Edited By Jonathan Edwards and Rose Widlake.
Foreword by Aida Birch.
A fitting tribute to the memory of radical Welsh poet Terry Hetherington…gives young writers in Wales a wonderful opportunity for recognition.
– Mike Jenkins
The experiments with form in both prose and poetr highlight the considerable abilities of the Welshwriters published here. Cheval looks relentlessly forward. The talent of its writers promises a great deal in the future.
– New Welsh Review
A dolphin washed-up on the Welsh coast marks the crisis point in the life of a family. A shopkeeper’s daily jogs with her friends allow her to reflect on her relationships, her life. A poet explores the ways in which ‘Wales is a small coat/made of deep pockets.’ Another combines, in a single poem, the experiences of an elderly relative with the little matter of the entirety of human history.
Cheval 9 contains a selection of the best work submitted this year to the Terry Hetherington Award, which has become known as one of the most significant awards for young writers in Wales. The anthology also collects new work by previous winners, including Tyler Keevil, Anna Lewis, Thomas Morris and Katherine Stansfield. What this adds up to is an anthology which thrillingly represents the reality of where new Welsh writing is now, offering readers the chance to discover brand new names and to enjoy the work of established masters.