Tag Archives: Books

Hay Festival Winter Weekend, a Brief Book Review and Competition Reminder

The wonderful Hay-on-Wye Christmas Lights have been switch on and the whole of the town is illuminated with the bright lights of literature, imagination and ideas.

We’ve enjoyed animated discussions, art, storytelling, comedy, music, family workshops, seasonal markets, the splendid Hay Castle and of course, many many bookshops. We’ve queued in the cold, in the darkness, but always warmed by tales from our fellow adventuring companions, many of whom have travelled from afar just for a taste of our home town of Hay. We hope they all had the best time and look forward to seeing them again very soon… Continue reading

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Lynn Trowbridge, 102 and still Remarkable. Hay Festival Winter Weekend coming soon and Enter our Fiction Competition 2025

The Remarkable Lynn Trowbridge

by Shane Anderson

Taking on the leadership of any community group, particularly such a well-respected and dynamic one as Hay Writers’ Circle (HWC), is not a task to be taken on lightly. It requires focus, commitment and no small amount of energy. Fortunately for happy foot soldiers like myself, there are those impressive souls who not only enjoy such a challenge but relish it… Continue reading

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HWC AGM: Committee Voted In & Members Leaving Us, Plus Richard Booth Prize 2025 – 3rd Place Winner.

HWC AGM 2025

How quickly our writing year is up and running again! Our Annual General Meeting enjoyed not only many positive reports from it’s Committee, but also a number of exciting plans and adaptations for the coming year ahead. All thanks to everyone who brainstormed ideas during our summer blue-sky-meeting.

We are delighted that the following Committee Members have been re-appointed. Continue reading

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Richard Booth Prize 2025 – Winners Announced.

We are delighted to begin this week with 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… Continue reading

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Summer Heat, Competition Closed and A Short Story.

“We’re Having a Heatwave” (part 4)

As the fourth heatwave of the summer looks to arrive tomorrow, and every flavour of ice cream has already been selected, tasted, and speedily devoured. We’ve also mulled the latest hosepipe restrictions, watched our runner beans shrivel in the sunshine plus, all the strawberries have gone and there are literally wasps everywhere! There are, of course, some of us who are looking hopefully for a cooling autumnal breeze on the horizon. Perhaps next week? Next month? Who can tell? Continue reading

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Blue Sky Thinking, Annual Summer Lunch and 11 days Left to Enter our Non Fiction Competition.

Blue Sky Meeting

“There is nothing permanent except change”, Heraclitus.

Every few years we create the opportunity for a group get-together wholly focusing on developing and evaluating the direction of our group. We call it our “Blue Sky” event. We discuss in subgroups topics ranging from meeting agendas and locations, data protection and communication, social media and writing projects, local community events and competitions…..plus everything else that a writer’s circle does in between… Continue reading

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Workshop Report: Breaking The Rules Of Fiction, and Non Fiction Competition Open To All

Breaking the rules of fiction – a workshop with Alan Bilton

Article written by HWC Chair, Corinne Harris.
Photos by Ange Grunsell

On Tuesday 17th June, fifteen of us met in Clyro Village Hall for this workshop.  Alan started with a concise summary of the rules of fiction, and of the expectations readers have of work in a particular genre.  He then, with a series of interactive exercises, encouraged us to break the rules he had just outlined… Continue reading

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New Writing from Lily Rose King and Nick Thomas, Plus 2025 Richard Booth Prize for Non-Fiction – Competition now OPEN!

It’s always such a pleasure to begin this recent update with writing from members of Hay Writers’ Circle. This article contains work from both Lily Rose King and Nick Thomas… Continue reading

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More Prize Winning Poems, plus Hay Writers Live! Anytime

Showcasing inspiring writing has always been at the heart of Hay Writers’ Circle, so we are delighted to reveal the 2nd and 3rd placed poets and poems from our recent 2025 Poetry Competition.

Thank you to our amazing 2025 Poetry Judge, Gareth Writer-Davies whose comments on the prize winning pieces are printed below. Also, congratulations once again to our 2025 winner, David Shields whose poem, “Old Mortality”, accompanied by the judge’s feedback is featured in our previous online article – HERE. Well done!… Continue reading

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Hay Festival Sell-Out Success, and “Stepping Out With an ‘E’ ” from Martine Smith

Isn’t it fun! Aren’t we all have the greatest time, seeing loads of interesting events and buying lots, and lots, and lots of books!  If, like me, your answer is a resounding YES! then you will already be heading over to the Hay Festival website to buy more tickets – we’ve got days and days still to enjoy! Continue reading

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