Happy Publication Day: This Common Uncommon

When a local common is threatened with development, one poet explores its secrets, discovering extraordinary natural treasures and wonderful people fighting to defend them. 

Can they save this uncommon common?

This Common Uncommon, the second collection from poet Rae Howells is available now! Pick up your copy in your local bookshop or direct from our website. 

A lovely 5 star review up on Goodreads today too: 

'Howells’ poems shriek with the wonder of discovery ... She is intoxicated by the Common, forced to rework language in an effort to encompass what she finds ... I admire the collection so much, wild in every possible way ... But there’s an urgency to the work here for “this soft flank of earth” is under threat. Developers wish to transform the anonymous “Land North of Chestnut Avenue” into affordable housing in a process which will sweep the astonishing Common away. Local resistance is growing and these poems in part illuminate and record that effort ... But most of all the book asks what sort of future we want for our world ... Very highly recommended.' – Ewan Smith

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New Welsh Writing Awards: The Winners!

Huge congratulations to Natasha Gauthier, Winner of the Borzello Trust Poetry Prize – winning a £500 development publishing contract with us – announced at our New Welsh Writing Awards ceremony in Abergavenny last night. It was a great pleasure to judge this award with Niall Griffiths. And congratulations to all the shortlisted poets whose work you can read in our next issue (138). Also, many congratulations to Sam Christie who won the The Rheidol Prize in the New Welsh Writing Awards with his story ‘The Widowmaker’ (judged by former NWR editor Gwen Davies and author David Lloyd Owen). Winning a £1000 development publishing contract with us. The two runners-ups prizes went to Natalie Ann Holborow with her story ‘The Man Who Knew Things’ and Sybilla Harvey with her story ‘The Flattening’. Both winning a creative residency with Gladstone's Library and Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre. You can read all three stories in our next issue of New Welsh Review .

POETRY COMPETITION: The Borzello Trust Poetry Prize

Just a reminder that the Borzello Trust Prize for Poetry is open for entries until 31 January 2025. Niall and I look forward to reading your words... This year we are thrilled to open a second category of the New Welsh Writing Awards with many thanks to the generous support from The Borzello Trust. Supporting in the development of yet unpublished poets living, working or from Wales, the winner of The Borzello Trust Prize for Poetry will receive a £500 development publishing contract with Parthian Books/The Borzello Trust. Including mentorship from Susie Wild to develop a poetry collection that (following publication) will be distributed via The Borzello Trust to over 250 Welsh libraries and schools. There will be a £150 cash prize to the five highly commended entries and publication in a special anthology collection published by Parthian Books. Winner: £500 as an advance on a book development contract with Parthian Books, for publication on their poetry list, plus mentorship/developm...

PODCAST: This Place of Salt and Inspiration With Welsh poet Natalie Ann Holborow

It’s a bright, sunny morning in North Gower, and we’ve been invited down to a pulsing, tidal place: the daily walking route of poet Natalie Ann Holborow. On the salt marshes flanking the Loughor Estuary, while cockle-pickers clatter out on quad bikes, we discuss the importance of creative exploration: of getting out in nature, and out of comfort zones. We also talk about the safe places we come back to, full of familiar rhythms and memories, where we can breathe - and return to ourselves. Listen to This Place of Salt and Inspiration With Welsh poet Natalie Ann Holborow

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