Welsh Books - Two New Titles From Alcemi - 'Dovetail', Jeremy Hughes & 'Perfect Architect', Jayne Joso

Dovetail by Jeremy Hughes

American Psycho meets The Wasp Factory in eulogy to craftsmanship

"A subtly daring format and an easy, hypnotic style, at once tense and uncommon." John Ballam, Oxford University

Fifteen year old Tim’s world changes for ever when he is attacked and emasculated by a gang of bullies.  As an adult, devoting himself to revenge, he is repellently creative, a fine craftsman in everything he does, including murder.  Having apprenticed himself to José, a master joiner and craftsman in northern Spain, he becomes acutely aware of the aesthetics of the world around him and turns revenge into a fine art as he returns to his home turf in south-east Wales to single out each gang member for their grisly fate.  Tim also becomes obsessed with fine art images of Saint Sebastian, and even changes his name to that of the martyr. But can he create the perfect killing machine from wood and dovetail joints, and how much practice does he need before he achieves his goal?

This is a disturbing psychological thriller with a sociopath of a protagonist to rival that of American Psycho, and an erotic undercurrent matching The Wasp Factory. The debut novel’s main themes are obsession and the far-reaching evils of perfectionism, and its style is original, marrying suspenseful prose with fragmented narratives on woodwork techniques.

Jeremy Hughes comments on the challenges of creating a killer-protagonist with whom the reader can empathise,

“Tim is at one and the same time an obsessive victim, vulnerable, tortured, aggrieved, triumphant... he is a sensitive teenager changed forever by a traumatic event. He dedicates his life to revenge, develops specific skills which enable him to enter into the lives of those he wants to kill. He identifies with Saint Sebastian and travels the world visiting works of art which depict him. His obsessions cause him to speak about his interests with authority. Leaving modesty aside a moment, in Tim we have a complex central character capable of tenderness and extreme brutality; this together with the book’s exotic locations and opportunities for great set pieces would make it a great cinematic experience.”

Jeremy Hughes was one of the first students to study for the Master's in writing at Oxford University, from which he graduated with distinction. He was awarded first prize in the Poetry Wales competition and his poetry was shortlisted for an Eric Gregory Award. He has published two pamphlets – breathing for all my birds (2000) and The Woman Opposite (2004) – and has widely published poetry, short fiction and reviews in British and American periodicals. Jeremy lives in Abergavenny, south-east Wales. Dovetail is his debut novel.

Perfect Architect by Jayne Joso

The People’s Book Prize Nominee Author, 2010

"A work of stunning originality and deftness of prose, in which Jayne Joso explores with delicate skill and rare empathy what becomes of the broken hearted." Cathi Unsworth, author

A love letter to architecture, this novel is set in the dazzling and eccentric world of the star architect. After the death of her architect husband Charles and the discovery of intimate correspondence with another woman, Gaia Ore is about to learn some harsh but rewarding lessons on the nature of erotic and artistic obsession. A competition emerges to design her perfect home, and the private world of international architects is opened up. Flowing between Spain, Italy, the US and the UK, four world class architects – Charles’ former adversaries – take up the challenge. But will they truly understand what is required of them? Accustomed as they are to large scale projects such as skyscrapers, bridges, museums and galleries, will the request for a modest dwelling ultimately get the better of them?

Using written correspondence as a tool for the plot as well as a key to shifts in register and intimacy, this novel celebrates the old-fashioned postal service, exploring the age-old affinity of letters to romance. The international settings and glamour associated with the world of star architects  – their passion, vision, their ideas and their egos – are set in counterpoint to the warm and funny local story of mailman Tom and his low-flashpoint, fleshy wife Cara. Jayne Joso is herself and journalist and ghost writer on architecture, as well as having lived in Kenya, China and Japan; this is the background to the novel’s central concern with uncovering the dream home. Joso says,

The desire to feel comfortable, at ease and at home, is something I think I have always been curious about. I love asking: what does it mean to find the right place? What makes one building your ideal dwelling and another just a house? We moved around a lot when I was little, so I was used to spending time figuring out how best to organise my things...  It’s what we all do, and discovering the best use of the space you’re in and how best to accommodate yourself and who you live with is really quite an adventure. My travels, too, and the sheer excitement of seeing very different kinds of architecture and ways of living close up, of viewing space and how to inhabit it – all of these experiences in various ways have fed my passion for architecture, and have enriched Perfect Architect.”

This is UK-based Jayne Joso’s second novel. Her first, Soothing Music for Stray Cats, was heralded by the TLS as one of the “great London novels”, was described by author Joe Moran as the “debut of a distinctive voice in contemporary British fiction”, and by Natalie Haynes on BBC Six Music’s Cerys Matthews show as “the must-have novel for Christmas 2010”. It was also shortlisted for the People’s Book Prize 2010. Having written for various architecture publications, Joso now draws on her passion for the discipline in what may be coined as “Grand Designs meets I am Love. Perfect Architect is already attracting the attention of architecture magazines, and is a joyous and life-affirming read filled with warmth and humour, houses... and a hand-carved penguin!

Obesity Themed Horror Story for 9-11 Year Olds

We all know that obesity is a major problem amongst the youth of today. Youngsters are often brought up on fast food to the detriment of their health. But the novel Mrs GwraK aims to strike back at this trend, by showing the disadvantages of the fast food they so evidently love and crave. So, here’s the story – an old-fashioned fable in a modern setting:

“There’s a new cook in school and David is convinced that she is a witch. Not even his parents believe him when he says that she is deliberately trying to kill everybody with her sugary, grotesque Golden Food lunches, which makes everyone so fat that they can hardly move. David won’t eat it and, armed with a sprig of witchweed, he tries to destroy the witch before she destroys everyone else. Will he succeed?”

This novel is aimed at the 9-11 age group. It is also illustrated with scary drawings of the witch. The novel should strike a chord with those seeking to educate children about the disadvantages of unhealthy eating. And the odd celebrity chef or health organisations may have a thing or two to say about it too! In fact, the author was inspired to write the novel by Jamie Oliver and the ‘turkey twizzler saga’.

The author, Talybont based, Morgan Tomos trained as an animator and is the author/illustrator of over 20 books in Welsh. He has co-authored a book with school children and his proudest achievement has been making a metre-long triple bladed demon slayer sword of Owain Glyndŵr with his children. He has also made a life-size bust of the witch’s head (shown below) and will tour bookshops and schools throughout Wales, if invited. The bust is made of recycled materials from the printing industry.

During the launch of the novel, at Siop Inc, Bridge Street, Aberystwyth on Saturday 5 March at 2 pm, there will be a competition to win a framed metal print of some of the illustrations from the book – more details at the launch.

Author Heralded as “Welsh Irvine Welsh” is a Hit in America

A Welsh author who was described in the men magazine Red Handed as “Wales’ answer to Irvine Welsh” has tasted success out of his native Wales. Cardiff Based Llwyd Owen’s first English novel Faith Hope and Love received a starred review in America’s Publishers Weekly. Within three months of publishing the book Alcemi, Y Lolfa’s literary fiction imprint, have had to reprint due to the demand from the US.

Garmon Gruffudd on behalf of Y Lolfa said,

“The book has sold more copies in the US than in Britain. Llwyd’s gritty ground-breaking urban thrillers in Welsh have cerinaly raised eyebrows over the past few years drawing a younger audience to read Welsh fiction. It’s great to see his first attempt in English getting the praise and sales he deserves.”

Faith Hope and Love is an adaptation of Llwyd Owen’s second Welsh novel that won him the Welsh book of the year award in 2008. He will be publishing his fifth Welsh novel Un Ddinas Dau Fyd (One City Two Worlds) in March. Faith Hope and Love, Alcemi, is priced at £9.99

Selected quotations from critics


"[Starred Review]*. Scalding... [this] savage indictment of Britain's welfare programs... packs real emotional punch. Owen unflinchingly reveals how easy it will be to 'rage, rage, against the dying of the light'." --Publishers Weekly, Starred Review


“A well-paced and tightly plotted novel that holds a magnifying glass to the middle classes to highlight their dark underbelly. Full of memorable characters and containing a powerful message, the author has created an unconventional thriller that will linger long in the memory.” --Lloyd Jones


“Deftly plotted and pitch-perfect in its pacing... as with any good thriller or tragedy, we watch, mesmerised, as the circle closes... should bring [Owen] the wider readership and acclaim he deserves.” --Suzy Cellan Hughes, New Welsh Review

"Peppered with contemporary references, the intricately-woven narrative is alive with the pitch perfect voices of a host of characters... an affecting and haunting tale." - Wales Literature Exchange

"Not unlike the Mike Leigh of Secrets and Lies, who points out the black holes in family life. An outright talent and natural storyteller." – Taliesin

“Fast becoming Wales’s anwser to Irvine Welsh” – Red Handed

“A remarkable and intriguing read that shouldn't be missed” – Midwest Book Review

Llanidloes Cricket Club’s first forty years recorded in new book

Tracing the history of Llanidloes Cricket Club over a forty-year period, The Daffodils who play in Whites is a book full of cricketing stories about the many and varied characters who graced the scene at this small-town club. The adventures of numerous players, such as Dessie, The Loony and Squareman have been recorded for posterity for future generations.

As the authors explain, “This book will attempt to trace the development of a cricket club in a small mid Wales town, from its humble beginnings, playing on little more than a hay field into a thriving club with facilities good enough to play host to County Cricket Clubs and even test match standard players. Unlike typical cricket books, this one is very short on facts and figures – instead it is more a tribute to the many and varied characters who lived and contributed to the sporting life of the town.”

Indeed, there are very many amusing stories and anecdotes within the pages of this book, which will strike a chord with weekend-playing club cricketers up and down the land.

Byron Hughes and Lyn Meredith are both former Welsh International footballers and retired schoolmasters. Both have been ever-present playing members of Llanidloes Cricket Club for four decades.

This book is published by Y Lolfa and priced at £6.95. It was launched at Llanidloes Football Club on Friday 3 December 2010.

Wales Favourite Bad Boy Rediscovers His Welsh Roots - A Review of 'Two Dragons' by Howard Marks

This book opens dramatically with a description of a major cardiac incident resulting in hospitalization for the author. Thankfully the attack was survivable and we move on rapidly to a description of the rather stressful lifestyle which produced it.

For anyone who doesn't know who he is, Howard Marks a.k.a Mr Nice a.k.a Marco Polo , born in Kenfig Hill, South Wales is one of the world's most notorious and successful drug dealers. In a career which spanned the 1970's and 1980's he moved vast quantities of cannabis around the globe and became one of the most wanted international criminals in the USA. Eventually apprehended in 1988 he served seven years in the infamous Terre Haute Correctional Facility in Indiana. Upon his release Howard left dope-smuggling behind and rapidly transformed himself into a best selling author and media personality. Recently his first book 'Mr Nice' was made into a film starring Rhys Ifans in the title role. Would be viewers in the US will have to wait as it has, as yet, no US distributor. Howard Marks is now regarded as a folk hero by many in Wales and this book finds him exploring his Welsh roots with surprising and fascinating results.

Howard Marks genealogical researches reveal that his great great grandfather was Billy the Kid's brother. He also establishes that he is distantly related to the infamous Welsh smuggler William Owen whose previously unknown autobiography was discovered in 1982. Marks says of him that:- "...his chronicle of scams, acquittals and debauchery would put any modern day smuggler or playboy to shame." Additionally there is a Chicago mob connection. We learn that Howard is related to Willie Bevan Marks. At one point in the book his aunt Afon Wen informs him that:- "...., your great-grandfather Dafydd's brother, became a notorious Chicago gangster, He was Bugs Moran's first lieutenant. I wasn't a bit surprised when you became a famous smuggler. Not a bit"

The book has its more serious and reflective moments. Recalling a subsequently cancelled BBC project to produce a biopic based on his life the author observes that:- "...opinions vary when people consider whether criminals should benefit indirectly from their offensive behaviour." He goes on to point out that:- "I am still making money writing and talking about my past criminal adventures, and I am having a wonderful time." Wherever one stands on this issue I believe that Mr Marks deserves kudos for having raised it and for demonstrating an acute awareness of the moral dilemma which his post incarceration activities pose for many people.

The title 'Two Dragons' reflects the books true theme. The contrast between the Wales that Howard Marks hated as a child and couldn't wait to get away from and the modern Wales which he has returned to. Overall he takes an optimistic view:- "But now, the country is alive. One giant cauldron of musical talent, mysticism and enthusiasm" This view is balanced by a rather stoical, if defiant, observation made elsewhere in the book:-"No doubt the bad times will come again. But we are aware of that and we know ourselves. A few centuries of English force-feeding isn't going to change anything as going through slavery and imprisonment is an integral part of growing up."

In the final chapter we find Howard Marks returning to his former globe-trotting ways. But no longer to facilitate megaton shipments of cannabis. This time he is visiting the former haunts of his boyhood hero Henry Morgan, former buccaneer and Governor of Jamaica. The account of his visit to Henry's final home in Llanrumney, Jamaica is a delight to read . In particular it is fascinating to reflect that a labyrinthine series of caves underneath the site may contain vestiges of Captain Morgan's fabled treasure. Howard is pictured at the site standing next to a large stone inscription which reads simply - 'Cartref' ( home ).

All in all there is so much in this book, and so many further fruitful avenues to explore, that anyone with a love of Welsh history would be foolish to deny themselves the pleasure of reading it. There can be no hesitation in giving the book a five star rating and recommending it as the perfect christmas gift for anyone with a taste for lovable ( and not so lovable ) Welsh rogues.

Swansea schoolboy’s story of success - Mal Pope 'Old enough to Know Better'

Mal Pope’s life is full of contrasts: teenage pop idol, promising footballer, Cambridge University graduate, singer-songwriter, TV and radio presenter and vice president of Swansea City FC.

Taken to chapel in Manselton to listen to unaccompanied Welsh hymn-singing as a babe in arms, this Swansea lad would, only a dozen or so years later as a teenager, be asked to sing a song on John Peel’s show on Radio 1 and earn himself a recording contract with Elton John’s record company, no less.

At school he befriended Jeremy Charles and captained Swansea Schoolboys football team. Then, he earned a degree in Land Economy from Cambridge University. But music and performing have always been his greatest loves.

Mal has written songs for Cliff Richard and the Hollies, duetted with Elton John and Bonnie Tyler, toured with Art Garfunkel and Belinda Carlisle and produced records for Aled Jones. As a broadcaster, he has presented shows on the BBC and hosted the BAFTA award winning music programme The Mal Pope Show for ITV Wales. He has met and worked with the great and the good, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams; the Rt Hon Neil Kinnock and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

As Mal says in the introduction to his autobiography, “As I look back over those years and the people who I have met and worked with it can sometimes feel like another life. I’ve often said if you were to read my CV the only name you wouldn’t recognise was mine. So I give you fair warning and I make no apology that the sound of names being dropped will echo from almost every page. I have always thought that life was a story and the more twists and turns that story takes, the more fortunate the man has been. If that is true then I really have been a very lucky man!”

Mal’s autobiography Old Enough to Know Better makes compelling reading. It is published by Y Lolfa in November 2010, retailing at £9.95.

Welsh Comedian Owen Money, New Biography 'Money Talks'

The long-awaited and much-anticipated autobiography of Welsh musician, comedian and radio and TV presenter Owen Money is here.

Owen has experienced success in many fields with a couple of Sony Gold awards for services to radio and an MBE to show for it. But the pavements weren’t always paved with gold and he speaks forthrightly about his climb up the slippery slope of success in the entertainment world.

Owen has candidly taken us on his life’s journey, recounting the highs and lows and revealing some long-held secrets. He speaks honestly about his health scare in 2006:

"I flew out to Thailand with a crowd of friends to stay at my villa, ready to relax and enjoy the sea and sunshine and other things I like that begin with ‘s’. I was thinking of salsa music. What were you thinking?

For the first week we were out there, I felt fine. Tired, but generally okay. Then one evening, it was St Patrick’s Day as it happens, although he didn’t personally turn up. After we’d enjoyed a great game of golf, we all went to a bar for a few drinks and although it usually didn’t worry me, I found myself finding the music playing in the background very loud. I also felt much hotter than usual. It gets very hot out there but I’m used to it, having holidayed in Thailand many times. That night, however, I really felt the heat draining my strength.

I had a drink or two, but then decided not to have any more alcohol, even though everyone else around me was knocking it back and having a great time. I explained to everyone that I didn’t feel too good and I was going back to my villa. I left the bar, made my way home alone and as soon as I arrived at the villa I went straight to bed, feeling really weird…"

Later, he speaks about infidelity and the effect it has had on his family. But despite the frank episodes of worry, hardship and disappointment, Money Talks is however a very good laugh, with stories and anecdotes given a comic twist in Owen’s indomitable style. Rob Brydon’s foreword sets the scene, praising the quality of Owen’s ‘joke’ and congratulating him on his “rise from rags to slightly bigger rags”.

Money Talks is the Welsh Book Council’s ‘Book of the Month’ for October 2010. The autobiography is published by Y Lolfa and is available from 1 October; the book was launched in Porthcawl on 15 October.

Owen is signing his autobiography at the following locations:

Saturday, 6 November - Waterstones Abergavenny 12.00-2.00pm

Friday, 12 November - Waterstones Carmarthen 1.00-2.00pm

Saturday, 13 November - WH Smith Cardiff 12.00-1.00pm

Friday, 19 November - WH Smith Neath 12.00-2.00pm

Saturday, 20 November - Waterstones Swansea 12.00-2.00pm

Friday, 26th November - Waterstones Aberystwyth 12.00-2.00pm

Saturday, 27th November - Browning Books, Blaenavon 12.00-2.00pm

Saturday, 4th December - WH Smith Newport 12.00-2.00pm

New Book Celebrating 50 Years of Pontarddulais Male Choir

Pontarddulais Male Choir’s first fifty years recalled in new book

2010 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of Pontarddulais Male Choir. Brothers, Sing On! is an account of the first fifty years of the choir and has been written by Eric Jones, the choir’s President to commemorate the event.

The author recalls the choir’s development; its Eisteddfod triumphs, overseas tours and televisual and recording highlights.

Eric Jones explained, “Firstly I wanted to write the book to celebrate the half centennial of the choir in 2010. But more than that, because there is so little written about choral tradition in Wales generally. There are hardly any books published which discuss one particular choir specifically. The consensus amongst music experts is that Pontarddulais Male Choir have managed to maintain extremely high standards for a number of years and that the choir, since it was established has been amongst the best in the field.”

Brothers, Sing On! is published by Y Lolfa in September 2010 and launched at Pontarddulais Rugby Club on Wednesday evening, 6^th of October.

Ten Questions with Lyn Ebenezer - Author of 'Operation Julie'

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN MOVED TO:- https://americymru.net/ceri-shaw/blog/1220/ten-questions-with-lyn-ebenezer-author-of-operation-julie

Nature and Language’s Revival in the Valleys Inspires Maesteg Poet

This week Y Lolfa will be publishing a new volume of Welsh poetry by a learner from Maesteg. Cerddi’r Galon by Susan May is a collection of poems which transport the reader to the old industrial valleys of south Wales, where the works now stand idle and nature can be seen at her best once more. Susan began learning Welsh in the 1990s so that she was able to converse with her mother when she was unwell, she explains,

“My mother was bedridden and no-one remained of the family’s older generation to speak to her in Welsh so I decided to learn the language with her in 1994. When my mother died I promised myself that I would continue to learn to speak and write in Welsh.”

In 2001 Susan won the Learners Chair in the National Eisteddfod with the poem Yfory, which is included in this book along with several poignant and honest poems which discuss her childhood and life and topical issues such as open-cast mining. The poems look at the scars left behind on the landscape by the heavy industries of the area,

“Three coal mines employed 3,000 miners in the Maesteg area and some of the poems look at the beauty which has returned to these valleys.”

Her Welsh tutor, Morgan D Jones, has clearly made an impression on Susan as she has written a poem especially for him and he has written the foreword for this volume. Susan May was a lecturer in midwifery prior to her retirement. In order that Welsh learners can enjoy the poems she has included a vocabulary for each one. Cerddi’r Galon is sure to enrich the experience of learning the Welsh language, and will appeal to learners of different standards and Welsh speakers alike. The price of Cerddi’r Galon, which is part of the Golau Gwyrdd (Green Light) series by Y Lolfa, is £4.95.

History of 1960s-built, listed Catholic church recalled

If you can remember the 60s, you weren’t there! Yet in the 1960s, a singular and beautiful church was built in the unassuming town of Gorseinon. This church is the only one of its kind in Wales and one of only three in the UK. The church was built entirely from funds raised by the parish. The story of how a tiny Welsh parish of only 200 could raise the money to pull off such a remarkable feat and the meaning behind the rare design, is told in a new book called Fanfare for a Church. A book to rival Dan Brown’s – except that this is a true story!

One of the authors, Paul Robinson says, “We wrote the book to preserve a little bit of history – nothing momentous like a war or a coronation – but something about real, ordinary people who made a difference and left something tangible behind them.”

Paul Robinson, a graduate of Manchester University spent ten years teaching and fifteen years as a journalist. Robert Robinson, an architect of more than thirty years standing, designed the church and oversaw its construction.

New Golf Joke Book in time for Ryder Cup

It is well known that Wales is primarily a rugby nation, but golf is becoming increasingly popular. A collection of anecdotes, jokes and humorous tales relating to the golfing world will be published this week. Golfing Jokes by Dilwyn Phillips, covers the subjects of Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden, Titters on the tee, Fourballs, Mixed Fours, Caddies, the 19th Hole and some general facts and fiction. Tiger Woods obviously gets a mention! Many of Wales’s rugby heroes play golf, and the sport is set to attract more interest with the Ryder Cup coming to the Celtic Manor Resort later on this year. Author Dilwyn Phillips has unearthed jokes covering all aspects of the game. He says, “These DIY golf books usually cancel each other out. One book tells you to keep your eye on the ball, the next says not to bother. Personally, I have a much better idea: ditch the teach-yourself books and have a titter on the tee with this one. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did collecting the stories from my golfing pals.” Dilwyn, who hails from Pontarddulais in south Wales, now lives in Los Montesinos, Spain and enjoys a round or two of golf and beer. He is the author of several best-selling joke books. Golfing Jokes (£3.95) will be released by Y Lolfa on Monday the 5th of July and is available in book shops and on www.ylolfa.com.

South Wales coal-mining disaster and World War II explored in new novel

Coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation, the novel To Win Against the Odds tells us of Thomas Jones’s extraordinary early life-story. Abandoned by his father at birth, he is bullied at school in the valleys of south Wales. His grandmother gives the seven-year-old boxing lessons to defend himself. At fourteen he works the coalface of Drum colliery and survives the flooding of the pit. Two years later, he has enrolled in the British Army and sees action in World War II before being wounded and evacuated from Dunkirk. On his return to south Wales he trains to become a teacher and is reconciled with valley life, starting yet another extraordinary chapter in his young life. The novel melds several common storylines that affected the lives of many men in the first half of the twentieth century. Thomas lived through desperate times but in the end he was one of the lucky ones… Thomas T. Moynihan was born in 1947 and was raised in Ystalyfera in the upper Swansea Valley. He started work at 15 years of age at Ynyscedwyn Colliery before moving on to an engineering factory. He is married with two children, and is presently working with adults with special learning needs. This is his debut novel. To Win Against the Odds is published by Y Lolfa in June 2010.

Get Your Signed, Dedicated Copy of 'Tongue-Tied' Here!!

AmeriCymru is honoured, pleased, and excited to announce that author Peter Griffiths has very generously donated the proceeds of the sale of one hundred copies of his novel, Tongue Tied, to the Left Coast Eisteddfod. For each copy sold, the Eisteddfod will receive $16 and the buyer an autographed and dedicated copy of Tongue Tied. This is a wonderful way for you to support the Eisteddfod while at the same time enjoying a novel which Lise Hull describes in Ninnau as "a tale of what it means to be Welsh and which should be on everyone's reading list, whether they have been to Wales or not, whether they are Welsh or not.". (http://www.ylolfa.com/henstraeon.php?first=249)

Tongue Tied is set in the Tryweryn valley, in the shadow of Arenig Fawr, in North Wales, and in the Rhondda and around Llanelli in the South. The novel recognises the tension that has arisen at times between the majority of Welsh people who can't speak Welsh and the minority who can. It suggests, with respect to national identity, that "one is Welsh if one feels Welsh." As to style, Tongue Tied is strongly influenced by Cynghanedd, an old and very strict Welsh poetic form. As a result, the novel abounds with alliterations and poetry within prose.

Tongue Tied was published by Y Lolfa just over a year ago and is already closing in on its fourth printing.

To get your copy, please send $19.00USD (shipping is already included) to MLMEF P.O. Box 80293, Multnomah Village, 97280 * or use the PayPal 'Donate' button in the right hand column on this page. If you use the PayPal option please email us at americymru@gmail.com with your postal address. Please make checks payable to the 'Meriwether Lewis Memorial Eisteddfod Foundation'. Diolch!

A New Updated Guide of Trendy Welsh Names for Children

Y Lolfa has just released an updated version of one of its best sellers Welsh Names for Children. Last year the publishers called on members of the public to suggest new names for the book in order to ensure that it included names that weren’t featured in the original version. Y Lolfa was keen for the book to reflect the latest trends when it comes to giving Welsh names to children. The response was very enthusiastic with dozens of new and original names being suggested. Amongst the new names for boys are Eban, Manaw, Cynwyn and Eirwg, and for girls Saran, Nanw, Trofana, Eldeg and Dolgain. The new revamped volume contains all the popular traditional names. Heini Gruffudd, the author, said, “There are approximately two thousand Welsh names in the book. Dozens of people contacted Y Lolfa following the publicity in the local newspapers and on the radio and television, and the result is a brand new collection of Welsh names which are used today”. He added, “The book includes the old names from history and folk tales, but there are also several international names which have been adapted. Here Blodeuwedd and Cêt, Dylan and Jac sit very happily together.” The volume will be invaluable to expectant mothers who wish to choose a Welsh name for their child, as well as being a useful reference for those who wish to look up the names of Welsh heroes, Saints, poets and singers through the ages. The price of Enwau Cymraeg i Blant / Welsh Names for Children which is for sale in Welsh book shops and on www.ylolfa.com is £5.95.

Environmental action poet addresses looming man-made catastrophes

Jason A. Dever’s first collection of poetry, Bard Time, is a call to arms to tackle the woes of our planet. He suggests that unconventional and controversial means should be employed to fulfil these objectives.

Dever’s volume mixes modern and ancient environmental poetry, with science and spiritual themes added. His poetry tries to simplify complex earth systems for the reader, creating excitement and feeling which helps promote independent thought. Controversial issues are debated thoroughly. The love, romance and loss section of his poetry expresses male emotions. It has a view to promote equality between males and females, with better communication leading to a happier world for both sexes.

Born and bred in Australia, but of Welsh heritage, Dever has strong ties with Wales and as a result chose to publish his first volume of poetry in Wales. He says ‘This book should naturally be popular in Wales as it describes all the good things about the Cymry, that is the land, people and language’.

He started his career as a science teacher, but now considers himself an environmentalist with an interest in all natural realms. Bard Time will be published by Dinas in June 2010

Drunkenness and celebrity obsession 1860s style in new teen novel

Gold Hunter is an original tale of adventure for teenagers and is set in Australia. One of its themes is to explore the modern craving for fame and fortune among the young; something which it suggests doesn't necessarily lead to their happiness. In 1864, an arrogant and ambitious sixteen-year-old steals his widowed mother’s life-savings and sails from Cardiff to Australia to find gold. William Jenkins journeys into the bush only to encounter drunkards, crocodiles, outlaws and aboriginals with a reputation for cannibalism. When he stumbles into a strange community of ex-convicts, their leader tells him, “You’re the one sent to us by God”. William is then astonished to be offered half the profits in a gold mine. But before before returning to Wales, he discovers that there are more important things in life than riches. Though a work of historical fiction, several themes are explored which should strike a chord with modern teenagers. The binge-drinkers who crowd into city centres at night have much in common with the colonial drunkards of 1864. The story also delves into the complexities of mother-son relationships which are as fraught in the story as they often are today. William disobeys, curses and then steals from his widowed mother. Through his experiences in the bush, he comes to realise that, as Tom Davies puts it, "I do know that – above all things in this world – you should love your mam". The author comments, “On one level, Gold Hunter is a simple adventure story about a young Welsh migrant to Australia in the 1860s, which is why I chose the Aussie-Western scene with the bound and gagged bushranger for the cover. Like many teenagers, I like an action-packed narrative and I deliberately write in a fast-paced style. But there is a deeper meaning to the story. William Jenkins discovers that the fame and fortune which he craves at the outset do not make him happy. In a world obsessed with celebrity, regardless of any talent being involved, this strikes me as a point worth making.” William Vaughan was born and educated in Cardiff. He taught History and English in Leicestershire and at the Cathedral School, Llandaff, before becoming a writer of fiction for children and young adults. He is a member of Academi. William Vaughan’s third novel follows his success with The Black Legion, also published by Y Lolfa.

First Original Welsh World Cup Guidebook

This year, for the first time, Welsh readers will be able to prepare for the World Cup with an original book which is as attractive as anything available in English. In the past, adaptations of English books on the championship have been published, but this year, due to new funds made available by the Wales Books Council for the designing of Welsh books and visual materials, a new full-colour book will be published by Y Lolfa on 5th of May. Cwpan y Byd 2010 will include a foreword by John Hartson, a free wall chart of the matches and a Welsh perspective on the event along with text by an experienced author, Gwyn Jenkins. The new funding from the Wales Books Council means that the book has been professionally designed by Elgan Griffiths and includes photographs from the Press Association. Lefi Gruffudd from Y Lolfa said: “It’s great to be able to commission an original book for the World Cup with an author and designer of such high standard. It will look as good as anything else available in any language. It is also good that the text will put a Welsh tilt on things and a different perspective than the often biased material seen in the English press.” Elwyn Jones, Director of the Wales Book Council, said: “It’s great to welcome the first product of the extra funding made available for Welsh books by the Assembly Government this year. It’s good to have an original Welsh book about the World Cup, and for that book to be as colourful and lively as this one. Congratulations to Y Lolfa for taking advantage of this opportunity.” The book, Cwpan y Byd 2010, will surely be a great aid to anyone who wishes to keep track of all the countries and players who will be competing in South Africa this year. It is packed with facts and figures, including details of all the matches, fantastic photographs of the players, a foreword by John Hartson and a free wall chart. The author, Gwyn Jenkins, published the first Welsh book on football for children, Gôl (Y Lolfa 1980) and this is another volume that will prove to be essential to supporters of the world’s most popular sport. Gwyn Jenkins also edited Llyfr y Ganrif. The book will available in Welsh bookshops from the 5th of May for £4.95. Cwpan y Byd – Llawlyfr Cymraeg Am y Tro Cyntaf Am y tro cyntaf erioed eleni mi fydd darllenwyr Cymraeg yn gallu paratoi ar gyfer Cwpan y Byd gyda llyfr gwreiddiol sydd mor ddeniadol ag unrhyw beth a geir yn Saesneg. Yn y gorffennol cyhoeddwyd addasiadau o lyfrau Saesneg am y bencampwriaeth, ond eleni, oherwydd arian newydd i ddylunio a deunydd gweledol mewn llyfrau Cymraeg gan Gyngor Llyfrau Cymru, mi fydd llyfr newydd llawn lliw yn cael ei gyhoeddi gan Y Lolfa ar Fai y 1af. Bydd y llyfr Cwpan y Byd 2010 yn cynnwys rhagair gan John Hartson, siart am ddim o’r gemau a gogwydd Gymreig ar bethau gyda thestun gan yr awdur profiadol, Gwyn Jenkins. Mae’r nawdd newydd gan y Cyngor Llyfrau wedi golygu bod modd cael dyluniad proffesiynol gan Elgan Griffiths a defnyddio lluniau Press Association. Yn ôl Lefi Gruffudd o wasg Y Lolfa: “Mae’n wych o beth gallu comisiynu llyfr gwreiddiol ar gyfer Cwpan y Byd gydag awdur a dylunydd o safon mor uchel. Mi fydd yn edrych gystal ag unrhyw beth mewn unrhyw iaith. Mae’n dda fod y testun hefyd yn cynnwys cyfeiriadaeth Gymreig a safbwynt gwahanol i’r holl ddeunydd unllygeidiog a welir yn y wasg Saesneg.” Dywedodd Elwyn Jones, Cyfarwyddwr Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru, ''Mae'n braf iawn croesawu ffrwyth cyntaf y nawdd ychwanegol a ddaeth ar gyfer llyfrau Cymraeg gan Lywodraeth y Cynulliad eleni. Gwych o beth yw cael llyfr gwreiddiol Cymraeg am Gwpan y Byd, a hwnnw'n llyfr bywiog a lliwgar. Llongyfarchiadau i'r Lolfa am fanteisio ar y cyfle.' Mi fydd y llyfr newydd Cwpan y Byd 2010 yn siwr o fod yn gymorth i’r sawl sydd am bwyso a mesur yr holl wledydd a’r sêr a fydd yn cystadlu yn Ne Affrica eleni. Mae’n llawn ffeithiau, yn cynnwys holl fanylion y gemau, lluniau gwych o’r chwaraewyr, rhagair gan John Hartson, a hefyd siart am ddim. Cyhoeddodd yr awdur, Gwyn Jenkins, y llyfr Cymraeg cyntaf i blant ar bêl-droed, sef Gôl (y Lolfa 1980) a dyma gyfrol arall a fydd yn hanfodol i gefnogwyr gêm fwyaf poblogaidd y byd. Gwyn Jenkins oedd hefyd golygydd Llyfr y Ganrif. Lansir y gyfrol ar Fai 1af yn y Fedwen Lyfrau, Llanrwst.

Personal experience inspires novel with IVF theme Peter Luther - Precious Cargo

The psychological heartache after successive failed attempts at IVF treatment has inspired a new novel by Cardiff author, Peter Luther. Describing the IVF lottery of success as “absolutely horrible”, he has used the experience as a basis for the second installment in his Honeyman series of novels. Precious Cargo promises couples beautiful and gifted children when all other means have failed, but it’s a lifetime deal. The newborn children are ruled by its Trustees’ baptism gifts, handcrafted toys that nurture their talent and aspirations. The toys also understand what’s at stake, for while two Precious Cargo children are born every year, only one survives past age sixteen. Their fate seems linked to a Fabergé egg with an impossible lock, the clue to an old, fanatic crime… As with all Peter Luther novels, the concept behind the story is bizarrely original: handmade toys communicating with a terrifying code, and a mystery that reaches back to the era of Marie Stopes. Peter says of his third novel, “This is my most ambitious work to date. I always feel a sense of trepidation when my books are released because the ideas are so left field, so I wonder how they will be received. Fortunately, my readers have shown themselves to be very receptive to something which doesn’t neatly fit into one particular genre. In truth, my novels are human interest stories masquerading as supernatural thrillers, albeit with some entertaining twists. “As someone who has trod the bitter path of IVF, Precious Cargo is also inspired from experience. The book is dedicated to my wife, the most courageous person I know.” Peter Luther, a successful solicitor and an accomplished musician, lives in Cardiff and has already published Dark Covenant and The Mourning Vessels, supernatural thrillers which have been widely acclaimed in Wales and beyond. He has been called the ‘Welsh Dan Brown’. Precious Cargo is published by Y Lolfa and was launched at Waterstone’s, Cardiff on 16 April 2010.

Maw – The Ginger Cat from Upper Corris Set to Conquer Wales

This week the first book in a new series of picture and story books for infants following the antics of a ginger cat from the slate town of Upper Corris in North Wales will be launched. Y Lolfa publishers of the book hope that the Maw the cat will eventually become the most famous cat in Wales.The book has been written and drawn by Richard Llwyd Edwards and describing his new creation he said, “Maw enjoys climbing, saying his name, playing, eating and sleeping and sleeping and sleeping… He supports Celtic and his favourite colours are green and white and ginger like his hair of course.” Meinir Edwards on behalf of Y Lolfa added, “I’m sure Maw will strike a chord with children. It is impossible not to like him. I’m hoping that before long he will be as well know as Garfiled, Felix and Tom from Tom and Jerry. Although the book is published in Welsh, an English translation of the text is printed on every page so that non Welsh speaking parents can read and understand the book while reading it to their children.” Richard Llwyd Edwards is the head of Art at Penglais school in Aberystwyth. He lives in Upper Corris with his six cats. Maw! is available in Welsh bookshops and www.ylolfa.com for £2.95. Richard Llwyd Edwards with Maw