A 92-year-old Gwynedd woman who has written 114 books and attends creative writing classes at college has launched her latest novel.
Mair Wynn Hughes launched Y Bocs Erstalwm at Caernarfon Library, having been inspired by Coleg Menai’s creative writing class.
Mair, who lives near Caernarfon, is one of Wales’ leading authors, having written 114 books for children, young people and adults and won numerous awards.
‘Y Bocs Erstalwm’, her first new book since 2008, follows Lydia, an elderly woman suffering with dementia, as she tries to piece her forgotten identity together during the Covid lockdown.
Mair said she was grateful to her creative writing class, and especially tutor Eabhan Ni Shuileabhain, for giving her the impetus to keep writing.
“I’ve been going to Eabhan’s classes for about four or five years,” said Mair.
“I’ve always written, but she’s given me inspiration to carry on.
“There’s always something to write for the following week. It’s so easy when you get to my age to sit back and say ‘I’ve done my work’, but because I’ve been going to Eabhan’s sessions, it keeps me going and keeps my brain working!
“She’s a wonderful tutor, one of the best, and is always so positive. It doesn’t matter whether it’s somebody who’s used to writing or not, she gets the best out of everybody.”
Mair started taking classes after her husband Tom died 13 years ago.
She said: “It was a great benefit to me, and I enjoyed it so much I kept going year after year. There are people who have never written before… and it’s all because of Eabhan.”
Mair went to Bangor Normal College before working as a teacher at Ysgol Pentraeth.
After meeting Tom, a farmer, she settled in Pentraeth and started writing, publishing her first book, Straeon Sioni Sbonc, in 1967.
A four-time Tir na n-Og award winner, she received the Mary Vaughan Jones Award in 2006 for her contribution to children’s literature.
In Y Bocs Erstalwm, Mair explores the loneliness of dementia and that of the Covid lockdown.
Mair Wynn Hughes has launched her latest book, Y Bocs Erstalwm (Picture supplied)
“Lydia has come out of hospital and is suffering the beginnings of dementia,” said Mair.
“When she looks in the ‘Bocs Erstalwm’ it’s full of photos. Every time she looks in the box she’s searching for herself – she’s trying to find the person she lost, and she knows it’s there somewhere in the photos.”
Mair, who has two daughters, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, has covered many topics in her work.
She said: “I’ve written about anything and everything – including robots, children’s adventures and two World Wars!”
‘Y Bocs Erstalwm’ is available in Welsh bookshops and via www.carreg-gwalch.cymru and www.gwales.com.
For more information on Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s writing classes visit www.gllm.ac.uk/course-type/potensial-lifelong-learning
