Blowing Trumpets, Writing Novels, Radio Interviews and Book Launches!

“Yng nghanol y darnau mwy difrifol, roedd stori fwyiog Catrin Lliar Jones, ‘Ffasiwn Steddfod’, yn ddoniol iawn gyda thrafferthion eu phrif gymeriad, Luned…neb llai na Martyn Geraint yn dod i’r adwy, yn codi gwên.” - yep I’d say that’s lovely things :smile:

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Diolch yn fawr iawn pawb!

Not a bad review then, over all! Don’t mind at all being compared to Helen Fielding,considering her success! :wink:

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Well I finally finished polishing the first draft of my novel! I can hardly believe that I’ve managed to write 65,000 words which on the whole make sense - it’s been an arduous, interesting, intense and emotional journey, plus a very sharp learning curve.

My publisher is delighted with the finished product and has only yesterday sent the whole package off to the Welsh Books Council for aproval. We won’t hear anything now until March but if the request is successful then we hope to publish in September.

I’ll keep you posted!

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Do second dad’s get to be proud? - Well, I am, anyway. :heart_eyes:
Llongyfarchaiadau - talent will always shine through.

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Wow, llongyfarchiadau! That’s a lot of hard work and I’m sure the book is wonderful! Da iawn! :star:

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Well, Catrin, I bet you’re thinking it’s time for a well-earned rest now! But I was SURE that you said that you might consider writing a book for learners in the future. Fake news, perhaps, because I couldn’t find any such idea when I read back through this thread. But I do think you’d be the perfect person to do it, given your fascinating life experience and your understanding of learners. I would so like to read books in accessible Welsh that weren’t plain silly. Just a thought now that you’ll be twiddling your thumbs… Llongyfarchiadau on finishing your first novel!!

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Absolutely!!! :smile:

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Da iawn @CatrinLliarJones. But why do you have to get the blessing of the Welsh Book Council?

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Diolch for your kind messages!

It’s been asked of me before, but I’ve always been very uncertain. When I was writing my novel, I could just let go, be as creative and as free with the language, colloquialisms, dialect as I wanted. I discovered that I was a follow your nose kind of writer, undisciplined and often temperamental. So I don’t think I have what it takes to be the kind of structured and mindful writer needed for this kind of project. But @beca-brown on the other hand has both experience and talent in this department.

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Great @CatrinLliarJones. Llongyfarchiadau!

@BronwenLewis if I recall correctly, Catrin never said she’d write children’s books but this was suggestion to her in one of those threads. I believe in that one in which Catrin asks us what to do in her life else but tutoring us here and organizing events of all kinds for us. You know, in that one in which we all have got a but mental and gave her 1001 suggestions about what to do etc … :slight_smile:

And, yes, the same question as @margaretnock: Why you need approval form Welsh Book council. I imagine maybe to get some extra financing when the book gets publishing and is given to the market. That’s why we in Slovenia would ask for approval to publish our - not just books but artworks in general. Am I right?

Hope the novel gets to be sold Internationally. You know I WANT TO BUY IT if even I’d read it quite a bit later though. :slight_smile:

Hwyl!
Tatjana :slight_smile:

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Any thoughts of a translation into English?

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I’m lucky that I have a fantastic editor - the one and only Nia Parry - so I get to be pretty free and creative with a few guidelines, and then poor Nia goes through the whole lot and makes sure what I’ve written is suitable for whatever level it is I’m writing for!

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I really loved:smiley: this description!
I admit I still have to copy and paste this, but it’s well deserved, so: llongyfarchaiadau!

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They hand out the grants which finance the publishing which most small publishing houses in Wales rely on.

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Well, that’s what I imagined.

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Just a quick update…

The Welsh Books Council have approved my novel for publishing! I’m so very excited, it’s been a long and emotional journey, but an ever interesting and stimulating one. I’ve learnt so much in the last two and a half years and met some very interesting and inspirational people in the process.

It will be published early next year, after we’ve been through it with a fine tooth comb and gone through the fun process of choosing a cover.

Thank you for letting me share my journey with you and thank you so much for your support, it means a lot to me. :heart:

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Gwych/GreatCatrin. Such exciting news.

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Llongyfarchiadau yn fawr iawn!! Writing a novel when you’re still hung about with small children, a dog, general family life and running SSIW is a HUGE achievement! :innocent:

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Diolch yn fawr iawn to both of you, you’re very kind! I’m thrilled, excited, relieved, nervous on a daily basis… :laughing: I’ve a meeting tomorrow morning with my publisher to discuss the nest step, publishing dates and cover illustrators - it’s really happening!!! :smiley:

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Llongyfarchiadau mawr!!! Such a huge achievement!!

I’d love to write a book some day.

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