Longlist and shortlist / Y Rhestrau Hir a Byr

Gwobr Nofel Gyntaf Crime Cymru First Novel Prize: a new crime writing prize for Wales

Announcing the longlisted writers and our shortlist!

In May 2021 Crime Cymru launched a new prize for debut crime writers in Wales: Gwobr Nofel Gyntaf Crime CymruFirst Novel Prize. Our aim for the prize is to champion new crime writers who are currently living in Wales, providing a platform for their work and supporting their writing development. Developing new writing talent is one of our core aims as a collective (which you can read about here https://crime.cymru/).

Writers were asked to submit the first 5,000 words of a crime novel with an accompanying synopsis of the complete plot. Entries could be written in English or in Welsh, and we will be awarding two winners: one in each language. Submissions closed in September 2021 and since then Crime Cymru and our amazing judges have been hard at work behind the scenes.

Crime Cymru members read all the entries to form longlists, and then our judges took over to choose the shortlists. All entries were anonymised at all stages of adjudication. We have two fantastic judging panels, one for Welsh-language entries and one for entries in English, with Crime Cymru’s own Alison Layland acting as chair. On the Welsh panel are writer, editor and translator Sian Northey, Gwen Davies, translator and editor of New Welsh Review, and Jon Gower, writer and broadcaster. Our English-language judges are Sunday Times bestseller Clare Mackintosh, literary agent Peter Buckman, and rising star of crime fiction Awais Khan. All our judges have given their time for free and Crime Cymru are extremely grateful for their support.

Huge thanks, too, to Literature Wales for their generous support in donating the prizes for the winners in each language: a four-night stay in Nant, the gorgeous writing retreat in the grounds of Tŷ Newydd, Wales’ national writing centre. Winners will also be offered a year of mentoring from a Crime Cymru member.

And now the moment we’ve all been waiting for . . .

We’re delighted to announce the twelve writers longlisted in the English-language category of the Crime Cymru First Novel Prize, given here in alphabetical order:

J. M. Curry, Would You Like a Lift?

Ray Ede, Tower Crossing

Dyffryn ap Gwilym, A Mortal Occupation

Gwenno Uhi, Smoke

Joanna Masters, Secrets

Katrina Moinet, Tremor

Belinda Saddington, Lying in Wait

Gareth Smith, Dancing with a Broken Doll

Gwyneth Steddy, Do Sleeping Dogs Lie

Matthew Steddy, Northern Power

Martyn Sullivan, Distinct in the Darkness

Rhianon Washington, The Condolence of Now

Our three shortlisted writers in English are:

Dyffryn ap Gwilym

Joanna Masters

Gwyneth Steddy

The Welsh-language competition saw fewer entries but we’re thrilled to announce the Welsh-language writers who are shortlisted for the prize:

Miriam Elin Jones, Man Gwyn

Dylan Wyn Williams, Gwesty Cymru

The winners in each language category will be announced on the Crime Cymru website, on our blog and via our social media channels on 30^th April 2022.

Congratulations to all the writers on the longlist and the shortlist, and thanks to everyone who entered.

Gwobr Nofel Gyntaf Crime Cymru First Novel Prize: gwobr newydd ar gyfer ysgrifennu trosedd yng Nghymru

Datganiad o’n hawduron ar y rhestrau hir a byr!

Ym mis Mai 2021, lansiodd Crime Cymru wobr newydd ar gyfer awduron trosedd newydd yng Nghymru: Gwobr Nofel Gyntaf Crime Cymru First Novel Prize. Ein nod ar gyfer y wobr yw hyrwyddo awduron trosedd sy’n byw yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd, gan gynnig llwyfan i’w gwaith a hybu eu datblygiad wrth ysgrifennu. Mae datblygu talent newydd yn un o’n hamcanion craidd fel cydweithfa (gallwch ddarllen mwy yma: https://crime.cymru/).

Gofynnwyd i awduron gyflwyno’r 5,000 gair cyntaf o nofel drosedd, ynghyd â chrynodeb o holl blot y nofel. Roedd yn agored i geisiadau fod yn Saesneg neu’r Gymraeg, a byddwn yn gwobrwyo dau enillydd: un ym mhob iaith. Mid Medi 2021 oedd y dyddiad cau, ac yn y cyfamser mae Crime Cymru a’n beirniaid rhyfeddol wedi bod yn gweithio’n galed y tu ôl i’r llenni.

Darllenodd aelodau Crime Cymru’r ceisiadau i gyd i ffurfio rhestrau hir, wedyn roedd drosodd i’n beirniaid i ddewis y rhestrau byr. Sicrhawyd i’r ceisiadau i gyd fod yn ddienw yn ystod mhob cam o’r beirniadu. Mae gennym ddau banel gwych o feirniaid, un i geisiadau yn y Gymraeg ac un i’r rhai Saesneg, a bydd Alison Layland, aelod o Crime Cymru, yn cydlynu’r ddau. Y panel Cymraeg yw Sian Northey, awdur, golygydd a chyfieithydd, Gwen Davies, cyfieithydd a golygydd y New Welsh Review, and Jon Gower, awdur a darlledwr. Y panel Saesneg yw gwerthwraig orau’r Sunday Times, Clare Mackintosh, asiant llenyddol, Peter Buckman, a seren newydd y byd ffuglen drosedd, Awais Khan. Mae ein beirniaid i gyd wedi rhoi eu hamser am ddim ac mae Crime Cymru yn ddiolchgar iawn iddynt am eu cefnogaeth.

Diolch o galon, hefyd, i Lenyddiaeth Cymru am eu cefnogaeth hael trwy roi’r gwobrau i’r enillwyr yn y ddwy iaith: encil pedair noson yn Nant, bwthyn hyfryd ar safle Canolfan Ysgrifennu Genedlaethol Cymru, Tŷ Newydd yn Llanystumdwy. Bydd y ddau enillydd hefyd yn cael blwyddyn o fentora gan aelod o Crime Cymru.

A nawr, yr hyn rydym i gyd ar bigau’r drain eisiau gwybod…

Mae’n bleser mawr datgan y deuddeg awdur ar restr hir dosbarth Saesneg Gwobr Nofel Gyntaf Crime Cymru, sy’n ymddangos yma yn nhrefn yr wyddor: