Honno is a Welsh

women's press The Women's Press was a feminist publishing company established in London in 1977. Throughout the late 1970s and the 1980s, the Women's Press was a highly visible presence, publishing feminist literature. Founding In 1977, Stephanie Dowrick cofou ...

, based in Aberystwyth, which is run as an independent co-operative. The press concentrates solely on publishing writing by the women of

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

, with the twin aims of increasing publication opportunities for Welsh women and expanding the audience for Welsh women's writing.Whitfield, Lydia. Honno founder explains how women got a voice. ''WalesOnline'' (24 October 2008)
(accessed 18 February 2009) In 2006, Dai Smith, chair of the Arts Council of Wales, praised Honno's "terrific work in bringing women’s literature back into print". Luned Meredith, one of the founders, claimed in the press's 21st anniversary year of 2008 that Honno had made "a significant contribution to the changing social conscience which has given prominence to the woman's voice". The press was started in 1986 by a group of volunteers, and had 400 shareholders within six months of its establishment. Honno has received financial support from the

Welsh Books Council The Books Council of Wales (previously known as the Welsh Books Council) or Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru was established in 1961. Today it is funded by the Welsh Government. The council's aims are to promote the interests of Welsh language books and Engl ...

and the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...

. The name ''Honno'' is the Welsh feminine form of "that".

Publications

The majority of titles are novels, autobiographies and short story anthologies in

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

; Honno also publishes some poetry, books for children and teenagers, and books in Welsh. The press's 450 authors include

Lindsay Ashford Lindsay Ashford is a British crime novelist and journalist. Her style of writing has been compared to that of Vivien Armstrong, Linda Fairstein and Frances Fyfield. Many of her books follow the character of Megan Rhys, an investigative psychol ...

, Anne Beale, Brenda Chamberlain,

Gillian Clarke Gillian Clarke (born 8 June 1937) is a Welsh poet and playwright, who also edits, broadcasts, lectures and translates from Welsh into English. She co-founded Tŷ Newydd, a writers' centre in North Wales. Life Gillian Clarke was born on 8 J ...

, Carol Ann Courtney,

Amy Dillwyn Elizabeth Amy Dillwyn (16 May 1845 – 13 December 1935) was a Welsh novelist, businesswoman, and social benefactor. She was one of the first female industrialists in Britain. Born in Sketty, Swansea, Dillwyn was a member of a prominent family ...

, Dorothy Edwards, Menna Gallie,

Mererid Hopwood Mererid Hopwood (born February 1964) is a Welsh people, Welsh poet. She became in 2001 the first woman to win the bardic chair at the National Eisteddfod of Wales. Teaching Originally from Cardiff, Hopwood graduated with first-class honours in ...

, Siân James, Anne Lewis,

Eiluned Lewis Janet Eiluned Lewis (1 November 1900 – 15 April 1979) was a Welsh novelist, poet, and journalist. Early life and education Janet Eiluned Lewis was born in Penstrowed near Newtown, Montgomeryshire, the daughter of Eveline Griffiths and H ...

Gwyneth Lewis Gwyneth Denver Davies (born 1959), known professionally as Gwyneth Lewis, is a Welsh poet, who was the inaugural National Poet of Wales in 2005. She wrote the text that appears over the Wales Millennium Centre. Biography Gwyneth Lewis was b ...

, Catherine Merriman, Lynette Roberts, Kitty Sewell and Hilda Vaughan. The Honno's Classics series republishes books which have been out of print for many years.

Awards

Awards won by Honno titles include the 1989

Wales Book of the Year The Wales Book of the Year is a Welsh literary award given annually to the best Welsh and English language works in the fields of fiction and literary criticism by Welsh or Welsh interest authors. Established in 1992, the awards are currently ad ...

for ''Morphine and Dolly Mixtures'' by Carol Ann Courtney, which was later made into a film for television. ''Luminous and Forlorn'' (1994), Honno's first short story anthology, won the Raymond Williams Prize of the Arts Council England. ''Who's Afraid of the Bwgan-wood?'' by Anne Lewis won the

's Tir na n-Og Award for Best Children's Title in English in 1996. ''Not Singing Exactly'' by Siân James won the 1997 Wales Book of the Year. Honno books have also reached the shortlists of several recent awards, including the

Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award The Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award is one of the UK's top crime-fiction awards, sponsored by Theakston's Old Peculier. It is awarded annually at Harrogate Harrogate ( ) is a spa town and the administrative centre of ...

2006 for Lindsay Ashford's ''Strange Blood''; and the Wales Book of the Year 2006 and Crime Writers' Association New Blood Dagger 2006 for Kitty Sewell's ''Ice Trap''.CWA: Louise Penny wins New Blood Dagger
(accessed 18 February 2009)

References

External links

*{{Official website, http://www.honno.co.uk/index.php Aberystwyth Publishing companies of Wales Publishing companies established in 1986 1986 establishments in Wales Companies based in Ceredigion