Recently, I’ve written the foreword for and edited the reprint of Dorothy Edwards’s collection of short stories, Rhapsody. Edwards died at the age of 31 in 1934, and this extraordinary book has only once been reprinted since her death. For this edition I’ve added three stories never before collected, one of which is previously unpublished. The reprint is one of Parthian’s Library of Wales series and should appear in autumn 2007.
Two of my own books appeared in 2006: The Story of the Afanc King and the Sons of Teyrnon is a large format numbered limited edition from Gwasg Gregynog with etched linocuts by Sara Philpott. This short tale is based on material from medieval Welsh, Algonquin and other ancient sources. It's an unadorned narrative about jealousy and identity, and about the borders between the world of everyday drives and the realms of magic that haunted the medieval imagination. The piece appeared in an earlier version as part of the novel Griffri, and I've added a short essay about the sources of the story for this edition. Sara Philpott also collaborated with me on Cefn Golau: Shooting a Novelist.
The second book is for children: Christmas Every Day, published in September by Pont (an imprint of Gomer), with lively illustrations by artist and animator Chris Glynn.
Recent readings
I've given a lot of readings and talks in 2006 and 2007 so far. These included:
March 2006, a British Council/Welsh Literature Abroad series of readings and workshops in the Czech Republic and the Leipzig Book Fair, with Menna Elfyn, Ned Thomas, Ed Thomas and others. It was a pleasure to meet so many talented academics and translators, including Sabine Heinz, Viktor Janis, Karla Simcikova, and Mariana Houskova, who translated one of my poems for the British Council Magazine.
May 2006, a series of readings and lectures, with Niall Griffiths, in Estonia, at the Prima Vista Literary Festival, Tartu University, and Tallinn University. It was a great pleasure to meet Doris Kareva and others there. Ursula Roosma of the British Council looked after us, and Ene-Reet Soovik of Tartu University translated a series of my poems for the magazine Sirp. October 2006, readings at the Cuisle Limerick City International Poetry Festival, Limerick Ireland, with Adrian Mitchell, George Szirtes, Brendan Kennelly and others. A wonderful festival which I recommend.
March 2007, international poetry translation workshops in Israel with Amir Or, Tadeusz Pioro, Maria Laina, Nawal Naffaa’, Francesc Parcerisas, Robert Alan Jamieson and others. This was sponsored and organised by Literature Across Frontiers and the Helicon Society for the Promotion of Poetry and culminated in readings at the Helicon Centre in Tel Aviv. An extraordinary and productive experience.
I've also given readings and talks in Cardiff University, Llandysul, Abergavenny, Blaenau Gwent, Blaenafon, Swansea, Merthyr Tydfil, and many other places. My thanks to all the organisers.
Forthcoming Events
- Workshop with Teifi Writers, Welfare Hall, Llandysul, 2-4 pm Saturday 9th February 2008
List of Publications
Poetry:
This (Poetry Wales Press 1984)
Snaring Heaven (Seren 1990)
The Meaning of Flight (Seren 2005)
Novels:
Shifts (1988, 1990, 1997)
Griffri (1991,1994. French edition 2002)
Sidereal Time (1998)
Short fiction:
The Story of the Afanc King and the Sons of Teyrnon ( Gregynog 2006)
Non-fiction:
Cefn Golau: Shooting a Novelist (Gregynog 1996)
For children/I blant:
Nadolig Bob Dydd (Gomer 2000)
Christmas Every Day (Pont 2006)
Translation from Welsh:
Melog, a novel, by Mihangel Morgan (Seren 2005)
Re-imagining Wales: The Literary Review Vol. 44 No. 2, Fairleigh Dickinson University, USA (with Tony Curtis, 2001)
Five Essays on Translation (with Katja Krebs, 2005)
Moment of Earth: Poems & Essays in Honour of Jeremy Hooker (Celtic Studies Publications 2007)