LOCAL writer Anne-Ruth Alton, of Tenby, has recently achieved what she describes as her "biggest literary break to date." Her short story A Funny Mind is to be published by Honno, the Welsh Women's press, in their anthology The Other Woman which comes out in September.
Anne-Ruth has been writing short stories for over 40 years and some have appeared in the literary, small-press magazines. her story Crinoline Lady won first prize in last year's Tenby Arts Festival open writing competition.
Aberystwyth-based Honno, who have been established for 16 years, have a high reputation for producing anthologies of literary fiction, and their 1990 anthology Power (available in Tenby Library) won the coveted Raymond Williams Award for Short Fiction. The anthologies of this women's co-operative are produced with the aid of grants from the Welsh Arts Council.
Anne-Ruth, who is receiving payment for A Funny Mind, commented: "Although Honno have a very generous definition of being a Welsh woman - being female and living in Wales counts - the man who was effectively my grandfather was from Beaumaris, Anglesey."
A Funny Mind was part-inspired by seeing the film A Beautiful Mind at Tenby's Royal Playhouse Cinema last year and the female protagonist of Anne-Ruth's story has a delusional relationship with the late Carry On films actress, Hattie Jacques.
Anne-Ruth, who has a BA (Hons.) and MA in English Literature and Philosophy, plans to 'hit the ground running', i.e. try and consolidate on recent literary success.