Review: “Sheep Shagger” by Niall Griffiths

This is a grim yet sometimes comic tale about a young Welsh man, Ianto, or sheep shagger as some English call him in the book, whose misfortunes and troubles cause a lot of mayhem.
Told in various strands of narrative this is a demanding read as much as it is a very gripping and entertaining one. One strand consists of nothing but uncommented dialogue between some friends of our protagonist. Spiked with lovable Welsh slang and characters these segments serve as interlude to the chronological telling of the lifestory of Ianto. He’s lost his parents and his home to start with.
Another narrative tells the more recent troubles of Ianto, which includes a stand off with the new inhabitants of his family home, which has severe consequences.
The prose is amazing, very powerful and colourful. Sometimes a tour de force but always hugely engaging and hypnotic, this is a rare treat artistically and socio-culturally.
A real find.

Niall Griffiths will be at the Llandeilo Book Fair on Sunday April 30th
at 4pm at the Horeb Chapel

 £5, 90 Niall Griffiths

Image credit: Literature British Council

He is known, in his own words, for “blood and puke and thunder, and, of course, world-affirming torrents of poetic phrase and praise.” His most recent published novel, A Great Big Shining Star, “offers a bleak take on our appetite for celebrity and the new face of fame” (Independent Review) with great humour and sharp satirical bite. By the end of April he’ll have finished another novel, called Broken Ghost.

He kindly agreed to give us a sneak preview read from the new book, as well as some examples of his provocative and entertaining writing. An event definitely for adults.

“As reality TV shows and print and online scandal sheets demand ever more celebrities, it seems to be undergoing a process of hyperinflation. The word “celebrity” seems to be detaching itself from the mothership of fame to become a near-synonym of the lesser “personality”.

The teenage heroine of Niall Griffiths’s new novel is one of those whose consumption of Closer, Grazia and the rest builds a lust for access to that world that comes to seem almost like a sense of entitlement.” (Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/a-great-big-shining-star-by-niall-griffiths-8495352.html)

Griffiths’s language is lyrical, brutal and startling; it requires and deserves a robust reader. At times, this fury risks shading into a monotone: cosmetic surgery, extreme pornography and natural disasters caused by climate change are described with equal force. Yet this frantic even-handedness is meaningful: in the world Griffiths creates, the ageing and decay of individuals, of a society and of a planet are laid against each other in a portrait of hopelessness and helplessness. (From a review by Jenn Ashworth)

Event sponsored by The Cambria Publishing Co-Operative

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Review: “The Croatian War of Independence: Serbia’s War of Conquest Against Croatia and the Defeat of Serbian Imperialism 1991-1995″

This is a detailed account of the Croatian War of Independence, with plenty of detail and an excellent portrayal of the exact sequence of events. Told from a Croatian perspective this book covers the pre-war early stages of conflict and the many attempts to bring it to a peaceful conclusion. I was astonished by the complexity of the political situation of the slowly eroding Yugoslavian federation with Serbian dominance and the difficulties Croatia encountered in its legitimate desire to be its own nation. The book does a great job at portraying the violence and crimes committed by both sides as the conflict turns into war, but the author makes some important points about the role of the aggressor and the difficulties faced by an emerging country struggling to defend itself against a merciless attacker with superior weaponry. Although I was following the conflict with interest via the media at the time, I learned a lot about the complexity that I had never known before.
The book really covers a lot of aspects and gives great insights. As a historic document invaluable and very readable.

LINK HERE for Amazon

And

LINK HERE for Createspace(https://www.createspace.com/6722445) where at his stage printed version may be accessed for purchase

Ante Nazor’s book is a must read and must have and, indeed, a perfect gift to local libraries, members of parliament, history departments at Universities across the world.

„In reality, this book is the answer to many years of disinformation within the Croatian public space that attempts to neglect the cause of the war, equalise aggressor’s and victim’s responsibility, show the Homeland War as a ‘civil war’, and attempt to show the Croatian leadership, especially the President Franjo Tudjman, as responsible for deportation of Serbs from Croatia and aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Dr. Nazor at one of many presentations of his book across Croatia.

“The media’s picture of the Greater Serbian aggression (against Croatia) is completely different from the truth,” Nazor emphasises, hoping that the truth about the events will prevail in the end.

“Nazor’s book is a meticulous chronology of the political and military processes lading to Croatian independence and an unparalleled collection of documentation on the Serbian aggression against the Republic of Croatia, all of which easily debunk the oft-repeated and uninformed mantras that the conflict was a ‘civil war’ or a result of ‘ancient tribal feuds’. An indispensable resource for historians, researchers and the everyday reader,” writes Dr Miroslav Tudjman, founder and the former chief of Croatian Intelligence services currently serving as Member of Croatian Parliament, on the back cover of the book.

“The Croatian War of Independence: Serbia’s War of Conquest Against Croatia and the Defeat of Serbian Imperialism 1991-1995 tells the compelling story of Croatia’s defeat, against all odds, of the Yugoslav People’s Army and numerous Serb paramilitary formations in defense of its independence and internationally recognized territory. This book offers in vivid detail many answers to the often-posed question ‘what happened in the Balkans in the first half of the 1990s?’ Ante Nazor’s blend of keen academic insight and extensive research shows irrefutably that Serbian imperialism, based on the might of the Yugoslav People’s Army and the aggressive concept of ‘Greater Serbia’, caused profound destruction and loss of life on a scale unseen on the continent since the end of WWII. The main importance of this book is that it clearly illustrates the danger Serbian imperialism would have posed to Europe had not the Croatian Armed Forces, forged in the desperate struggle to save the country, broken the back of the Yugoslav People’s Army and put an end to Serbia’s imperialistic aspirations,” writes Prof. Ivo Lucic PHD of the Croatian Institute of History.

A Symphony of Dragons – Short Stories to enchant you…

The Last Krystallos

The first day of Spring sees the release of my new book:
A Symphony of Dragons – a collection of bewitching dragon themed tales…

I knew when I began my current wip (work in progress) that I wanted to release a book of short stories, for several reasons… First, I wanted to share some of my writing not related to my novels. I’ve been writing flash fiction for quite a few years now, and some of those stories have cried out to be included, along with some previously published works from other anthologies. Secondly, I wanted to revisit my novels; I wanted to write a final story for The Hope Within Novels – a story that takes you back to Freya, Meg, and Jasmine, and explore what they’ve become. I think you’ll love Ruby! And, thirdly, in writing The Seren Stone Chronicles, I wanted to…

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“Murder at the Star: Who Killed Thomas Thomas?” by Steve Adams

The Llandeilo Lit Fest Team

Source: Our Team

Our Team

Philippa Davies: Programming, Editing

Philippa Davies has had 11 books traditionally published and 3 self-published, both fiction and non-fiction. Her novel The Gritties was made into the Wales BAFTA award winning film ‘Y Streic A Fi’. She teaches self-publishing for the National Union of Journalists, and runs online writing courses with over 4000 students for Udemy and The Economist. She’s also web editor at FYI Network.

 Alison Evans: Programming, Marketing & Publicity

Alison Evans works as an editorial assistant with Welsh publisher, Parthian Books. She is involved with all aspects of publishing from production and design, to marketing and launch events, and has represented Parthian internationally as part of their growing number of titles in translation.

In addition, Alison has almost a decade of experience in the voluntary sector, coordinating fundraising and support activities for various charity and community organisations. She is also part of the planning team for the first Llansteffan Literary Festival taking place in June 2017.

Christoph Fischer: Website, Fundraising, Committee Chair

Christoph Fischer is an author of historical and crime fiction. He has worked for the British Film Institute and their festivals in his early career and organised two Llandeilo Book Fairs since arriving in Carmarthenshire with his Welsh partner. He created and administrates several online author groups, hosts a lively book blog, reviews for the Historival Novel Society and lends his support to other local initiatives, such as the Festival of the Senses.

Gaynor Jones: Welsh Language Programming, Editing and Publicity

Gaynor  Jones runs Ail Argraffiad Dress Agency in Llandeilo having taken it over last year on the previous owner’s retirement. She grew up in the area and has worked for over 20 years in communications and media, working with the BBC, ITV and independent companies. She also has experience in the PR sector and has organised events ranging from conferences and award ceremonies, to awareness campagins and music festivals.

Will Macmillan Jones: Deputy Book Fair Co ordinator & General Factotum

Will Macmillan Jones is a storyteller, author and poet working close to Llandeilo. He is proud to be one third of the Tin Plate Poets collective, a group whose work is heavily rooted in the local area, its people, and its history. As a novelist his work is character driven, focussing on either the darker side of the paranormal world in a collection of novels about the occult or the intentionally hilarious* . He also has a serious interest in writing Flash Fiction – very, very short stories – for which he has won awards. Will has a professional accountancy background as a consultant in International Taxation, which he claims provides much of his source material.

*In The Banned Underground collection of stories about a magical Rock N Roll Band. He suffers from an addiction to footnotes, which his editor is treating.

Thorne Moore: Publicity Materials and Design

Thorne Moore is a Pembrokeshire author published by Honno Press. She has assisted in running the Narberth (formerly Tenby) Book Fair for several years, and has helped with the printed publicity for the Llandeilo Book Fairs. Her novel “A Time For Silence”, was a finalist for the People’s Book Prize and runner-up for the Beryl Bainbridge debut novel award. Her novel “The Unravelling”, won a Chill With A Book award. She has also published a book of short stories and “Shadows” will be published this year by Endeavour Press.

 

Sally Spedding :  Committee Secretary

Sally Spedding writes dark fiction, exploring what lies beneath often beguiling exteriors in people and settings. Her eleventh publication is ‘The Yellowhammer’s Cradle,’ set in rural Argyll in 1851. She hopes her ‘How to Write a Chiller Thriller’ (2014) is encouraging more writers to step outside the limiting ‘genre box.’ Sally is also an award winning short story writer and poet. ‘Trespass’ was recently included in ‘The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper Stories (ed.Maxim Jakubowski) and she has won and adjudicated the International Welsh Poetry Competition twice, being most recently published in The French Literary Review and The Seventh Quarry. A keen networker, and supporter of new writing talent, Sally enjoys meeting her readers and is looking forward immensely to participating in this first Hwyl Llandeilo LitFest.

Graham Watkins: Book Fair Coordinator

Graham took up writing in 2003 after selling his business. His books include fiction and non-fiction many with Welsh themes. His most recent book The Sicilian Defence, a thriller set in Sicily, was, he says, inspired by events which took place on the island during a holiday with his wife. When he isn’t writing, Graham is a hobby farmer and angel investor.

The LitFest would also like to thanks the following people for their contributions to the organisation and creation of the festival:
Simon Buckley, Angie Davies, Richard Davies, Julian Dutton, Simon Hicks, Raymond Ibbotson, Chris Jones, Kate Kindred, Mike Kindred, Paul Kindred, Tracey Kindred, Jeff Spedding, Edward Thomas, Mandy Thomas, Simon Wright
and in particular
Daz Smith for the Logo design and
Meryl Thomas and David Thorpe for programming advice.

#LlandeiloLitFest Tickets are now on sale

Source: Ticket sales

Tickets are now on sale. Please note that due to the size limitations of the venues events can sell out quickly. To avoid disappointment please book in advance, even for the free events.
You can buy online https://llandeilolitfest.org/calendar/
or directly in Llandeilo from these shops:

Peppercorn  
http://www.peppercorn.net/
5 King Street, Llandeilo
01558 822410
sales@peppercorn.net
Dress Agency
19 Carmarthen St, Llandeilo SA19 6AE
Phone: 07775 847710
Ailgaynor@hotmail.com

Red Cross Book Shop.
Rhosmaen Road
01558 823256

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William Williams Pantycelyn

Welsh Wednesdays Review: “Sugar Hall” by Tiffany Murray

Sugar Hall

Tiffany Murray

The book came with a high recommendation by another author, I pursued Tiffany to come to the Llandeilo Lit Fest, but things didn’t work out this time round. My interest was aroused, though, and with her book being part of the reliably great catalogue of Seren  I couldn’t resist getting it.

This is a ghost story with some dark tones and some amazing psychological writing. When a boy reports he can see a different boy with a collar around his neck, his mother doesn’t know how to respond other than to shrug it off as a childish notion.
Yet, as the story progresses, it isn’t just her son who gets affected by the ghost’s appearance.
Murray tells also the story of this mother, not an uninteresting one at that, namely that of a girl coming to Britain from Germany via the Kindertransports of 1938.
There is a stark contrast between the innocence and naivety of the young with the chilling darkness of the ghost story. I’m not usually one for books with such dark undertones but I found it very engaging, not least because of the historical component. There are small snippets of newspaper articles and other short material separating the chapters that add to the richness and the layered texture of the novel. While not all of them made perfect sense to me, some stayed with me for a long time, regardless. Very engaging and gripping.

Buy the book at Seren’s website

Easter 1955. As Lilia Sugar scrapes the ice from the inside of the windows and the rust from the locks in Sugar Hall, she knows there are pasts she cannot erase. On the very edge of the English/Welsh border, the red gardens of Sugar Hall hold a secret, and as Britain prepares for its last hanging, Lilia and her children must confront a history that has been buried but not forgotten.

Based on the stories of the slave boy that surround Littledean Hall in the Forest of Dean, this is a superbly chilling ghost story from Tiffany Murray.

‘A beautiful and haunting book. Tiffany Murray is a wonderful storyteller.’ Sarah Winman, author of When God Was a Rabbit

‘Sugar Hall is not just a brilliantly effective ghost story. It also pries open a window on to a vanished decade, exploring the long consequences of old sins and the suffering of the exile, the refugee and the powerless. Chillingly empathetic, it’s a book that cries out to be read again – and again.’ Andrew Taylor, author of The American Boy and The Scent of Death

‘A shiveringly good read, Sugar Hall reminds me of the days when I used to read under the bedcovers with a torch, because I simply had to find out what happened next.’Aminatta Forna, author of The Hired Man

‘Tiffany Murray isn’t quite like anyone else writing today. She’s a mad geneticist of a writer, specialising in taking narrative elements we think we know and splicing them with the unexpected, giving us Emily Bronte the rock chick (Diamond Star Halo) or Stella Gibbons with a louchely 70s drug habit (Happy Accidents). Sugar Hall lingers in the mind like a half-remembered nightmare and confirms Murray’s as an intensely British talent.’ Patrick Gale, author of Notes from an Exhibition and A Perfectly Good Man.

‘As darkly tantalising as any enchanted forest, a novel that sees a writer with the lightest of touches take on the deepest of our fears – spellbinding.’ Tim Butcher, author of The Trigger

‘Sugar Hall is a dark tale brightly told, beautifully written and thoroughly unsettling.’ Emylia Hall, author of The Book of Summers and A Heart Bent Out of Shape

‘Tender, troubling and telling, Sugar Hall is a box of delights. With prose delicate as moth scales, Tiffany Murray has written her best book to date, a simply delicious and creepy read,’ Jon Gower

‘A mysterious, complex and riveting novel, poised between this world and the next.’ – New Welsh Review

Torri Tir

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The Book Hunt #LlandeiloLitFest