Wildlife

 

Don't forget to get your entries in. The New Welsh Writing Awards close at midnight tonight! https://newwelshreview.com/new-welsh-writing-awards/awards

In The Spotlight, is a series of podcast interviews with artists and figures, where Bill Cummings finds out more about their lives and work. For the second episode, he is joined by Patrick Jones. Jones is a poet and playwright who has brought the struggles and contradictions of life in the Welsh Valleys to new audiences. He was voted the most innovative poet and playwright in the ‘Top 100 heroes of Wales’. He has collaborated with Amy Wadge, John Robb, Martyn Joseph, Beverley Humphreys and provided the words for James Dean Bradfield's Top 10 homage to Victor Jara, 'Even in Exile'. He talks about his powerful new album 'A Constellation of Sorrows', out this week on Repeat Records. He says “The album is my small act of resistance, of solidarity with the Palestinian people". It's also about the futility of wars worldwide and the lessons we can learn from history. He also touches on his trip to Palestine, Elon Musk, twitter and the post-truth world, his cultura...

There is a wonderful extended review essay 'Ecological Literacy' by Steven Lovatt in the latest issue of New Welsh Review exploring recent books that seek to restore natural and cultural ecologies and recognise how the cultural nature of our landscapes is preserved in language. It offers an in-depth look at This Common Uncommon by Rae Howells, and here are three of our favourite snippets: "Rae Howells’ new poetry collection, This Common Uncommon , is a fierce and loving affirmation of the local, exemplifying the sort of care-full attention to the interdependence of people, other animals and plants that will be required if anything worthwhile is to be saved from the present ruin." "Howells confirms the evidence of her first collection, The Language of Bees, that she is a highly adept poet, possessing one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Welsh writing in English." "If West Cross Common is developed for housing, nobody can now claim ignoran...

In her engaging review essay 'Fantastical Doubles and Split Selves' in the latest issue of New Welsh Review , author of The Word, JL George, looks at responses to trauma in three recent novels including Fox Bites by Lloyd Markham . Here are three of our favourite snippets: ‘Lloyd Markham’s first full-length novel Fox Bites , set in early-2000s Zimbabwe, takes a similar tack, colliding social upheaval – as viewed through the sometimes-uncomprehending eyes of a young, neurodivergent boy – with smaller, more personal disruptions. The young protagonist, Taban, suffers bullying and isolation among his peers after his family splits apart: his aunt, uncle, and beloved cousin Caleb moving away to a farm which will later be seized during land reforms.’ ‘Taban must resist the temptation to become part of a cycle of abuse, thereby becoming a conduit for the destruction of his world. Although the stakes of the book eventually become world-threatening in the expected way of science fiction...

  All three are available to pre-order from Parthian Books... 

One to add to your diaries! Join us for the Bristol launch of Robert Minhinnick's important climate-change anthology Gorwelion: Shared Horizons at The Greenbank, Easton on the 29th of January for a 7.30pm start.

 

A snow-dusted weekend thinking about the year ahead in literature, reading these and making a dent on the submissions, drinking tea…

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...

  Two gigs. Chase away those January Blues with an evening (or two) of poetry...