I was recently asked to contribute to Wales Arts Review​'s new series of literary vignettes, and you can now read my rambling, diary entry of a vignette on their website: www.walesartsreview.org/vignette-calling-for-the-good-old-days

In the teenage years before I started reading poetry, I probably would have called Pete Doherty a poet – in that way that Jim Morrison and Bob Dylan are called poets, the way that angered Gregory Corso. Calling a lyricist a ‘poet’ is a way that people attempt to legitimise their craft – as if writing songs is a lesser art.
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These vignettes "provide glimpses into the thinking of Welsh writers and their experiences; from the day-to-day to the extraordinary." I've been enjoying reading this series so far – thanks to Wales Arts Review for asking me to contribute.

If you haven’t already seen it, here’s my advert for Nationwide Building Society! So pleased to have been asked to write a poem for their ‘12 Voices’ campaign. Hope you all had a lovely Christmas, here’s to everyone enjoying a much-needed lie in this Boxing Day.

Two years makes it a tradition! This year’s ghost story for Christmas Eve is 'The Toll House' by W. W. Jacobs.

Last year's ghost story

My trip up to Aberystwyth Arts Centre to read at Llyfrau Aber Books was worth driving in a storm for. Such a lovely venue and great to hear Mari Ellis Dunning read again and catch up afterwards. Thanks for having us!

Thank you to everyone who came to the hometown launch of That Lone Ship at TechHub Swansea last Friday night. It was so nice to see so many people I know in the same room. Thanks also to Joe Bayliss for playing for us – ‘For You’ was on repeat in my (slightly hungover) head all Saturday morning.

Ann Bjerregaard has just posted a lovely write-up of the launch on the Parthian Books Intern Blog: "Poems acquire a certain intensity when read out loud in the place they are set, and through the poet’s powerful voice, Swansea became a charmed place." You can read the full write-up here: 
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https://parthianbooksinternblog.wordpress.com/2018/09/18/the-launch-of-that-lone-ship-by-rhys-owain-williams

Fellow Parthian poet Rhian Elizabeth has kindly offered to shine a light on my work during her takeover of the Parthian Books blog. Rhian says some really nice things about me in this interview, including praising my "talent for befriending old ladies and drinking beer." I'm afraid you'll have to read the whole thing for greater context: 

​www.parthianbooks.com/blogs/news/interview-with-a-swansea-boy

Such a pleasure to read alongside five brilliant Parthian and Seren poets at the Cardiff Book Festival last night. That Lone Ship is launched! Thanks to everyone who came to support, and to everyone who bought a copy of the book.

Part of the evening was live-streamed on Parthian's Facebook page for those who couldn’t make it: facebook.com/parthianbooks/videos/237320710290528

Thanks to Wales Arts Review and Thomas Tyrrell for a very kind first review of That Lone Ship. You can read the whole piece here (including reviews of fellow Parthian poets Mari Ellis Dunning, Rhian Elizabeth and Kate North), but here's an extract:

"That Lone Ship, by Rhys Owain Williams, is another kind of poetry collection altogether, barnacled with haiku, patched up with odd borrowings from reading, memory and the news, full of curious nooks and obsessions. It’s much more a book to be leafed through, for the serendipitous luck of finding a poem that jumps out and speaks to you."

www.walesartsreview.org/books-poetry-roundup

Had a great time reading and listening at Llansteffan Literary Festival yesterday. Interesting events in a beautiful setting. Would have loved to stay longer but had to dash back to Swansea – will definitely be back next year!

(Photo credits: Susie Wild and Parthian Books)