Bethan Gwanas
Encyclopedia
Bethan Gwanas is a popular contemporary Welsh
author, who publishes exclusively in the Welsh language
. A prolific writer, she has had 17 titles published in the last decade. Whilst not just a fiction writer, she has written novels for teenagers and Welsh learners, though most of her recent work has been for adults.
She graduated in French from Aberystwyth
University, and in 1985 she won the Crown at the Urdd Eisteddfod. Having lived for periods in places as diverse as Bethesda, Cardiff
, Nigeria
and France
, she has now returned to Rhydymain, very close to her childhood roots.
in North Wales
, and on transferring to secondary school attended Ysgol y Gader, Dolgellau.
Her favourite book as a child was Brownie Tales by Enid Blyton
. She still has the book today, although its spine was damaged when her new puppy (a Welsh collie, named Del) took a liking to it.
), and also as a research assistant and producer on Radio Cymru.
In 2003 she gave up her job as a literature promoter with Gwynedd
Council in order to concentrate full-time on her writing.
Her first book, a factual account of her experiences whilst working with VSO
in Nigeria, was published in 1997. Since then she has had work aired on radio and TV, and her book Amdani! (Go for it!) - a novel about a women's rugby team - inspired six series on S4C
. Bethan wrote all but the last series. Following the success of Amdani she also wrote a stage play (written with Script Cymru, and including music and songs), where the publicity describes it as "Sex, mud and rugby from a female perspective." For this, Script Cymru received a major ACW Audience Development Award for work in the Welsh language.
On two occasions her work has won the Tir na n-Og prize for Best Fiction of the Year (for Llinyn Trôns and Sgôr). This prize is awarded annually by the Welsh Books Council
.
Her novel Hi yw fy Ffrind (She is my Friend) reached the shortlist for Llyfr y Flwyddyn (Book of the Year) in 2005.
She is known for her informal style of writing, and her adult novels often contain sexual elements not normally associated with Welsh literature. Her novels also draw on some of her own experiences, such as when she lived in Bethesda
and worked as a librarian (as does Blodwen Jones in that trilogy) and her experiences of outdoor education (featured in Llinyn Trôns). She refuses to be drawn on the question of quite how autobiographical are the childhood elements of Hi yw fy Ffrind.
She has also developed something of a reputation as a Welsh Michael Palin
following her two S4C
series Ar y Lein (On the Line) and Ar y Lein Eto (On the Line Again), in which she twice circumnavigated the world (though not continuously - she returned home during breaks in the filming). In the first series (2004) she followed line of latitude 52º north
, the second series (2006) following line of longitude 5º west
. These specific lines of latitude and longitude were chosen because they pass through Wales. At times her travels necessarily took her off these lines for geographical or political reasons, and on occasions variations were also made for the sake of interest. She kept a diary on both these trips, which were subsequently published to accompany the TV series. Her trips are characterised by falling in love with places to which she would dearly love to return some day.
For some years she has written a weekly column in Yr Herald Cymraeg, which is now published only on a Wednesday as an appendix to The Daily Post
in North Wales. Her articles are known for their openness and honesty, and reveal much of Bethan's private life. Some of these articles have also been published as compilations, namely as Byd Bethan (Bethan's World) and as Mwy o Fyd Bethan (More of Bethan's World).
Bethan was one of 10 contributors to the book Y Mynydd Hwn (This Mountain), published in 2002. This a volume of pictures and essays on the different mountains of Wales. Bethan writes about Cadair Idris
, the mountain on her doorstep.
Bethan regularly guests on S4C and Radio Cymru, and also at literary events and workshops throughout Wales. She has written work for radio, and also for the stage, including an adaptation of Stags and Hens (by Willy Russell) into Welsh for Fran Wen theatre company, and an adaptation (in English) of Peter Pan for primary schools through the BBC
’s education department.
When asked which three words best described her, she replied "Brwdfrydig, Prysur, Aflonydd" (enthusiastic, busy, restless).
She names her favourite Welsh-language authors as Islwyn Ffowc Elis and Geraint V Jones, and her favourite English-language authors as Roddy Doyle
, Isabelle Allende, JK Rowling and Barbara Kingsolver
.
She is a member of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain
.
The following table classifies her published titles by genre (shown in order of publication) :
Bethan's grandparents lived at "Gwanas" from 1947 until 1971 when her grandfather decided to move to the nearby town of Dolgellau
. In 1971, when she was nine, her parents moved in, having previously lived locally in Dolserau Terrace, Brithdir, and prior to that in a caravan behind Gwanas. As a child Bethan shared the attic bedroom with her two sisters, the other bedrooms being used for bed & breakfast guests.
In 2006 her brother Geraint and his family took over Gwanas.
Her father, Tom Evans, a baritone, has twice won the Rhuban Glas (Blue Ribbon) at the National Eisteddfod, and has sung in venues across the world, including the Sydney Opera House
. He has released two albums, entitled Ave Maria and Encore, which include songs recorded in a number of European languages. Bethan, for her part, denies any singing talent.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
author, who publishes exclusively in the Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
. A prolific writer, she has had 17 titles published in the last decade. Whilst not just a fiction writer, she has written novels for teenagers and Welsh learners, though most of her recent work has been for adults.
She graduated in French from Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
University, and in 1985 she won the Crown at the Urdd Eisteddfod. Having lived for periods in places as diverse as Bethesda, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, she has now returned to Rhydymain, very close to her childhood roots.
Childhood
Bethan grew up in Brithdir, near DolgellauDolgellau
Dolgellau is a market town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the county town of the former county of Merionethshire .-History and economy:...
in North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
, and on transferring to secondary school attended Ysgol y Gader, Dolgellau.
Her favourite book as a child was Brownie Tales by Enid Blyton
Enid Blyton
Enid Blyton was an English children's writer also known as Mary Pollock.Noted for numerous series of books based on recurring characters and designed for different age groups,her books have enjoyed huge success in many parts of the world, and have sold over 600 million copies.One of Blyton's most...
. She still has the book today, although its spine was damaged when her new puppy (a Welsh collie, named Del) took a liking to it.
Professional background
Before achieving success as an authoress, Bethan formerly worked as a teacher (French, English and outdoor activities - she was a deputy head at the Urdd Centre at Glan-llyn, near BalaBala, Gwynedd
Bala is a market town and community in Gwynedd, Wales, and formerly an urban district of the historic county of Merionethshire. It lies at the north end of Bala Lake , 17 miles north-east of Dolgellau, with a population of 1,980...
), and also as a research assistant and producer on Radio Cymru.
In 2003 she gave up her job as a literature promoter with Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
Council in order to concentrate full-time on her writing.
Her first book, a factual account of her experiences whilst working with VSO
VSO
VSO is a three-letter acronym with multiple meanings, as described below:* Voluntary Service Overseas, an international development charity* Valdosta Southern Railroad...
in Nigeria, was published in 1997. Since then she has had work aired on radio and TV, and her book Amdani! (Go for it!) - a novel about a women's rugby team - inspired six series on S4C
S4C
S4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...
. Bethan wrote all but the last series. Following the success of Amdani she also wrote a stage play (written with Script Cymru, and including music and songs), where the publicity describes it as "Sex, mud and rugby from a female perspective." For this, Script Cymru received a major ACW Audience Development Award for work in the Welsh language.
On two occasions her work has won the Tir na n-Og prize for Best Fiction of the Year (for Llinyn Trôns and Sgôr). This prize is awarded annually by the Welsh Books Council
Welsh Books Council
The Welsh Books Council or Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru was established in 1961 under the name of Cyngor Llyfrau Cymraeg . Today it is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government. The Council's aims are to promote the interest in Welsh language books and English language books of interest to Wales...
.
Her novel Hi yw fy Ffrind (She is my Friend) reached the shortlist for Llyfr y Flwyddyn (Book of the Year) in 2005.
She is known for her informal style of writing, and her adult novels often contain sexual elements not normally associated with Welsh literature. Her novels also draw on some of her own experiences, such as when she lived in Bethesda
Bethesda, Wales
Bethesda is a town lying on the River Ogwen and the A5 road on the edge of Snowdonia, in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, colloquially called Pesda by the locals.- History :...
and worked as a librarian (as does Blodwen Jones in that trilogy) and her experiences of outdoor education (featured in Llinyn Trôns). She refuses to be drawn on the question of quite how autobiographical are the childhood elements of Hi yw fy Ffrind.
She has also developed something of a reputation as a Welsh Michael Palin
Michael Palin
Michael Edward Palin, CBE FRGS is an English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for his travel documentaries....
following her two S4C
S4C
S4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...
series Ar y Lein (On the Line) and Ar y Lein Eto (On the Line Again), in which she twice circumnavigated the world (though not continuously - she returned home during breaks in the filming). In the first series (2004) she followed line of latitude 52º north
52nd parallel north
The 52nd parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 52 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean....
, the second series (2006) following line of longitude 5º west
5th meridian west
The meridian 5° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, Europe, Africa, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
. These specific lines of latitude and longitude were chosen because they pass through Wales. At times her travels necessarily took her off these lines for geographical or political reasons, and on occasions variations were also made for the sake of interest. She kept a diary on both these trips, which were subsequently published to accompany the TV series. Her trips are characterised by falling in love with places to which she would dearly love to return some day.
For some years she has written a weekly column in Yr Herald Cymraeg, which is now published only on a Wednesday as an appendix to The Daily Post
Liverpool Daily Post & Echo
The Liverpool Echo and Liverpool Daily Post are two newspapers published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. They are published Monday to Saturday, the Echo being Liverpool's evening newspaper while the Daily Post, published in Merseyside, Cheshire, and North Wales editions, is the...
in North Wales. Her articles are known for their openness and honesty, and reveal much of Bethan's private life. Some of these articles have also been published as compilations, namely as Byd Bethan (Bethan's World) and as Mwy o Fyd Bethan (More of Bethan's World).
Bethan was one of 10 contributors to the book Y Mynydd Hwn (This Mountain), published in 2002. This a volume of pictures and essays on the different mountains of Wales. Bethan writes about Cadair Idris
Cadair Idris
Cadair Idris or Cader Idris is a mountain in Gwynedd, Wales that lies at the southern end of the Snowdonia National Park. The peak, which is one of the most popular in Wales for walkers and hikers, is composed largely of Ordovician igneous rocks, with classic glacial erosion features such as...
, the mountain on her doorstep.
Bethan regularly guests on S4C and Radio Cymru, and also at literary events and workshops throughout Wales. She has written work for radio, and also for the stage, including an adaptation of Stags and Hens (by Willy Russell) into Welsh for Fran Wen theatre company, and an adaptation (in English) of Peter Pan for primary schools through the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
’s education department.
When asked which three words best described her, she replied "Brwdfrydig, Prysur, Aflonydd" (enthusiastic, busy, restless).
She names her favourite Welsh-language authors as Islwyn Ffowc Elis and Geraint V Jones, and her favourite English-language authors as Roddy Doyle
Roddy Doyle
Roddy Doyle is an Irish novelist, dramatist and screenwriter. Several of his books have been made into successful films, beginning with The Commitments in 1991. He won the Booker Prize in 1993....
, Isabelle Allende, JK Rowling and Barbara Kingsolver
Barbara Kingsolver
Barbara Kingsolver is an American novelist, essayist and poet. She was raised in rural Kentucky and lived briefly in the former Republic of Congo in her early childhood. Kingsolver earned degrees in biology at DePauw University and the University of Arizona and worked as a freelance writer before...
.
She is a member of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain
Writers' Guild of Great Britain
The Writers' Guild of Great Britain, established in 1959, is a trade union for professional writers. It is affiliated with both the Trades Union Congress and the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds .-Activities:...
.
Her published titles
| Title | Notes |
|---|---|
| Dyddiadur Gbara (1997) | published under the name "Bethan Evans" |
| Amdani! (1997) | written with the aid of a bursary from the Arts Council of Wales Arts Council of Wales The Arts Council of Wales is a Welsh Government sponsored body, responsible for funding and developing the arts in Wales.Established by Royal Charter in 1946, as the Welsh Arts Council , when it merged with the three Welsh regional arts associations... ; spawned six TV series & a stage play |
| Bywyd Blodwen Jones (1999) | the first in the Blodwen Jones trilogy ; all 3 books are in the Nofelau Nawr series for adult Welsh learners |
| Llinyn Trôns (2000) | Tir na n-Og prize winner ; now included on the Welsh GCSE syllabus as a "contemporary literary text" |
| Blodwen Jones a'r Aderyn Prin (2001) | the second book in the Blodwen Jones trilogy |
| Popeth am ... Gariad (2001) | a Welsh adaptation of "Coping with Love" by Peter Corey |
| Sgôr (2002) | co-written with a group of teenagers from Ysgol Dyffryn Teifi, Llandysul, after a competition was launched on the Uned 5 TV programme to find a group of young people to work with Bethan on this "Nofel-T" project ; Tir na n-Og prize winner. |
| Byd Bethan (2002) | compilation of newspaper column articles; also recorded by Bethan as an RNIB Talking Book |
| Tri Chynnig i Blodwen Jones (2003) | the last book in the Blodwen Jones trilogy |
| Ceri Grafu (2003) | in the Pen Dafad series for teenagers |
| Gwrach y Gwyllt (2003) | written with the aid of a bursary from the Arts Council of Wales Arts Council of Wales The Arts Council of Wales is a Welsh Government sponsored body, responsible for funding and developing the arts in Wales.Established by Royal Charter in 1946, as the Welsh Arts Council , when it merged with the three Welsh regional arts associations... |
| Ar y Lein (2004) | accompanies the TV travel series |
| Hi yw fy Ffrind (2004) | reached the shortlist for Llyfr y Flwyddyn (Book of the Year) in 2005 ; in October 2007 it was additionally issued in a new format as a script, and containing activities for secondary school students at Key Stages 3 & 4. |
| Mwy o Fyd Bethan (2005) | second compilation of newspaper column articles |
| Pen Dafad (2005) | in the Pen Dafad series for teenagers |
| Hi oedd fy Ffrind (2006) | sequel to Hi yw fy Ffrind |
| Ar y Lein Eto (2006) | accompanies the 2nd TV travel series |
| Os Mêts (2007) | short novel in the Stori Sydyn (A Quick Read) series, a series aimed at adults who are not confident readers, or who find it difficult to open a book. |
| Y Gwledydd Bychain (2008) | another in the Stori Sydyn series ; this is a more factual comparison of small countries - the Basque Country Basque Country (autonomous community) The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories.... , Brittanny, Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... and Wales, and a follow up to her radio programmes on the subject. |
| Ar y Lein Eto Fyth (2008) | accompanies the 3rd TV travel series |
| Ramboy (2009) | an English adaptation of 'Pen Dafad', aimed at younger teenage boys |
| Dwy Stori Hurt Bost (2010) | aimed at young teenages, by whom it was inspired |
- Her short story Gwlad y Gwalltiau Gwyllt was published in Stori Cyn Cysgu (2005), a collection by nine authors and four illustrators of bedtime stories for young children. She also contributed a story to the sequel, Stori Cyn Cysgu: 2 (2008).
- She contributed two short stories to Tinboeth (2007), a collection of 10 erotic stories by nine prominent Welsh female authors. The book itself does not identify which stories were written by whom, and although Bethan would have been happy to put her name to her work, not all the contributors were willing to do so. The two stories Miss Huws and Dan y dŵr are unmistakably Bethan's work. Although no credit is given in the book, she also acted as editor for this collection of stories. She also edited the sequel, Tinboethach (2008), though did not contribute any stories to this.
- She contributed an item to Cofio Grav, a tribute volume of poems and essays to Ray Gravell, who died suddenly in 2007.
The following table classifies her published titles by genre (shown in order of publication) :
| novels for adults | novels for teenagers | novels for adult learners | non-fiction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amdani! | Llinyn Trôns | Bywyd Blodwen Jones | Dyddiadur Gbara |
| Gwrach y Gwyllt | [Popeth am ... Gariad] | Blodwen Jones a'r Aderyn Prin | Byd Bethan |
| Hi yw fy Ffrind | Sgôr | Tri Chynnig i Blodwen Jones | Ar y Lein |
| Hi oedd fy Ffrind | Ceri Grafu | Mwy o Fyd Bethan | |
| Os Mêts | Pen Dafad / Ramboy | Ar y Lein Eto | |
| Dwy Stori Hurt Bost | Y Gwledydd Bychain |
Family background
Bethan's real surname is Evans. She takes the name "Gwanas" (as did her father) from the home farm of that name, built in 1838.Bethan's grandparents lived at "Gwanas" from 1947 until 1971 when her grandfather decided to move to the nearby town of Dolgellau
Dolgellau
Dolgellau is a market town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the county town of the former county of Merionethshire .-History and economy:...
. In 1971, when she was nine, her parents moved in, having previously lived locally in Dolserau Terrace, Brithdir, and prior to that in a caravan behind Gwanas. As a child Bethan shared the attic bedroom with her two sisters, the other bedrooms being used for bed & breakfast guests.
In 2006 her brother Geraint and his family took over Gwanas.
Her father, Tom Evans, a baritone, has twice won the Rhuban Glas (Blue Ribbon) at the National Eisteddfod, and has sung in venues across the world, including the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
. He has released two albums, entitled Ave Maria and Encore, which include songs recorded in a number of European languages. Bethan, for her part, denies any singing talent.