2023-2024 Cohort

Jade Bradford is an author and communicator who currently lives by the sea in Barry, with two striped cats and one striped human. Best described as being from “all over the place”, Jade was born to one Jamaican and one Bajan parent and raised in and around the Home Counties. She spent a decade in east London before relocating to south Wales in 2020. Jade has a Masters Degree in Creative Writing and has had writing published in Wasafiri and featured in a Photoworks “Festival in a Box” and several online outlets. Outside of her writing, Jade works full-time in social housing. She is passionate about social justice and allowing marginalised voices to have the freedom to live ordinary lives in her work. Jade is dedicated to writing literary short fiction for all ages, and proper representation of black women in stories. Her ambition is to create characters her 15-year-old self would relate to. Jade took part in Literature Wales’ Emerging Writers programme, sponsored by The Rhys Davies Trust, in 2021 and the Stories for All programme in 2022.

How do you envisage this programme will help you in terms of your development as a writer?
"I see great benefits to writing as part of a community as well as undertaking structured learning that enhances existing knowledge or teaches me something completely new."

What are you most looking forward to as part of this programme?
"I love to learn and I'm really excited to hear the expertise of the course tutors and experts that are involved in the course."

Jess Doyle is a writer of of horror and fantasy fiction. Her most notable publications include the novelette M.I.C.H.A.E.L. and spooky stories in The Third Corona Book of Horror Stories and Dark Lane Anthology VII. Jess is active in the online horror community with publications in Ink and Bone Press, Coffin Bell, Molotov Cocktail, Horror Scribes, Zeroflash and Idle Ink. She also occasionally dabbles in poetry.
Jess is especially interested in writing for young adults and is currently working on a graphic novel. She is a neurodivergent writer and a big fan of visual storytelling.

Jess does a lot of work with her local arts centre with a focus on helping the community to explore identity, creativity, and self-expression, particularly through story and the written word. She is Chair of the writing group Caffi Isa Writers which has a focus on nurturing and encouraging writers with diverse needs. She often hosts literary events for Caffi Isa.

Jess lives in Mold, Flintshire with her husband and two teenage children. When she has free time, it is mostly spent reading and daydreaming, and she is also learning the Welsh language. Jess enjoys the company of cats and loves a good graveyard.

How do you envisage this programme will help you in terms of your development as a writer?
"The Representing Wales programme offers a career-changing opportunity to take my writing to the next level. It is a chance to meet professionals in the industry, learning from their successes and receiving expert advice.
I envisage the support from Literature Wales will help me to develop my ideas and fine-tune my skills as a writer. I can see the programme opening doors in terms of meeting people and having the knowledge and confidence to develop relations with industry professionals such as agents, publishers, and event organisers."

What are you most looking forward to as part of this programme?
"I’m especially looking forward to working with a mentor. It’s an exciting opportunity to work with someone I admire, to learn from them and receive expert, tailored advice and support.
I’m also very excited to meet my peers, (the cohort on the programme). I love meeting creative people, discussing ideas, having the opportunity to learn from each other and share our passion for storytelling and the written word.
The ultimate goal is of course, seeing the stories I want to tell in print and being able to share them and to inspire people. I feel that being a writer isn’t just about writing but also spreading a love for the art. Furthering my writing career with the support of Literature Wales will help to build my platform and enable me to advocate writing in my own community and beyond in the form of readings as well as facilitating workshops and events."

Taylor Edmonds is a poet, writer, and creative facilitator from Barry. Her debut poetry pamphlet Back Teeth is out now with Broken Sleep Books. Taylor was the 2021-2022 Poet in Residence for the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, creatively exploring the causes of the Well-being of Future Generations Act.

Her work explores themes of womanhood, identity, connection, nature, and empowerment. She is driven by improving the accessibility of creative writing to communities and championing the positive benefits of writing on individual’s wellbeing.

How do you envisage this programme will help you in terms of your development as a writer?
"I'm looking forward to developing and immersing myself in the creation of my first novel for young people through the Representing Wales programme. I'd like to learn and develop my skills in writing for children and young people, connect with other writers on the same journey and build industry connections. I hope to develop confidence in the genre, having previously mostly written poetry."

What are you most looking forward to as part of this programme?
"I'm looking forward to connecting with a mentor and having that invaluable 1-2-1 support to develop my work on an in-depth basis. I'd like to work towards completing a first draft of my young adult novel during the programme. In my work as a writing workshop facilitator, I've gained more experience working with children and young people in schools, and I imagine that the programme will enhance my skills in this area of my work too. Finding time to write can be difficult, and I look forward to utilising the programme to learn, develop my craft, take advantage of support and networks, and fully immerse myself in the creative process."

Osian is an illustrator, a writer with an interest in social themes, and workshop facilitator originally from Tregaron, Ceredigion. He has been working in the arts since studying English and Creative Writing at Cardiff Met University, before then achieving a BA in Illustration at Cardiff School of Art & Design. He has been living in south Wales since. The majority of Osian's work deals with narrative illustration - children's books and graphic novels, which vary in themes from re-imagined local folk stories, mental health, Welsh media, children with struggles at home, dystopian science fiction, and illustrations of Welsh historical events.

How do you foresee this programme helping you in your development as a writer?
"As a writer and illustrator, I've grown more and more comfortable and confident creating worlds and story plots. However, I feel this programme will help me to focus on the type of writing that is exciting to read word for word, from page to page by talking to writers who understand the difference between dry work and work with energy."

What are you most looking forward to in this programme? What do you hope to achieve by taking part?
"I'm looking forward to meeting the other writers on this programme and talking about our creative work and seizing the opportunity to make our work exciting for each other. I want to work further towards engaging audiences in subjects that might otherwise be considered boring or depressing."

Bethany Handley (she/ her) is a writer and disability activist living in Pontypridd. Her poetry has been published in POETRY, Poetry Wales and by the Poetry Foundation and the Institute of Welsh Affairs, amongst other publications. Bethany was one of the writers on the Sherman Theatre’s Unheard Voices Scheme and she recently developed a writing retreat for young Welsh d/Deaf and Disabled writers with novelist Megan Angharad Hunter thanks to a commission from Literature Wales and Natural Resources Wales. Bethany’s work typically explores ableism, inaccessibility, and her relationship with nature as a Disabled woman.

How do you envisage this programme will help you in terms of your development as a writer?
"I haven't previously written for children or young people, so I am looking forward to beginning to write for children and young people during this programme. As a teenager, I didn’t see my experiences represented in literature. I didn't recognise my story. Everyone has a right to grow up feeling heard and valued, yet the lack of representation of Disabled children and young people in literature is failing both Disabled and non-disabled people. I'm excited to have the opportunity to help to create the much-needed positive representation that the Disabled community needs in literature."

What are you most looking forward to as part of this programme?
"I am looking forward to sharing ideas with other writers from across Wales and receiving mentorship, encouraging me to take the time out to write. I'm hoping that the programme will help me marry my disability activism and creative writing to help create positive representation of Disabled people, now and for future generations to come."

Erin lives in Ceidio, Boduan, with her boyfriend, Dafydd, and her little dog, Eldra. Her interests include writing, reading, walking, going to the sea and cooking, and she makes sure she is surrounded by animals every day. Erin was the curator and editor of the book Byw yn fy Nghroen (Gwasg y Lolfa), which won in the Children and Young People category of Tir na n-Og back in 2020. She published her first book for children during the first lockdown of the same year, Y Goeden Hud (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch). She won the Prose Medal at the Tregaron Eisteddfod in 2022 with her first book for adults, Rhyngom (Gwasg y Lolfa). She is a marketing officer for Y Lolfa, and works on projects with Literature Wales and the National Theatre, too. This year, she has taken on a challenge to write a creative piece every day of the year, and she publishes it all on the Instagram account, myfyrdod365. She spends a large portion of her time raising awareness about the rare neuromuscular condition she has, Myasthenia Gravis, and shares her experience of overcoming mental health challenges and an attempt to take her own life back in 2021. She is now in the middle of establishing a charity called Mesen, which provides a core focus on how to tackle suicide from a different angle.

How do you foresee this program helping you in your development as a writer?
"I believe that writing for adults comes easier to me than any other age. But the mischievous, playful and light element of writing for children is something I see missing since I published Y Goeden Hud, so I'm desperate to go back to write for this age. Having said this, I now look over Y Goeden Hud and notice that there is a lot of improvement work to be done. There are several words here that are too complicated for a child to consider, in my opinion, and so I believe that I need to take my time to familiarise myself with their voices better and offer something that is more accessible to them, and I believe the programme will be of great help to this end. As I have faced quite extraordinary challenges as a teenager, I have found it difficult to think how to write about experiences that are common to the majority who belong to this age. I therefore believe that this programme is going to help me think from a teenager's point of view, put myself in that lost period in my own life and learn how to write in a way that teenagers would relate to."

What are you most looking forward to in this programme? What do you hope to achieve by taking part?
"I'm looking forward to meeting other people through the programme - some whom will share the same temperament as me, but also some who may be completely different and challenge my ways of thinking. Such diversity is something to be welcomed and celebrated, but we will have one thing in common, which is our love for creativity, and I believe that will be a silver lining that will keep us tightly together. Something else that makes my heart happy with this programme is that I have such a privilege to be part of something big and important. It focuses on bringing elements and experiences from the shadows into the light, and being able to play a small part in that is something I will treasure every day."

Megan Angharad Hunter is a disabled writer, screenwriter, and musician from Penygroes, Nantlle Valley but she now lives in Cardiff. Since receiving a BA degree in Welsh and Philosophy in 2022, she has been working as a full-time writer, writing mainly for children and young people through the medium of Welsh as well as English. She has written two novels for young adults: tu ôl i’r awyr - her first novel - won the overall Book of the Year Award in 2021, and Cat was published as part of the award-winning Y Pump (The Five) series. She also won the 2020/21 Urdd Eisteddfod Crown and has experience in the television industry. Recently, she co-ordinated a creative writing course for Deaf and Disabled writers with the poet Bethany Handley and in January 2023, she had the opportunity from Literature Across Frontiers to travel across India; during which she visited the Mathrubhumi literary festival and a range of universities with six other European writers. Mainly, Megan writes on the themes of mental health, sexuality, and disability and she is currently working on her first children's novel. She also volunteers with Llamau, a charity that provides a helpline for young people facing homelessness. As well as writing, Megan enjoys playing a range of musical instruments, exploring the mountains with her dog, composing songs, watching too many films and baking desserts which are far too ambitious.

How do you foresee this programme helping you in your development as a writer?
"As I have mainly focused on writing for young adults so far, I am looking forward to learning how to write for younger children; I am aware that this craft is a unique but extremely important one. Therefore, I hope that the programme will help me develop my writing skills for younger children, as well as networking with a range of writers and people who work in the publishing industry in Wales and beyond. I'm also looking forward to developing my writing skills further in the mentoring sessions and getting guidance from an experienced writer on the process of writing for children. I am certain that the experiences I will have during the upcoming year will be a great help to me as I begin to establish my career as a full-time writer."

What are you most looking forward to in this programme? What do you hope to achieve by taking part?
"I'm really looking forward to learning more about the process of writing for younger children. I'm also looking forward to networking with a range of different writers from all over Wales in the online meetings and in the face-to-face workshops at Tŷ Newydd Centre. Visiting Tŷ Newydd is always a pleasure! I hope to complete the children's novel I am in the middle of writing and perhaps complete another novel for young adults during the programme. Mainly, I hope to successfully develop my ability to write from/for children. Also, I hope there will be an opportunity to attend literary events during the year which will boost my career."

Summer Keys is a bilingual, neurodivergent writer, poet, and mental-health nurse. She is currently working on her first YA novel and children’s picture book, as well as a collection of experimental poetry. The latter explores concepts of displacement, trauma, sexuality, and fragmented identity. She has a special interest in the ‘emotional geography’ of place as opposed to traditional topographical poetry, and Wales features heavily in her writing. Summer gained a Distinction for her Creative Writing MA with the University of Roehampton and was awarded the Deans Prize in 2022 for her dissertation. Her work has been appeared in online-and print publications including That’s Life magazine, the Florence Nightingale Foundation, ctrl + alt + delete, and has been displayed in Galeri, Caernarfon.

Summer is a passionate advocate for mental health and addiction recovery, for which she recently completed a 100 mile walk around Anglesey over five days to raise awareness of the stigma. In her free time, her hobbies include swimming, boxing, and mixed martial arts. She currently works part time on a mental health unit, and is also developing a fledgling second-hand clothing and handmade jewellery business. She lives in Anglesey with her husband and Pomeranian.

How do you envisage this programme will help you in terms of your development as a writer?
"I’m currently lacking in confidence in building a life for myself as a writer and creative. It sometimes feels like the literary, publishing and poetry world are on one side of a galaxy with me on the other. I hope this programme will help by providing practical advice on how to build a path for myself in such an immensely competitive field.

I find writing to be therapeutic, and the evidence base supports this idea. As a mental-health nurse, I equally enjoy helping and teaching others. Allowing people space to be themselves and grow in confidence gives me a sense of purpose, so I would love to give some serious thought to how I could combine the two, and I hope my mentor will be able to help with this as well as providing me with some motivational pep talks. I am also very grateful for the financial bursary aspect gifted as part of the programme, as this will be catalytic in providing me with sacred time to focus on my writing."

What are you most looking forward to as part of this programme?
"I can't wait to meet the other members of the cohort, and hopefully develop some long-lasting friendships. I am especially excited to spend time at Tŷ Newydd, because being around other creative people is such an exhilarating experience.
I am interested in the social aspect of attending literary festivals and visiting schools, and would like to meet more like-minded people with which to attend such events. I'm hoping that Representing Wales awards me the advice, confidence and networking needed to achieve my dreams of finding an agent and getting published."

Alice Knight, 31, is a transgender Welsh writer from Risca. Born to a household filled with books, she spent her childhood fighting dyslexia so as to be able to read them. This marked the beginning of a lifelong passion for literature as she found herself captivated by the worlds of other writers and a longing to create her own.
With a life spent looking inwards, dealing with depression, self-identity and ADHD, her own writing often focuses on detailed characters with vibrant, messy internal lives that span genres such as fantasy, horror and sci-fi.
Her aim is to now complete and publish her first novel, to create an anthology of short stories, and if she has time to spare, to finally start sharing her voice at literary events across Wales and beyond. Big goals inspired by even bigger dreams.

How do you envisage this programme will help you in terms of your development as a writer?
"I see the Representing Wales programme as a focusing lens. A chance to harness all my creative energy, ideas, and ambitions, and finally give them solid form. It’s the support and structure that I have badly needed for so long.
I have wanted to be an author for most of my life and though I have spent countless hours writing, I’ve never had the experience or guidance to see that work translate into a career. Now, with this programme, I believe it can finally happen. I finally get to put my voice out into the world and know it will actually be heard.
It is also an amazing opportunity to meet other writers and be inspired by their work. To hear new viewpoints and grow both as a writer and as a person by learning from them. I am as much a lover of reading as I am of writing, so getting the chance to sit in a room with 13 other talented writers and see their work unfold will doubtless see my own writing flourish for their inspiration."

What are you most looking forward to as part of this programme?
"I am most looking forward to the opportunities and events that Representing Wales can put us in touch with. To get to go to writing events and meet new people. To be part of the Welsh literature scene and finally be around people who both understand and share deep love for books. This is a chance to achieve my lifelong goal of becoming an author. Finding my confidence to grow my work into something larger and actually see it published. An achievement I don't believe I could see realised on my own. To be part of this programme, to have this opportunity… I could not be more grateful."

Leigh Anthony Manley is a new poet raised in the Llynfi Valley, who now lives in Cardiff. Leigh’s fascination with language dates back to Garth Primary School and a passion for creativity accompanied him to Maesteg Comprehensive. He progressed to Aberystwyth University to study English Literature and History before pursuing a career in financial services.
At 39, Leigh was diagnosed with a life-threatening and debilitating heart condition. By way of coping, Leigh instinctively turned to storytelling. Since this turning point, Leigh has shared his poems with publishers, and his work has been accepted by Poetry Wales, The Seventh Quarry, Nawr, as well as a variety of anthologies. He was shortlisted for Disability Arts Cymru’s Creative Word Award in 2022.

In 2022, Leigh embarked on a career break to free up additional time to write as well as undertake voluntary work supporting marginalised groups. It’s within this work that his immediate ambitions intersect. His overarching aim is to develop a collection of poems and workshops promoting equality and inclusivity for young people with both visible and invisible impairments.

How do you envisage this programme will help you in terms of your development as a writer?
"I’m acutely aware I’m in the infancy of my writing journey, and though the programme has yet to formally begin, I’m already sensing that it is proving a catalyst for holistic progress. The programme has already started to ask searching questions which have pushed me to think about my writing at a deeper level, analyse more sharply my hopes and aspirations, consider carefully, and honestly, the elements of craft with which I am most in need for support. It already feels like a subtle but significant movement towards embedding the sort of future practice it’ll be important to evolve before ink so much as touches the page on the next wave of drafts. All this and more, I feel safe in the knowledge that aspects of my work have been through a competitive application process and there are people who believe in my potential."

What are you most looking forward to as part of this programme?
"I’m genuinely excited by every aspect and wholly expect the breadth of the programme to be the determining factor in any progression as a writer and aspiring workshop facilitator. In terms of the hard skills specific to writing itself, I'm sure I'll benefit from an improved understanding of manuscript development, the process of editing, maximising editorial feedback, and improving my technical skill. The mentoring element is likely to prove invaluable in guiding my thought process when arranging pieces to fit within the collection I aspire to compose. An experienced mentor will also provide me with a better understanding as to where my writing sits on a bookshelf. I'm hoping the year will bring considerable progress towards constructing a thought-provoking and inspiring collection of poems for curious young minds. Finally, I'm confident that being around other writers with similar ambitions will naturally accelerate growth and focus, enhance my awareness of the publishing industry, and offer an effective antidote to the self-doubt most creatives encounter at some point."

Rhiannon Oliver is an actress, poet, and workshop leader. She trained as an actress at RADA and has worked at Shakespeare’s Globe, National Theatre, The National Theatre of Wales, Bath Theatre Royal, Manchester Royal Exchange, and in many other theatres in the UK and abroad. She has also featured on BBC and Sky TV.

Rhiannon started writing poetry in 2020. In March 2021, she won Spoken Word Runner Up in Poetry for Good, a national competition celebrating key workers. She began writing poetry for children in 2021 and has since featured in The Caterpillar, The Dirigible Balloon, Northern Gravy, PaperBound, Buzgaga, Parakeet, Little Thoughts Press, and Launchpad. Her poetry has appeared on television (Nadolig Only Boys Aloud, S4C) and she has created and performed poetry in English and Welsh for The Big Welsh Rhyme Time 2023 (Book Trust Cymru).
She is a higher-level Welsh learner and works for Mudiad Meithrin running Ti a Fi playgroups for pre-school children. She also performs stories, songs, and poems at her local hospital for Interact Stroke Support. She loves walking in the fresh air, good chips, and big hugs. She lives in Cardiff with her family.

How do you envisage this programme will help you in terms of your development as a writer?
"I am delighted to be part of this programme as it has come at a pivotal point in my writing career. I’m looking forward to learning from industry experts and to experimenting with the kind of work I produce. I expect that the Masterclasses and writing rooms will really help me explore my potential as a writer: I love writing in rhyme, but I am ready to disrupt my style and see what else I can do.
I know I respond really well to having a mentor, so I am excited to see what I can achieve with a full year of support. Also, as my writing experience has been fairly isolated to this point, I really can’t wait to connect with other emerging writers, to share experiences, and to form a supportive community. I am thrilled that we will all be meeting in real life at Tŷ Newydd soon! I hope that this programme will help me build on what I have achieved so far and help me reach my long term goal of becoming a full-time poet for children."

What are you most looking forward to as part of this programme?
"I am really looking forward to being part of a community of writers and to having the time and space to develop my writing.
I have a number of goals for the year: the principal one being to complete my first poetry collection, and be in a position to seek a publisher. This collection, aimed at 8-12 year olds, will explore mental health, wellbeing, and the big moments in life. I also want to develop my writing in Welsh and to increase my Welsh language output with a view to publishing a collection for younger readers. I also hope to draw on my experience as a performer and develop a series of ‘Poetry in Performance’ workshops that I can offer in schools and community settings. I hope that these workshops would help young people build confidence and develop an active relationship to language and literature."

Stacey Taylor is a writer from Cardiff. She has an MA in English and Creative Writing and enjoys reading and writing different genres – everything from romance to crime. She was recently longlisted in the Penguin Michael Joseph Undiscovered Writers' Prize for a thriller she has written. Her passion is for travelling and was she able to tick her dream trip Route 66 off her bucket list, giving her ideas for lots of stories. She particularly loves children’s fiction and is currently working on a young adult novel.

How do you envisage this programme will help you in terms of your development as a writer?
"I think that the structure of the programme will really help me to focus on my writing. Having a mentor and access to industry experts will also be invaluable."

What are you most looking forward to as part of this programme?
"I’m looking forward to meeting everyone involved in the programme and forming contacts with other writers in Wales."

Sheik Rana is a Bangladeshi-born Cardiff-based poet and lyricist. Sheik started his writing career in 1997. At the beginning, his lyrics were often about nature and love. Gradually they have developed to encompass his philosophical musings on the ironies of life, politics, patriotism, and the concept of motherland. His interest in writing spans across several genres such as poetry, prose, creative translation, traveling, urban diaries, and lyrics all of which make up the contents of his first nine books, all written in Bangla and published in Bangladesh.
In 2019 he was involved in a research project offering the perspective of a creative writer as he explored stories of Rohingya refugee children, displaced from Myanmar and placed in camps in Bangladesh. This experience inspired him to write for children. This year his first fiction book for children Amar nam Bhoot, ami Mirpur e thaki (My name is ‘ghost’, I live in Mirpur) is published by Bangladeshi publishing house Toitumbur. His goal is now to publish more works of fiction for children with the second book already in the making. He is also currently working on his second travel journal which aims to present Wales to Bangla language readers.

How do you envisage this programme will help you in terms of your development as a writer?
"I strongly believe that the Representing Wales programme will be crucial for my development as a children’s author at this stage of my career. This will give me a unique opportunity to connect with authors based in Wales, and learn from their ideas and thinking processes. This programme will also give me the opportunity to sharpen my writing skills through one-to-one mentoring. Not having any institutional training in creative writing for children, I look forward to learning from the workshops and masterclasses and from the conversations and networking with fellow authors and mentors. I will also benefit immensely by sharing my work with other authors for their input and feedback while also learning from others’ creative works. All of this will bring a new dimension to my individual style which I am trying to develop within the genre, and which I have worked hard to develop in other areas of writing I have mastered."

What are you most looking forward to as part of this programme?
"I am very much looking forward to the writing masterclasses, particularly the sessions that will be held face-to-face at Tŷ Newydd, Wales’ National Writing Centre. I cannot wait to learn the nitty gritty details about writing for children. The follow-up session with the tutor will also be of value to me as I will receive feedback on my initial work. I also hope to receive support and guidance on getting my writing translated into English and Welsh which can help me reach a wider audience."

Hammad Rind is a Welsh-Pakistani writer and translator. His debut novel Four Dervishes (Seren Books, 2021), a satire loosely based on a dastan by Indo-Persian poet Amir Khusro, was longlisted for the British Science Fiction Association Award. He is the Urdu translator of Naveen Kishore's debut poetry collection Knotted Grief. Hammad completed a BA in English and Persian literature and law at the Punjab University, Lahore, and an MA in film making at the Kingston University, London. His stories, articles and book reviews have appeared in a number of UK and international magazines. He regularly leads workshops on creative writing, storytelling, and Eastern literature. He is currently working on his second novel.

How do you envisage this programme will help you in terms of your development as a writer?
"I am currently working on my second novel, and I hope that the guidance and advice by an experienced and skilled mentor would be a great help in its completion. The workshops and opportunities provided by the programme would be helpful in both generally honing my skills as a writer as well as increasing my immersion in the local writing scene and building connections. I am looking forward to the peer support and encouragement that comes along with being in a cohort with other writers at similar stages of their writing career."

What are you most looking forward to as part of this programme?
"I hope to complete my second novel by the end of the year and ideally find new routes to publication and learn more about agents."