Books & Poetry

TALL TALES FROM NORTH WALES

Author and former teacher Martin Kaye, a local lad, has written a series of books celebrating the weird and wonderful myths and legends of the area

Martin Kaye was born and raised in Ruthin in north Wales, and has spent his career in education with 23 years as a primary headteacher in south Wales. He usually had a pen in his hand – but more commonly for illustration than writing purposes. Recently, though, Martin has been inspired to dabble in creative writing.

“As part of my job, I write so many technical dry reports and I’ve loved the contrast in writing something for pleasure,” says Martin. “The role of a head teacher these days is about working in partnership with social services and the wider community. I build my characters on real people – bringing a colour and depth to the portrayal of some of the players in my writing, which adds to a sense realism and suspense in my work.”

Martin’s current series of books is based in north Wales, with a focus on the towns of Ruthin and Denbigh. On Badon Field is the fi rst of three novels that take place both in the last days of Roman Britannia and the present, based loosely on the legends of King Arthur. Each novel follows the life of a character who is briefl y the keeper of the Holy Grail.

Martin Kaye

Three intertwining tales

On Badon Field follows Arth, the British war leader, from his greatest victory at the Battle on Badon Field to his death at Camlann. A Banner Of Dark Shadows, the second novel, tells the story of Gwenllian, charting her great loss after Arth’s death and her capture and execution. The fi nal instalment, The Fallen & The Fled, follows the mysterious “Roman Girl” who fi rst brings the Holy Grail to Britannia from the East.

Throughout the series, malevolent forces are at work, trespassing through the tapestry of time bringing death and destruction from the ancient past. But the Grail is a force for good, protecting Arth, Gwenllian and the Roman Girl and bringing them a second chance at life through reincarnation. Martin calls the series “a mysterious adventure, a love a air that stretches across millennia, written for an adult audience.” Martin has done extensive research to back up the historical context of his writing. “The only contemporary

“A love written record that relates to King a air that stretches Arthur was written by a monk called Gildas,” he says. “Welsh mythology states that Gildas had across a brother, Huail, whom Arthur had millennia” executed by beheading on the Maen Huail, a large limestone block which now sits on a plinth beside Exmewe Hall in Ruthin. Gildas is among the names of the many saints who were tutored by St Illtud in Llantwit Major.” On Badon Field is available from Amazon or from Martin’s website, www.fachlwyd.co.uk

LOCAL BOOKS

Armageddon’s Rod by Will Esling

Ever since he can remember, young Jack Dore has had strange dreams of another world and another life. In his waking moments he is followed by shadows that no one else can see. Slowly and surely he discovers the secret hidden deep inside him: he has lived a life before – the life of a king. After an incident where he nearly drowns, he is transported to the Celtic otherworld, Annwn.

Will Esling has long had a fascination with Welsh history and folklore, much of which has been forgotten or superseded in the writings of the conquerors of the land over 1,400 years. He explores this magically though the characters and story of Armageddon’s Rod, a captivating novel that is available from Amazon.

Tom Pryce: Memories Of A Welsh F1 Star By Those Who Knew Him by Darren Banks and Kevin Guthrie

This book shines a light on the brilliant talent of tragic F1 hero Tom Pryce, who went from being a tractor mechanic to a potential world champion in just four years. The book’s foreword is by Tom’s widow, Nella, and some of the best-known names in motorsport have contributed, including former FI racing driver and TV commentator John Watson, a contemporary of Tom’s, and Ruthin-born David Richards, the chair of Motorsport UK and a former chair of Aston Martin. Authors Darren Banks and Kevin Guthrie have pledged to donate the proceeds from sales of the book to create a permanent memorial in Tom’s home town of Denbigh. They have already raised £2,500 towards the appeal.

The Consequence by Gerald Jones

Gerald Jones was born in Newtown but raised in the small village of Llandyssil, where this book is based. The idea for The Consequence came a long time ago when, in his early teens, Gerald spoke with men who had fought in Egypt during the First World War. It is a tale of war, love and courage of the men who leave home and the women they leave behind. Gerald was dedicated in his research and the book includes many historical details; the characters are fi ctitious but their stories are deeply rooted in reality. You can buy The Consequence from Amazon.

Calling local authors…

Another trio of top tips for readers from our friends at Linghams Bookshop in Heswall

A Nice Place To Come Home by Sheila Crozier

Dark Tides by Philippa Gregory

Midsummer Eve 1670. Two visitors arrive at a shabby warehouse on the Thames: a wealthy man hoping to find the lover he deserted years before; and a beautiful widow who claims the son of the warehouse’s owner, Alinor, has drowned in the dark tides of the Venice lagoon. Alinor writes to her brother in New England, caught up in the conflict between settlers and native Americans, with the news – but assures him that her son is alive and the widow is an imposter. A gripping read from start to finish.

Love After Love by Ingrid Persaud

Meet the Ramdin-Chetan family: irrepressible Betty Ramdin, her shy son Solo and their marvellous lodger, Mr Chetan, who form an unconventional household. Happy in their differences, they build a home together, which keeps them safe from an increasingly dangerous world – until the night when a glass of rum, a heart-to-heart and a terrible truth explodes the family unit, driving them apart. Brave and brilliant, steeped in affection, Love After Love offers hope to anyone who has loved and lost and has yet to find their way back.

Cecily by Annie

Garthwaite Cecily Neville was high-born, but married a traitor’s son. She bore him children, carried his cause and buried his past. When the king proved unfit to rule, she had a choice to make. Loyalty or treason? Either could lead to death… After a 30-year business career, Annie Garthwaite fulfilled her lifelong ambition to write an account of Cecily Neville, matriarch of the House of York during the Wars of the Roses, and mother of Edward IV and Richard III. She completed this novel while studying for a creative writing MA at the University of Warwick. It’s an astonishing debut that plunges you into the bedchambers and battlefields of the first days of the Wars of the Roses – a war as women fought it.

Love After Love Ingrid Persaud

Meet the Ramdin-Chetan family: irrepressible Betty Ramdin, her shy son Solo

Everything is neat and tidy Every knickknack bright and shiny The fi re’s lit The place looks homely Tea is decided Needs cooking only And when the girls arrive home from school All cold and mithered and in a whirl I’ll be there, just as always To meet and greet my lovely girls

The Business Muse The e orts to help Welsh businesses overcome the challenge of coronavirus have been captured in poetry by the National Poet of Wales, Ifor ap Glyn

The Birds by Nigel Collier “For my daughter Rebecca; an inspiration!” Above the trees, below the sky is the region you should fl y; Below the trees, above the sky is much too low or far too high! Assuming you would ever try, you may hear the eagle’s cry: “Unless you really want to die, avoid the trees, below the sky!” Smaller birds though sing and twitter, “Through the trees is rather better; Predators are larger, fatter, through the trees their feathers tatter!” Kestrel, skylark, wren and owl and many other kinds of fowl, Hoot and holler, cry and howl, “You are being foolish now! “High upon a cli ’s sheer ledge, on the moorland, fen and sedge, In the shelter of a hedge, this is where we nest and fl edge.” Moorhen, coot and ducks protested, “On the land we are molested, In the reed bed is suggested, unless you wish to be digested!” “Why are you all in a dither? You have set us all a-quiver, We prefer the stream or river,” said the turnstone and the dipper. “What about the rest of us?” Cried the seagull in a fuss, “The gannet and the albatross, without the sea would all be cross!” With all this noise the owl awoke, The owl stared

round and wisely spoke: “Enough of this cacophony before it becomes monotony, Each of us would rather be in di erent homes, it’s plain to see.” And so it was they settled down, in the country, in the town And gradually they ceased to frown; the ducks pulled up their eider down! Thus it was, came peace at last, Peace upon the tree and grass, Peace upon the moor and stream, as they all did peaceful dream. And this was just because, you see, they all agreed to disagree! And they had a common bond, worth repeating, it’s not so long: Above the tress, below the sky is the region you should fl y; Below the trees, above the sky is much too low or far too high! Let us praise the zest for business, the small voice yet to spawn an echo, the loud song still boxed, in a small bird’s breast. And we’ll use the plague days spent apart to meditate on our re-start, mapping out areas unentered, attending webinars, being mentored, so the new venture avoids being botched, and steers well clear of going bust. For initiatives are soon orphaned without support at their backs... But “seek, and ye shall fi nd”, and that indeed is what we do; a phone call away, an internet fi nger-click, the key to each local success. And as we hone our skills and their impacts as we build up our contacts we’ll garner new experience into ancient grain-lofts; our zest for business strikes up a new song: a melodious echo that chimes with our voice.

We want your poems!

Share your creativity – we print our favourite poems every issue. Send them to Poetry Page, Shire, PO Box 276, Oswestry, Shropshire SY10 1FR or email editorial@shiremagazine.co.uk.