RCT Bookfest
RCT Bookfest launched at St Elvan's on Saturday October 1st 2022. The inaugural event featured a FREE day-long festival of literature and books with 25(!) authors, and featured writing for children, sci-fi fans, adult crime & thriller fans - and more! A full day of book talks, signings and Q&A sessions were hosted by and featured Colin R. Parsons, Mike Church and colleagues from across the writing world
The event will be repeated in October 2023 with a second host of authors will be on hand to chat and engage with throughout the day, plus FREE timetabled book talks and Q&A sessions taking place at regular intervals on the Mezzanine Gallery level
FREE day passes will be available from the St Elvan's Ticketsource site here from Summer 2023
A full timetable from the inaugural 2022 event is available below, together with a detailed listing of all participating authors
Be sure to join us in October 2023 for another fantastic day of literature and books - and, it's all FREE!
The event will be repeated in October 2023 with a second host of authors will be on hand to chat and engage with throughout the day, plus FREE timetabled book talks and Q&A sessions taking place at regular intervals on the Mezzanine Gallery level
FREE day passes will be available from the St Elvan's Ticketsource site here from Summer 2023
A full timetable from the inaugural 2022 event is available below, together with a detailed listing of all participating authors
Be sure to join us in October 2023 for another fantastic day of literature and books - and, it's all FREE!
2022 Timetable
10:00
Doors Open
11:00 to 17:00
Free Talks
(mezzanine gallery)
11:00 to 12:00
Children's Fiction
Angela Fish & Mike Church
12:30 to 13:30
Teen Fiction
Colin R. Parsons & VB Furlong
- Lunch Break -
14:15 to 15:15
Adult Crime Fiction
Gail Williams & Thorne Moore
15:45 to 16:45
History
Phil Carradice
Featured Authors
Engagement with all the below authors was available throughout the day, FREE in the main nave of St Elvan's
Judith Barrow
Amanda Bowden
Ann Brady
Phil Carradice
Mike Church
Angela Fish
V B Furlong
Maureen Gannon
Alison Knight
Gerhard Kress
Dave Lewis
Will Macmillan Jones
Rebecca Mills
Thorne Moore
Colin R Parsons
Daniel Parsons
Janice Price
Anna Rashbrook
Sam Smith
Sue Trusler
Graham Watkins
Gail B Williams
Louise Zakrzewska
All featured authors in each Bookfest event will be on hand to chat and engage with throughout the day, while FREE timetabled book talks and Q&A sessions then take place at regular intervals on the Mezzanine Gallery level
Book your FREE day pass from the St Elvan's Ticketsource site or just drop in anytime throughout the day. Full details of the 2023 event will be published in Summer 2023
Come along and enjoy a fantastic day of literature and books in the glorious surroundings of St Elvan’s
Author Biographies
A selection of biographies from RCT Bookfest 2022 can be found below
Ann Brady is an Author and Writers Mentor of 35 plus years. Her books include a variety of genres from historical fiction to children’s pictures books. Known as the Fairy Godmother for Aspiring Writers, Ann works with new, developing and even established writers, of all ages, worldwide. But she especially enjoys working with younger writers, having helped many achieve publication of their work. Ann enjoys sharing her love of writing through her talks, blogs, mentoring, workshops, and podcasts, which offer useful information to help all writers
Angela Fish is a people-watcher and an eavesdropper - pastimes which provide a rich source of stimuli for her writing. She gained her MPhil in Literature in 1995, focussing on how women writers from Wales portrayed their female characters, and this work, together with her interests in the nature/nurture debate, mythology and magic, have shaped her approach to her own writing. Another source of inspiration came from her time at the University of Glamorgan where she established and directed the Wales Centre for Intergenerational Practice. Over a period of ten years she worked with local schools and communities to improve communication between the generations, and the benefits of good relationships between older and younger people, and the ways in which they can develop, not only significantly underpin her stories for children but also support her work for older audiences
Angela’s first book for children is Ben and the Spider Gate (2015); the second is Ben and the Spider Prince (2016), and the third in the series is Ben and the Spider Lake (2016). A picture book, The Captain’s Favourite Treasure (Matador) was published in 2018. From 2010 to 2016, Angela belonged to a writer’s group and began to experiment with writing different genres, often in response to specific stimuli. It was here that all four children’s books were developed and where her debut novel, The Fractured Globe, was conceived, drawing on her interest
in human relationships and the shaping forces of personality development. The Fractured Globe (Darkstroke Books) was published in 2020 and the Kindle version is now an international best-seller
Angela is a member of The Society of Authors [SoA], and the SoA Children's Writers and Illustrators Group, and lives in South Wales. Find out more about Angela at www.angela-fish.com
VB Furlong is a trainee lawyer and writer of young adult novels living in Berkshire, UK. Originally from Rhondda Cynon Taf in the South Wales' Valleys, she spent much of her childhood reading and writing. She wrote her first “novel” at aged ten and has not stopped since then. Her experiences growing up have offered her inspiration for many pieces of writing, including her debut novel "What Happened to Coco" which she is excited to introduce as a coming of age boarding school thriller. Through her writing she aims to explore many of the issues she faced herself, in the hopes that others facing the same issues feel some solidarity. Her friendships are a huge part of her life and consequently is a major theme in her writing, exploring the way in which we interact with each other, especially in difficult times
Maureen Gannon was born in London but spent her childhood in Dublin. She did her nursing training in Swansea and midwifery training in Cardiff, gaining her work experience in Cardiff, Bristol and the Orkney Islands, both in hospital and the community
After her nursing training she married, had her children and stayed at home as a full time mother for nine years, before returning to her career. Her special interest has been the welfare of the woman throughout her pregnancy, the birth and the important early days and weeks with the newborn. However, she has always been aware of the importance of the role of the father
There has been a natural progression to her second career in private Maternity Nursing, living with families for periods of two weeks to three months, where the care of the newborn cannot be separated from the support of the mother and making sure that the father does not feel excluded from the overwhelming experience of new parenthood. Siblings too must be considered and helped to enjoy and accept the new arrival
In her private practice she has travelled to France, Holland, South Africa, The Philippines and Canada. In 1996 she went on a Children of China Study Tour. She now offers free online Childbirth Preparation Sessions
Alison Knight has been a legal executive, a registered childminder, a professional fund-raiser and a teacher. She has travelled the world – from spending a year as an exchange student in the US in the 1970s and trekking the Great Wall of China to celebrate her fortieth year and lots of other interesting places in between. She currently has a trio of novels published by Darkstroke. The first, Mine, is a domestic drama set in 1960s London and based on real events in her family. She is the only person who can tell this particular story. Exploring themes of class, ambition and sexual politics, Mine shows how ordinary people can make choices that lead them into extraordinary situations. The Legacy, a drama set in London in 1969, was inspired by a scene in Mine, and explores how an unexpected legacy can be both a blessing and a curse. The Legacy looks at themes of greed and expectations, and the lengths people will go to when they are desperate. The Hidden, is a romantic suspense that picks up the story of one of the characters in The Legacy. Set in Montana in 1973, two wounded, damaged people are forced together, each guarding their secrets. Can they learn to trust each other? And will their nightmares ever end? Alison lives in Somerset within sight of Glastonbury Tor
Dave Lewis is a writer, poet and photographer from Pontypridd. He runs the International Welsh Poetry Competition – the biggest in Wales. He also runs the Writers of Wales database, the international Poetry Book Awards, Wales Trails and book publishing company Publish & Print. He has published over twenty books; including four crime thrillers and ten poetry collections. He likes real ale, photographing animals and going to Africa. Furth information on David and his work is available at www.david-lewis.co.uk
Will Macmillan Jones is a novelist, poet and oral storyteller who lives and works outside the seaside town of Aberaeron in West Wales. He does his best to support the heritage of this ancient land by drinking the local beer and shouting loud encouragement whenever International Rugby is on the TV. A lover of blues, rock, and jazz he has just fulfilled a lifetime ambition by filling an entire wall of his study with (overfull) bookcases. When not writing he is usually lost with the help of a satnav on top of a large hill in the middle of nowhere, looking for dragons. He hasn’t found one yet, but swears that it is only a matter of time.
His writing credits include an occasional award, and a lot of more frequent near misses covering his chosen genres of Horror, Fantasy, Children’s, and Science Fiction. Working with his publisher he is excited about the new collection of dyslexic friendly books for teenagers and adults in progress, with the first releases now available.
A popular spoken word performer, he has also recorded some CDs of traditional Welsh tales for children and adults, based on both the Mabinogion and local stories
Rebecca Mills - My Story
I love to write. Putting words together has always been a passion of mine. Whether it is through writing poetry or children's books, my mission is to inspire all of my readers to joy. If you'd asked me my dream several years ago, I would have told you that I wanted to be a writer. Why? Because I believe that each word we say holds so much power. Words are how we get to express ourselves and how we tell our stories and connect with one another. They are the most valuable part of our lives.
But words are especially important to me. When I was young I was so shy that I couldn't speak to people. I was so shy that my parents had my hearing checked when I was around 8 years old because I wasn't responding to those around me. I soon discovered that although I wasn't great at speaking my truth out loud, I had a talent for expressing myself on paper. I admired poetry and song lyrics and I loved hearing my grandfather tell stories to me. I soon realised that all I wanted to do was write
Years later, I became fascinated by the power that words have on the human mind. Psychology intrigued me and I began writing positive poetry to inspire myself. I used to be so shy that I would not enjoy reading my poems out to anyone, but when I began to realise how much my poetry meant to those around me, I started a Facebook page called 'Poetry for the soul' which now has over 20,000 followers from all over the world. There I share inspiring stories, quotations, videos and poetry that goes along with my mission to inspire all my readers to joy
The Legends of Dothvera began as a way to inspire children to believe in themselves and be confident. I have struggled myself with confidence and I know how awful it can be to not believe in oneself. Being a writer to me is not about just telling a story, it is about inviting my readers on a journey of self exploration and it is a place to learn about each other and ourselves. In The Legends of Dothvera our main character Bobby has to find his confidence through the journeys he finds himself taking
I hope it inspires children who read it to believe in themselves and find their Pocromethrah, which is the title of my second book
Thorne Moore grew up in Luton and studied history at Aberystwyth. She later moved to north Pembrokeshire, to run a restaurant and a craft business, studying Law through the OU before retiring to write full-time. Her domestic noir crime novels and historical mysteries are mostly set in West Wales and Luton and include A Time For Silence (finalist for the People’s Book Prize and Bookseller Top Ten best seller). The latest is Fatal Collision, set on the Pembrokeshire coast. She also writes science fiction. She is a member of Crime Cymru and the Crime Writers Association
Jan Price A poet on tour with the Welsh arts council for many years, Jan has been licensee of four very busy valley pubs, Chairlady of licensed victuallers, and a performance poet reading in libraries, pubs, clubs, Llandaff Cathedral, the Sheraton Hotel Nigeria and many other venues. Her books include "My Life Behind Bars", "Screwshot Suzy Plays Pool" and "Hell Hath No Fury", all of which are for sale on Amazon, together with her sold out "A Better Class of Doggerel"
Bestselling author Anna Rashbrook grew up with a passion for horses, dogs, and travel. Over the years, she has lived in England, Switzerland, and Austria, but now lives in Wales and is finding her family roots. Anna’s novels are all based on her Christian faith, along with her life experiences from managing a farm to working in equine therapy, cleaning castles to teaching riding, running a holiday home business to becoming a librarian. The books are set in country life more than a little drama and tangled relationships. They include novels, memoirs, a supernatural thriller and short story collections. Not forgetting the horses and dogs who always seem to turn up, even when not planned!
Sam Smith is editor of The Journal (once 'of Contemporary Anglo-Scandinavian Poetry'). Author of several novels and collections of poetry (samsmithbooks.weebly.com), he presently lives in Blaengarw, South Wales, and blogs at thesamsmith.net
Graham Watkins is a multi genre author who started writing when he retired. He cut his teeth researching and reinventing Welsh legends and myths, a four year project exploring Wales and its rich legacy of stories. Graham lives in a rambling farmhouse in the Brecon Beacons with his wife, a lunatic rescue dog called Sally and a motley collection of animals which at different times have included, chickens, ducks, geese, sheep and Welsh Black cattle. His neighbours describe him, not unkindly, as a hobby farmer who tries to write and gives talks about his writing to anyone who will listen
