Bucket List: Part 2 Graham Watkins

When I decided I wanted to write my first book, I created a Twitter account, so I could follow writers, authors, editors and others in the business. One of the first authors I started following was Welsh author, Graham Watkins. I saw his tweet for free books, and decided to go to his website and check them out (my most favorite words in the English language – besides All-You-Can-Eat – are Free Books!), and I am so glad that I did!

Graham, who refers to himself as an “apprentice wordsmith, learning the craft” has written several books in the genres of non-fiction (Exit Strategy – his first book after retirement and The Art of the Book Fair: An Indie Authors Guide to Selling at Book Fairs), historical fiction (The Iron Masters and A White Man’s War) and, most recently, suspense/thriller (The Sicilian Defense). He is a brilliant writer, who puts a lot of time into researching his books, so that he can present the most accurate accounts of his stories possible.

However, it was his books on Welsh myths and legends that grabbed me, and put visiting Wales on my bucket list. To me, the greatest thing that defines a town is the stories that come out of them, whether it be about its history, famous people, and, yes, its legends and myths. Graham relates some very interesting tales of people and places and events from Welsh history that makes me feel that I was there, or wish I could have been. I have always been a fan of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, but never realized that so much happened in Wales. I started out by reading Secrets, Stories and Scandals of Ten Welsh Follies. One of the stories I liked the most was “Tan y Coed”, which is kind of like the ultimate man cave, completed by Sir Charles Woodall in 1894. I then read Legends and Myths from Wales – North Wales, where I read “The Death of Arthur”. Sir Bedevere has always been my favorite Round Table knight! After reading The Iron Masters Volume 1 and The Sicilian Defense I had to read more myths and legends, so I bought Welsh Myths and Legends: 80 Myths and Legends from across Wales (cover shown above), thus whetting my appetite more for wanting to see and experience this wonderful country myself.

Graham may consider himself an apprentice wordsmith, however, I have really enjoyed reading his books, and will continue to read them, always looking forward to the next one. You can find Graham on Twitter at @GrahamWriter and at his website: grahamwatkins.info