GŴYL CRIME CYMRU FESTIVAL, Aberystwyth, Wales. Friday 21st April to Sunday 23rd April, 2023

This is a personal account of my experience at the festival. I did not attend every event so I can only comment on those I did. 

(Quotes are from the online brochure)

EVENT 2: DRAGON PARADE

Castle Point to Bandstand

Time : 18.00 – 18.45 Friday 21st, April.

Join the members of Crime Cymru and a host of international authors, as we kick off this year’s festival with the Dragon Parade from Castle Point to the Bandstand.

All welcome!

This was less a Dragon Parade and more an author stroll. Gathering at Castle Point, the organisers, helpers and several authors made their way in dribs and drabs along the Promenade towards the Bandstand. The only dragon connection came in the form of a few small Welsh flags, one face mask and one silly hat. The accompanying policeman showed little interest in staying once they reached the Bandstand. Few turned out to watch the procession. 

In other words, the Dragon had no puff. But it had ceremonial significance.

EVENT 6: TRADE SECRETS AND TWISTED IDENTITIES

Ceredigion Museum 10.15 – 11.15 am, Saturday 22nd April 

Writing a long series has its own difficulties, as does writing under two names in two different directions. How do you keep track? What are the things you know from your other lives that you bring to your writing? Learn a few trade secrets from three of the best.

Panellists : Caro Ramsay, Zoë Sharp

Chair : Sarah Ward

Close Up Reader : Stephen Puleston

No sign of a Close Up reader at this event, nor any reading. Sarah Ward did a fantastic job of interviewing Caro and Zoë, eliciting tales of their writing journeys from origin to the present day. Both guests were good value. I had a question ready to ask at the end but the first hand up beat me to it.

(C) Belinda Bauer

EVENT 8: STICK OR TWIST?

Ceredigion Museum, 11.30 – 12.30 pm, Saturday 22nd April.

Standalone crime novels versus series – what are the challenges and rewards of each? Should you ‘stick’ with one main protagonist and follow them in a series, or should you ‘twist’ and start from scratch with each book? Join Louise Mumford as she chats to Belinda Bauer and Philip Gwynne Jones to find out the pros and cons of each style of crime fiction.

Panellists : Belinda Bauer, Philip Gwynne Jones

Chair : Louise Mumford

Close Up Reader : Eamonn Griffin

I had to go to this one. Belinda is one of my writing heroes, ever since she tutored a course I attended at Ty Newydd. Her talents know no bounds. I was unfamiliar with Phil and Louise. That didn't matter. It turned out they were both delightful.

As the Close Up reader was absent, Phil stepped in and read the piece beautifully. He has such a rich, resonant tone to his voice.

I didn't ask a question despite being challenged beforehand by Belinda to do so. She would have been annoyed if I had. I was going to ask for their 25-word pitch for their latest Work In Progress.

EVENT 18: SCOTTISH NOIR

Ceredigion Museum, 18.30 – 19.30, Saturday 22nd April. 

Tartan Noir has been one of the great successes in crime fiction in recent years. Here three of the best – James Oswald, Caro Ramsay and Douglas Skelton – join their Celtic cousins to discuss the appeal of crime from two borders up.

Panellists: James Oswald, Caro Ramsay, Douglas Skelton

Chair: Barry Forshaw

No Guest Reader 

(Did no one want to do it at this timeslot or did they run out of Welsh talent?)

This panel was another major reason for making the trip to Aber (as the locals call it). While I wasn't familiar with James' work, I know Caro and Douglas both very well and they are always good fun in person. 

I felt this panel suffered by having too many guests. It might have worked better if Caro, with her infamous caustic wit, had interviewed the boys. We didn't need Barry's smooth English charm. Despite knowing his stuff, he felt out of place on this panel. 

EVENT 26: CRIMINAL FANTASY

Ceredigion Museum 13.15 – 14.15, Sunday 23rd April.

Crime can be found in many guises – sometimes a nightmare, sometimes the darkest fantasy. When crossing boundaries, be it the veil or genre definition, what are the benefits, and the drawbacks to the crime framework? Both Ben Aaronovitch, one of the leading fantasy crime novelists in the country with his Rivers of London series, and Abi Barden, with her steampunk Aether Chronicles series, prove that mixing crime and ‘other’ can be done so to great effect.

Panellists: Ben Aaronovitch, Abi Barden (GB Williams)

Chair: Jacky Collins

Close Up Reader: Cheryl Rees Price

Again, no sign of the Close Up Reader in person, so Phil Gwynne Jones stepped in to read and held us captive reciting the author's words. 

There were more seats laid out for this panel than the others I'd attended but that was because the Clare Mackintosh panel the previous night had sold out and they added extra capacity. Not that this one was quiet. Ben proved the major draw, at least in terms of the number of questions directed to him at the end. Fans aplenty! 

I'm not sure if interviewer Jacky Collins knew the authors' work intimately, her questions being a bit general and fuzzy. Both Ben and Abi (aka GB Williams, festival organiser) were funny,  sharing some honest answers about their process and how they work. (Ben thinks the best murderers should be farmers - plenty of land, heavy equipment and access to chemicals). This panel was actually my favourite (don't tell Belinda!), which I think says more about my reading preferences than anything else. 

With crime and imagination, it's hard to beat fantasy.  

Bev Jones steps in to introduce the event in Welsh
and English, when no Welsh speakers were available,
despite not being fluent in the former.

Phil stepped in again for the Close Up Reader,
despite not even being on the panel.

Jacky Collins, laid back style

The hat's off so Abi Barden is now GB Williams,
thinking "Another audience question not for me."

Ben Aaronovitch revealed his writing chair is custom-made.
It is so expensive it is the only item listed individually
on his house-contents insurance form.