A little extract of Wild Running in The Independent this morning, exploring Pen Y Fan and focusing on women's safety in running 🏃‍♀️ @serenbooks.bsky.social www.independent.co.uk/life-style/w...

Best stairwell in Wales (if there is such a thing)

The term 'wits' / 'witsh' first appeared in William Salisbury's Welsh-English dictionary in 1547, borrowed from the English 'witch.' Before then, the Welsh didn't really have a word to describe witches. Accusations in Welsh records are full of 'witses' & 'witshes.'

I've never written a sestina before, but I've had an idea for one for a couple of years now without ever sitting down to write it. Finally pushing myself to get at least a first draft ready by the end of this month, and thought I would 'live tweet' (or whatever the Bluesky version is) as I go.

I’ve got a poem in the new issue of @gutter.bsky.social, available to buy at guttermag.co.uk/getgutter/p/gutter-32. ‘The First Law of Thermodynamics’ is written in memory of my stepdad, who died in March 2020 a week before the first lockdown. Can’t believe over 5 years have now passed.

Been thinking this week how most of the poems I write come from sitting down and choosing to work on something, but every so often that spark of inspiration hits and all of a sudden an entire first draft has appeared out of nowhere.

This has been a dream to work on and a nice break to write about history, creativity and falling down hills on my backside in beautiful South Wales. Out September 15th! Pre-order here: www.serenbooks.com/book/wild-ru... #running #writing #trailrunning

❀ WITSH ❀ There's just 3 months to go until Witsh hits bookshelves! I'm so excited to be able to share this story with the world. ✬ I don't want to inundate anyone but just to say, pre orders are open: uk.bookshop.org/p/books/wits... ✬ #Witchcraft #Witchrature #Wales #WritingSky #HistoricFiction

A Suppertime Special Edition! I am going to be serializing my novel, “Are You There?”, on Substack over the next ten weeks (starting next Monday). Check out my latest post to see how it all works and gear up for a fun 🤩 summer read 🏖️ 👻 emilyvanderploeg.substack.com/p/are-you-th...

Bit late posting about this but was so happy to have a new poem published in the latest issue of @poetrywales.bsky.social – a special edition feat 60 new Welsh poets to celebrate the magazine’s 60th anniversary. Diolch to @zoebrigley.bsky.social for choosing it and here’s to the next 60 years of PW!

Librarians and primary school teachers! Join me and @darrenchetty.bsky.social for this event on July 10th in Cardiff on Creating Inclusive Libraries and Curricula and get a free copy of Beyond the Secret Garden!

Signed in to LinkedIn for the first time in over 2 years. It's always been full of nonsense, but I see they're now making up geographical areas on there too.

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was making the advert at the top of my inbox look like an unread email.

Can't believe it's been 20 years since the last game at @swansofficial.bsky.social's Vetch Field, a 2–1 win that saw us raise the FAW Premier Cup. Here's a poem I wrote about that final final-whistle, originally published in 'That Lone Ship' (available from @parthianbooks.bsky.social). #UppaJacks

Publication Day! Thanks to everyone who pre-ordered I'm Going to Make a Friend. It's out today. Illustrated superbly by Sandhya Prabhat. Published by @littletigeruk.bsky.social Here's a lovely review by @edfinch.bsky.social for @justimaginecentre.bsky.social : justimagine.co.uk/childrens-bo...

Happy Publication Day to @darrenchetty.bsky.social for #ImGoingToMakeAFriend – a book that’s quickly become a favourite in our house!

My first ever picture book is out May 1st. A lovely review -and link to order - here: www.letterboxlibrary.com/product-page... I'm Going to Make A Friend is illustrated by the amazing Sandhya Prabhat and published by @littletigeruk.bsky.social

Great poetry-writing advice here (as expected) from @natholborow.bsky.social. Chuffed to see my poem ‘Vetch Field Elegy’ get a mention too 🦢

"Poems live not just in what happened, but in the infinite ways it can be seen." Blogging/procrastinating. Put a few tips in here that I've been given and have helped me - I hope you find value in them too 💖✨ natalieholborow.com/2025/04/29/h...

like acupuncture needles, twenty wind turbines pinprick the hilltop #Haiku for March from That Lone Ship (@parthianbooks.bsky.social, 2018)

I usually only add 10 new poems to this thread each #WorldPoetryDay, but 2025 has been a bumper edition as I've also added poems from previous years' Twitter postings in readiness for shutting down my account on there. Apologies if I flooded your feed, normal service will resume on WPD2026 I'm sure.

I think about this line from Great Expectations pretty much every day throughout March

“In poetry we hold our culture.” Nick Makoha Check out Poetry Off The Shelf’s latest episode where we deep dive into the Welsh language and culture, cynghanedd poetry, and the Cerdd Tafod Arall project. Thanks again to Helena, Nick, Ciara and Hammad 💚 open.spotify.com/episode/11WB...

I’m never getting invited as a guest on Room 101 (is it even on TV anymore?) but I tell you what that doesn’t stop me living life constantly preparing my selections for oblivion in my head.

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! In honour of St. David's Day, here's a short poem of mine from 'That Lone Ship' (@parthianbooks.bsky.social, 2018)

I’ve got two new poems in the latest issue of nawr magazine on the theme of ‘deffro/awaken’. Diolch to the editors for publishing them! You can pick up a copy of the issue from nawrmag.bigcartel.com

caught on my sleeve, a long, flickering strand of someone else’s hair #Haiku for February from That Lone Ship (@parthianbooks.bsky.social, 2018)

I am a night owl forever training myself to be a lark

If you’re a Welsh/Wales-based writer you should apply for this!

a break in clouds – the sea, no longer grey but nuclear yellow #Haiku for January from That Lone Ship (@parthianbooks.bsky.social, 2018)

Thought I'd curate a Starter Park of writers living & working in Wales 🖋️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 drop me a line if you'd like to be added! go.bsky.app/7L23QS7 #WelshWriters #WtitingCommunity #Wales

I like to imagine that there are spectral libraries full of all the unwritten books of the ages. Archives of all the unsent letters of love or apology. I know there some magicians who claim to walk the stacks of such places in their dreams. How I envy them their reading. - #CLNolan

Down the salt marshes of North Gower @kathryntann.bsky.social and @natholborow.bsky.social chat about the importance of venturing into the unknown and why creativity really isn’t just sitting about at your desk. www.parthianbooks.com/blogs/news/p...

It’s #OCDAwarenessWeek. Here’s a poem I wrote after being diagnosed with OCD a couple of years ago, originally published in Field’s issue on the theme of ‘control’.

Reminded on Instagram that the hometown launch of my first book was 6 years ago today. Great night in the TechHub Cafe in Swansea and had this lovely write up on the Parthian blog the next day: parthianbooksinternblog.wordpress.com/2018/09/18/the-launch-of-that-lone-ship-by-rhys-owain-williams

One for the Swansea ’eds: is this logo for the slowly-disappearing St. David’s Shopping Centre by the same artist as the much-loved Penscynor Wildlife Park car sticker, or is it just of the same time? Have only just clocked the similarities.

A poem for #EarthDay2024 on this year’s theme of #PlanetVsPlastics, originally published in Magma’s ‘Poems for Schools’ issue. Plastic pollution is a global problem demanding a global solution – sign the Global Plastics Treaty today: action.earthday.org/global-plast...

A painful but important collection of tributes to Chris as both a person and a writer. Diolch to @thelonelycrowd.bsky.social for asking me to contribute. Thinking of all his loved ones.

No matter what I do it seems that I will always confuse Brian Eno for Phil Spector and I can’t apologise enough to Brian Eno for that

Still can’t quite believe the tragic and unexpected news that Christopher Cornwell has passed away. Chris was such a warm-hearted and generous person – a champion of other writers and a wonderful poet who loved to test the boundaries of form in his constellation-like poems. RIP Chris x

It's #WorldPoetryDay, so I’m going to share some of my favourite 300-character-friendly poems throughout the day. (If your poem is featured in this thread and you'd prefer it not to be, let me know).

A much-anticipated second collection from one of Wales’ best poets, out in April but now up for pre-order via Verve Poetry Press. Can’t wait to read this – clare’s poetry performances are legendary but will be great to see her work gathered together on the page again.

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! Spending this St. Dai’s Day listening to Angharad’s brilliant debut ‘Motherland’. An album that takes a trip across genres – from disco-infused pop to fireside folk, spoken-word jazzscapes to foot tapping funk. Check it out on Spotify, Bandcamp, etc.

Going through my list of places to submit work and so sad to see how many magazines and journals have ceased to be this last year. A sea of indefinite hiatuses, dead websites and final notes from the editors. I know lit mags often come and go but this feels bigger than that.

Happy ‘Annual PLR Email to Say Nobody Has Checked My Book Out of an Irish Library’ Day to those others who celebrate!

I’ve got poems included in two new anthologies that are both now available to pre-order, if you fancy buying a gift for your future self.

I wrote a poetry prompt for @modronmagazine.bsky.social who, in partnership with Planet and Poetry Wales, are encouraging the writing community to donate to charities providing much-needed medical aid to children in Gaza.

Of all the bird site replacements I’ve feverishly joined and then eventually drifted away from, in hindsight the one I probably enjoyed the most was Mastodon for its #VerseThursday tag. Every Thursday, post a poem you like. That’s it – a simple joy. So here’s ’Kingfisher Haibun’ by Dylan Brennan.

At least once every week (usually while stopped at traffic lights) I think about this short, short story by Italo Calvino.

a blue sky when evening comes autumn wind – Kobayashi Issa