Wales Book of the Year 2018 shortlist announced

Literature Wales Book covers for the English language fiction shortlistLiterature Wales
Three books have been selected for both languages in categories including fiction

Shortlists have been announced for this year's English and Welsh-language Wales Book of the Year Awards.

Two independent judging panels have selected nine works for each language in categories for poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction.

The shortlists include works by award-winning author Horatio Clare, former national poet Gwyneth Lewis, and Prof M Wynn Thomas, an expert in the literature of modern Wales.

The winners will be announced in June.

The Roland Mathias Poetry Award

  • All fours by Nia Davies
  • The Mabinogi by Matthew Francis
  • Diary of the Last Man by Robert Minhinnick

Fiction Award

  • Hummingbird by Tristan Hughes
  • Light Switches Are My Kryptonite by Crystal Jeans
  • Bad Ideas \ Chemicals by Lloyd Markham

The Creative Non-Fiction Award

  • Icebreaker by Horatio Clare
  • David Jones: Engraver, Soldier, Painter, Poet by Thomas Dilworth
  • All that is Wales: The Collected Essays of M. Wynn Thomas

Welsh-language Poetry Award

  • Llif Coch Awst by Hywel Griffiths
  • Treiglo by Gwyneth Lewis
  • Caeth a Rhydd by Peredur Lynch

Welsh-language Fiction Award

  • Gwales by Catrin Dafydd
  • Fabula by Llyr Gwyn Lewis
  • Hen Bethau Anghofiedig by Mihangel Morgan

Welsh-language Creative Non-Fiction Award

  • Meddyginiaethau Gwerin Cymru by Anne Elizabeth Williams
  • Blodau Cymru: Byd y Planhigion by Goronwy Wynne
  • Ar Drywydd Niclas y Glais by Hefin Wyn

Judges for the English-language prizes are author Cynan Jones, broadcaster, journalist and writer Carolyn Hitt, and poet Kathryn Gray.

The Welsh-language judging panel are broadcaster Beti George, National Eisteddfod 2016 chair winner Aneirin Karadog, and former Wales Book of the Year winner Caryl Lewis.

The competition, run by Literature Wales, includes a people's choice winner in both languages.