Rebecca F. John

2015 was perhaps the year in which my life experienced the most change. It was a year which brought me new successes, which showed me unknown pockets of the world, which was more exhausting than any other year to date, which turned the odd strand of my hair silver (no, no – not grey), which was exciting and wonderful and scary and chaotic. So chaotic, in fact, that it has spilled over into 2016 – and spilled so thoroughly that it’s taken me most of January to get around to

A Swansea to Quebec round trip isn’t easily undertaken in three days. It’s a long slog. And when you throw in a transfer at New York’s JFK – an airport so extensive that full-length trains clatter through its middle, separated from the chattering, marching, panicking passengers only by panes of glass – it becomes slightly stressful. So, I’ll admit to feeling a little apprehensive about the journey, especially having never ventured half way so far before. But I’d been invi

So, my poor blog is a bit behind the times, but busy times they have been. Between my work commitments, getting Clown’s Shoes ready for publication in October, and making my little house habitable, I haven’t stopped. (As far as the house goes, I’ve been here a month now, and it’s just starting to transform into the cosy reading/writing den I had envisaged.) Amongst all this, though, some more great news … I made the shortlist of the PEN International New Voices Award! It’s

I am so pleased to be able to tell you all that I have been longlisted for the PEN International New Voices Award. I'm very excited, and hope that I will be able to impress the judges enough to represent Wales PEN Cymru on the shortlist of three. My congratulations go to my five fellow longlistees. Let's all keep our fingers crossed! #PENInternational #shortstory