An Interview With Huw Lawrence - Author of 'Always the Love of Someone'

'Huw Lawrence's stories have three times won in the Rhys Davies Short Story Competition, have gained three Cinnamon Awards and a Bridport prize. He was runner up for the 2009 Tom Gallon prize. Born in Llanelli, he trained as a teacher in Swansea, continuing his education at Manchester and Cornell Universities. He spent several years doing a variety of labouring jobs in Manchester and the Ffestiniog area of north Wales and now lives in Aberystwyth.' Americymru review of 'Always the Love of Someone' HERE Americymru: How did you start writing? Huw: The first thing I remember writing was a poem in response to the Cuba Crisis back in the sixties. I followed that with an attempt at a play about someone converting his cellar into a fallout shelter. Later, I turned to stories, and, still in the sixties, I wrote ‘The Yellow Umbrella’, which is in this collection. That was the first story I ever wrote. Americymru: Care to tell us a little about 'Always The Love of Someone'. How did you come to write the stories in this collection? Were they written especially with this volume in mind or is this more of an anthology of your recent work? Huw: No, they weren’t written with this volume in mind. I just wrote quite a lot of stories, and then eventually I selected fifteen that went together so as to suggest some kind of unity. They’re not recent work, though. Some go back a very long time. Americymru: Most critics have taken the view that the theme of the collection is 'human relationships'. Would you agree with this? Does it necessarily have a theme? Huw: I don’t know if it can be said to have a theme. That’s a hard question. People do talk about ‘theme’ in relation to story collections, but I’d say that most collections have a focus rather than the structural unity implied by a ‘theme’. That, of course, might not be true of collections like Miguel Street by Naipaul, where the stories are all about the same protagonist and his neighbours. Perhaps it’s a question of degree. The fifteen stories in Always the Love of Someone are all of them about love, and all but four of them about love between men and women – the nitty gritty realities of love, not romance. Americymru: What attracted you to the short story genre? Are there any particular attractions or difficulties in writing short stories as opposed to writing novels? Huw: I found myself writing stories for the most pragmatic of reasons. They’re short, and I had a full-time job. I could be confident of finishing what I started. There are attractions. You can carry one in detail in your head, and changing a short phrase can alter the whole balance, change nuance, adjust meaning. Getting it right is more like working on a poem than on a novel. What’s not right tends to stand out like a sore thumb. It’s an unforgiving form. But you can carry it around with you. Americymru:Many people are fascinated by the writing process of successful authors? Do you have any kind of creative routine or do you write as and when inspiration strikes? Huw: I can only conceive of one way of writing fiction, and that is to do it every day. You can’t afford to lose touch with the work in hand, nor can you afford to let good new ideas slip away. You have to get those down as some kind of draft to a degree where they can be picked up on later. Americymru: Is your work available in print anywhere other than in this collection? Magazines? Anthologies? Huw: Magazines and anthologies, yes. This is my first collection. Americymru: Is there any one of your stories that you are particularly proud of or that you would like to especially recommend? Huw: My two favourites are, ‘Would That Even Be Lucky?’ and ‘Nothing is Happening Because There’s a Point’. Because they counterbalance each other. The first one questions whether it is even lucky to be bound by the obsessive power of a romantic love you can do nothing about, even if it is requited. The second describes a meeting, followed by a pre-marital relationship, followed by a long, happy marriage, with plenty of conflict, but cemented by affection, loyalty and commitment – not romance. Americymru:Are there any short story writers (or writers in general ) that you draw inspiration from? Huw: The writer that has intrigued me most by his skill and whom I dip into just for the pleasure of reading a page or two of his prose, is Nabakov. As far as short story writers go, one of my favourites is Bharati Mukherjee. Americymru: Care to tell us anything about your future writing plans? Huw: A novel followed by a collection of poems, I hope. Americymru: Any final message for the members and readers of AmeriCymru? Huw: Yes, be afraid that the meaning of ‘Cymru’ will disappear if the language goes, and it might die. So, support the language in any way you can. As far as keeping up with events in Wales through English is concerned, then I’d recommend Planet and Cambria, two magazines committed to Wales through the medium of English. 'Always The Love of Someone' will be published on 30 May 2010 and will be an AmeriCymru Book of the Month selection for June. Interview by Ceri Shaw Email

Review: 'Always The Love of Someone' by Huw Lawrence

Huw Lawrence's stories have three times won in the Rhys Davies Short Story Competition, have gained three Cinnamon Awards and a Bridport prize. He was runner up for the 2009 Tom Gallon prize. Born in Llanelli, he trained as a teacher in Swansea, continuing his education at Manchester and Cornell Universities. He spent several years doing a variety of labouring jobs in Manchester and the Ffestiniog area of north Wales and now lives in Aberystwyth. I remember reading somewhere that you should only read one short story a day. Short stories have a single central idea to convey and given that that thought is successfully implanted in the readers mind you should spend some time savouring it. Reading them consecutively only serves to negate or dilute the impact of these finely crafted gems. Whether there is any merit in this prescription really rather depends on the quality of the writing. In the course of ten pages or so there is no time for elaborate characterisation or intricate plotting. But the finest short story writers can take a single thought or situation and explore or exemplify it with such intensity that the end result is electrifying and the reader is left with a desire to ponder the subject matter further. Pondering takes time. Perhaps one a day is truly the well balanced way. At any rate there is no doubt in this readers mind that 'Always The Love of Someone' is a collection to be savoured. The stories in this volume stopped me in my tracks several times and I felt compelled to share what I had read and discuss it with someone. Luckily my partner shares my literary tastes and pretty soon we were passing the book back and for and swapping recommendations. Theres nothing like enthusiasm shared. This collection focuses on human relationships and ranges in tone from the whimsical to the semi-tragic. There is the story of the old lady in "Yellow Umbrella' who cannot understand a young boys ability to live for the moment. When she offers the lad, whose parents are 'itinerants', shelter from the rain he appals her by revealing that he has no permanent address and is being 'home schooled'. Their contrasting reactions to their environment and in particular to the days weather reveal a tragic lack of spontaneity and a profound pessimism in the old lady's character which has perhaps destined her to live alone. Then there is the tale of Alf whose lifelong dislike and fear of dogs evaporates in old age when he is prevailed upon to adopt a lurcher. Throughout there are moments of profound introspection and equally revealing dialogue. In 'A Man And A Woman' a bachelor on a date is credited with making a simple discovery:- " The man's simple discovery had been to pause before speaking. A couple of seconds was enough to choose a better response than the one that leapt to mind, one that allowed dialogue, allowed the other's world to exist. Speech was not for you to be right. It was to find outcomes." In the closing story, 'Nothing is Happening Because There is a Point', a couple discuss their relationship and whether destiny played any part in it. The following rather incisive comment on logic stands out from this exchange:-"....Words can insist that other words following them have to be true, but logic doesn't bring about marriages, or there probably wouldn't be any." There is much,much more to savour in this collection , which for the short story afficianado is a veritable feast of nectared sweets. Huw Lawrence's touch is masterful throughout and each story is as elegant as it is insightful. I will be filing this collection on my bookshelf next to Raymond Carver and John Cheever and returning to it often. 'Always The Love of Someone' will be published on 30 May 2010 and will be an AmeriCymru Book of the Month selection for June. Reviewed by Ceri Shaw Email

Announcement: Movie Premiere at Left Coast Eisteddfod Portland , Oregon

Hendy Productions

Dear Customer, So many of you who purchased the DVD “The Land of Your Fathers” asked to be kept informed of new films we produce.

We are proud to tell you that our latest film will be premiered at the Left Coast Eisteddfod in Portland, Oregon this August.

We thought you might like to know more about it and have a chance to pre-purchase your copy!

It’s called:

Cymru: Dau Arwr a Thrysorau

Wales: Two Heroes and Treasures

Written and directed by Ifan Huw Dafydd

Choice of commentary language, Welsh or English.

The aim of the DVD is to unashamedly show off the beauty of Wales, whilst at the same time giving you an insight into some of our Treasures and Heroes.

MADOG, our first hero. A visit to Dolwyddelan – the birthplace of Prince Madog – the discoverer of The Americas over 200 years before Columbus even set foot on a ship! We see the site of his birth and upbringing and follow his journey to Llandrillo-yn-Rhos, from where he departed for unknown lands in 1170.

LLANDDWYN ISLAND, an astoundingly beautiful location on the south western tip of Anglesey and the home of the patron saint of Welsh lovers – Dwynwen. It overlooks the Menai Straits and the mountains of Snowdonia on the mainland. A place you’ll definitely want to put on the itinerary for your next visit to the Land of Your Fathers!

THE GOWER and the search for the RED LADY OF PAVILAND. There’s far more to the Red Lady than meets the eye - she’s definitely no lady! But she does give us a chance to show you the gorgeous GOWER peninsula, visiting Langland Bay, Three Cliffs Bay, Oxwich Bay, Port Eynon, Goat’s Hole, Worm’s Head, Rosili, and Penclawdd.

THOMAS TELFORD’S FANTASTIC AQUEDUCT at FRONCYSYLLTE. Finished in 1805. An amazing feat of innovative engineering. In 2009 it was recognized as one of the wonders of the modern world when it joined the Great Wall of China as a World Heritage Site!. We also pay a quick visit to the home of the International Eisteddfod – Llangollen.

Our last hero is fittingly LLYWELYN THE LAST PRINCE OF WALES. We try to unravel the mystery that surrounds the last two days of his life. Was it treachery or chance? We visit Aberedw, the location of the enigmatic meeting that was to take place between him and Edward’s allies, the chase through the Powys countryside to the fateful dingle at Cilmeri, and finally the grave where his headless body lies in the emotion filled ruins of Abaty Cwm Hir.

Plus a bonus montage of photographs from around Wales set to Russell Sheppard playing the song that’s close to every Welshman’s heart and guaranteed to bring on a bout of inconsolable Hiraeth – MYFANWY.

We also hope that the DVD will be a valuable resource for Welsh learners the World over. Whilst impossible to make exact translations from any language to another, care has been taken to make both language commentaries as close as possible. Welsh learners will be able to hear the Welsh commentary spoken by a native Welsh speaker, whilst having an English translation on the other channel.

Here's what one customer thought of the new DVD:

“I thought it was brilliant...educational...enjoyable history lesson...you don't have to be Welsh to enjoy it. The music gave the right sort of atmosphere and the narrating was easy to understand and listen to...the video footage was breathtaking...I must travel around Wales more...didn't want to blink in case I missed anything. Every school in Wales should have one!” R.S. from Wales.

Click on this link

www.WalesDVDCymru.com

Pob hwyl,

Ifan Huw Dafydd