The first ever Publishing Trade Awards in Wales, organised by the Welsh Books Council, were presented on Saturday, 1 October by Alun Pugh, Minister for Culture, Welsh Language and Sport.
Alun Pugh said, ‘I am delighted to see the establishing of these awards, which recognise the success of the publishing industry in Wales.’
The awards were specially commissioned from Carwyn Evans, an artist rapidly establishing a strong reputation in Wales, and presented to the winners at a prestigious ceremony in Aberystwyth hosted by TV presenter Elinor Jones and attended by readers from all over Wales.
The winners are as follows:
English-language Books from Wales
Bestseller – Fiction
Sexy Shorts for Summer, ed. Hazel Cushion, Accent Press
Bestseller – Poetry
The Hare that Hides Within, eds. Anne Cluysenaar & Norman Schwenk, Parthian
Bestseller – Non-fiction
Welsh Valleys’ Humour, David Jandrell, Y Lolfa
Bestseller – Children
A Wartime Scrapbook, Chris S. Stephens, Pont Books/Gomer
Most Borrowed Library Book
Sexy Shorts for Summer, ed. Hazel Cushion, Accent Press
Welsh-language Books
Bestseller – Fiction
Un Diwrnod yn yr Eisteddfod, Robin Llywelyn, Gomer
Bestseller – Poetry
Hoff Gerddi Nadolig Cymru, ed. Bethan Mair, Gomer
Bestseller – Non-fiction
Y Dyn’i Hun, Hywel Gwynfryn, Gwasg Gwynedd
Bestseller – Children
Jac y Jwc ar y Fferm, Dylan Williams & Gordon Jones, Cymdeithas Lyfrau Ceredigion
Most Borrowed Library Book
Y Dyn yn y Cefn heb Fwstásh, Eirug Wyn, Y Lolfa
‘The ceremony was a resounding success,’ said Gwerfyl Pierce Jones, Director of the Welsh Books Council, ‘and as we congratulate each individual publisher we recognise and acknowledge the exciting developments within the book trade in Wales over the last few years.’
The awards were kindly sponsored by the following organisations – VISTA Computer Services, Welsh Development Agency, Western Mail, StrataMatrix and CILIP Cymru/Wales.