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John Sam Jones is a Welsh gay writer and activist, his compelling memoir The Journey is Home is a powerful account of his own life story as a gay man living in an often homophobic and toxic society and the struggles he's overcome. 

We invited John into The Writer's Corner to talk all things books, his love of German crime dramas and knitting.

Dr Philippa Holloway is writer and senior lecturer at Staffordshire University. The Half-Life of Snails #THLOS, is her debut novel and follows the narratives of two sisters Helen and Jennifer. A bond that has been intertwined and tested by the looming Wylfa Power Station that marked their childhood in Ynys y Mon.  During research for her PhD which examined nuclear psychogeography,  Philippa visited the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. This extensive research shaped the writing in #THLOS and grounded her work in exploring the relationship between the land around us and our sense of belonging.  What are you reading right now? The Scrapbook,...

Parthian have always caught my eye. With their striking covers and their mesmerising stories, they found their way into my life. I had the chance to witness the behind-the-scenes work of the publishing industry. The Open University who helped me to set this placement up have also been essential to being accepted in this way. I am used to working remotely due to the nature of my study, working to deadlines, and communicating openly. This opportunity came as a massive sign to me that my writing was valid. It has been a marvellous experience for me to understand my weaknesses...

Alys Morgan interviewed by Billie Ingram-Sofokleous.   Do not ‘abandon hope all ye who enter here.’   Ward Nine: Coronavirus, a heartfelt and informative journal of thoughts and feelings, is an absolute must read. In a minefield of overworked and underpaid nurses, overwhelmed cleaners, and a myriad of vacancies that need to be filled, when Alys Morgan was hospitalised with Covid she was nevertheless surrounded by kindness amongst the complaints, worries and unspoken truths. Her account of the wards is of a chaotic, yet safe space harnessed through the contemptible ailments of this disease. She recounts her daily journey into...

After a short break we are returning with another #authorinsight from 2021 Rhys Davies Short Story Award author, Craig Hawes, who was shortlisted for his story, 'Coat of Arms'. Born and raised in Briton Ferry, Craig spent many years working in London and Dubai as a journalist before returning to his native South Wales. Now a copywriter, he has previously been shortlisted for the Bristol Short Story prize in 2009 and was a runner-up in the Rhys Davies Prize 2010. His short story collection The Witch Doctor of Umm Suqeim was published by Parthian in 2013. His stories and plays...