Aberystwyth author Geraint Roberts has released his latest novel, A Time of Goodbyes.

Beginning in 1881, the sequel to Turn of the Wheel continues the tale of Owain Thomas and his family at the Frongoch mine near Pont Rhyd-y-Groes.

Owain is now an established miner at Frongoch in the hinterlands of Cardiganshire. His fortune is tied to the tribute earned from the lead and zinc ore raised from the earth. The mine is trying to survive amid competition from the New World and the miners struggle to survive with falling income.

Owain and Ceri protect their family, as their children grow, but there are many trials to overcome along the way. In a time of saying farewell to old faces and welcoming new, they are helped by friends when things look at their bleakest. There are, however, still many people of whom to be wary.

Can Owain overcome these troubles and will his relationship with the steadfast Ceri be the stronger or the weaker for it?

“The 1880s saw challenging times in the local lead mining industry, said Geraint. “Large reserves had been found in Australia especially, and consequently the price of metal fell. Rising costs and low prices saw many mines close and hardship throughout.

“The tale continues, as Owain and Ceri bring up their young family in those uncertain times. It is a time of departures and arrivals. Many characters bow out, but new people come into their lives to fill the void. It’s how the circle of life is, I suppose!”

He added: “The story sees the young Dafydd Thomas’ growing pains, culminating in his life-changing event, at the start of By the Banks of the Rheidol.

“There is a slight overlap, but it is told slightly differently, reflecting how people see life events differently.

“The back story, as before, is based on real history. Having read film rolls of old newspapers at the National Library, I can say there were plenty of quirky newsworthy items at the time.

“It is also good to pay tribute to the old owner, John Kitto, who looked after his workforce in comparison to many of the time. His story has been largely forgotten.”

The story will continue later this year with the final novel in the trilogy, A Light in the Darkness. It tells the end of the family’s story amid the collapse of the mine, with its foreign owners and turbulent times with the Italian workforce.

“I felt so sorry for them,” Geraint said.

“They were only hired to fill jobs there was no available workforce for and it all turned sour.

“The story runs parallel with By the Banks of the Rheidol and shows how the family is lost and found.”

So, if Owain has three stories, does this mean his son, Dafydd, will gain a third novel?’

“Watch this space!” said Geraint.

• A Time of Goodbyes is available via all good local bookshops or www.geraintroberts.com