Iris Gower

Iris Gower

So I'm here in Caerleon for the fabulous Writers' Holidays. It took a while to get an internet connection to my room, but I finally have that sorted out.

I'll continue with posts for the Conflict Q&A soon, but first I have to write about some sad news that I -and everyone at Caerleon - has had this week. When I wrote about Caerleon in the past I have mentioned the much published Swansea novelist, Iris Gower who has been so much a part of Writers' Holidays right from their start 26 years ago. Sadly,Iris died last week at the age of 75.

Iris (real name Iris Davies) was born in MUMBLES and lived in Derwen Fawr, a part of Sketty, Swansea. She had four adult children, though her husband of 48 years, Tudor Davies, died on 15 April 2002 . She later lived with a partner, Peter. She was one of the top-selling authors in the country, and was awarded an MA in Creative Writing by Cardiff University, as well as an Honorary Fellowship at the University of Wales, Swansea. She wrote and published around 40 books including 26 novels, most based in the areas of Swansea and its suroundings that she knew best.. When she died she was three quarters of the way through another novel.

At Caerleon, Iris was always a warm and welcoming figure, with her glowing red hair and ready smile. She was happy to chat with anyone, multi-published or the newest of the begininers. Her talks on her writing were lively and witty and together with Anne and Gerry Hobbs she was always at the heart of Writerts' Holidays. I remember one time when the expected speaker hadn't turned up and Iris and I were pushed in front of the audience to fill in. Iris needed no back up or support, she launched into stories and answered questions without a moment's hesitation and soon had the audience laughing along with her.

On a personal note, all the time I have been coming to Caerleon, Iris was one of my dearest friends here. We exchanged books, talked writing. talked life, and laughed a lot. I felt for her when she was so knocked down by the loss of her beloved husband Tudor, felt joy at seeing the sparkle return to her eyes when she found new happiness some years later with Peter. Iris and Peter came to Lincoln to celebrate the publication of my 50th title, The Sicilian's Red-Hot Revenge and I was thrilled to share that special time with her, and even more so when she told me how much she had enjoyed the book. She was also part of my great big Blog Party to celebrate that event.

Part of the joy of coming back to Caerleon was the thought of meeting up again with Iris and seeing that vivid red hair, the bright bright smile. Sadly, this year she is not here and never will be again. Writers' Holidays will be that bit poorer without her.

The Babe Magnet and I loved here. We will miss her very much.

Thank you Iris for the wonderful stories, the fabulous discussions, and so much laugher.

Great Big Blog Party #60 Caerleon Special

So - Caerleon has great courses, friendships, food - but that's not all. As the organisers my dear friends Anne and Gerry Hobbs always emphasise, it is a Writers' Holiday - so you can do everything or nothing. I've been to Caerleon and I've joined in everything - run one course, attended another, been to all the Main Lectures, a couple of After Tea Sessions, the Poetry Reading, the afternoon trip out, the Welsh Male Voice Choir Concert . . .Phew!

And I've been there and done nothing at all. There was the year I had a deadline and I gained a reputation for disappearing off to my room at every opportunity. 'Kate's locked in her room with a hot Italian' was the story that went round Caerleon that year. It did my image a power of good - and the resulting book - The Sicilian's Wife - was a brilliant success too!

But there's plenty of fun to be had in Caerleon as well as plenty to learn and to find out about. There's the final Concert Evening which I've mentioned and there are the trips out on the Wednesday Afternoon. You can visit Cardiff or the Welsh Folk and Country Museum at St Fagan's - or you can really go for Book Overload and take the coach to Hay on Wye.

Hay on Wye is the Town of Books. Mostly secondhand boooks - shops and shops of them - and streets and streets of shops!

Every year I lose the BM as he disappears into book heaven and emerges, blinking, several hours later with innumerable carrier bags filled to the brim with musty, dusty old books and an expression of pure bliss on his face. I just thank heaven that we're not flying to and from Wales - we would have to pay for excess baggage every time.

And I've barely mentioned Caerleon village itself where you can visit the remains of the Roman Fortress,find out about Caerleon's links with King Arthur, explore the wonderful little museum or simply sit in the sunshine and stare at the river. The BM's friend Les tells me that there is excellent beer in the local pubs as well and he should know - he organises the traditional Pub Crawl every year.

And the traditional Poetry Reading. Every year anyone who goes to the Poetry Writing Course - or who just wants to join in the reading - gathers for the 'Open Mic' evening. And it's at this event that the notorious Caerleon Mad Russians have appeared for the past 3 years or so.

The first Russian immigrant poet to appear was Dmitri Todgeroff who bore an unfortunate resemblance to the BM. He was soon joined by Vladimir - who looks surprisingly like Les and then there is the lovelorn Tatiana who sends Dmitri love poems every year. There are rumours of a Russian Poetry collection next time . . .

So that's Caerleon in brief - is it any wonder that the BM and I - and many many other Caerleon 'regulars' - Kathy, Val, June - sending you special hugs - are addicted and each time we go there the week just seems to fly by. Just writing about it makes me wish I was back there.

Oh yes, and just to prove that we do actually do just a little work - here's the BM holding forth on writing History.

And yours truly talking about How Not To Write A Romance

And so, to round off this Caerleon Special - and the whole Great Big Blog Party - is Guest Blogger number 60 - the brains (and the beauty) behind Writers' Holiday - the fabulous Anne Hobbs who thought of the whole idea 20+ years ago and has been running the fabulous event with her husband Gerry ever since.

I photographed Anne as she wrote her blog in the Bookroom at this year's Caerleon - and it's a picture that really sums up the mood and the atmosphere of Caerleon and the warm personality of Anne herself.

So if Caerleon is the writing event withe heart, then here's the heart of Caerleon : Anne Hobbs

Kate Walker kept me awake last night-again. To be more precise her 50th book did. Being really pedantic but, terribly honest, it wasn’t so much the book's fault as the Sicilian hero between the sheets - ahem - pages!

Not only am I a huge fan of Kate Walker's but I’ve had the pleasure of introducing her as a main lecturer at Writers’ Holiday this year. I wonder how many realize what a great sense of humour she has. Being a coward and of fairly sound mind I’m not going to repeat here any of the probably libellous, certainly comical instructions on “How not to write Romance”.

Writers’ Holiday is an annual event held at the Caerleon Campus of the University of Wales-Newport. My husband and I originated and run the holiday, without the aid of safety net or the dubious benefits of a committee. The whole thing began as an act of friendship and it’s the friendship of the speakers, course lecturers and that of the delegates that has kept us doing this insane thing for over twenty years.

As you can imagine it’s pretty hectic trying to look after almost 150 people and I need my beauty sleep more than most (my own mother will testify to the truth of this) so I really needed Kate’s fiftieth book like Britain needs more rain right now. Not that I’m complaining, but the two bottles of Champagne and a quantity of wine (undisclosed amount to protect the guilty from the Really Nice Alcoholics association) we consumed in order to celebrate the safe arrival of Kate’s fiftieth child didn’t do much to make the holiday the run without hiccoughs.

It would be quite a good idea to reach for the sick bag at this moment-but in truth, and with the benefit of over twenty years experience, I can honestly say the more successful the author the more willing they seem to be to pass on their hard won knowledge to would-be –writers.

Writers’ Holiday delegates not only receive tuition from the very best, they are royally entertained by them and where else can you go and find it perfectly normal to sit and enjoy excellent food, alongside top Mills and Boon authors, agents, publishers and above all, in an intoxicating atmosphere of fun and friendship… I think I just talked myself into running this event for another twenty years.

To the bags under my eyes - sorry, to the extra pounds in weight from the good food and unreasonable amounts of alcohol - sorry. To Kate and all my friends at Writer’s holiday a big thank-you and I look forward to partying with you all again next year!

ANNE'S GIVEAWAY QUESTION:
If you could ask any writer just one question - which writer would you choose and waht would you ask them?

GIVEAWAY PRIZE:

Well the prize was supposed to be a couple of books from some of the speakers at this year's Writers' Holiday - but then Zoe and Jane wanted to join in the Blog Party too so their prizes went into their blogs - and you've already had Marina Oliver, Iris Gower and Jane Wenham-Jones as guests on here. You've even had the BM aka Dmitri. I'd offer you the Mad Russians' Poetry Collection From Petrograd To Pudsey but that's still in production. So I thought we might as well go back to the beginning and I'll offer as a prize the whole reason for this Blog Party in the first place - that 50th title of mine. And because it's one of two linked books, then I'll throw in the other book as well.

So the final 60th Great Big Blog Party prize is a signed copy of

The Sicilian's Red-Hot Revenge and its linked title

Sicilian Husband, Blackmailed Bride

And thank you all for coming to my party!

But I can't end without posting one last special picture of Caerleon - this is a wooden sculpture that is in the grounds of the college - I've passed it every day I've been in Caerleon and I love it. (If you can't imagine what it is - think of a wonderful Welsh Dragon disappearing underground and leaving only his tail sticking out).

And if these reports on Caerleon have whetted your appetite and made you want to think about trying the Caerleon experience for yourself then you can check out the details here

I won't be running a course next year - next one I'm doing is 2009 - but if you can't wait till then, then take a look at the Fishguard Novel Writing Weekend which you'll find here. It's a shorter event and hasn't as much variety to offer as Caerleon but the tutors are every bit as enthusiastic and welcome is every bit as warm - it's run by Anne and Gerry to so it has just the same atmosphere.

Maybe I'll see you at one event or the other.

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.

Another Kate Bit from Sunny Wales

That's right - that's what I said

Sunny Wales!

It's lovely here today. The rain has stopped, the sun is shining, and it's getting warmer and warmer by the minute. So I think it's a huge sacrifice that I'm actually sitting here in the computer room, writing a blog for you and getting ready to post another Guest Blog.

But I'm already behind with the blogs I promised. And - can you believe this - this Blog Party has now been going for nearly two months! I started out hoping I'd get 50 Guests and today we reach that magic number of 50 - and I'm still going!!

So I'm sitting inside, slaving over my blog instead of getting out into the sunshine while we hace some. The things I do for you all.

Yesterday was busy as Caerleon always is - there was the courses in the morning. After breakfast. Then there was lunch - the food is wonderful at Caerleon and there is always so much of it. So I have to pace myself or I'd roll out of her like a little butterball. After lunch, the BM did a talk on Writing History and ended up magnetising babes as usual - I shall bring home photos to prove it. Then there was tea and biscuits, the After Tea sessions - the - more food dinner - and after dinner I did my bit with a talk entitled How NOT to Write A Romance.

After which we all gathered to drink Champagne (celebrating my 50th title and my lovely friend Kathy's birthday) and I collected to signed book from Iris Gower which I'll be giving away as her prize just as soon as I can show her all the entries and get her to choose a winner.

And now I've just had breakfast - and I'm here writing my blog between breakfast and coffee time . . . It's a tough life!

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?