The inaugural Aber Writing Fest, supported by founding partner Christie Residential and taking place at the Kings Arms Hotel between April 21-23 is growing in momentum.

Festival organiser Lucie Parkin said, “We’ve had lots of interest and enquiries following the article in the Chronicle last month, it just goes to show what a well-read paper it is!

“There seems to be a real appetite in and around Abergavenny for the Writing Festival and it’s been heartening to receive an enormous amount of interest and support. Now we’re thrilled to announce that the Chronicle is a media partner, enabling us to really spread the word!”

“Last month we announced that writers including Paul Henry, Tyler Keevil, Sophie McKeand, Simon Lancaster, Robert Penn, Fergus Collins, Mari Ellis Dunning and Charles Way will be giving talks and workshops for children and adults.

“Now even more writers are lined-up to share their words and experiences: journalist, sports commentator, and former Welsh rugby union player Eddie Butler, author of ‘The Magic Piano’ Helen O’Sullivan, author and forager Adele Nozedar and Mark Blayney, author, performer and poet are all set to take part.”

Matthew James Dicken, Welsh-medium primary school teacher at Ysgol Gymraeg Y Fenni and successful author, will be giving a reading and workshop ‘Creative Ways to Write: Building Settings and Characters.’

The session is aimed at children (aged around 9-14), their parents and aspiring children’s writers. In this session, writer Matthew will give you an opportunity to try out some of the ways he uses to inspire writing and description. This interactive session will include a special sneak-peak reading of Matthew’s new trilogy due to be published next year.

The Paddlebrook Arts ‘Writing for Fun’ group will run a ‘Writing Family History’ workshop on Thursday,April 21.

This is a great opportunity for anyone who has ever thought about recording their family history, but wasn’t sure where to start, to have a go in a relaxed and welcoming environment.

Local children’s group Wild Tots have also announced they will be taking part in the festival with a fun outdoors session for 0 to 7 year olds, and their families, based around ‘Wild Mapping’ to be held at Linda Vista Gardens on the morning of Saturday, April 23.

Rhys Milsom poet, writer, reviewer, creative writing tutor & workshop facilitator based in Cardiff will be running a workshop where participants will be able to craft their own poems, with the help of stimuli to spark ideas and oodles of creativity. Open to all and bound to be inspirational.

Broadleaf Books will be hosting an event ‘Chapter and Verse: Why Bookshops are Worth it” on Saturday 23rd April.

Along with owner Joanna Chambers local writers will discuss their experiences of bookshops and the inspiration they can provide.

Anyone who would like to get involved or find out more about Abergavenny’s first writing Festival should contact Lucie Parkin [email protected] or visit the website www.abergavennywritingfestival.com you can also follow developments on Facebook www.facebook.com/abergavennywritingfestival and twitter @AberWritingFest

Abergavenny Chronicle writing competition

In our quest to get Abergavenny writing we’re putting a call out to all budding journalists: The Abergavenny Chronicle would like you to submit your own newspaper article on a local issue or story close to your heart.

Whether it’s light-hearted or something more serious we’d love to hear from you.

The stories will be considered by a panel of judges from the writing festival and the Chronicle and the winning writers will be announced at the festival and their stories printed in the Chronicle.

As a guide articles should be approximately 700 words. Submit your entry to The Abergavenny Chronicle either by sending it to Writing Competition, The Abergavenny Chronicle, Tindle House, 13 Nevill Street, Abergavenny, NP7 5AA or by email marked Writing Competition to [email protected].

Entries should be received by Friday, April 15