Shiny new writing machine

...arrived today, and then Torben also bought me an apple tree so I can grow more apple products myself... Genius!

I've not unpacked the office yet, but it is now in use... and the dining room table has been cleared so we can actually eat... dinner... on it...

Here's my current view...

Time to finish some books...

Flowers in and out of the garden...

I've been meaning to get into foraging for ages... so we went and picked some wild garlic and ate it...

My new favourite flower... Bleeding Heart...

Stealth Cat Take 2: we're happy to have a new house visitor in Ziggy

and flowering rosemary and sweet bay in the garden...

Launch of The Lonely Crowd

I went along to The Lonely Crowd launch at Waterloo Tea @ The Whyndham Arcade. This is a lovely looking new short story and poetry journal produced by John Lavin (Fiction Editor at Wales Arts Review). The first issue features a number of writers that Parthian publishes and on the night Carole Burns, Gary Raymond and Nigel Jarrett all read. Here are some snaps...

I'm currently reading:

Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award / Clown's Shoes

So pleased for Rebecca F.  John, shortlisted for the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award. We had a wonderful time in London hearing her story read at the Foyles Flagship store and then sipping champagne at the awards party...

Us, looking dapper...

Rebecca's debut story collection Clown's Shoes is out through Parthian this autumn.

Out with the old...

This weekend we've mostly been cleaning the old flat... Mission accomplished... onwards!

London Book Fair happened!

London launch of New Welsh Short Stories

Lovely to see so many Rarebit writers and friends featuring in Seren's New Welsh Short Stories...  and to hear Joe Dunthorne, Cynan Jones and Eluned Gramich read a few of my favourites at our London local The Wheatsheaf in Fitzrovia.

New Welsh Short Stories (Seren, 2015)

Rarebit: New Welsh Fiction (Parthian, 2014)

Parthian Rarebits at the Tin Shed Experience, The Laugharne Weekend 2015

Car trouble may have prevented a few of our Parthian Rarebits getting to Laugharne, but local poets and the brilliant band The Newly Deads pitched in to help our sessions sing and dance as planned and I read some new work too. Thanks to Francesca Rhydderch and Damian Walford Davies for my lift from Carmarthen Station and Jo and Jo for the lift back... and to The Tin Shed for being a brilliant venue, as ever, and my free drinks... and to Sion Tomos Owen, Tyler Keevil and Georgia Carys Williams and their cars for not breaking down!