You know more Welsh and Welsh-connected novelists than you think you do. Truly.
Martin Amis
Yes, he who wrote the coruscating satirical novels Money and The Information. Born in Swansea where his Dad Kingsley was teaching.
Trezza Azzopardi
Azzopardi's first novel, The Hiding Place, about Maltese immigrants in Cardiff's Tiger Bay, was shortlisted for the Booker. Born and brought up in Cardiff, with a Welsh mother and Maltese father.
Russell Celyn Jones
Welsh-born novelist, writes with a lyrical economy. Novels include Soldiers and Innocents and Surface Tension. Russell is appearing at the festival.
Yes, he who wrote the coruscating satirical novels Money and The Information. Born in Swansea where his Dad Kingsley was teaching.
Trezza Azzopardi
Azzopardi's first novel, The Hiding Place, about Maltese immigrants in Cardiff's Tiger Bay, was shortlisted for the Booker. Born and brought up in Cardiff, with a Welsh mother and Maltese father.
Russell Celyn Jones
Welsh-born novelist, writes with a lyrical economy. Novels include Soldiers and Innocents and Surface Tension. Russell is appearing at the festival.
Malachy Doyle
Writes intensely for teenagers. Georgie, for example, which was Welsh Children's Book of the Year, is a hard-hitting story about a troubled boy in care. Also writes illustrated stories for younger children.
Writes intensely for teenagers. Georgie, for example, which was Welsh Children's Book of the Year, is a hard-hitting story about a troubled boy in care. Also writes illustrated stories for younger children.
Ken Follett
Author of countless bestselling thrillers, including The Eye of the Needle. Born in Cardiff, worked on the South Wales Echo as a young man.
Author of countless bestselling thrillers, including The Eye of the Needle. Born in Cardiff, worked on the South Wales Echo as a young man.
Iris Gower
Writes romantic novels and sagas set in Wales.
Writes romantic novels and sagas set in Wales.
Niall Griffiths
Writes novels about gangs, drugs, drink, crime, all shot through with a yearning Welsh romanticism. Titles include Grits, Sheepshagger, and Wreckage. Often compared to Irvine Welsh but much more poetic.
Writes novels about gangs, drugs, drink, crime, all shot through with a yearning Welsh romanticism. Titles include Grits, Sheepshagger, and Wreckage. Often compared to Irvine Welsh but much more poetic.
James Hawes
Writes contemporary gangster capers including White Merc With Fins and Rancid Aluminium. Started writing while teaching at Cardiff University, and still lives in Cardiff. Wales and Welsh oddball characters figure in his work.
Writes contemporary gangster capers including White Merc With Fins and Rancid Aluminium. Started writing while teaching at Cardiff University, and still lives in Cardiff. Wales and Welsh oddball characters figure in his work.
Lloyd Jones
Former farm-hand, nurse and hard drinker, whose idiosyncratic debut Mr Vogel is based on an epic walk he took around his native Wales. Expect to hear more from him.
Former farm-hand, nurse and hard drinker, whose idiosyncratic debut Mr Vogel is based on an epic walk he took around his native Wales. Expect to hear more from him.
Allison Pearson
Columnist, TV pundit and author of I Don't Know How She Does It.
Columnist, TV pundit and author of I Don't Know How She Does It.
Malcolm Pryce
Aberystwyth Mon Amour was a brilliantly funny noir spoof. Followed it up with Last Tango in Aberystwyth and The Unbearable Lightness of Being in Aberystwyth. Not Welsh, but has lived there.
Aberystwyth Mon Amour was a brilliantly funny noir spoof. Followed it up with Last Tango in Aberystwyth and The Unbearable Lightness of Being in Aberystwyth. Not Welsh, but has lived there.
Rosie Thomas
Writes novels of love, loss and dilemmas, with ominous titles like All My Sins Remembered and Every Woman Knows A Secret. Born and brought up in Wales; still has the cadences in her prose.
Writes novels of love, loss and dilemmas, with ominous titles like All My Sins Remembered and Every Woman Knows A Secret. Born and brought up in Wales; still has the cadences in her prose.
Alice Thomas-Ellis
Critically acclaimed Welsh author of literary, darkly comic novels.
Critically acclaimed Welsh author of literary, darkly comic novels.