Seren poet Hannah Hodgson has been longlisted for the Barbellion Prize with her debut collection 163 Days.
Hannah is longlisted alongside 8 other authors across a range of genres. Fellow Seren author Polly Atkin is also on the list for her biography of Dorothy Wordsworth Recovering Dorothy published by Saraband Books. The shortlist will be announced in January 2023.
The Barbellion Prize is a book prize dedicated to the furtherance of ill and disabled voices in writing. The prize is awarded annually to an author whose work has best represented the experience of chronic illness and/or disability.
Read the full longlist and find out more about the prize on their website thebarbellionprize.com. 

Mick Felton has been working at the heart of Seren for over thirty years. It is with immense gratitude for his contribution to Seren, Poetry Wales magazine, and to the publishing landscape of Wales, that we announce he will retire in 2023.

During Mick’s tenure, Seren has grown into one of Wales’s leading independent literary publishers. Throughout he has championed the voices of writers from Wales, ensuring that their work is given a wider platform both within the UK and internationally. His commitment to quality and innovation has allowed Seren to punch above its weight within the industry, publishing books recognised by major prizes including the Man Booker Prize, RSL Ondaatje Prize, Wales Book of the Year, and most recently the Forward Prize. His dedication to the business, and most importantly its staff, has allowed Seren to thrive during challenging times. His insight, knowledge and guidance will be sorely missed by his authors and colleagues.

On behalf of the Seren Board of Directors, Chair Sarah Morse, says, “Mick’s retirement from the role of Publisher after over thirty years’ association with Seren / Poetry Wales Press Ltd is a significant moment in the history of the organisation. The directors, staff and authors of Seren and Poetry Wales are incredibly grateful to Mick for his stewardship, and we are indebted to him for his generous and patient contribution not only to the business, but to the cultural life of Wales. Diolch o galon, Mick.”

Cary Archard, who founded Seren in 1981, adds: “It took real commitment, and some courage, to accept the post as the only employee of a fledgling publishing company, in a different part of the country, when you were in your twenties. But that is what Mick did some forty years ago. It took belief too, in Seren’s mission. There aren’t many roles within the business which Mick hasn’t had a hand in, and during his time here he must have become the most experienced and most hands-on publisher in Wales (if not the UK). A lot has changed in publishing during the past forty years, and Mick has managed these changes with calmness and efficiency. Commitment and belief have characterised his career. As a result, these qualities have become ingrained in Seren. They are in its DNA. Whoever takes over Mick’s role has a hard act to follow but solid foundations to build on.”

It is Seren’s future which Mick wishes to focus on. The next few years will be an exciting time for Seren. The current shifts towards better accessibility and better diversity within publishing, and a thriving literary scene in Wales hold great promise for the business.

Seren will begin searching for a new publisher early next year, and Mick’s successor will be responsible for ensuring Seren remains an innovative, inclusive and sustainable publisher at the forefront of these changes.

Congratulations to Seren poet Jonathan Edwards who recently won the Troubadour International Poetry Prize 2022 for his poem ‘My Grandfather’s Car’. His poem was chosen from thousands of entries by judges Victoria Kennefick and Joshua Bennet. 
On Jonathan’s winning poems, Victoria Kennefick commented: “‘My Grandfather’s Car’ by Jonathan Edwards was our clear winner. It is a glorious poem in both theme and language… It is a very special piece of writing indeed.”
Her co-judge Joshua Bennet added: “After reading our first prize poem, ‘My Grandfather’s Car,’ I paused for a moment, and took a walk around the neighborhood. It was one of the more moving poems I have read in some time. It transported me back to the concerns and questions that first brought me to the page as a young writer, looking to transform the music and imagery of my surroundings into a language worthy of sharing with friends, family, and strangers alike.”
You can read the winning poems and find the full shortlist on the Coffee-House Poetry website. 
Jonathan’s Costa prize-winning collection My Family and Other Superheroes, and his second collection Gen, which won the Wales Book of the Year People’s Choice award, are available on the Seren website.

At the award ceremony held in Manchester, Seren poet Kim Moore was announced the winner of the Forward Prize for Best Collection 2022. Her critically acclaimed second collection All The Men I Never Married was described as ‘phenomenal’ by the judges. 
Pointedly feminist, challenging and keenly aware of the contradictions and complexities of desire, the 48 numbered poems inn All The Men I Never Married take us through a gallery of exes and significant others where we encounter rage, pain, guilt, and love.
The book was edited by our former Poetry Editor Amy Wack. On hearing the news, she said “Congratulations to Kim Moore for her Forward Prize win for her recent collection, All The Men I Never Married. Kim is a huge contributor to the poetry culture of the UK through all her workshops, events and teaching and it is good to be reminded just how terrific the poems themselves are. She fuses the political and personal in a pointed and engaging manner. Bravo, Kim!”
One of our current Poetry Editors Zoë Brigley adds: “This is a well-deserved win for Kim Moore. All the Men I Never Married is an extremely important book because of the meticulous work it does in documenting experiences of everyday sexism. Kim does this not only with sensitivity but with humour. She’s not simply criticising men, but is highlighting the cultural and institutional problems that foster sexist culture. The recognition of Kim’s craft and skill as a poet as well as her powerful subject matter is a great decision by the Forward Prize judges.”
Her co-editor Rhian Edwards concurs, saying: “All the Men I Never Married is a startling second collection. It examines the casual sexism and harassment faced by girls and women throughout their life cycle, from primary school to adolescence to womanhood, as well as the accompanying fear and confusion endured by women, how trust is abused and how seemingly innocuous encounters transcend into over-familiar and unwelcome territory. An important collection written by an incredible poet. We are absolutely thrilled about Kim’s victory.”
Everyone at Seren sends their heartfelt congratulations to Kim on this considerable achievement. 
If you would like to learn more about All The Men I Never Married, you can listen to our in-depth interview with Kim in episode 9 of The Seren Poetry Podcast which is available on all podcast platforms now.
 
The winners in the other categories were:
Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection: Stephanie Sy-Quia – Amnion (Granta Poetry)
Best Single Poem: Nick Laird – ‘Up Late’ (Granta)
Find details of all the shortlisted poets, winners and read the judges comments on the Forward Prizes website. 
 

On Saturday 26th November Owen Morgan, one half of the family duo behind Bar 44: Tapas y Copas, appeared on Saturday Kitchen live!
As well as sharing his expert knowledge of Spanish sherry (he is an International Sherry Educator), he cooked Arroz mar y montaña ‘al horno’ (baked rice from the sea and mountains) with sherry alioli from the Bar 44: Tapas y Copas cook book.
Packed with over 100 recipes Bar 44: Tapas y Copas celebrates Spanish food and drink in equal measure. These delicious dishes – each tried and tested in the busy Bar 44 restaurants – elevate traditional Spanish cuisine to exciting new heights with dishes which look good and taste even better. The perfect Christmas gift for any foodie! 
Buy your copy on the Seren website now: £25.00
If you missed his appearance, you can watch the full episode back on BBC iPlayer. 

In the eighth episode of The Seren Poetry Podcast we chat to poet Eric Ngalle Charles about his debut collection Homelands.
Available to listen to now on all podcast platforms, Eric chats in-depth about the book which draws on his early life raised by the matriarchs of Cameroon, being sent to Moscow by human traffickers, and finding a new home in Wales. 
To subscribe, simply search ‘The Seren Poetry Podcast’ is you favourite podcast app. Click follow or subscribe to have all future editions delivered straight to your podcast feed. 
Special thanks goes to Chris Gregory from Alternative Stories for producing series 1, and to Wordsworth Grasmere for allowing us to record several episodes in their learning centre. 
The last episode in series 1 featuring Forward-prize shortlisted poet Kim Moore will be released on Thursday 1st December.
Don’t forget to leave us a review if you’ve liked listening to the series so far!