Cynan Jones: ‘The chances of making money writing are very slim’
The Welsh novelist on badger baiting, being British and the wine and flower shop he runsWelsh author Cynan Jones won a Betty Trask award for his first novel, The Long Dry. His second book, Everything I Found on the Beach, was published last s...
Mackenzie Crook: ‘I could go through life playing characters like Gareth but that’s no challenge’ | interview
The actor who made his name in The Office talks about Jerusalem, playing against type in The Recruiting Officer, and his debut as a children's authorHaving risen to fame in The Office, Crook played Ragetti in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy while ...
Debut novelist: Grace McCleen
The Land of Decoration tells the tale of a deeply religious girl who creates a miniature world in her bedroomDrawing on her experiences growing up in a Christian fundamentalist sect in Wales, 31-year-old Grace McCleen's hotly tipped The Land of Decorat...
The film that changed my life | Lone Scherfig
East of Eden (Elia Kazan, 1955)I was maybe 14 or 15 when I saw East of Eden, the 1955 film based on John Steinbeck's novel. It uses an important moment in American history, the first world war, as the backdrop to a tale about two warring brothers, draw...
Why the pen is mightier than the sword
To mark its half-century, Amnesty International is asking supporters to write letters once againIt has never been easier to support Amnesty International's campaigns. From sending tweets to signing petitions online, or even attending public rallies, pe...
Fiction for older children – reviews
A teenager sails away from trouble in The Salt-Stained Book, while twins are imperilled by their X-rated granFor those who love boats and sea breezes, The Salt-Stained Book by Julia Jones (Golden Duck £7.99) – owner of Arthur Ransome's boat, Peter D...
Royal wedding: Tim Key’s commemorative poem
Comedian Tim Key composes a poem to mark the royal wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince WilliamAsked to write a poem about the royal wedding, Tim Key - Britain's premier composer of awkward yet oddly amusing verse - imagined the rigorous vetting proces...
The 10 best twitter personalities – in pictures
It's five years since the first tweet, so who communicates best?Gemma Kappala-Ramsamy
