Every month we like to feature an author who has caught our eye or inspired us. You can find their books by searching for their titles on our online catalogue or pop into your local library.

Peter May

Peter May was born in Glasgow in 1951.   From an early age he was intent on becoming a novelist, but took up a career as a journalist as a way to start earning a living by writing.  He has lived in France for the past 20 years and has French and British nationality.  He is the recipient of writing awards in Europe and America.  The Blackhorse won the U.S. Barry for Crime Novel of the Year and the national literature award in France.  The Lewis Man won the French daily newspaper Le Télégramme’s 10,000-euro Grand Prix des Lecteurs. In 2014, Entry Island won both the Deanston’s Scottish Crime Novel of the Year and the UK's ITV Crime Thriller Book Club Best Read of the Year Award. He is the author of 31 books which have sold over 15 million copies in more than 40 countries.  He is also the creator, writer and producer of more than 500 hours of prime-time television drama.  

Welsh author of the month - Mererid Hopwood

Mererid Hopwood is a Welsh poet and lyricist, currently serving as Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales.  Originally from Cardiff, Hopwood graduated with first-class honours in Spanish and German from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. She was a lecturer in German at the University of Wales, Swansea, and since 2001 has also been a Creative Writing tutor in the Welsh Department.   She became the first woman in Eisteddfod history to be awarded the chair at the National Eisteddfod in 2001 which was held in Denbigh. In 2003, she won the Crown at the National Eisteddfod in Meifod, and in 2008, the Eisteddfod's Prose Medal for her book O Ran. She is also an S4C presenter. In 2012, she was awarded the Glyndwr Award by MOMA, Machynlleth. She now lives in Carmarthen with her husband and three children.