I am very pleased to announce the release of my latest novel on January 31st. The Turn of the Wheel is set in a small lead mining community, near Pontrhydygroes, about 12 miles east of Aberystwyth in the Ystwyth Valley.
The story is that of Owain Thomas and begins with his first day underground at the Frongoch lead mine, as part of his father’s team. The story charts his rites of passage, living in a ty un nos at the nearby village of Trisant. It tells of his struggles underground and his romance with Ceridwen of the troubles Hughes family.
Owain is the father of Dafydd, the railwayman protagonist in ‘By the Banks of the Rheidol’ and ‘The Long Way Home’. This is the first of three stories about Owain. Obviously this means some of his story will overlap Dafydd’s, but seen through another person’s eyes.
The full blurb is as follows:
A historical novel set in the metal mining community of Mid Wales, charting the rite of passage of a young lead miner.
In February 1873, Owain Thomas begins his first day at Frongoch lead mine in the wild uplands of Cardiganshire.The terraced industrial towns of the south are alien to the people in this small community in West Wales. The horse is still king and water turns the great wheels that power the machinery.
Owain’s romantic dreams of starting a man’s job are soon dashed in the cramped tunnels. He learns quicklyto carve his own path in life, aided by the Cornish miner David Treveglos. Life is hard in the close-knit mining community. People cling to the old traditions and religion for support.
Owain befriends Ceridwen Hughes, daughter of the violent, ostracised miner, Gomer. As he reaches maturity, Owain is faced with the dilemma of protecting his family and Ceri from harm and keeping his job. When faced with danger, will the measure of the man come through and his deeds be repaid – for good or ill?
The book is priced at £8.99 and available from local bookshops and my website. It is also available on Amazon (my trading name is GDS Roberts) and Waterstones websites.
I will be providing more background tales in the coming weeks, plus news of a companion story to ‘Forest Brothers’
