You can read about the US launch of Edward Matthews’ Border Memories, including a fascinating interview exploring the book at https://viewpoint.pointloma.edu/viewing-the-border-as-a-space-for-transformation-in-eddie-matthews-border-memories/
Read More‘SALT’
Cultural Institute presents: author
Catrin Kean in conversation with
Alan Bilton
Catrin Kean has had her short stories published in Riptide Journal, Bridge House Publishing and The Ghastling. Her first novel, Salt, was the Wales Book Of The Year winner in 2021 and she is currently working on her second which is due to be published in 2024. She is also working on a feature film script and a collection of short ghost stories. Kean lives in the Garw valley with her partner and three ridgeback dogs.
Salt is based on the lives of Kean’s great-grandparents, who married in 1878.
It is their love story.
Cardiff in the late 1800s is grimy, crowded and grey, and Ellen, a domestic, dreams of escaping her dreary life there for the sea. When she falls in love with Samuel, a ship’s cook from Barbados, she is able to fulfil her fantasy by running away with him on a ship. Life at sea is brutal and dangerous, but it is a place where they can be free… Until circumstances force Ellen home, and the hardships of working class life and racism begin to poison their lives.
In partnership with Cover to Cover
Please note: Event delivered in English
To find out more and book your free tickets click here:
bit.ly/SaltCatrinKean
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We’re delighted to announce that Alan Bilton will host this year’s International Dylan Thomas Prize at The Great Hall, Swansea University, on Thursday May 11th.
Launched in 2006, the annual Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize is one of the most prestigious awards for young writers, aimed at encouraging raw creative talent worldwide. It celebrates and nurtures international literary excellence.
It is one of the UK’s most prestigious literary prizes as well as one of the world’s largest literary prizes for young writers. Awarded for the best published literary work in the English language, written by an author aged 39 or under, the Prize celebrates the international world of fiction in all its forms including poetry, novels, short stories and drama.
The prize is named after the Swansea-born writer, Dylan Thomas, and celebrates his 39 years of creativity and productivity. One of the most influential, internationally-renowned writers of the mid-twentieth century, the prize invokes his memory to support the writers of today and nurture the talents of tomorrow.
Apr 20
A hands-on, interactive workshop exploring different kinds of historical fiction
By The Hay Writers
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Thu, 20 Apr 2023 11:30 - 16:00 BST
The Threshing Barn Llwyn Celyn Cwmyoy Abergavenny NP7 7NE
The past is another country - but what does it mean to visit it? This hands-on, interactive workshop explores different kinds of historical fiction - from the most scrupulously authentic to the playful and parodic - exploring research, worldbuilding, language, voice and character. How do we build a fictional time-machine? How strange or familiar should the past seem? And what is the nature of historical 'truth'?
Writing Historical Fiction Tickets, Thu 20 Apr 2023 at 11:30 | Eventbrite
Read MoreTHE SILENCE PROJECT
Thursday 30 March
19:00-20:00
Taliesin Create
A BBC RADIO 2 BOOKCLUB PICK
'Engrossing and original, political and unpredictable, ‘The Silence Project’ will get people talking' - Bernardine Evaristo
Monster. Martyr. Mother.
On Emilia Morris's thirteenth birthday, her mother Rachel moves into a tent at the bottom of their garden. From that day on, she never says another word. Inspired by her vow of silence, other women join her and together they build the Community. Eight years later, Rachel and thousands of her followers around the world burn themselves to death.
In the aftermath of what comes to be known as the Event, the Community's global influence quickly grows. As a result, the whole world has an opinion about Rachel - whether they see her as a callous monster or a heroic martyr - but Emilia has never voiced hers publicly. Until now.
When she publishes her own account of her mother's life in a memoir called ‘The Silence Project,’ Emilia also decides to reveal just how sinister the Community has become. In the process, she steps out of Rachel's shadow once and for all, so that her own voice may finally be heard.
About the author
Carole Hailey completed an MA in Creative and Life Writing at Goldsmiths, University of London and a PhD in Creative Writing at Swansea University before being selected by the London Library as a 2020/21 Emerging Writer. The Silence Project was chosen for the Radio 2 Book Club hosted by Zoe Ball on her Breakfast Show and on BBC Sounds. It was published In February 2023 by Corvus, an imprint of Atlantic Books, and is their 2023 Lead Debut. The Silence Project was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize First Novel Award.
To register for FREE tickets:
* Please note this event will be delivered in English
Read MoreBORDER MEMORIES
Monday 20 March
19:00-20:00
Taliesin Create
Singleton Campus
Edward Matthews is a writer based in San Diego, California. He earned his PhD in Creative Writing from Swansea University in 2020. Border Memories is his first novel.
A staggeringly original and imaginative exploration of memory, identity and loss, set on the US/Mexican border in the near future"
Sol Andrews works for a San Diego start-up that traffics in the underground memory trade—harvesting memories from donors in Mexico and implanting them in Americans. He inherited the job from his brother, whose recent suicide left a hole in his life.
Sol’s newest client is Mr Bray—old, rich, well-connected, blind. Mr Bray has heard rumors of a mysterious graveyard in Tijuana where miracles are said to occur, a place that could restore his sight. He has tracked down a young librarian who knows the graveyard—Nora Rincón—but its location is buried in a childhood memory.
To register for FREE tickets:
Read MoreEdward Matthews will be signing copies of his terrific literary thriller, set on the US/Mexican border in the near future, at Cover to Cover, Mumbles, Swansea, on Saturday 18th March at 2pm. All welcome!
Read MoreSTRANGE ANIMALS
Thursday 9 March
19:00-20:00
‘Reading Strange Animals feels a bit like rummaging around in someone's well-travelled backpack full of old photographs, seashells, tarot, and countless precious found objects collected for "the passing of knowledge”. A brilliant new voice.’ – Roberto Pastore, Hey Bert (Parthian Books, 2019)
A Canadian grandchild of Dutch and Hungarian immigrants, in Strange Animals, Emily Vanderploeg explores issues of language, ritual, death and identity.
Published by Parthian in 2022 Strange Animals charts the author’s journey from childhood home to settling across an ocean, moving through the vagaries of modern love as she travels to new cities and a newfound maturity.
Originally from Aurora, Ontario, and a graduate of Swansea University, Emily now lives in Swansea, where she teaches creative writing to children and adults.
Read MoreThursday 16 February
19:00-20:00
Mumbles Tabernacle
Award winning novelist, screenwriter and musician Fflur Dafydd in conversation with Alan Bilton, author and Senior Lecturer of English Literature and Creative Writing at Swansea University.
Hauntingly written, with a fresh, captivating voice, The Library Suicides is an intensely memorable and provocative literary listen for fans of high concept thrillers that break the mould, and books about books and the concept of the written word.
To find out more and book your free tickets click here:
bit.ly/librarysuicides
Carolyn Lewis talks about her short story collection, ‘Some Sort of Twilight’ with Bristol 24/7, including an exclusive extract.
Read MoreAlan Bilton will be in conversation with the wonderful Kamila Shamsie at the Winter Hay Festival on Saturday 26th November at 2,30, discussing her new novel, ‘Best of Friends’. https://www.hayfestival.com/winter-weekend/home
Read MoreWar, Russia, Madness: the themes of Alan Bilton’s dreamlike take on the historical novel can be seen as an uncanny mirror of our own troubled times. Madness has been described as “the Russian disease”, and Bilton explores the theme through Russian literature and history, exploring ideas of “the Holy Fool” and the roots of the Slavic Soul.
Read MoreCultural Institute – Literary Salon Series
Wednesday 19th October 2022 | 7pm – 8pm | Taliesin Centre
‘Connective Tissue’
Jane Fraser in conversation with Alan Bilton
This collection of short fiction aims to define the sometimes indefinable and to give voice to those struggling to make sense of what life throws at them. The stories are tragic and comi-tragic, but all reveal the strength and complexity of the human spirit.
Jane Fraser
Jane Fraser is an award-winning fiction writer, based in the Gower peninsula, south Wales. Her debut novel Advent, published by Honno (2021), won the 2022 Society of Authors’ Paul Torday Memorial Prize. Her first collection of short fiction, The South Westerlies, was published by Salt (2019) and her second collection from Salt, Connective Tissue, is forthcoming in October 2022.
REGISTER HERE:
https://bit.ly/connectivetissue2022
Alan Bilton will be talking with Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer and Georgina Godwin about the idea of The Great European Novel at the Cheltenham Literary Festival on Wednesday 12th October 12-1 @CheltLitFest #cheltlitfest @ABiltonAuthor
Read MoreWhy live one life, when you could live a thousand? Sol works for a San Diego start-up that traffics in the underground memory trade—harvesting cherished memories from donors in Mexico and implanting them in Americans. Sol’s newest client is Mr. Bray—old, rich, well-connected, blind. Mr. Bray has heard rumors of a mysterious graveyard in Tijuana where miracles are said to occur. He has tracked down a young librarian who knows the graveyard—Nora Rincón—but its location is buried in a childhood memory. Sol’s task is simple—find Nora, build rapport, extract her memory. His reward: $100,000. But when Sol befriends Nora, he begins to understand who Mr. Bray is, what he wants, and what he is capable of—and realizes it might be too late to go back on their agreement…
Read MoreAmerican novelist, poet and essayist Patricia Lockwood, the winner of the £20,000 Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize 2022 with her debut novel, No One Is Talking About This. A woman known for her viral social media posts travels the world speaking to her adoring fans, her entire existence revolving around the internet – or what she terms ‘the portal'. Who are we serving, the portal asks itself. Are we all just going to keep doing this until we die? Suddenly, two texts from her mother appear: "Something has gone wrong" and "How soon can you get here?" As real life and the portal collide, she confronts a world that seems to contain both an abundance of goodness, empathy and justice, and evidence that proves the opposite. This is a love letter to the infinite scroll and a meditation on love, language and human connection.
Awarded for the best published literary work in the English language, written by an author aged 39 or under, the Prize celebrates the international world of fiction in all its forms including poetry, novels, short stories and drama. The prize is named after the Swansea-born writer, Dylan Thomas, and celebrates his 39 years of creativity and productivity – one of the most influential, internationally renowned writers of the mid-20th century. Join us to celebrate the 2022 winner – announced on 12 May. Alan Bilton is an author and member of the 2022 judging panel.
Patricia Lockwood will be appearing via video-link from her home in the USA.
Alan Bilton will be speaking at the Llandeilo Literary Festival on April 23rd at 6.30
Alan Bilton discusses his Russia-set novel, The End of The Yellow House, and explores War, Russia and Madness in both Russian history and the present day.
You can find out more at
and book on the Eventbrite page for this event
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/llandeilo-lit-fest-16877977571
and via the festival website via Book Tickets Saturday and Book Tickets Sunday pages
https://llandeilolitfest.org/saturday-progamme-and-tickets/
Painting the Beauty Queens Orange
@ABiltonAuthor will be in conversation with contributors @carolyn80815287 and Kate Cleaver, alongside editor @Rebecca_Writer, discussing 'Painting the Beauty Queens Orange' (@Honno), a new anthology exploring women's lives in the 1970s.
Wednesday 2nd February, Swansea University, Taliesin Annexe, 1-2pm.
REGISTER HERE: https://bit.ly/paintingbeautyqueens
Read MoreMichael Stein reviews The End of The Yellow House in the New Welsh Review
This "at-times brutal, at-times comic, at-times surreal but always gripping novel ... is very far from conforming to the rules of the mystery novel"
newwelshreview.com
Hannah's Bookshelf
@ABiltonAuthor will be talking to @BookshelfHannah on 'Hannah's Bookshelf' on North Manchester FM, on Saturday 18th September 2-4. If you're not fortunate enough to live in Greater Manchester, you can still listen live at https://hannahkate.net/north-manchester-fm-hannahs-bookshelf-saturday-18-september-2-4pm/
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