Spooky stories and craft at Cefn Mawr over half-term

Mike Gayle was born and raised in Birmingham. After graduating from Salford University with a degree in sociology, Mike moved to London with ambitions of becoming a music journalist. This didn't happen however and following a slight detour in his five-year plan he ended up as an agony uncle for teenage girls' magazine Bliss, before becoming features editor on the now much-missed Just Seventeen. Since those early days Mike has written for a variety of publications including The Sunday Times, The Guardian and Cosmopolitan. Mike became a full-time novelist in 1997 following the publication of his Sunday Times top 10 bestseller My Legendary Girlfriend, which was hailed by The Independent as 'Full of belly laughs and painfully acute observations,' and by The Times as 'A funny, frank account of a hopeless romantic.' To date Mike is the author of 12 novels including Mr Commitment, Turning Thirty and Wish You Were Here. His books have been translated into over 30 languages. After stints in Manchester and London Mike now lives in Birmingham with his wife, kids, two sheds and a rabbit.

Spooky Stories at Cefn Mawr Library

How about starting your half term school holidays with a Spooky Stories and Craft Night at Cefn Mawr Library? Join us for three separate sessions and feed your imagination by listening to spooky stories, make spooky crafts topped off with a ghostly cup of hot chocolate! The first session will be held 4pm-5pm and is for children aged two to six years, the second will be 5.15pm-6.15pm for children aged seven to 10 and the final session will be for children aged 10+ at 6.30pm-7.30pm. These spooktacular session are free of charge but booking is essential, call the library on 01978 820938 for more details and to reserve your place.

Gothic novels

As the nights draw in what better way to spend a dark autumn evening on the run up to that most spooky time of the year than reading a gothic novel. All the classic gothic novels such as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde are available from Wrexham Library. Also available are modern gothic novels like Sarah Perry's Melmoth. Sarah Perry's writing creates a typically gothic ominous atmosphere of creepiness, fear and melancholy for the 21 century. Whether you choose a modern or classic gothic novel it will produce a chill down your spine.

Reminisce

Join us at Rhos Library to share your memories, reminisce with books and music, try out our new activities and meet and chat with others. Reminisce will take place on the third Friday of the month at 11am, with the next session on Friday, October 21. Refreshments will be available and individuals, families and carers will be very welcome. Call 01978 840328 for more details.

Reading Well for teens

Reading Well for teens launched in Wales and England on World Mental Health Day 2022 (October 10). The reading list will support the mental health and wellbeing of teenagers, providing information, advice and support to help teens better understand their feelings, handle difficult experiences and boost confidence. The booklist is targeted at teenagers (aged 13-18) and includes a wide range of reading levels and formats to support less confident readers and encourage engagement. Some of the recommended books suggest useful self-help techniques; there are also personal stories, graphic books, and fiction. Alongside the books are a selection of digital resources to support teens. The collection has been chosen and endorsed by leading health professionals and co-produced with teenagers. Reading Well has been developed by The Reading Agency in partnership with Libraries Connected and SCL Cymru. It is delivered with public libraries. The scheme is funded by Welsh Government and Arts Council England.

Book Review

Meredith Alone by Claire Alexander

Meredith Alone by Claire Alexander

We loved this book and if you were a fan of Eleanor Oliphant - we think you will too! A touching, heartfelt and wonderful debut novel that we highly recommend. It does deal with some difficult topics and mental health issues, but these appear to have been well researched and written in a coherent and readable way. The story is written in the present day where, up until recently, Meredith has been relatively happy working from home and living with her self-isolation. These chapters are interspersed with random chapters from her childhood and young adult days, which slowly reveal the events which have led to the deterioration in her mental health. When Meredith decides to regain her life in the outside world, we were linking arms and taking every small step with her, we felt what she felt, and was willing her to achieve her goal. The power of friendship and 'letting people in' to allow yourself to be helped stood out for us. We didn't want the book to end where it did - we needed a couple more chapters - but such a great story and one of my favourite reads!! 

Lynda (read as part of the Knit, Natter, and Everything Else Group held at Brynteg Library)