backdrop to a series of gruesome murders. If you enjoy a good murder yarn you will love this book.”  5* Amazon review

This is a very intriguing read I really had no idea who was responsible and there are so many red herrings and dead ends. An absolutely gripping page-turner that will appeal to anyone who likes a good detective story.”  5* Amazon review

Grab your copy today by clicking this link.  Times Like These AMAZON .

Inspector Marco series

The lovely people at Book Bub are doing a promotion for  Speechless  the first Inspector Marco novel this weekend – it’s available for  99c/p . At the time I was writing the novel there was a lot of coverage in the press about human trafficking. A friend of mine mentioned a report by Amnesty containing the details of women and young girls trafficked into Wales – the numbers were shocking.

It gave me the basis of the theme to  Speechless . It would have been encouraging to report that things have improved but sadly that is not the case.

Special Prices

So as part of the BookBub promotion all the Inspector Marco novels are discounted to  £1.99/ $2.99  this weekend. If you haven’t read the novels then grab your copy using one of the clicks below.

Speechless – Amazon

Another Good Killing – Amazon

Somebody Told Me – Amazon

Do please tell your friends and anyone who might like these books. Click on the link at the bottom.

Here is the link to buy  Times Like These  again [also at £1.99 $2.99]

I always enjoying hearing from my readers so do please get in touch.

Regards / Hwyl fawr

Stephen

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Hi from Wales

I hope that you’re all keeping safe and well in these uncertain and difficult times.

Times Like These, the fourth Inspector Marco novel was launched last week, and I’m really pleased with the reviews and comments from readers.

“At times I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough. ‘Times Like These’ is superbly written …” 5* Amazon review

“Mr Puleston has done it again and written a great well thought out book but also incorporated what is happening in the real world to help keep things feel real.”  5* Amazon review

Grab your copy today by clicking this link.  Times Like These AMAZON



Choosing the title

During May a cover version of the Foo Fighters song Times Like These reached number one in the charts. It was performed by the charity supergroup Live Lounge Allstars. Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters who wrote the song referred to the lyrics as - ‘they're about hope and love and compassion’.

The song title and the lyrics seemed to resonate with the difficulties we were all facing.

I’m a Foo Fighters fan and Times Like These is a great song so once I’d settled on the title I didn’t contemplate anything else.

Here is a link to the BBC website:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ entertainment-arts-52499382

Cardiff – the capital of Wales

Detective Inspector Marco is based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales.

The city’s history goes back to the Roman era. Since the end of the nineteenth century Cardiff’s success and prosperity were built on exporting coal from the South Wales valleys. The docks of the city brought in many people from all over the world creating a cosmopolitan and varied community.

I've added some photographs of Cardiff to a section about the city on my website –  Marco’s Cardiff.

Here is the link to buy  Times Like These  again

I always enjoying hearing from my readers so do please get in touch.

Regards / Hwyl fawr

Stephen

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Hi, The fourth Inspector Marco novel  Times Like These  is launched today!

Grab your copy today by clicking this link.  Times Like These  AMAZON .

I'll probably have a quiet glass of something bubbly today and cross my fingers that the book will be a success.

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...

Some of the background to  Times Like These .

After the last Inspector Drake novel I wanted to revisit Detective Inspector Marco, based in Cardiff.

When I started to plot the novel it was at the start of the Covid 19 lockdown and it got me thinking about setting a novel set in the period immediately after the easing of restrictions.  It would give me the chance of reflecting on how the pandemic had impacted on policing. And one of the issues raised in the news here in Wales was the impact of the restrictions on how the police deal with sexual and domestic violence, a problem the world over regrettably.

So I’m going to be sharing a bit about the background of the novel, where it is set and how I decided on the title in emails over the next few weeks so keep an eye out for them.

I hope you enjoy the novel.  Here is the link to buy the book  Times Like These  again

I always enjoying hearing from my readers so do please get in touch.

Regards / Hwyl fawr

Stephen

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