Great Big Blog Party #42 & #46 Winners

I've been having way too much fun here at Caerleon - with wonderful talks, Poetry Readings, socialising, eating a bit - drinking a very little bit of wine - meeting wonderful authors . . .

I've managed to grab a couple of them and get them to sign books so that I can offer them as a special Caerleon contribution to the Blog Party - so look out for that - probably at the weekend.

But first I have to hand out some prizes that some previous Guest Bloggers have picked.

I talked to lovely Iris Gower last night and showed her all the entries for her contest and she picked out a winner from here

Her winner is juliemt who wins a signed copy of Iris Gower's brand new paperback Act of Love

Congratulations julie! I have your signed copy in my bag to take home with me and post on to you as soon as I can.


And I've also heard from Bernardine Kennedy who tells me that she has picked as her winner - Christyjan

Christyjan if you email Bernardine here then she can sort out which book you want. Bernardine offered a signed copy of Old Scores or in October, a signed copy of Past Chances.
Please cc the email to me so I know it's all in hand

And I thin that Phillipa Ashley was not sure how ot announce her winner - if you'd like to email me Phillipa then I'll announce it and organise the details.

I'll be heading for home tomorrow so I'll be back on my own computer and can get things done more easily then.

But tonight is the very special Welsh Night with the Cwmbach Male Voice Choir - always a wonderful experience.

Great Big Blog Party 42 Iris Gower

It's a special delight and honour to introduce you to the fabulous lady who is today's Guest Blogger. Those of you who have visited here often will know that I make no secret of how much the BM and I enjoy our visits to Wales in the summer - and how much we love taking part in the wonderful Writers' Holidays in Caerleon. We've been back so often now that it doesn't seem like work, even though we've both run courses or give a Main Lecture while we're there. But what we love most about Caerleon is that it's a writers' event with heart. And at the heart of Caerleon are three special people - the organisers Anne and Gerry Hobbs - and the hugely successful Welsh novelist Iris Gower.

I invited Anne and Gerry to blog here but they are always so very busy at this time of year - organising this year's Caerleon event which starts again on July 29th. And Iris is not at all used to blogging. But I managed to persuade her to write me a small message and offer one of her great books as a prize as part of the celebrations.

Iris Gower was born in Swansea and she draws the inspiration for her books from the rich history of the sea side town she loves.

Iris had her first best seller in 1983 with the publication of COPPER KINGDOM a tale of hardship in the gruelling heat of the smelting works on the Hafod Bank of the river Tawe. It was a book of human passions, of poverty despair and finally triumph and it continues to be reprinted and held in the libraries. Iris is the only Welsh writer in the top ten Welsh library list of lends and in the national list Iris is solidly in the top hundred.

Folllowing the sucess of Copper Kingdom Iris went on to write a best selling book every year and so established her reputation as a writer of excellence in her genre both here and overseas. Iris's sales run into millions of copies. Iris's latest book ACT OF LOVE about the old time music hall in the Palace Theatre in Swasea. The paperback edition is due out in July as is her new hardback BARGAIN BRIDE.

The writer of historical fiction was honoured for her impeccable research by the awarding of two honorary fellowships one from the University of Wales Swansea and one from The Institute of Higher Education in Swansea. Iris is now working on her new novel entitled 'Fool's Gold' that deals with the goldmining history of Wales.

I met Iris on my very first visit to Caerleon - a pint sized, flame haired lady who is full of life and spirit that I only saw dimmed when she suddenly and tragically lost her beloved husband. But three years later, when she met Peter, the brilliant smile came back to her eyes and her lips . I was thrilled and honoured when Iris and Peter made the long journey from Swansea to Lincoln to join my Writers' Weekend and 50th title celebration last month. With typical Iris style she charmed everyone there including my twenty-something Offspring! I'm so looking forward to the end of next week when once again I'll be heading for Caerleon and a week at Writers' Holidays - and I'll be meeting up with Iris and Peter and everyone else again.

As I said, Iris is new to web sites and blogging, but I was delighted when she wrote a small message and offered a prize as part of my Great Big Blog Party.

Hi to all Kate's reader and to mine I hope. Iris Gower - me - has a new book out and that will be free to any reader who sends me the most interesting comments on my wonderful country of Wales. Act of Love came out on July 2nd and is in paperback right now.
Congtatulations to Kate for the publication of her 5oth novel I think I have only written 30! Now not being a wizz kid like Kate I'm not sure if my website address is http://www.irisgower.com/ or http://www.iris-gower.com/ try both. I hope to hear from readers soon I'm new at blogging and need the practice!

Love to all,

Iris

Iris Gower

Note from Kate - Iris's web site is HERE

IRIS'S GIVEAWAY: A copy of Act of Love - which I will personally get Iris to sign when I'm with her in Caerleon next week

GIVEAWAY QUESTION: What does Wales mean to you - if you've visited this beautiful country, what do you love best about it, or if you've never been to Wales what would you like to see most - where would you like to visit? And what images do you imagine when you think of Wales?