Earlier this month, whilst on the visit to Margam Country Park, I picked up this pocket-sized guide to Walking with Welsh Legends: South-eastern Wales. As a consequence of purchasing this book, I discovered a thoroughly enjoyable read, but also became acquainted with the person who created it, Graham Watkins. Graham has been kind enough to answer some of my questions about the book, the rest in the series and about his writing habits!
Hi Graham! Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions!
As you know I recently read Walking with Welsh Legends for myself and found it wildly intriguing. The book brings together two of my favourite concepts: history and the local area! Having seen you have written several books on Walking with Welsh Legends - what inspired you to begin the series? And what other literary pilgrimages have you gone on, that you haven't written about?
'Walking with Welsh Legends' started as a pastime when my wife and I retired. Our idea was to walk, exploring Wales, when the sun shone and re-craft each legend when it rained. Somehow it rarely worked out that way, but then we are in Wales and walking in the rain can be fun, particularly when you are exploring stunning mountains, lakes and castles.
I am always intrigued by what authors get up to in their spare time. Do you want to tell us a bit about yourself?
Sure. I'm a multi genre author who started writing when I retired. I live in a rambling farmhouse in the Brecon Beacons with my wife, a lunatic rescue dog called Sally and a motley collection of animals which at different times have included, chickens, ducks, geese, sheep and Welsh-Black cattle. My neighbours describe me, not unkindly I hope, as a hobby farmer who tries to write and gives talks about his writing to anyone who will listen.
As someone who must have come across many tales on his travels, what is your favourite story, you have heard and why?
There are literally hundreds of Welsh legends, some based on historical fact, others pure fiction and it was great fun compiling the eighty I chose and published. Not only for the walking books but as a single volume without the walks as 'Welsh Legends and Myths - 80 Myths and Legends from across Wales'. One of my favourites is the tale of 'The Mermaid of Cemaes Head'- a story about Perigrine a fisherman whose life was saved by a mermaid he'd caught in his fishing net. According to the legend she warned Perigrine about a storm and told to him stay home. He did and on the 30th September 1789 when the rest of the fishing fleet sailed, disaster struck. Twenty-seven fishermen died in a terrible storm - a devastating tragedy for such a small community.
Have you ever had a spiritual encounter with one of your muses?
Watkin Watkins, an ancestor of mine who died on the 8th June 1730, is buried in Vaynor churchyard, Merthyr. Near his resting place is a large granite tomb, where Robert Thompson-Crawshay lies. The pair of them, including Watkin Watkins who pulled himself up by his boot-straps were my inspiration for 'The Iron Masters' - my first attempt at an historical novel. It's a rags to riches family saga. Set in the boom town of Merthyr, during the Napoleonic Wars, when Merthyr was the centre of cannon production. Did you know HMS Victory's cannon came from Merthyr?
No I didn't! My favourite part of reading this book (I plan to purchase the series) was the connection made with Welsh legends and practical travel advice on following their journey - how did you decide to marry this writing relationship?
That's great to hear. As I said, walking and writing seemed to go together since I enjoy doing both. And if you're interested in any of my other title there is a full list of my books here.
Producing a book is no easy feat, let alone a series. The writing process can often lead to people feeling frustrated about their own abilities. If you could give one piece of advice to emerging writers feeling this way, what would it be?
What a super question! My advice would be to write little and often, don't keep going back to tweak or rewrite. Wait until you have finished the first draft, and leave it to stew for a while, days or even weeks, before you start to polish it. The time that has passed will make it easier to be objective and you will come to the task with fresh eyes.
One question that I always like to ask, is how people deal with criticism. Have you faced rejections during your writing process? If so, how did you learn not to take these to heart, and did they have an impact on your sense of validation as a writer?
The manuscript for my first book, 'Exit Strategy', a non-fiction business book about how to sell a company. Was written immediately after I retired, it was returned by a publisher with one word written on the bottom of the first page 'NO'. I was devastated. I'd created, in my view, a 50,000 word masterpiece. How dare they reject it so rudely but I'm afraid that is the life of an author and traditional publishing can be a brutal business. It's a case of getting on, believing in yourself and treating each setback as an opportunity to learn.
What are your plans for the future? Are you planning on writing another series / book?
Last year I published 'The Enemy Within' a dystopian thriller set in a chaotic Great Britain, ten years from now and I've just published 'A Walk on the Woods' a collection of short stories. Some of the tales are a bit daft others more thought provoking. My next project is another short story anthology. I write for my own pleasure and am having a lot of fun putting the characters in odd situations to see how they react.
Are you familiar with any other writers? If so, did they help you develop your own medium of writing?
I belong to a writer's group that meets regularly to share ideas and peer review our work and I get a lot of support from author's groups on social media, particularly on Facebook. It's a great way to learn from other writer's experiences, and authors generally are very willing to offer advice and help particularly to new writers.
How did you find the publishing process? Was it easy or hard?
I've published through traditional publishers and as an indie author. None of it is easy but seeing you work in print and for sale is very rewarding.
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
It depends on the length. 'The Iron Masters' at 110,000 words took about a year to write but that was just the start, the first draft. I spend another year re-writing and polishing it. Others which need less historical research are quicker.
Do you believe in writer’s block?
Fortunately, because I don't write to deadlines, writer's block isn't a problem for me. If I don't feel like writing or can't think of anything worthwhile, I can go and do something else. Having said that I know it exists and can be a problem. When I have no choice and must complete a difficult passage I just keep writing even if I know what I am producing isn't good. It usually works and inspiration comes eventually.
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
I used to read my reviews and once made the mistake of responding to a particularly nasty one. My reply triggered a torrent of negativity from the reviewer who was trolling and baiting me. It was a lesson that taught me not to pay much attention to reviews. These days I might glance at the odd one but I never ever reply to them.
Having seen, you are often out on the road collecting information for your books - what is your normal writing process?
I write about a thousand words a day, mostly in the morning when my mind is fresh. Then I stop, have a light lunch and do other things. My wife always has a to-do list and living in an old farmhouse there are always chores or repairs to undertake. I usually finish the afternoon with a swim and some family time.
Finally, do you have any questions for me?
Yes I do. I enjoyed reading some of your other interviews and found Pippa Stacey's particularly interesting. Tell me, how do you find the people you interview?
As the blog is fairly new, I started by engaging with people who I followed on social media. Those who I had an interest in and wanted to keep up with their weekly escapades! As the blog content is usually about disabled life and accessibility, it's natural to include those who have this life experience. More recently I have added a section on book reviews and things I enjoy and since your book was so great - I thought it would be wonderful to feature you!
Thanks for taking part Graham - that's all folks!
Collaborative post with Graham Watkins - you can purchase the Walking with Welsh Legends series here and even listen to extracts for free. If you liked this, be sure to check back for more. Thanks for reading!
One question that I always like to ask, is how people deal with criticism. Have you faced rejections during your writing process? If so, how did you learn not to take these to heart, and did they have an impact on your sense of validation as a writer?
