Ceredigion, Gwynedd and Powys writers have been shortlisted for the 2026 Wales Book of the Year awards.

The awards celebrate outstanding literary talent from Wales across many genres in both English and Welsh.

There are four categories in each language – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction, and Children & Young People. One category winner will take the Overall Award claiming the title, Wales Book of the Year.

Ceredigion’s Cynan Jones, from Aberaeron, and Mererid Hopwood who works at Aberystwyth University have been shortlisted for the English language Fiction Award for ‘Pulse’, and the Welsh Poetry Award for ‘Mae’ respectively.

Shortlisted writers with Gwynedd links include Bethan Nantcyll, Pantglas, Iestyn Tyne, Arfor, Manon Steffan Ros, Tywyn, Carwyn Eckley from Penygroes and Simon Chandler who lives in Manchester but fell in love with Blaenau Ffestiniog, and leant Welsh as a result.

Bethan and Simon are two of three writers shortlisted for the Welsh language Fiction Award for ‘Dau’, and ‘Hiraeth Neifion’ respectively.

Iestyn is up for the Welsh Creative Non-Fiction Award for Y Cyfan a Fu Rhyngom Ni, Manon for the Welsh Children and Young People Award for ‘Y Cae Ras’, Carwyn goes against Mererid for the Welsh Poetry Award, and Simon goes against Bethan for the Welsh Fiction Award with ‘Hiraeth Neifion’.

In Powys, Meredith Miller, Bro Ddyfi, Jeremy Over, Llanidloes, and Ursula Martin, formerly from Machynlleth and now living in Newtown have been shortlisted.

Meredith goes against Cynan for the English language Fiction Award for ‘Cold Grace’, Jeremy is up for the English Poetry Award for ‘Fourth & Walnut’, and Ursula for the English Creative Non-Fiction Award for One Woman Walks Europe.

The will be announced on 9 July at Galeri Caernarfon.

Twelve prizes and a total of £14,000 will be shared amongst the writers - £1,000 each for the category winners and an additional £3,000 for the overall winners in both languages.