Llwyd Owen
Llwyd Owen is an award-winning Welsh-language fiction author born in Cardiff in 1977. He lives in Cardiff with his wife and daughters and works as a translator when not writing fiction. As well as publishing 6 acclaimed Welsh language novels and one English language adaptation, he is also a published poet and photographer who presented his own television documentary on S4C on the Cardiff art scene in 2008.
His first novel, Ffawd, Cywilydd a Chelwyddau (Fate, Shame & Lies) was published by Y Lolfa in March 2006, and his second, Ffydd Gobaith Cariad (Faith Hope Love) in November 2006. Ffawd, Cywilydd a Chelwyddau was described by the judges of the National Eisteddfod of Wales' Daniel Owen Memorial Prize as "close to genius" but was not awarded the prize. Critics have said that it goes "beyond normal and safe publishing boundaries" because of its disturbing content, swearing and slang, which is uncommon in Welsh-language literature.[1] Publication of the book was delayed for a year due to its controversial nature.
Ffydd Gobaith Cariad won the 2007 Welsh Language Book of the Year Award.
His third novel, Yr Ergyd Olaf (The Last Hit), was published in November 2007 and was longlisted for the 2008 Welsh Language Book of the Year Award.
His fourth novel, 'Mr Blaidd' ('Mr Wolf') was published by Y Lolfa in October 2009.
An English-language version of 'Ffydd Gobaith Cariad' (Faith Hope & Love) - adapted by the author himself - was published in May 2010 by Alcemi and garnered favourable reviews, with Suzy Ceulan Hughes calling it "deftly plotted and pitch-perfect in its pacing" (New Welsh Review), Time Out Magazine praising it as "an absorbing fable… enjoyable and pacey… providing a thoughtful take on what it means to be alive and how suffering can control and overwhelm you" and The South Wales Argus claiming the author to be "Wales’ answer to Irvine Welsh".
His fifth novel, 'Un Ddinas Dau Fyd' ('One City Two Worlds') was published in March 2011; and his sixth, 'Heulfan' ('Conservatory') in November 2012.
His second English language novel, 'The Last Hit' (an adaptation of his third Welsh language novel, 'Yr Ergyd Olaf') will be published in March 2013.
References
- ↑ Morgan, Gareth (11 March 2006). "Controversial Welsh novel goes to print". Western Mail. Media Wales Ltd. Retrieved 18 October 2007.
External links
- Author's website (in Welsh and English)