Gin and Tonic, Duff McKagan, Vodka and Cranberry, Guinness, Heath Ledger (RIP), Budweiser, Christian Bale, Champagne, Kelly Jones, Brandy & Port, Johnny Depp, Black Velvets, Irish Car Bombs, Jack White, Cigars, Nutella straight from the jar. Eyeliner on men. Motorbike boots on women. Rock Guitar Hero III. Cooking Corn beef pie.
Music
Midasuno, The Clash, AFI, L7, Guns 'n' Roses, Nine Inch Nails, The Manic Street Preachers (with Richey), Motley Crue, Bobbie Gentry, Rage Against The Machine, Super Furry Animals, Tori Amos, Eliza Carthy, New Model Army, Mother Love Bone, The Darkness (with Frankie), PJ Harvey, Blondie, The Wildhearts, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Dolly Parton, The White Stripes, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Pantera, Bruce Springsteen, Belle & Sebastian, The Handsome Family, Ralph White, Klaxons, CSS, Jarvis Cocker, Arcade Fire ...
Movies
Stanley Kubrick, David Fincher, Johnny Depp, Mike Leigh, Ken Loach. Terry Gilliam. The Warriors.
Television
Remember Headbanger's Ball? Vanessa Warwick was the bomb.
Books
Henry Rollins, James Joyce, Owen Sheers, George Orwell, Clare Potter, Sylvia Plath, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Alice Sebold, Hunter S Thompson, Jack Kerouac, Virginia Woolf, Hubert Selby Jnr, Anthony Burgess, Susannah Moore, Annie Proulx . . .
Heroes
Maya Angelou, Joe Strummer, Rosa Parks, Frowen, and these young men here (minus the one in the pink shirt, although I usually do like pink shirts):
About me: I am a writer from the Rhondda Valley in South Wales.
My debut novel 'In and Out of the Goldfish Bowl' was published in 2000. An autobiographical account of a young girl growing up in the South Wales valleys against a backdrop of alcoholic and neglectful parents, sexual abuse, economic breakdown and a mounting drugs industry, the book was described by Time Out as 'A pitiful tale, a triumphant achievement.' It won the Orange Futures Award in 2001.
My debut short story collection 'Fresh Apples' was published in 2005. The eleven stories included celebrate youth in all its mixed up glory. Mario Basini, writing for the Western Mail, said, 'The publication of this collection confirms the arrival of a major new literary talent, grown organically out of the unpromising valleys as flowers out of a bed of manure. At their best... they have the emotional power, the simplicity and directness of high quality art.' In October 2006, it won the EDS Dylan Thomas Prize.
My music documentary and travelogue about Merthyr band Midasuno was published in June 2007. 'Part reportage, social history and memoir, "Dial M for Merthyr" tells the story of a band from the wrong side of the tracks trying to stay afloat in an ever changing musical and social climate.' 'I Sing of A Maiden,' my first piece of drama (written with musician Charlotte Greig), premiered at Chapter in 2007. My first full length radio play 'The Lemon Meringue' will be broadcast on Radio 4 in autumn 2008. My second novel 'Sixteen Shades of Crazy' will be published by Harper Collins in spring 2010.
'There are two Rachel Trezises. At least. There is the one we are all familiar with: a shy girl from Treorchy with an extraordinary writing talent and a bagful of literary prizes. And then there's the one who pissed on Robert De Niro's drive.' CFUK Magazine.
Who I'd like to meet: DUFF McKAGAN - Eye Candy
BILLY CONNOLLY - Comedy Genius
Hey hows it going. Hope is well. I was wondering if you would like to have a free album? You can get it at http://www.megaupload.com/?f=3NNQTYF1 I would love to know what you think
Just watched that short Canadian doctumantry about Bridgend - I'm surprised these events have been enough for another country to go into such detail on the matter.
One thing though - I am jealous you've got such a lovely room to work on your writing. Oh well, my bedroom will have to do for now.
Hey Rach! Great to hear from you. Yes I thought you would appreciate God's telephone, haha! China is weird and wonderful, thanks. Off to Beijing tomorrow to interview Army of Freshmen (great band) for Rock Sounds. Where are you now? I see 16 Shades is out soon, best of luck with it!
Hey Rachel!Cool new pic!Hope everything good with you.Are you at the Hay festival this year?I want to go and see Jane Birkin there.She's doing a talk about her life,then the next night she's singing.One of my guilty pleasures,Jane!lol..Much love~Shanti x
Good to see you doing well, and even better to see that your work translates and is received well in other languages. Sack your Doctor by the way ! Have fun in Europe and give us a hint about the new project you are researching ! St. Patrick's day was a right damp squid in Merthyr this year for some reason but hopefully it'll be a bit livelier on Saturday for our last game, against the Irish so make sure you keep up with it.
Hey Rachel!Good to hear from you.I'm really looking forward to reading the new novel!I read somewhere that you might be a Welsh version of Irvine Welsh...lazy journalism..can't you be the only version of Rachel Trezise?? I really hope to be at Laugharne this year..aren't Mick and Topper there..I'd like to see what they have to say. No European stalker tales this year then??lol..Have a great week,month,and year Rach.Much love~Shanti x Btw,have you read 'Atomised' by Michel Houellebecq?...it's worth seeking out.Incredible...x
I already got ANOTHER copy of Fresh Apples when I entered, ta love, my bookcase is like a shrine to you. BTW Rob is away in Ireland again sat/ sun if you fancy a night in Bristol? He comes back Monday x
Hi Rach, I'm struggling a bit at the moment, truth be told. It's good to know that things are going well with you though. All my projects seem to be taking a very long time and are proving harder to do than I expected. Perhaps I should attempt less.
The kids have been at home today because of the snow. I think they're likely to be off school for most of the week, which is nice in a way but it means another week when I won't get much done.
I'm now thinking carefully about whether to actually do the merchandising at Laugharne because I'm taking the risk and the cost of accommodation means it's probably not viable.
Have fun on your travels. Prague is really nice this time of the year because it's relatively quiet. Italy too. There was a time I used to go to Venice a lot. In February it's often cold and foggy and you can walk the canals in the late afternoon without meeting anybody.
Happy new tattoo!Hope things are good with you Rachel...so come on then!What tattoo did you get???My next one's a Buddha in black and grey...Have a great week Rach!Much love~~Shanti x
