Monday 7th November 9pm: Patrick McGuinness and Richard Gwyn in discussion. Celebrated poet Patrick McGuinness’s debut novel was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2011 with his debut novel The Last Hundred Days. Poet and novelist Richard Gwyn’s most recent book is the acclaimed memoir, The Vagabond’s Breakfast. £6 Concessions: £4.20 Swansea PTL: £2.40

Catherine Fisher, Seren poet and author of award winning fantasy novels for children, has been named Wales’ first Young People’s Laureate. Literature Wales said the Young People’s Laureate post is the first of its kind in the UK and aims to inspire young people in Wales to become involved with reading and creative writing. Her appointment was announced by singer Charlotte Church.
A full-time writer specialising in myth and history, Fisher’s futuristic novel Incarceron was optioned last year by 20th Century Fox. Her novel The Oracle, which blends Egyptian and Greek elements of magic and adventure, was shortlisted for the Whitbread Children’s Books prize, and the trilogy has been printed in more than 20 languages. In 1989 she won both the Welsh Arts Council Young Writer’s Prize and the Cardiff International Poetry Competition. For the full story visit the BBC website www.bbc.co.uk

Wednesday 19th October 7pm: Horatio Clare continues the Mabinogion launch in Crickhowell. Horatio will read from The Prince’s Pen The Bear Hotel, Crickhowell.
Thursday 20th October 6.30pm: Tony Bianchi and Grahame Davies discuss the art of translating novels. The Literature Lounge, St David’s Shopping Centre, Cardiff
Friday 21st October: Eoghan Walls launches his new poetry collection The Salt Harvest at No Alibi’s book shop in Belfast. (Botanic Avenue)

Seren Books celebrates its 30th birthday with the launch of two more books in the ‘New Stories from the Mabinogion’ series on Tuesday 18th October 2011 7pm at Chapter Arts Centre. Fflur Dafydd’s ‘The White Trail’ is a twenty-first-century quest for love and revenge: while in Horatio Clare’s ‘The Prince’s Pen’, England is a defeated archipelago, but in the far west insurrection is brewing.
Featuring contributions by Owen Sheers, Russell Celyn Jones, Niall Griffiths and Gwyneth Lewis.
The Guardian has called the series “the greatest service to the Welsh national epic since Lady Charlotte Guest”.
Following the launch, join Seren for a glass of wine to celebrate three decades of award-winning writing. Seren are currently toasting Patrick McGuinness, longlisted for the Man Booker Prize with ‘The Last Hundred Days’. The launch will be attended by the First Minister Carwyn Jones AM.
Tickets £5 including buffet and 2 glasses of wine.
Call Chapter Arts Centre on 02920 30 4400 for tickets and further information. Or you can email Seren at [email protected]
Books will be on sale throughout the evening – if you can not make this launch visit www.serenbooks.com to purchase copies of the books.

Pascale Petit is the sole judge of the Café Writers Open Poetry Competition 2011 
Closing date 30th Nov 2011 Prizes: 1st £1000, 2nd £300, 3rd £150 , Five Commended Prizes of £50 
Entries should be sent to: Café Writers Poetry Competition, 168a Silver Rd, Norwich NR3 4TH, UK or enter by email online at www.cafewriters.awardspace.com/competitionsCompetition rules are on the website.