Alys Conran

Alys Conran, originally from North Wales, studied English Literature in Edinburgh and went on to complete a MA in Creative Writing in Manchester. She also trained in Youth and Community Work and developed projects to increase access to creative writing and reading among traditionally excluded groups in North Wales. Her short fiction has been placed in the Bristol Short Story Prize and the Manchester Fiction Prize, while Pigeon is the first fiction novel to be simultaneously published in English and Welsh.

Iola and Pijin spend their childhood in rural Wales creating an obscure make-believe world trying to escape their broken homes, but real life violent events tear them apart. As they journey from childhood to adolescence, they must come to terms with their past - and their guilt - in an attempt to mend their once-strong friendship.

Pigeon is a story of half-forgotten childhood memories, the loss of innocence and the passing of time, with a strong narrative and powerful themes. The elaborate Welsh setting seamlessly spills through the pages of the book.