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Pascale Petit Shortlisted for Wales Book of the Year 2011

Pascale Petit has been shortlisted for Wales Book of the Year 2011 for her latest collection What the Water Gave Me: Poems after Frida Kahlo.

Literature Wales announced the 2011 shortlist in both Caernarfon and Cardiff.

Pascale Petit, who was born in Paris and grew up in France and Wales, was named one of the Next Generation Poets by the Poetry Book Society and Arts Council in 2004. What the Water Gave Me: Poems after Frida Kahlo (Seren, 2010) was shortlisted for the TS Eliot Prize and was a Book of the year in theObserver.  She has published five poetry books, three of which were shortlisted for the TS Eliot Prize and which were also Books of the Year in the Times Literary Supplement, Observer and the Independent. Her second collection The Zoo Father was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation and was published in Mexico in a bilingual edition. A poem from it was shortlisted for a Forward Prize.

See who else made the shortlist – click here

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The Captain’s Tower: Seventy Poets to Celebrate Bob Dylan at Seventy

Finally the day has come! Fresh from the printers – copies of Seren’s new poetry collection – Bob Dylan’s poems have arrived!

The collection is available to pre-order from our website –www.serenbooks.com – in anticipation for its release on May 23rd 2011, not long to go!

Visit Seren Books online to get your hands on a copy!

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Graham Mort’s collection of short stories ‘Touch’ short-listed for the Edge Hill Prize

Graham Mort’s collection of short stories Touch has been short-listed for the Edge Hill University short story prize 2011.

Touch includes the Bridport prize winning story ‘The Prince’, which was described by novelist Tracy Chevalier as “..the writing is word perfect..”.

From a young child adrift on an ice-filled lake to an ageing farmer facing life alone, the twenty-one stories display a deep sensitivity to both the natural world and to human relationships. In skilfully crafted prose, vivid with detail, Mort examines the strength and fragility of life and the ties that hold us within it.

See the Edge Hill Univeristy Short Story Prize 2011 shortlist – click here

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Seren Authors at the Hay Festival

A whole host of Seren authors will be appearing at this year’s Telegraph Hay Festival from 30th May to 4th June – Gwyneth Lewis, Niall Griffiths, Ken Elias, Ceri Thomas, Paul Henry, Mavis Nicholson, Peter J. Conradi and Grahame Davies. Book your tickets now on the Hay Festival website: www.hayfestival.com

Gwyneth Lewis and Niall Griffiths
New Stories from the Mabinogion
Event 146 • Monday 30 May 2011, 2.30pm • Venue: Summer House
Two more new versions of the Welsh mythologies. Lewis spins the tale of Blodeuwedd, the woman made of flowers, into a sci-fi setting in The Meat Tree. Griffiths conjures an Iraq-bound squaddie and a Cardiff gangsta in The Dreams of Max and Ronnie.
Price: £6.00

Ken Elias talks to Ceri Thomas

Thin Partitions
Event 178 • Tuesday 31 May 2011, 11:30am • Venue: Elmley Foundation Theatre
An illustrated conversation surveying forty years of the esteemed Glynneath artist’s work in painting, collage and photomontage.
Price: £5.00

Paul Henry & Patrick Jones

The Brittle Sea, Hafan Cymru
Event 257 • Thursday 2 June 2011, 1pm • Venue: The Moot
Paul Henry reads and discusses his New and Selected Poems. The individual human voice, the ragged vagaries of the heart and soul, the joys and sorrows of family life feature here but this poetry is personal without being confessional, preferring tender observation to sensationalism or didacticism. Jones reads writing arising from his work with victims of domestic abuse. Chaired by Benna Waites.
Price: £4.00

Mavis Nicholson talks to Sarah Crompton

What Did You Do in the War, Mummy?
Event 275 • Thursday 2 June 2011, 6.45pm • Venue: Sky Arts Studio
The broadcaster has interviewed women from lumber-jills and landgirls to undercover spies and entertainers about the new freedoms, the make-do and mend, the hopes and the fears, as well as the post-war adjustments they had to make.
Price: £6.00

Brenda Maddox, Peter J Conradi, Tom Bullough

At the Bright Hem of God: Radnorshire Pastoral
Event 291 • Friday 3 June 2011, 10am • Venue: Elmley Foundation Theatre
The authors discuss how the wild, rural landscape of Radnorshire inspires their work and that of others before them, from Gerald of Wales to Vaughan and Traherne, Francis Kilvert, Eric Gill, David Jones and Bruce Chatwin.
Price: £5.00

Grahame Davies talks to Merryl Wyn Davies

The Dragon and the Crescent
Event 340 • Saturday 4 June 2011, 10am • Venue: Elmley Foundation Theatre
Nine centuries of contact between Wales and Islam. Chaired by the Director of the Muslim Institute.
Price: £5.00

Seren hopes to see as many of you there as possible!

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Ruth Bidgood wins the Roland Mathias Prize 2011

Ruth Bidgood wins the Roland Mathias Prize 2011 with her collection of poetry Time Being, published by Seren (2009).

The £3,000 prize was awarded to Ruth Bidgood at ceremony in Roland Mathias’ home town of Brecon, supported by BBC Wales and hosted by Nicola Heywood Thomas, presenter of Radio Wales’ Arts Show.

In future years, it is to be incorporated into the Wales Book of the Year.

Congratulations Ruth!

Ruth Bidgood with editor Amy Wack at the prize giving event in Brecon.


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Petit Long Listed for Wales Book of the Year 2011

Pascale Petit’s collection of poetry What the Water Gave Me: Poems after Frida Kahlo has been long listed for the Wales Book of the Year 2011.

What the Water Gave Me contains fifty-two poems in the voice of the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. Some of the poems are close interpretations of Kahlo’s work, while others are parallels or version homages where Petit draws on her experience as a visual artist to create alternative ‘paintings’ with words.

To view all long listed titles click here

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Book Submissions

Thinking of submitting your work to Seren? Read our Updated Submissions Policy first.

Submissions Policy 2011

Seren publishes between twenty and twenty-five new titles a year across its list. Fiction currently accounts for five or six titles and poetry six or seven.

As a successful and prize-winning publisher Seren receives hundreds of typescripts. We do our best to respond as quickly as we can, and like all publishers we’re eager to read remarkable new writing.

Please be aware though that in many areas we are considering titles for publication two or more years ahead, and that the ratio of submissions to editors means that proper consideration of your typescript may take some time. We hope that our continued success will mean an increase in titles, but for the moment please bear with us.

You are welcome to make non-fiction submissions by email, to the addresses below (please note we are not currently accepting poetry or fiction submissions via email). If sending a submission by post, please include a stamped addressed envelope for return of manuscript, and for acknowledgment of receipt if required. (Unfortunately we are unable to acknowledge receipt or return MSS without these.)

Fiction

Seren publishes  a small number of quality literary fiction titles. We do receive a large number of submissions, but are always keen to read innovative, exciting manuscripts. We do not usually publish genre fiction, such as historical, saga, sci-fi, etc, and are not currently publishing children’s fiction. Writers wishing to submit fiction should first familiarise themselves with the Seren website to ascertain whether their book would contribute to the Seren list.

To submit a manuscript please send a synopsis, covering letter, two or three representative chapters (around fifty pages) and a stamped addressed envelope to Penny Thomas, Fiction Editor, Seren, 57 Nolton Street, Bridgend, CF31 3AE. Email submissions are not accepted.

Our list has now reopened to submissions, but please bear with us as it may take some time to get back to you.

Penny Thomas, Fiction Editor: [email protected]

Poetry

Poets who wish to submit should have track record of publication in literary Journals like Poetry Wales, New Welsh Review, Planet, Poetry Review, etc. Poets should send hard copy manuscript of approximately 50 pages, along with a one-page cover letter with details of previous publications and brief biographical details. It will also be helpful to show some knowledge of the Seren list. Simultaneous submissions are discouraged.

Amy Wack, Poetry Editor. Hard copy submissions only

Non-Fiction

For us to consider a book for publication, you should send a clear proposal in the first instance. We may subsequently request a sample of the work. 3-4 pages of A4 should be sufficient, covering the following areas:

Author/Editor: brief biographical details of the author, editor(s) or collaborators. Where the book is several edited chapters or essays, brief biographical and professional details of all contributors are useful.

Title of Book: This need only be a working title, but it should give a clear sense of the book’s scope and range.
Synopsis: One page or less outlining the book, its subject, approach and method.

Chapter Outline: A chapter by chapter outline of the contents, showing how the argument or subject is developed.
Illustrations, Figures, Tables: please give an estimate of the number and kind of illustration needed (colour/black and white etc.)

The Market and Competition: What is the envisaged readership? Might the book be used on courses? Is there likely to be overseas interest? Are there any possible tie-ins or media interest likely? Do any similar books exist? If so, what are they and how does yours differ?

Date of Delivery: When can you complete the book?
Please also include the author/editor’s CV.

Mick Felton, Non-Fiction Editor: [email protected]

We wish you every success in your submission and look forward to reading your work soon!

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Nerys Williams

Originally from Pen-Y-Bont, Carmarthen in West Wales, Nerys Williams has published her original first collection of poetry Sound Archive (2011) with Seren. Nerys is a native Welsh speaker and had worked as a Sound Librarian at BBC Wales and is a recipient of a Fulbright Scholar’s Award at UC Berkeley.

A recent winner of the Ted McNulty Poetry Prize, she lectures in American Literature at University College, Dublin. She has published poems, critical essays widely and is the author of A Guide to Contemporary Poetry as well as study of contemporary American poetry, Reading Error.

Books by Nerys Williams
Sound Archive

 

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WIN a proof copy of Tony Bianchi’s ‘Daniel’s Beetles’

We are giving away 5 proof copies of Tony Bianchi’s latest novel Daniel’s Beetles, 10 weeks before official publication. Daniel’s Beetles is the author’s translation of his prizewinning Welsh novel, Pryfeta. Daniel’s Beetles is an absorbing, unnerving novel about memory and forgetting, stories and lies. It describes our attempts to recreate ourselves in ways we can never fully control.

All you have to do is write Daniel’s Beetles in the subject line of an email and send to [email protected]

Closing date is 4th April 2011. See Terms & Conditions

To learn more about the novel and the author check our blog under ‘Seren Authors’ and ‘New Releases’.
All information is also on our website.

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Pascale Petit at Bath Spa University

Poet Pascale Petit will be reading her poetry on Monday 11th April, 8pm, at Bath Spa University Stand Up Poetry Series reading. The Duncan Room, Bath Royal Scientific and Literary Institution, Queen’s Square, Bath BA1 2HN. Entrance £7.50 (£5 concs). Doors open 7.30pm Phone: 01225 312084 [email protected]

www.brlsi.org/index.html

For more information on poet Pascale Petit check out our website or look under ‘Seren Authors’ on our blog.