Wales' popular Wrexham-based literary festival goes digital with new chapter

A highly entertaining programme has been put together for one of Wales' premier literary festivals, and due to the pandemic, is all available from the comfort of your own home.

The Wrexham Carnival of Words, now in its seventh year, has become a fixture in the literary calendar in Wales and the borderlands, attracting a broad range of well-known authors.

This year the festival, held from April 17-24, will be even more accessible, with events being broadcast online on the Carnival of Words' own YouTube channel.

Among the many authors highlighting the 2021 Carnival will be Michael Morpurgo, the hugely respected author of War Horse, in conversation with Vicki Berwick about the dramatic adaptation of his latest children's novel, The Mozart Question.

The Mozart Question by Michael Morpurgo

Also appearing this year will be enthralling crime writer Clare Mackintosh, queen of the time-shift genre Barbara Erskine, historical fiction giant Elizabeth Buchan, and the master of the psychological thriller Neil Spring. Amanda Prowse will be joined by her son Josiah to discuss her latest best-seller The Boy Between.

Poetry, music, history, mythology, crime, and humour will all feature in the virtual Carnival and there will be workshops for local writers. Both Elen Caldecott and Hayley Long will be at this year's Carnival discussing their books for young adults.

Popular local poet and author Aled Lewis Evans will be reading extracts from his latest Welsh-language book Tre Terfyn (Border Town). Local poets will also be taking part in the open mic Viva Voce, hosted by Paul Clifton, whilst renowned local musician Luke Gallagher will be sharing the stories behind his songs giving fans a whole new perspective on those songs.

Local writers and budding authors will be able to attend a range of workshops to help them improve their creative writing including tips on how to get published, how to write for children, how to promote your book and how to publish an e-book.

The week of events will kick off with a local history day featuring Peter Evans, author of Resurrection River tracing the history of the river Alun, Peter Doyle re-telling the story of Percy, a young man from Cefn Mawr who fought and died in the First World War, and former National Librarian Andrew Green reflecting on Wales in a Hundred Objects.

Festival director Dylan Hughes has said: "This year's Carnival is back with a bang with an exciting and varied programme of events. We hope that, in these exceptional times, the Carnival of Words will bring some entertaining literature to local people in their homes."

A Festival ticket is £15, and will gain you access to all events except one, the writers' workshop with Julia Forster.

For more details visit www.wrexhamcarnivalofwords.com

DIARY OF EVENTS:

Saturday, April 17

10am - Writers' Workshop: Julia Forster - Presenting Your Cover Letter to Agents & Publishers (not included in the Festival Ticket)

Noon - A short introduction to this afternoon's four History Day events

1pm - Peter Evans - Resurrection River

2pm - Anthony Riches - Park in the Past

3pm - Andrew Green - Wales in a Hundred Objects

4pm - Peter Doyle - Percy: A Story of 1918

6pm - Clare Mackintosh - After the End

7pm - Luke Gallagher - Tales of a Troubadour

Sunday, April 18

5pm - Sir Michael Morpurgo and Vicki Berwick - The Mozart Question

Monday, April 19

1pm - Hayley Long - Teen Fiction Author

3pm - Writers' Workshop: Debbie Young - Your Key Writing Questions Answered

5pm - Jasper Fforde - The Constant Rabbit

7pm - Neil Spring - Master of the Psychological Chiller

Tuesday, April 20

1pm - Johnny Tudor - My Heart is Bleeding

5.30pm - Writers' Workshop: Paige Tynan - The Science of Death, Decay & Decomposition

7pm - Matt Hilton - Putting the 'thrill' into thriller

Wednesday, April 21

11am - Writers' Workshop: Cathryn Summerhayes, Literary Agent

1pm - Writers' Workshop: Sue Miller - How to Publish an E-Book

5.30pm - Writers' Workshop: Jude Lennon - Four Parts of the Story; Writing for Children

7pm - Viva Voce - Spoken Word Poetry Event

Thursday, April 22

1pm - Nell Grey (Carys Davies)

5.30pm - Julia Forster - What a Way to Go

7pm - Aled Lewis Evans - Tre Terfyn

Friday, April 23

1pm - Elen Caldecott - Children's and Young People's Author

Historical Fiction Night:

5pm - Deborah Swift - The Poison Keeper

6pm - Matthew Harffy - A Time for Swords

7pm - Elizabeth Buchan - Two Women in Rome and The Museum of Broken Promises

8pm - Barbara Erskine - The Dream Weavers

Saturday, April 24

1pm - Gwyneth Lewis - Welsh Mythology and Legend - The Book of Taliesin

2pm - Amanda Prowse and Josiah Hartley - The Boy Between

4pm - Writers' Workshop: Michelle & Christian Ewen - How to get Free PR for your Book