Wildlife

'Continuing with the themes of nature, the writer and poet Rae Howells wrote her poetry collection This Common Uncommon, as a response to the threat of a housing estate being built on a piece of common land near to where she lives, in West Cross, Swansea. We discover the creatures which make the common their home as well as the people that walk there and delight in the life they find. Life that may soon be covered by concrete. To me, the book is an example of how words can be a powerful tool of communicating these ever-present issues, how words can be used as an act of resistance.' Thanks to Gaynor Funnell for picking Rae Howells' poetry collection This Common Uncommon as a Cultural Highlight of 2024. available now from Parthian Books.

Ben’s new book has arrived, if you want it in the first post after Xmas and a video message for the day get in touch! Signed copies now available in Storyville Books, Pontypridd.

'The collection hopes to give the West Cross Common a voice, to speak to for it as it cannot speak for, or defend, itself. The poems themselves leap from the pages just like the sky larks and blackbirds and wrens and bats and frogs they so beautifully describe, all of whom are set to lose their homes. 'It is lyrical and whimsical and serious. Some of the more poignant poems use personification as a clever tool that implores you to empathise with the common by thinking of it as a mother, a woman, or to simply hear it speak as if it was able to.' Thanks so much to Rhian Elizabeth for this wonderful review of Rae Howells' second poetry collection This Common Uncommon on Nation.Cymru .

1996, Sam Adams’s ‘Letter from Wales’ column has been appearing in PN Review , one of the most highly regarded UK poetry magazines, offering insight and appreciation of Welsh writing, culture and history. Now out in paperback, Letters from Wales: Memories and Encounters in Literature and Life collects a quarter century of work and offers one of the most unique, independent and passionate critical voices on the writing and cultural output of Wales during this period. Turning 90 last week, Adams offers his reflections on a life in letters…

‘A good anthology is a fine buffet. A good anthology of poetry in translation is a buffet of dishes that are probably new to you. A good anthology of contemporary poetry in translation is a buffet of dishes that are new to everyone at the party. And Tempo: Excursions in 21st-Century Italian Poetry , published in 2023 by Parthian and edited by Luca Paci, offers a delectable overview of a specific literary scene that can’t be easily sampled elsewhere, at least not in one place. ‘Paci, a translingual poet and translator who teaches Italian Studies at Cardiff University, has an in-depth knowledge of the poetry world in both languages, making him a perfect guide and mediator. His selection of poets currently working in Italian is highly representative—these are well-established figures, most of them mid-career—yet covers a range of very different styles and subject matter. We find poems that are experimental, lyrical, written for performance, in prose form, in rhymed quatrains; about politi...

This Saturday - Writing for Wellbeing workshop for adults with poet and playwright Patrick Jones We have a couple of spare spaces for our next writing workshop - Saturday 7th December, 11am-1pm Cynon Valley Museum, Aberdare £2 or Pay as you feel Please phone 01685 886729 to book

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 

We had a lovely day of poetry outside the Poetry Bookshop in Hay today and it stayed mostly dry too!  Here’s me telling the audience some things about Bert (Roberto Pastore). Thanks Sian Lile-Pastore for the photo. And the rest of the photos as promised... Imogen Davies, Richard Davies, Niall Griffiths, Nigel Jarrett and Ifor Thomas took the early spots... (thanks to Christina and Ifor for these photos...) Richard (Parthian) & crowd Niall Griffiths reading Niall Imogen Ifor Thomas reads Nigel Jarrett reads Next up we had readings from Christina Thatcher, Abigail Parry and Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch,  followed by readings from Ness Owen, Mari Ellis Dunning, Jemma L. King, Tracey Rhys, Patrick Jones, Roberto Pastore and, drawing the short straw to go last, yours truly. Abigail reads Abigail again Roberto Pastore reads Ness Owen reads Everyone loves Bert Tracey Rhys reads Patrick Jones reads Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch A shot of Christina in red in the crowd Stalls at Hay Castle ...

It was a lovely poetry event at Book Space Cardiff on Wednesday, despite the cold night! Thanks to Rae and Natalie for sharing their wonderful latest collections and their warmth, and to Lily for having us, and all who braved the weather to join us!

  Join us on Saturday in Hay-on-Wye outside the poetry bookshop! We have a tremendous line-up of poets reading their poems on the hour, every hour! I'll be on host duties and reading a few poems at the end... Coinciding with the Hay Winter Weekend, why not wrap up for the weather and join us for more literary festivities on the streets of this wonderful town of books? 10am Niall Griffiths, Imogen Davies & Lewis Davies 11am Nigel Jarrett & Ifor Thomas 12pm Natalie Ann Holborow, Abigail Parry & Christina Thatcher 1pm Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch, Mari Ellis Dunning & Ness Owen 2pm Jemma L. King, Patrick Jones & Tracey Rhys 3pm Roberto Pastore & Susie Wild

The latest uploaded poet interview features Mari Ellis Dunning whose collections have been published by Parthian Books:

  A note from Rae about last night's event in Swansea:  ' I just wanted to say a massive thanks to Guinevere Clark and Poetry Into Light for inviting me to be featured poet last night. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to read poems about West Cross Commo n from my Parthian Book s collection This Common Uncommon to such a supportive audience. Superb open mic too! 'Also a huge thanks to Sean Pursey , whose smiling face in the audience was a lovely surprise, and who took these brilliant photos. Thanks Sean!! 'The next stage of the campaign to save West Cross Common from being deregistered and sold off for development is next week, when the Public Inquiry reconvenes at the Village Hotel. Please come and show your support! More info on the campaign page!'

Aspiring writers ,  Authors ,  Open Submission Window ,  Parthian Books ,  Writers  -  November 14, 2024 Submissions window to open in December 2024 Parthian will be open to submissions for ten days from  Sunday December 1st  until midday on  Tuesday December 10th , reading for our 2026/27 list. What we are looking for: novels, short story collections, creative non-fiction, and poetry. What we are not looking for: YA / children's fiction. Please familiarise yourself with our list and consider whether your writing is a good fit. Our director, Richard Davies, says: "We're looking for gems in this submission window. Outstanding titles that we simply can't resist. We only have a small number of spaces on our future publishing schedule so send us your best work." Please send submissions and any queries, when the submission window is open, to our dedicated email address:  parthiansubmissions@gmail.com Also consider both writing competitions i...

 

 

Diolch to Mab Jones and Buzz Magazine Wales for this gorgeous review of Little Universe by Natalie Ann Holborow! 'Vivid, sometimes lurid; taut, at times with a tightness that speaks of intense situations, mindstates, emotions; and, very often, visual, these are poems which manage a balance between being scalpel-sharp yet rich in description... I know of very few young writers who are quite so fantastic... It’s a book that will mesmerise from beginning to end, and holds great power.' Read the review in full