Book written by Lifelong Learning tutor has been shortlisted for Wales Book of the Year
29 July 2024
Rachel Dawson’s book Neon Roses has been shortlisted for the Rhys Davies Trust Fiction award.
Every year the Wales Book of the Year Award celebrates outstanding literary talent from Wales across many genres and in both English and Welsh. There are four categories in each language; Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-fiction and Children and Young People, with one of the four category winners announced as the Overall Winner, and claiming the title Wales Book of the Year 2024.
Neon Roses is a heartwarming coming of age story of a young girl called Eluned Hughes living in a valley in south Wales in 1984. Set within the miners’ strike when the fundraising group Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners arrive from London, Eluned’s life is suddenly turned upside down.
Rachel commented:
“I'm so pleased to be short listed for Wales Book of The Year, in such an interesting and diverse line-up. Neon Roses is very much inspired by my love for Wales, so it's fantastic to be recognised as representing Wales in some way”
Rachel is a creative writing tutor for Lifelong Learning at Cardiff University. Dr Michelle Deininger, Interim Director and Coordinator of the Humanities programme at Lifelong Learning, commented:
“We would like to congratulate Rachel on this outstanding achievement. Neon Roses is a hugely enjoyable, poignant and important book. We are thrilled to have Rachel on our team to inspire and guide our creative writing students”
Read more about Neon Roses.
Find our creative writing courses.
Author Rachel Dawson (BA English Literature 2010) will be teaching Novel writing and Writing Romance this academic year.
