My book, Days at Cnewr with Flash and Cocoa, concerning Hugh's childhood in the Brecon Beacons, is published at last. Our talented friend, Corinne Louveau de la Guigneraye, made up the maquette (the artwork) for me and we sent it to be printed by a firm in Lille.
The writing and production of this book has been a true labour of love: love and labour in every sense. I listened for years to Hugh's stories and about 18 months ago began making notes and writing up episodes about his life in the hills with shepherds and sheep, ponies and more sheep. I wrote about his dearest friends, the animals he loved, the difficult times and the carefree ones. Hugh lived in the Beacons for 12 years, leaving 40 years ago this year - 2008 - at the age of 18. We travelled to Wales to take photographs for the book and searched for more pictures in his stack of old family albums - all black and white, of course. I reproduced newspaper articles (with permission from the owners) and researched the local geography, carob pods, Welsh mountain ponies, the legend of Llyn y Fan Fach and the history of Cnewr, the great farm estate which is at the heart of our story.
Copies can be purchased from me here in La Borne - please ask me for more information about cost and postage.