With it being Wales’ Year of Legends, what better time could there be to discover the rich mythological history of our land? Martin Griffiths’ new astronomy book, Dark Land, Dark Skies, does just that – and now Martin is getting ready to tour Wales with his fascinating Celtic interpretation of the stars.
The tour kicks off with the Dark Land, Dark Skies book launch, tonight, at the Brecon Beacons National Park Visitors Centre, Libanus. Martin will introduce the legendary Welsh heroes, plotting a map of our mythology in the stars above. If the weather allows, we’ll step outside and gaze at the dark sky, the author’s expertise guiding us away from Greek and Roman to instead see mythical Celtic figures far above.Free places are still available – book now.
Meet us in Pembrokeshire, Snowdonia, Elan Valley and Newtown as the tour continues: at each stop, Martin will reveal more about Welsh mythology and how it can be seen in the stars. These unmissable events will connect you to our culture and change the way you see the night sky.
Find all the most up-to-date information on these events, including how to purchase tickets, on the Seren Events page.
 
 
 

To all Dads, Grandads and those soon-to-be: we wish you a very happy Father’s Day. In celebration, we are happy to announce that all orders placed on our website in the next week will come with a complimentary ‘Dad joke’ to add to your collection.
 
How do backwards poets write?Inverse
 
Mums, children, friends – we are so sorry. Because surely Dad won’t be able to resist treating himself to Mike Rees’ fascinating Men Who Played the Game, which pays tribute to sportsmen who fought in the Great War. He certainly won’t be able to stop himself from getting a copy of Lloyd Jones’ magnificent, newly back-in-print novel, Mr Vogel. And you can try, but we highly doubt you’ll be able to stop Dad from indulging in a little musical nostalgia with Peter Finch’s personal history of rock and pop: The Roots of Rock, from Cardiff to Mississippi and Back.
Offer ends 26 June. You’re welcome, Dads. 
 

The shortlist for the inaugural Ledbury Forte Poetry Prize has just been announced, and Seren poet Judy Brown’s collection Crowd Sensations is in the running, alongside five other great collections. In the words of the Ledbury Forte panel, the shortlist recognises the work of ‘serious writers’ and ‘ethical word-wizards’ whose poetry made the judges ‘rethink what a book, or collection, of poetry can be’.
The Ledbury Forte Poetry Prize shortlist is entirely made up of collections published by independent publishing houses. Chloe Garner, Artistic Director of Ledbury Poetry Festival, notes that ‘this perhaps reflects the particular commitment of independent publishers to nurturing poets beyond their debuts and to supporting poets who take risks with their work, pushing their themes, style and language into new and exciting territories’.
The Ledbury Forte Poetry Prize is the first in the UK to celebrate poets’ second collections. The £5,000 prize will be awarded at the 21st Ledbury Poetry Festival in July at a reading given by the winning poet and this year’s two main poet judges, Vahni Capildeo and Tara Bergin.
Find the full shortlist on the Ledbury Festival website.