The spirit of Wales

Back in 2016 we spent a lot of time in trying to define Wales and its spirit.  This is what we came up with.

Wales is two hours and a million miles away -- a small country on the Celtic fringe of Europe. The country’s green acres have seen a valiant struggle for self determination against a powerful and predatory neighbour.  From the days of its ancient myths and native princes, to the ring of castles built by its conquerors, to its soaring rocky peaks and wild coasts, to its rich bardic and linguistic heritage, and the coal and iron that forged a global industrial revolution, Wales has always been a nation of survivors.  Melancholia features large in the national psyche -- but so does euphoria, and the old mystics talked of two fighting dragons.  Welsh people still have a powerful sense of place and an instinct for subversion and social justice.  They still have an abiding fondness for family histories, mysteries and legends, poetry and music, ceremonial and eccentric traditions.  And in Wales you will find a living language, an open-hearted generosity of spirit, a real sense of mischief, and the warmest of welcomes."

.......with acknowledgement to Jan Morris in particular.

Pantygrwndy Fawr

 

This is a lovely Georgian house (currently on the market) which serves as a nice model for Plas Ingli, Martha's beloved home -- rebuilt after the deadly fire that killed most of David's family.  There are some differences in my mind -- for example, I see Plas Ingli as having a portico over the front door and a driveway approaching from the front........

25th Anniversary -- free Kindle book promotion

For five days, starting on Monday 4th November, we will have a free "anniversary" promotion on the Amazon web site, with the Kindle versions of the first three books in the saga.  You can download the digital or "electronic" versions of the three novels completely free of change.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B074CFGRJ6?binding=kindle_edition&qid=1730659108&sr=1-1&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tkin

Just click on the Kindle edition of each book to order your free download.

Enjoy!!

Here's the story:

In 1999 my wife and I flew to Gran Canaria on holiday, and en route I was struck down by aerotoxic syndrome. I felt sick before we landed, but then I experienced classic flu-like symptoms. I went straight to bed when we arrived at the apartment, and spent the night wide awake, feeling very ill indeed. One hears about "a fevered imagination" and now I know what it means. Anyway, a story came into my head - of a feisty woman called Martha Morgan. It was "narrated" -- I can still recall the female voice. Dates, places, characters, and a storyline covering the greater part of her life from 1796 to 1855. Individual episodes came into my head, and I even "heard" key conversations. 

In the morning, not having slept a wink, I felt better, but the story was fixed firmly inside my head. I told my wife about this strange experience, and she said “Well then, you’d better start writing!” So I did..... and I knew that the story had to be told in Martha's own words, with immediacy, through diary entries.

Twenty-one years later, I still do not know what to make of that episode. l think that the story was “given” to me, and that in order to keep faith I had -- in the beginning -- to try and put into words the emotions and experiences of a pregnant, suicidal 18-year-old female who lived more than 200 years ago. 

The narrative extended, eventually, across eight novels; and I can honestly say that the only one of those that involved the "invention"of characters and narrative was "Guardian Angel". The reasons for that will be obvious to the loyal readers of the Saga.

Parrog Milkman

 

This is a great old photo, posted on Facebook by Ann Evans.  It shows the milk delivery to the Parrog householders when the tide is high.  Date -- c 1950 or 1960?

Storytelling mode.............

 Discovered this old photo (from a few years ago) of me in storytelling mode, telling tall takes to small children in the Newport Library........

Pitch deck now available online

Here is the link to the pitch deck which Steve has created --  freely available to all who might be able to help in bringing the project to fruition.  Feel free to share with anybody willing to help in the creation of a costume drama masterpiece........

https://www.canva.com/design/DAGOc6qd-Zo/Y2xFEY4PXsi8wYVen4YesQ/view?utm_content=DAGOc6qd-Zo&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=editor

Martha -- sometimes happy, sometimes sad, always complicated

 

This is a lovely pic created with AI by Steve.  So this particular lady doesn't exist, except in the mind -- but if you want to start a fan club, go ahead.......

Martha was nothing if not complicated, in the depths of despair one day and carried on a wave of optimism and joy the next.  Here she is quite young, as she might have been in the first volume of the saga.