The isles of Britain and Wales are steeped in legends that have been retold and altered over the centuries by whichever scholar had the power of the pen during their time. These legends and myths range from classic tales, such as King Arthur and Merlin, to verified histories such as William Wallace, Cunedda, or King Maelgwn of Gwynedd. One figure, often overlooked by popular media, straddles both history and mythology and is recognized by the name Taliesin.
In my debut novel, Taliesin, Chief of Bards, I attempt to reimagine the classic myth of this prophetic singer while also honoring his place in history. The idea for the book came to me in the most unlikely of places in a flash of inspiration worthy of Taliesin himself. I was working as a balloon sculptor in El Paso, TX ready for another hot day of making balloon mermaids for tips when the story, which I had studied for a college theater course, drifted into my mind. Taliesin is often cited as contributing some of the earliest recorded poetry from Wales, dating back to the sixth century. Being of Welsh heritage myself, I felt a strong connection to the poet and had read several versions of his early life, things that would make sensational reading if they were written properly. I left the flea market early and began researching everything I could about Taliesin and the characters surrounding him. I had read a lot of Morgan Llywelyn’s works when I was younger and absolutely adored her talent for bringing ancient myths and pseudo-histories to life. I wanted to accomplish the same with this long-forgotten Welsh tale.
Taliesin has his place both in mythology and history. As a bard, Taliesin would have been responsible not only for playing music and reciting poetry but also for keeping historical records in an age where most culture was passed down orally, from one storyteller to another. Several of Taliesin’s recorded poems mention the king Urien of Rheged who appears as a side character in the novel. Along with him, I include Saint Tudno and King Maelgwn as historical characters. Of course, this meant I had to research as many details about these figures as I could, which was no easy task considering the scarcity of records from that period. The term “Dark Ages” was not a title given in vain. On the other hand, the lack of reliable sources afforded me a degree of freedom in my writing. If there were no hard facts to be found, few could hardly argue with any artistic liberties I might use.
The most thrilling portion of Taliesin’s story, however, is his legendary origin. Most neo-pagan circles revere Taliesin as a deity of inspiration and insight, mostly due to his connection with the enchantress Cerridwen and her bubbling cauldron of divine inspiration. Compelling as that part of the story was to me, I chose to begin my novel where Taliesin is found, reborn as a new babe, by the luckless Prince Elphin. Elphin is clearly identified as the son of King Gwyddno Garanhir who himself is the star of a myth worthy of a five-book fantasy series. Gwyddno is the ruler of a mythic kingdom known as Cantre’r Gwaelod or the Lowland Hundred, a sprawling country built in the middle of Cardigan bay and protected from the sea by an incredible stone wall.
Seithenyn, Gwyddno’s other son in some versions of the story or a stalwart drunk in others, is responsible for opening the sea gates to allow ships to come in and out of the kingdom’s mighty harbor. The legend goes on to describe the inevitable ruin of the kingdom which many mythology enthusiasts compare to the story of Atlantis. It was baffling to me that, despite clearly being discovered by Elphin and adopted by King Gwyddno, Taliesin seems to have no place in this tragic tale. I wanted to explore how these two stories might interweave. Ultimately my book kept its focus on Taliesin’s story, but I include Gwyddno, Seithenyn, and the well-maiden Mererid as well and I have hopes of continuing the story of Cantre’r Gwaelod in future books with these characters.
The process of creating this book has been long and arduous. I’m not sure if the version of myself that started writing and researching between balloon-twisting gigs back in El Paso could ever imagine the final product that eventually got published. Still, I remember promising myself to stay determined and to see the project through to the bitter end, no matter how mediocre the final version might turn out. Now at the end of that long journey, and at the threshold of my writing career, I’m comforted to think that my debut novel can be considered anything but mediocre. Of course, I don’t expect you to take my word for it. Please read for yourselves the amazing story behind this truly inspired poet from an age long past.
You can find my book in ebook or paperback format in the following link. I would like to sincerely thank the Author’s Lounge for hosting me and allowing me to share my thoughts on my writing.
Taliesin, Chief of Bards is available here: www.amazon.com/dp/B09P64ZJYJ Thank you all for reading!
