The Richard Booth Prize for Non-Fiction 2026

This is a timely reminder that there is less than one week to go before the deadline for our Non-Fiction Competition – The Richard Booth Prize 2026. We are thrilled that award winning author, Ruth Pavey, is our judge this year, and we hope to receive some fascinating entrees.

Full details on how to enter can be found on our COMPETITIONS page.

Time to get writing!

Creative Writing Workshop with Holly Müller

Unanimously positive feedback from all who attended the “Mask” creative writing workshop in Clyro Village Hall recently – a great day of writing and creativity – thank you Holly!

Catherine Smedley wrote : The ‘Masks’ workshop with Holly was stimulating, explorative, thought provoking.

We looked at how characters might alter their behaviour or ‘presentation of self’ in different company or context. One exercise invited us to construct a short sketch of a scenario or dialogue where one character witholds something ( truth, emotional clarity, time or attention ) from the other/ others.

Here’s an example of a response to this exercise:

We were sat around Mme Benauds vast oak dining table, nine altos from the choir sharing a light supper, inbetween dress rehearsal and the evening performance. Mme. Gilbert began to recount a recent event held in the communal hall of our village. All residents had been summoned by the Maire, who had descended from his tractor and donned his sash of office. He began his speech by instructing everyone on the intricacies of the new system for recycling rubbish. Then he called to the stage anyone in the community who had produced a family of four or more children. Bouquets, medals and certificates were ceremoniously presented to the couples to polite applause. Mme Benaud was hugely impressed to hear about this inspired government initiative for encouraging population growth. Around the table heads nodded in agreement in earnest and pious support for the role of mother, a womans duty to be in the home, raise children and reinforce the fabric of society. They even declared that it was an act of selfishness to reject that role.

I caught the eye of Madeleine, sitting opposite me across the table. She was the only one present not oblivious to the fact that I was childless. We’d talked intimately about why that was the case. I wondered if she would take part in the conversation, confirming her support for the maternal stereotype or offering another viewpoint perhaps, another way of thinking on my behalf. But she remained silent. I was the only one present who knew that while she complied with the role of a good catholic wife and mother of five children, during the week when her husband was working in Paris, she was having a passionate affair with the cheeseman.

Nick Thomas wrote : All day event in Clyro village hall with an excellent lunch courtesy of Corrine.

Workshop essentially about characterisation and the way people mask themselves.

Initially a free writing exercise then various examples with dynamic short exercises. The exercises were lists from which you could choose, e.g. different social backgrounds, or a capable person pretends to be stupid, or an unexpected visitor etc.
Literary references to Alias Grace, Margaret Atwood and Remains of the day, Ishiguro.

Holly Muller, mask exercise – An unexpected visitor arrives immediately after a couple have an argument.

The doorbell rings.
“Who the hell is that?”
“I’ll go dear.”
“Oh come in Fiona.”
“It’s Fiona with the eggs I ordered.”
“Tell her to F off.”
“Sorry dear I didn’t catch that.”
“Do come in Fiona.”
“Nick’s just about to go into the garden.”
“Aren’t you Nick.”
“No.”
“Oh go on, the onions need weeding.”
“Fuck your onions.”.
“Sorry Fiona he’s feeling a bit bilious today, it’s his leg.”
“Oh I understand, dad’s the same.”

Of course he’s not, her dad Eric is a true gentleman. Never raises his voice. Has PAs from his time in the film industry, some years ago now, who still ring him every week to chat.

“Would you like a cup of tea Fiona?”
“No thank you Janet, I’d better be going.”

Fiona goes to the front door, leaving hurriedly.

“Where are you you bastard?” cries Janet.

Hallmark Movies on location in Hay-on-Wye

During the midst of our recent heatwave, no one could have failed to notice the unseasonal amounts of snow on certain windowsills in Hay-on-Wye. The Christmas trees beside Santa’s Sleigh in the Honesty Bookshop, or the large number of vehicles, cameras, cranes, road closures, and all manner of technical people busying themselves along our town’s narrow streets. It was exciting and a little intriguing to behold, and gave us all something to talk about.

Then came the notices for volunteers to be film extras, requests to borrow a shop till, and then a letter from Doubly Booked Ltd confirmed it all – “Hallmark are currently in production of ‘Doubly Booked’, a cosy Christmas film set in Hay-on-Wye.” starring Rachael Leigh Cook.

How wonderful! Thank you Hallmark for coming to Hay. We look forward to seeing our small town in your film later this year.

Something from the Archives

HWC Magazine 2003, Issue 4, page 27.

MARY’S MEADOW by Sylvia Haines

Buttercup shines the meadow
all other flowers before,
while clover and lesser trefoil
hide near the hayfield floor.

Hard heads and hemlocks
cover the grass, above
moon daisies and rattles,
near the hedge, tall foxglove.

While in a boggy corner
treasured globe flowers gold,
buttercup’s showy relation,
a rare sight to behold!

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