The rain may be lashing and the thunder rolling, but we are back at the beginning of another exciting writing year.
We are going to kick off our 45th year with announcing the results of our annual non-fiction competition.
This popular competition again received a good number of entries from both inside and outside Hay Writers’ Circle and we very much welcome external interest in all our writing competitions.
Our memorial prize, named in tribute to Richard Booth, the self-proclaimed “King of Hay”, who among many literary interests, was a keen supporter of the Hay Writers’ Circle. He sadly passed away in 2019, still in love with books, writers and his beautiful kingdom of Hay-on-Wye.
Dr. Alwyn Marriage is a poet, lecturer and writer, a member of the Society of Authors, and Managing Editor of the publishing house, Oversteps Books. She is also a Research Fellow in the School of English and Languages of the University of Surrey.
Alwyn is the author or editor of fifteen books, which include a number of poetry collections, a couple of non-fiction books, and two novels: Rapeseed and The Elder Race. Two recent poetry collections areIn the image: portraits of mediaeval women and Pandora’s Pandemic. Her latest collection, Possibly a pomegranate, was published in spring 2022 and her poetry, articles and reviews are published widely in newspapers, magazines, journals and on-line platforms.
Without further delay, here are the results :
The Richard Booth Prize for Non-Fiction Competition 2024
1st Prize – Five Photographs by Jean O’Donoghue
2nd Prize – The Whole Truth by Val Ormrod
3rd prize – The Awakening by Margaret Blake
Commended – An Ethiopean Journey by Angela Grunsell
2nd Place – Val Ormrod3rd Place – Margaret BlakeCommended – Ang GrunsellWinner of the Richard Booth Prize 2024 – Jean O’Donoghue
A full judge’s report and winning pieces to follow.
Congratulations once again to everyone who entered their work and a huge thank you to our judge, Dr. Alwyn Marriage.
We start our update today in congratulatory spirits. Earlier this week one of our members, Mark Bayliss, graduated from Cardiff University with an M.A. in Creative Writing. We are thrilled for Mark and delighted his steadfast dedication to writing and learning as reaped such rewards.
As Mark says, “My writing journey continues”.
But we all take this moment to celebrate his worthy success. Well done Mark!
Mark Bayliss 2024
Deadline Fast Approaching
This weekend, don’t forget to send your submissions for the Richard Booth Prize for Non-Fiction, 2024.
The closing date for entries is midnight Monday 22nd July 2024.
Anyone can enter this competition and our judge, Dr Alwyn Marriage, is looking forward to reading a diverse array of subjects. Pieces of writing of between 500 to 1250 words can be submitted and the theme is entirely open. Head over to our Competitions page for full details and to download the entry form.
Summer Gathering 2024
On Tuesday 16th July there was a choice of three things to celebrate; World Snake Day, Fresh Spinach Day (tempting?!), or Hay Writers’ Circle Annual Summer Lunch. Naturally, we chose the latter. Many of our members, arms laden with delicious cakes, quiches plus other summery delights (thankfully not including snakes or spinach), congregated at Cusop Village Hall to mark the end our writing year.
It was a terrific opportunity to meet up and commemorate 12 months of both individual, and group achievements, as well as our creative hopes for the future.
HWC Summer Lunch 2024 Cusop Village Hall
Summer Break!
Hay Writers’ Circle now breaks for the month of August and returns in September when our writing group will celebrate it’s 45th Birthday. We will continue to post any updates on the website etc. In the mean time, may we wish all our followers, from all over the world, a wonderful month ahead, and together we look forward to an inspirational Autumn to come.
We are delighted to announce the results of the Hay Writers Circle Poetry Competition 2024. This popular competition again received a good number of entries from both inside and outside Hay Writers’ Circle and we very much welcome external interest in all our writing competitions.
We must primarily take a moment to thank our wonderful 2024 Poetry Judge, Susan Evans who single-handedly read all the poems, whittled them down into a long list, then short list, then our ultimate set of winning poems, with one highly commended entry.
Susan said, “It has been a real honour and a privilege to read and re-read such an inspired batch of food-themed poems on behalf of the Hay Writers’ Poetry Competition, 2024. As a classically trained chef, I enjoyed a generous helping of poems that tickled my taste buds! As a lover of food and travel, I was transported, through cuisine, all over the world! (And feel exhilarated and jet-lagged in equal measure). As an activist, a few pinches of protest poetry served as a reminder to continue to act! And finally, as a performance poet, I could see and hear and smell and taste and touch all the poems; elevated from page to stage — something I had the pleasure of playing with, during my well received, live, performance poetry masterclass in Hay, last May…
But now, blindfolded and alone with a folder of completely anonymous poems… How does one even begin to judge such diversity of literary talent? And only guess, on an intimate level, what each poem must mean to their respective authors? So I shall say this, congratulations to all poetry judges…! Seriously, HUGE congratulations to all Hay Writers’ 2024 Poetry Competition entrants:
Every.Single.Poem.Is.Worthy (I see a fabulous food-themed anthology!)
How I came to make my final winning selections; which wasn’t a breeze by any means, was mostly based on a combination of personal interests and feelings evoked; poems that provoked, tickled, transported, and aroused; poems that spoke to me, personally. Yep, it’s that subjective. Don’t hate me. Re-submit!”
Finalists each receive detailed feedback from, Susan (below) which maybe helpful for any writer going forward. Moreover, a mini-commentary from Susan, for all placed poems will follow in due course. Thank you, Susan for all your hard work, we are immensely grateful.
As with all good competitions, we are announcing in reverse order:
The Longlist:
A Last Supper – Sarah Leavesley Beans a la Tost – Tammy Allen Charlie’s yogurt – Angela Grunsell Chocolatiers – Christian Donovan Cream Tease – Barbie Wyard Flapjack – Michelle Pearce For All – Nigelle Baskerville Food Factory – Martine Smith It – Lily King Leftovers – Jean O’Donoghue Panning for gold – Nick Thomas Second Helpings – Heather Moulson Survival – Val Ormrod Take Away – Catherine Smedley The Milk Bottle – Martine Smith Through a Mother’s Eyes – Mark Bayliss Toaster Crumbs – Christian Donovan Unwrapped – Michelle Pearce War Child – Val Ormrod Orphan Diner – Sam Ashton
The Shortlist:
A Dainty Dish – Kathy Miles Cannon-fodder – Sam Ashton hot cross buns – Helen Smith I am not Raymond Blanc – Jill Munro night custard – Helen Smith Night Out – Val Ormrod ode to a glass teacup – Helen Smith ON SUNDAYS – Doug Devaney Only Cousin – Heather Moulson Pancake Day – Lily King Rhubarb Cake, Germany 1968 – Birgitta Claus The Fruit Stall, Wheeler Road, Bangalore – Jon Magidsohn There is a subtle change of light – Diana Sanders WILD SUPPER – Rosemary Firman
Hay Writers’ Circle Poetry Competition 2024 – Winners!
First Prize – Cannon-fodder by Sam Ashton Second Prize – WILD SUPPER by Rosemary Firman Third Prize – ode to a glass teacup by Helen Smith Highly Commended – The Fruit Stall, Wheeler Road, Bangalore by Jon Magidsohn
The Winning Poem
Judge’s comments :
“Cannon-fodder: a powerful and important protest poem for our times, that which I kept returning to — hard not to; aware of bombs dropping, as I’m sat poetry judging … As a foodie, I fantasised that the overall ‘winning’ food-themed poem would be more feast than famine, and it was close, but I couldn’t let ‘Cannon-fodder’ go. Firstly, the poem’s title: Cannon-fodder, slang for ‘expendable…’ Then the repetition of: ‘Gunpowder, gunpowder,’ within rhyming couplets; a sinister re-imagining, in my mind, of nursery rhyme: ‘Pat-A-Cake Pat-A-Cake.’ The haunting chant: ‘Gunpowder, gunpowder’ as ‘food for the gun’ to ‘gorge over Gaza…’ Such rich, culinary language and word play throughout the poem, for such dark subject matter. The poem also shines a light on wars in ‘near-total information blackout’: ‘You yowl in the Yemen’s blood thirsty stew/Chaotic Sudan is your meaty chew.’ A fine example of literary activism literally filling in gaps in mainstream media; gaps which may take the pressure off governments to act. We are also reminded of profit over people in war: “They’re rich, worry not they have done their sums”’ Within the final stanza: ‘Would you allow bread for those on the run?’ I imagined those wonderful “Chefs for the People” of “World Central Kitchen,” (WCK) baking bread for fleeing refugees, in make-shift tents, and the tragedy of their clearly marked aid convoy in the Gaza Strip being targeted last April … a clever thing about the poem, “Cannon-fodder,” is that as immediate and accessible as the poem comes across, there’s space for the reader to imagine; as I have … and sadly, too many universal atrocities to apply a plethora of scenarios to — a chilling and thought-provoking piece. There were several, well worthy war poem entries — what also struck about “Cannon-fodder,” from a performance poetry perspective, is that I hear ‘Cannon-fodder’ on stage/soapbox, loud and clear; sending a protest message to the establishment, just as the late, great poet, Benjamin Zephaniah, et al would — I hope I get to hear this poem read/performed by the author one day, and I hope it helps to promote world peace.” “Cannon-fodder” is a particularly timely poem in the run up to the UK General Elections, 4 July 2024: ‘Nuclear weapons are a profound and existential threat to humanity. Instead of investing in weapons of mass destruction, we should be investing in our schools, hospitals and housing to ensure everyone can lead a happy and healthy life. That is what real security means.’ — Jeremy Corbyn
The Winning Poem
Cannon-fodder by Sam Ashton
Cannon-fodder. Gunpowder, gunpowder food for the gun, You gorge over Gaza, blocking the sun, You yowl in the Yemen’s blood thirsty stew Chaotic Sudan is your meaty chew . Gunpowder, gunpowder food for the gun. “Yes, Congo’s my snack, a land others shun. Ukraine is the feast I always enjoy While drug barons’ greed is sweet to employ.” Gunpowder, gunpowder food for the gun, Whose filling your stomach, ton after ton? “They’re rich, worry not they have done their sums; I’ll never starve though the world weeps for crumbs.” Gunpowder, gunpowder food for the gun, Would you allow bread for those on the run? “No! Shooting it up is such tasty fun, But don’t you blame me…….. I’m only the gun.”
Second Prize
Judge’s comments :
“WILD SUPPER” is an enchanting poem: a taste of the “Good Life.” I smiled all the way through the poem’s wild nature trail … the opening stanza sets the scene: ‘The sparrow chirruped/Mine is the seed stolen from the hanging basket/in the garden.’ As “WILD SUPPER” progresses, the poem feels fable-like, in how each bird, within each finely-woven verse, “speaks” of how nature takes care of itself, and shows us the necessity and beauty of biodiversity within its landscape: ‘The Robin sang/Mine is the worm tugged from the turned earth near the field’s ridge.’ The seventh and final verse delivers a charming and tasty surprise — beautifully orchestrated! And the last, solitary line, continues the theme of co-existence: ‘for my friends,’ simply heart-warming …
WILD SUPPER by Rosemary Firman
The sparrow chirruped Mine is the seed stolen from the hanging basket in the garden.
The wren piped Mine is the spider captured from the tangled web against the fence.
The blackbird called Mine is the berry plucked from the holly bush by the blackthorn.
The kite mewed Mine is the vole snatched from the long grass at the stream’s edge.
The robin sang Mine is the worm tugged from the turned earth near the field’s ridge.
The dove cooed Mine is the crumb pecked from the rough gravel on the garden path.
And mine? Mine is the fresh loaf baked by my love eaten on the garden step
listening to the coo, the song, the mew, the call, the pipe, the chirrup. Tomorrow I will scatter the stale crumbs for my friends.
Third Prize
Judge’s comments :
“ode to a glass teacup” is an exceedingly sensual poem, and it knows what it wants: ‘I want your smooth round belly/warm earth-made/mineral/magic’ The poem’s pace and passion is palpable—the poem barely takes a breath—no line breaks, and just two commas: ‘my lip, your lip’ I was so enthralled, I momentarily forgot that this is an “ode to a glass teacup.” We are still talking about tea, aren’t we….? Beautiful imagery: ‘your curves/holding the elixir/so fragrant within your womb/a flower unfurling’ Here, I imagine ‘Flowering Tea,’ whereby hot water, poured over floral bulb, unfurls — which is magical! “ode to a teacup” for me, shows immense art appreciation, and a gratifying relationship between art and life. A delicious ‘show don’t tell’ lyric poem; economical and sensual in its use of language; tapping into all the senses; allowing the reader to simply drink it in …
Ode to a teacup by Helen Smith
ode to a glass teacup i want your smooth round belly warm earth-made mineral magic pressed under pressure now so firm yet so fragile between my fingers that caress your delicate edges your curves holding the elixir so fragrant within your womb a flower unfurling at your centre i have never felt such beauty as this, hot and wet against my lips your offering my softness, your hard rim my lip, your lip kissing the wild heat of your making i am burning at your touch i am melting liquid as a sigh, as the heat you bring to my skin, to my belly as i roll your gift across my tongue and drink until i’m done
Highly commended:
Judge’s comments :
“The Fruit Stall, Wheeler Road, Bangalore”’ ‘bursts out of brick and dust…’ What an entrance! This high-octane poem has a joyous energy and vibrancy, throughout: ‘brightest rainbow this side of KR flower market.’ This poem is full of spills and thrills; barely able to contain itself; capturing the essence of the bustling Bangalore marketplace: ‘Heads bobbing over the parapet of Papayas, passion fruit’ Lovely alliteration. ‘green oranges wobble’/good morning the ladies/ ‘ca-lip ca-lipping in their chap-pals’/‘fluttering saris of persimmon and pear.’ We must be in India! References to chap-pals (flip-flops) and ‘saris’ in ‘persimmon and pear.’ Fruits describe `The ladies’ silk dress in vibrant orange and green; matching the colours of the exotic fruits of “The Fruit Stall.” Stunning. And fourth stanza: ‘After a heavy rain, when the filter of dust flattens, midday’s cool air smells like every kind of lassi.’ Mouth-watering. The poem settles here for a moment, and I can almost taste ‘every kind of lassi.’ (I love a lassi). ‘Space for any vendor, an old woman parks her custard apple cart at the corner….’ I sense an easy, inter-generational, community warmth within this stanza. And a spectacular sense of market-trader theatre, too: ‘Father and son, one by one, machete the heads off coconuts…’ The final stanza: ‘…and sounds that wrinkle western ears…’ I found myself trying to wrinkle my ears! I’m curious, and wonder if said ‘western ears’ are not fully appreciating the local sounds? And then a salutation to the sun and the poem is suspended in ‘sweet harmony.’ “The Fruit Stall, Wheeler Road, Bangalore” for me, is a tremendously transporting and uplifting poem, with its high-energy narration, juicy word play and bursts of colour from Bangalore!
The Fruit Stall, Wheeler Road, Bangalore by Jon Magidsohn
bursts out of brick and dust between the tailor and the hot chip man, the brightest rainbow this side of K R flower market. Heads bobbing over the parapet of papayas, passion fruit and green oranges wobble and good-morning the ladies ca-lip, ca-lipping in their chappals, fluttering saris of persimmon and pear. Three men, moustaches and pink shirts, who crew the kiosk little larger than a rowboat, will tear the crown off a pineapple for you, tell you the brown bananas, thumb-sized and honeyed, are the sweetest, insist their tamarind surpasses all others. After a heavy rain, when the filter of dust flattens, midday’s cool air smells like every kind of lassi. Space for any vendor, an old woman parks her custard apple cart at the corner; her friend puts chilli powder in a cup for guavas. Father and son, one by one, machete the heads off coconuts piled shoulder high, present each with a straw. in April, when the mango kings, Badami and Banganapalli, march into their royal boxes, queues lengthen like a jackfruit’s sinewy flesh; yellow-stained fingers from canoodling yesterday’s pips fondle bristly lychees. And jamun and mangosteen and carambola and sounds that wrinkle western ears and colours that reflect off pale skin and greet the sun with sweet harmony.
Huge congratulations to our winner, Sam Ashton, all our placed poets and everyone who entered our competition. Well done all!
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Hay Writers’ Circle send many heartfelt congratulations to Kandance Siobhan Walker and Tom Bullough for their individual successes at the Wales Book of the Years Awards 2024 – English Language Books. Both have been competition judges for HWC in the past; Kandance was our judge for the Frances Copping Memorial Prize for Fiction 2020, and Tom was last years’ judge for the Richard Booth Prize for Non Fiction.
Literature Wales writes of Cowboy – “The poems in Cowboy are knowing, millennial, internet-sick, funny, but there are deeper undercurrents, too: of embodied and disembodied spiritualities; of the knowledge of animals; of familial mythologies; of grief and longing; of autism and navigating diagnoses; of early and enduring disappointment; of the wildness underneath the smooth glass-and-chrome surfaces of contemporary life.”
To order your copy of Cowboy, Kandace Siobhan Walker from Cheerio Publishing – CLICK HERE
Tom Bullough“Sarn Helen”, Tom Bullough (Granta Books)
Winner: Overall Award & Creative Non-fiction Award
Sarn Helen, Tom Bullough (Granta Publications)
Literature Wales writes of Sarn Helen, “This is the account of Tom Bullough’s journey along Sarn Helen – Helen’s Causeway – the old Roman Road that runs from the south of Wales to the north. As Bullough walks the route, he explores the political, cultural and mythical history of this small country that has been divided by language and geography. Woven into this journey are conversations with climate scientists and the story of Tom’s engagement with the urgent issue of the climate crisis, showing us its likely impact on Wales, which is – in miniature – a vision of what lies ahead for us all.”
To order your copy of Sarn Helen, Tom Bullough from Granta Publications – CLICK HERE
To read more about Wales Book of the Year, their 2024 short lists and other 2024 wonderful winners in every category, please head over to the Literature Wales website – http://www.literaturewales.org
HWC are extremely grateful for all the time and effort each of our judges gives to our competitions. We remain constantly thankful for all their support and, like Kandace and Tom, wish them continued literary success.
Other News :
Excitement mounts as our 2024 Poetry Competition results are in! An announcement will be made on this website next week. Huge thank you to our judge, Susan Evans.
There’s Still Time …
… to enter our annual Non-Fiction Competition, The Richard Booth Prize 2024. This year we are thrilled to confirm that the judge for our Non-Fiction Competition is Dr. Alwyn Marriage.
Everyone is welcome to enter, the theme is entirely up to you and the closing date for submissions is 22nd July 2024.
For full competition guidelines and entry forms etc., please go to our Competitions page.
Don’t forget to stay up to date with all HWC news – subscribe with your email address in the box below.
Submissions are now invited for our annual Non-Fiction Competition, The Richard Booth Prize 2024, named after one of Hay-on-Wye’s most notable residents and it’s self proclaimed ‘King of Hay’. Richard was always a great supporter of books, Hay-on-Wye and of course, local writers.
Sadly, Richard passed away in 2019, but his name lives on everywhere in Hay, including this writing prize which he so graciously sponsored during his lifetime and we continue to honour in his memory.
Richard Booth (King of Hay) 1938-2019
This year we are thrilled to confirm that the judge for our Non-Fiction Competition is Dr. Alwyn Marriage.
Dr. Alwyn Marriage is a poet, lecturer and writer, a member of the Society of Authors, and Managing Editor of the publishing house, Oversteps Books. She is also a Research Fellow in the School of English and Languages of the University of Surrey.
Alwyn is the author or editor of fifteen books, which include a number of poetry collections, a couple of non-fiction books, and two novels: Rapeseed and The Elder Race. Two recent poetry collections areIn the image: portraits of mediaeval women and Pandora’s Pandemic. Her latest collection, Possibly a pomegranate, was published in spring 2022 and her poetry, articles and reviews are published widely in newspapers, magazines, journals and on-line platforms.
Dr Alwyn Marriage
Richard Booth Prize Non-Fiction Competition2024
Without further delay, here are the Non-Fiction Competition details :
This is an open competition meaning – ANYONE CAN ENTER
The closing date for entries is midnight Monday 22nd July 2024. Any entries received after this date will not be considered.
Criteria
· Entries must be entirely the work of the entrant and by submitting you are confirming that the work is your own. Any evidence to the contrary will result in immediate disqualification.
· Entries must not have been published, self-published, published on any website, blog, social media, or online forum, broadcast nor winning or placed (as in 2nd, 3rd, runner up etc.) in any other competition.
· If your entry has been long-listed or shortlisted in other competitions and provided it has not won a prize or been published, it is eligible.
· Simultaneous submissions are allowed but will become ineligible should they win a prize elsewhere or be published prior to the date of prize giving. Entry fees will not be refunded. You must inform us immediately should your entry be published or win a prize elsewhere.
· Entries submitted posthumously are not eligible.
· Entries must be a minimum of 500 words and a maximum of 1250 words. The theme is entirely open. Title is not included in the line count.
· We will disqualify entries if they are named or over the line limit. If you forget to add the title or line count your entry will NOT be disqualified.
· The closing date for entries is midnight on Monday 22nd July 2024. Any entries received after this date will not be considered.
Entries
· Please use a good-sized text (12pt preferred), and clear typeface (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, Courier, or Comic Sans) as a courtesy to our judge, with single spacing between lines and double spacing between paragraphs.
· All entries are judged anonymously. Your name or any contact details must NOT appear on your entry. Please put your name, title, and contact details on the booking form only. Please do not include your name in the file name.
· Please put the title and word count at the beginning of your entry. Please number your pages and secure them together if you are submitting a hard copy.
· We would prefer entries via email but will also accept hard copies.
· Via email: Send your entry to haywriterscompetitions@outlook.com as a pdf attachment with a completed copy of the form overleaf attached. Please write ‘competition entry’ in the subject box.
· Via post: Send your printed entry to – The HWC Competition Secretary, 3 Crug View, Silver Street, Llanfaes, Brecon, Powys, LD3 8BL, with a completed copy of the form overleaf attached.
The entry form and full competition details can be downloaded here –
In April this year Spelt Magazine identified a placed piece of writing, from one of their annual competitions, had been submitted by an individual discovered to be a serial plagiarist. The news shocked and saddened the not only everyone at Spelt, but also rippled through the hard working, honest and conscientious multitudes connected to the writing and publishing industry.
As Wendy Pratt (Founder and Editor in Chief of Spelt Magazine) said, “it hurts me, personally, to know that we have platformed a writer who has built their reputation on the backs of other writer’s hard work.”
Hay Writers’ Circle completely acknowledges, supports and concurs with Spelt’s view on plagiarism. We thank them for their bravery in drawing this unpleasant subject to all our attentions and the professional way they have moved forward after it’s discovery.
Don’t forget to subscribe with your email address in the box below.
Wasn’t it fun! Didn’t we all have a great time, saw an array of interesting events and bought lots and lots of terrific books!
Our sell-out Hay Writers Live! event took place on Thursday 30th May. A varied programme containing new works, with an emphasis this year on writing inspired by the creative exercises we do at our meetings. Our eager, well travelled audience was engaged, attentive and very responsive. A huge thank you to everyone who came along and supported us, it was greatly appreciated and from the feed back, we are so glad you enjoyed our work.
Hay Writers’ Circle is extremely grateful to the Hay Festival for it’s continued, unwavering support of our writing group and the amazing opportunity it gives us to share our writings with the festival crowd. We would like to highlight the incredible work of Hay Festival Bookshop Manager Gareth Howell-Jones, our magical venue door crew, our online media creator Bethan Evans, photographer-supreme Billie Charity, Program Manager par excellence Heather Salisbury, and of course, Mr Media himself, Chris Bone; all are a credit to Hay Festival and we would like to extend a special “thank you”, for all your hard work, professionalism and diligence.
Hay Festival 2025 will take place Thursday 22 May to Sunday 1 June, with the Hay Festival Winter Weekend, 28 November–1 December 2024, but you can re-live online many of the highlights of Hay Festival 2024 and before, with Hay Festival Anytime – CLICK HERE
Remembering Lyn Webster Wilde (15th February 1950 – 28th April 2024)
by Emma van Woerkom
Lyn Webster Wilde
Over the years Hay Writers’ Circle has been fortunate to receive creative help and direction from exceptional individuals. Lyn Webster Wilde was one of those. Her notable career as a Senior Producer with the BBC on documentary series’ including Brass Tacks, as well as a television producer and director on the ground breaking comedy series Revolting Women.
Post BBC Lyn bought and converted an abandoned Welsh hill-chapel and published 2 books. Her entry on the Royal Literary Fund website describes,
“Lyn Webster Wilde writes non-fiction and fiction, and something that walks the line between the two.On the Trail of the Women Warriors(1999) asks whether the Amazons of Greek myth really existed, whileBecoming the Enchanter(2003), an account of her investigations into the hidden world of Britain’s native traditions, has become a cult among young seekers after truth… Lyn is a creative-writing tutor for the Open University and runs independent writing workshops in her chapel home, perched on a hillside in mid-Wales overlooking Brechfa pool and the Black mountains.”
It was at these all day workshops at Brechfa Chapel, often in good weather, sitting between gravestones as curlews flew overhead that HWC members crafted and pushed their writing under Lyn’s inspirational guidance. I never left without words of encouragement, a succinct critic, or a piece of writing that had a future. Lyn was always interesting and interested. She listened to ideas, she made us think harder, motivated our thought processes, always propelling us onwards for the better.
Her funeral service at St. Margaret’s Church, Newton St Margaret, at nearly 800ft above sea level and overlooking the landscape she loved, contained poems from Rumi, R.S. Thomas, T.S. Eliot and magnificent English and Welsh readings of The Englyns of Gwydion from the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi.
I for one take this opportunity to celebrate the life of a truly remarkable warrior woman. Thank you Lyn.
N.B. The landscape photograph heading this article is the view of Brechfa Pool Lyn’s Chapel overlooked. I took it in 2014 during a lunch break while at one of Lyn’s workshops.
Images celebrating Lyn from family and friends.
Bella Bathhurst talks ‘Field Work‘
The Hay Writers are delighted to celebrate local authors and this month we will hear from Bella Bathurst about her recent publication, Field Work : What land does to people and what people do to land.
Bella is a writer who also makes furniture. Her books include The Lighthouse Stevensons, winner of the 1999 Somerset Maugham Award, The Wreckers, which became a BBC documentary and was shortlisted for the CWA Crime Writer’s Award, and Radio 4 Book of the Week Sound. Bella’s latest book, Field Work was published by Profile in April 2021.
Field Workby Bella Bathurst – “If the bureaucrats and the incomers saw this place horizontally then Bert saw it vertically. Down through the soil and deep through the generations. He saw the boundaries between his land and the next with the same us-and-them finality a Londoner might see the hidden borders of gang territories. This field here, this tree, this beast, was as intimate to him as family, but that field there belonging to his neighbour, that was foreign land, as far from him as the Arctic. This was home, that was away. For him, Rise wasn’t an income or a classification or a family or a business or a job. It was everything.”
For information about Bella, her books, furniture and more go to her website – CLICK HERE
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You are warmly invited to a celebration of local writing as members of the Hay Writers’ Circle share some of their recent work. A smorgasbord of poetry, prose, vignettes and excerpts from longer works, this is a fabulous chance to enjoy readings and performances from some of Hay-on-Wye’s established writers and newest voices.
To find out more about the group do please come along to our performance and join us for a drink in the Festival Bar afterwards.
Thursday 30 May 2024, Event 255 – 5.30pm – (page 78 in the physical programme.) Writers at Work Hub – Hwb Awduron wrth eu Gwaith CLICK HEREto book your ticket.
Performance Poetry Masterclass with Susan Evans – Review
Corinne’s Chocolate cake!
What can we say. She came, she saw, she conquered! Bravo to Susan for an energetic, inspiring workshop. We loved it!
A couple of the many reviews from those who attended below, but all of them were united in their opinion.
Katy wrote, “It’s no exaggeration to say that she smashed it. Susan exceeded all our expectations. She shot for the moon and we all got there..”
Hilary remarked, “What a wonderful afternoon with Susan Evans. Really enjoyed it and didn’t she get the best out of us!”
Martine Smith wrote, “On Tuesday 16th April 2024 Hay Writers and guests were privileged to have Susan Evans give an informative and interesting insight into the art of performing our works to a live audience.
Her infectious enthusiasm made us relax and enjoy the opportunity to turn our writings into drama. We had so much fun and with tea and a fantastic chocolate cake prepared by Corinne that time slipped away before we could receive critiques.
We agreed that another workshop from Susan in 2025 will be a great addition to our exciting programme of events.“
Susan Evans is a multi-award-winning, multi-disciplinary artist, poet, writer, author and educator from working-class East London, of Irish and anglo Indian parentage. She lives and writes in her spiritual home of Brighton, UK. Susan has a BA in Theatre with Visual Arts Practice, a Post Graduate Certificate in Education; both from the University of Brighton, and an MA in Arts Therapy (Drama) from the University of Roehampton. She is also a classically trained chef; a culinary artist of distinction from Brighton MET. Susan was employed full-time, for twenty-five years, within the fields of arts and well-being, largely within the charity sector, across London and the South-East, and was writer and editor on a variety of in-house publications. Susan won a number of awards for innovation in engaging ‘hard to reach’ individuals, groups and audiences, before venturing freelance in 2014; writing and touring from London to New York, as an acclaimed spoken word artist. A stage and page poet, Susan is widely anthologised and published in various, magazines and journals; nationally and internationally. Her poetry themes include food and travel, see Barcelona: CLICK HERE
CLICK HERE for Susan Evans’ debut poetry collection, Shift Happens (2020)
For any group considering a Poetry Performance Workshop HWC would heartily recommend Susan. For more information, please contact Susan Evans direct.
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Four Authors – One Book Launch @ North Books, Hay.
Four poets from the Hay Writers’ Circle will release their latest work. A free launch event with coffee and cake available to purchase on the morning. No booking required.
Michelle writes, “Four Pamphleteers, Catherine, Lily, Ange & myself came together in March 2023, and so began a series of delightful face-to-face meetings where we shared our poetry, made suggestions for inclusion, editing, ordering and together journeyed through all the minute detail needed to produce a poetry pamphlet.
As well as a creative journey it was also a very practical one – we had to look closely at how a poetry book / pamphlet is put together and to decide on all the small details of what look we wanted for the pamphlets – essentially pared down, simple, clean and identifiable as a set.
For printing we used Lloyd Power in Llandrindod Wells who has been great, and who managed to find someone to do ‘perfect binding’ for us which felt a lot better than a couple of staples!
As things developed it seemed to make good sense to create a press, and so The Nuthatch Press was born – a small press which aims to bring well-crafted, accessible writing to the light. It’s strap line is writing, naturally – a press for people who don’t want to write but who do write, who can’t help writing, one which is committed to well crafted-writing rooted, somewhere, somehow, in some way, in the natural world.”
You are invited to come to a multi author book launch on Friday 10th May 10-12noon at North Books, 4 Castle Street, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5DF email jules@northbooks.co.uk for further details. Each poet will read a few poems in this beautiful bookshop, sign copies and there will be coffee, tea and cake available too!
In shops the pamphlets are priced at £7, private sale discounted to £6 and purchasing all 4 books as a set is £20
The Pamphlets are for sale / going on sale in the following bookshops –
Still a few places available to join us at the inspirational Landmark Trust property, The Threshing Barn, Llwyn Celyn for an exciting event delving into the world of crime fiction and narrative.
Whether you’re a seasoned writer or a curious reader, this event is perfect for anyone interested in the art of crafting compelling crime stories. Learn from author and lecturer in Creative Writing at Swansea University, Dr Alan Bilton, and join The Hay Writers’ Circle to immerse yourself in the thrilling world of mysteries and suspense. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to explore the secrets behind plotting the perfect crime!
DETAILS : Date : Tuesday 7th May, 2024 Time : 12pm – 4pm (bring own packed lunch) Location : Threshing Barn, Llwyn Celyn, NP7 7ND (Landmark Trust property) Booking : Tickets available via Eventbrite –CLICK HERE Cost : £15 Workshop Leader :Alan Bilton
Hay Festival – Hay Writers Live!
Hay Festival 2024 – The Hay Writers Live!
You are warmly invited to a celebration of local writing as members of the Hay Writers’ Circle share some of their recent work. A smorgasbord of poetry, prose, vignettes and excerpts from longer works, this is a fabulous chance to enjoy readings and performances from some of Hay-on-Wye’s established writers and newest voices.
To find out more about the group do please come along to our performance and join us for a drink in the Festival Bar afterwards.
Thursday 30 May 2024, 5.30pm Writers at Work Hub – Hwb Awduron wrth eu Gwaith CLICK HEREto book your ticket.
Join us at the inspirational Landmark Trust property, The Threshing Barn, Llwyn Celyn for an exciting event delving into the world of crime fiction and narrative.
Whether you’re a seasoned writer or a curious reader, this event is perfect for anyone interested in the art of crafting compelling crime stories. Learn from author and lecturer in Creative Writing at Swansea University, Dr Alan Bilton, and join The Hay Writers’ Circle to immerse yourself in the thrilling world of mysteries and suspense. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to explore the secrets behind plotting the perfect crime!
This workshop is open for anyone to attend but pre-booking is essential.
Dr Alan Bilton teaches Creative Writing, Literature and Film at Swansea University. He is the author of three novels, The Sleepwalkers’ Ball (2009), The Known and Unknown Sea (2014) and The End of The Yellow House (2020), as well as a collection of short stories, Anywhere Out of the World (2016), and books on silent film, American fiction, and the 1920s. He was a jury member for the Dylan Thomas International Prize in 2022, and has appeared at the Hay, Edinburgh and Cheltenham Literary Festivals.
We are excited to announce the results of our 2024 Frances Copping Memorial Prize for Fiction Competition, named in fond remembrance of our Lifetime President who sadly passed away in 2020.
This popular competition again received a good number of entries from both inside and outside Hay Writers’ Circle and we very much welcome external interest in all our writing competitions.
Frances CoppingDr. Carolyn Lewis
Our judge this year was the Dr Carolyn Lewis. She commented that, “Overall, the stories surprised me in terms of the bleakness of the characters’ lives – there were dead bodies all around and the stories offered little in the way of joy or redemption. Whilst I’m no Mary Poppins, I wanted to read something that lifted me, albeit for a short while... However, on a brighter note, the plotting in many of the stories was well handled, innovative and thought provoking and a lot of the characters will stay with me for a long time.”
We are extremely grateful to Carolyn for all her work judging this competition, including the written comments she made for the prize winners – going forward, such useful comments can hone writing skills for the future.
Without further delay, here are the results!
1st Place: ‘Don’t Panic’ by Helen Smith
2nd Place: ‘Empty Seat’ by Mark Bayliss
3rd Place: ‘Small Comforts’ by Lily Rose King
Judge’s Comments:
1st. Place – “Don’t Panic – this is exceptionally well written. the writing is stripped back and the narrator’s voice is handled well. The writing flows, indeed there were no flat spots at all. The narrator’s anguish is handled well and the descriptions are evocative.“
2nd Place – “Empty Seat – this is an intriguing story with an unusual narrator. The descriptive passages work well and I found the writing visual and engaging.“
3rd Place – “Small Comforts – the narrator, Layla, is well written and the reader understands her distress and the turmoil she has endured. Her loneliness and her solitary life are handled well.“
Our 2024 winners :
Helen SmithMark BaylissLily Rose King – Photo Credit Billy Charity/Hay Festival
“Well done to all the entrants, writing for a short competition is no easy thing so they’re all to be congratulated.” Dr Carolyn Lewis
The 2024 Frances Copping Fiction Competition Winner by Helen Smith
don’t panic
We’re in the parking lot; Jenkintown Whole Foods, Philadelphia. I’m in your car. It’s locked, the keys that now swing from my hand wrestled unwilling from your slender fingers, shoppers pausing to glance, to frown. Hurrying on by. Steering their children to another aisle. I barely noticed, but you did. You hate it when we make a scene.
I watched those fingers, a year and an ocean away, form tentative shapes over the black and white of the piano keys in your house by the sea. Threaded my own quietly through them as the moon rose behind the curtain, guiding. Drew out a halting music, soft and new and tender, a question and a promise.
The keys bite into my palm as I watch your fingers now curl around your cigarette, flick ash against the side of the concrete bollard where you chose to sit. I watch you as you stare out across the fairway, the curve of your long spine turned from me. I switch the music on, dial it up loud. Your playlist fills the car, and I drown in it.
bones sinking like stones, all that we fought for
You throw the stub of your cigarette to the asphalt, grind it beneath your toe. You’re wearing the shoes I bought for you, specialist barefoot trainers imported from Poland. You love those shoes. I love the way your feet move on the pavement, through the forest. The only feet that could keep up with mine, across fields, plunging down woodland banks, your long legs, long stride, matching my determined speed.
An SUV passes between us. Parks. A family exits; young mother, two toddlers. The horn beeps as the car locks. They cross the lot. You roll another cigarette, stuff the tobacco pouch and the papers
back into your pocket. You know I hate it when you smoke. Hate the smell, how it clings, lingers on your clothes, on your tongue. How I can still smell it hours later, exhaling from the pores of your skin.
I’ve never smoked. Never will. I hate it. Hate you. Hate how I still want you. How even now, my belly tightens at the shape of you, smoke rising. You look edgy, dangerous, exciting, there on the concrete in a city foreign to me as you are, a country I am still learning.
homes, places we’ve grown, all of us are done for
I rest my hand on the stick shift. It’s too hot under my palm, my dress already sticking to my back, to the seat, in the sweat of the east coast summer. I’ve never driven an automatic. Or a left hand drive. My right foot settles on the pedal, left momentarily searching for a clutch that isn’t there. It’s been half an hour. Long enough for the vegetables to wilt in their bags, nestled in the passenger footwell.
We’d laughed, in the air-conditioned aisles, over my hastily written shopping list. Aubergine, courgette, coriander. You dug a pencil from your bag, leaned over my shoulder to scrawl eggplant, zucchini, cilantro. Your breath tickled my ear. I reached on tiptoe to ruffle your hair, kiss your cheek. Your lips brushed mine for a moment, leaving me for the dairy aisle.
The air in the car is heavy, stifling. You take out your phone. Dial a number – a friend, no doubt, to take you home. I have no home, not any more. Caught, transatlantic, in your web. I start the engine and you look up, but you do not turn. The parking lot is busy, someone’s unloading their shopping two spaces down from you, too much noise to identify the familiar cough of the engine, always temperamental. I push the stick into drive, release the handbrake, ease the accelerator.
and we live in a beautiful world, yeah we do, yeah we do
Last summer you drove me the length of Scotland, my feet on the dash, windows down even in the rain. Stopping in tiny highland towns for croissants and kiwi fruits, eaten in the bleak beauty of empty ski resorts as the clouds thickened. Here we eat peanuts, tossing the broken shells out onto the interstate as the hot wind lets fly our hair and our promises. I take one from the glove compartment as I crawl between the parked cars. Crush it in my palm, letting the fragments of shell fall to the footwell, the salty nut into my open mouth.
You stand then. Turn. Your hand falls from your ear, phone left to hang at your side. I’m closer to you now, close enough to see the frown pucker the skin of your brow as you see me, recognition dawning. I’m distracted for a moment, just a moment, by your beauty. The way the afternoon sun falls between the apartments, trees, across the fairway, to glance off your curls and frame you in its light.
Even in the harsh striplights of the store, you could only ever be beautiful. I’d watched you turn the corner as I put tomatoes in the basket. Mushrooms, scallions, garlic. Followed you, then, to the tune of the piped music, a dance in my step. Your hand was on the milk, your eyes on her. Your body tilting towards her, pulled into her gravity. Her lips softly curling upwards as she spoke. It had only happened once, you’d said. I was an ocean away and you were lonely, that was all. It meant nothing. It meant nothing. The touch of her hand, now, on your arm was not nothing. I knew, then. I knew.
Someone calls your name. Your eyes stutter past me. Your hand raises, and I follow the curve of it, the way your long fingers loosen into a half wave. And she is there, stepping out into the sun. I floor the accelerator. Haul the wheel sharply left. Towards her. The tyres screech. Someone screams. You say something, your mouth moving in my periphery. I don’t hear you. I don’t care. She sees me. She runs. You run. Towards each other. The car lurches.
oh, all that I know, there’s nothing here to run from
All of us are done for.
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And finally – Poetry Competition and Masterclass Reminders
Our 2024 Poetry Competition closes midnight 9th April. To enter your poem on the theme of FOOD please head over to our Competitions page.
Limited places are still available at our one-off Performance Poetry Masterclass with our competition judge, Susan Evans. Reserve your place via the Eventbrite link on our Events page.
Don’t forget to subscribe with your email address in the box below.
THE HAY WRITERS 