ONE of Wales’s top writers of poetry and fiction, multi-award winning author Christopher Meredith, will be special guest at The Cellar Bards spoken word event in Cardigan on Friday, March 29.

Doors and the bar open at 7.45pm, at the Cellar Bar, Quay Street. Entry is £3, and open mic spots are available – just sign up on the door.

Born and brought up in Tredegar, Chris now lives in Brecon. He has been a steelworker, a schoolteacher and a lecturer.

He is a Fellow of yr Academi Gymreig, a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales, and Emeritus Professor of creative writing at the University of South Wales.

Chris’s prizes include an Eric Gregory Award, the Arts Council of Wales Young Writer Prize and the Fiction Prize for his first novel, Shifts. Set against the decline of the steel industry in south Wales, it is regarded as a contemporary classic.

In 2014 Shifts was shortlisted for the title of 'Greatest Welsh Novel of All Time' by Wales Arts Review. It came a close second to the winner, Caradog Prichard's Welsh language novel, Un Nos Ola Leuad, and topped the poll for novels written in English.

His latest novel is The Book of Idiots, latest poetry collection is Air Histories and his most recent book is Brief Lives – six fictions.

He has broadcast on radio and TV and given readings and talks all round Britain as well as in the Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia, France, Germany, Finland, Ireland, Slovenia and the USA.

Open mic spots are always available at The Cellar Bards, Cardigan’s only regular spoken word event.

The Bards welcome writers of poetry, short stories, micro-fiction and novels (maximum five minutes each).

People who want to read can put their names down at the door on the night. Or go along to listen to the fabulous Christopher Meredith, plus a variety of spoken word performances from the talented regulars.

See The Cellar Bards Facebook page for more information.