Roeddwn i’n teimlo awydd ysgrifennu o chwech oed ymlaen. Roedd y teimlad yn gyson ac yn wyllt ynddof, ac roeddwn i’n gwylltio fy mam yn aml wrth ofyn am deitlau er mwyn i mi redeg i ffwrdd a throi ei phenawdau yn straeon. Yn saith oed, symudais i o Loegr i dde Cymru, ble cefais fy ysbrydoli yn syth gan y wlad. Roedd y coed yn glystyrau o frocolis ar fryniau tal. Roedd yr afon yn drysorfa o bilcod a cherrig a belydrodd. Ac roedd yr ysgolion yn llefydd llawn cefnogaeth a’m galluogodd i ddarllen fy storïau o flaen y dosbarth. I felt the urge to write from the age of 6. It was consistent and wild in me, and I annoyed my mother regularly for titles, so that I could run away and turn her headings into stories. From the age of 7, I moved from England to the South of Wales, where the land inspired me instantly. The trees were broccoli clusters on tall hills. The river was a treasure trove of minnows and stones that shimmered. And the schools were a place of encouragement: allowing me to read my stories at the front of the class.

Dyw e ddim yn syndod byddai fy nghartref yn Aberfan, a chof y trychineb a ddigwyddodd i’r gymuned flynyddoedd ynghynt, yn ysbrydoli prosiect. Mae yna dristwch yn y pentref, sy’n gorchuddio chwant am wneud yn fawr o’r bywyd a roddwyd i’r rheiny a oroesodd y digwyddiad ofnadwy hwnnw. Cymaint o golled mewn cymuned sydd ddim wedi bod yr un peth ers hynny. It’s no surprise that my home in Aberfan, with its memories of the disaster that befell the community years earlier, would inspire a project. There is a sadness in the village, blanketing a desire to make the most of the life afforded to those that survived such an awful event. So much loss in a community that has never been the same since.

Roeddwn i’n teimlo bod yn rhaid i mi nodi’r tristwch hwn – a’r chwant am ddyfodol gwell, tra’n cofio’r gorffennol – yn fy ngwaith; yn ysgrifennu nofel am y pentref, The Valley of Whispers. Dyma gyflwyniad i’r trychineb a ddigwyddodd yno, i ddarllenwyr ifainc ei gymryd mewn a’i werthfawrogi, tra maen nhw’n dod i ffwrdd â neges sy’n cynhesu’r galon: gwnewch y gorau o bob munud. Byddwch fyw a gwnewch bob dydd yn arbennig. I felt compelled to note this sadness – and this want for a better future, whilst remembering the past – in my work; writing a novel about the village, called The Valley of Whispers. It’s a subtle introduction to the tragedy that took place there, for young minds to digest and appreciate, whilst coming away with a heart-warming message: make the most of every minute. Live and make every day special.

Ar ôl toriad, pryd genais i fy merch Willow, dechreuais i fynd i’r afael â nofel newydd a gafodd ei hysbrydoli gan ysbrydion y dafarn enwog: The Skirrid Inn yn Llanfihangel Crucornau. Dywedir bod Tafarn yr Ysgyryd yn gartref i sawl ysbryd ar ôl i 187 o ladron farw yno, yn ogystal â hen farnwr crac a morwyn ifanc o’r enw Fanny. Mae yna gymaint o hanes yn yr adeilad, ac mae natur y lle mor gynhyrfus, roedd yn lleoliad perffaith i nofel arswyd. Wedi’i hanelu at oedolion ifainc, mae The Inn of Waking Shadows yn siwrne i mewn i fyd bwganod digwsg ac anturiaethau bachgen sy’n gallu cyfathrebu â nhw, yn helpu’r forwyn ddieuog i symud ymlaen. After a break, in which I gave birth to my daughter Willow, I began tackling a new novel that was inspired by Wales’ most haunted pub: The Skirrid Inn. The Skirrid is said to house an array of spirits after the death of 187 thieves there, as well as an old angry Judge and a young maid called Fanny. The building is so rich with history and its nature so unsettling, it was the perfect basis for a horror novel. Aimed at young adults, The Inn of Waking Shadows is a journey into the world of sleepless ghosts and the adventures of a young boy who can communicate with them, helping the innocent maid to move on.

Rwyf mor falch o allu mynd â’r nofelau hyn, sydd wedi’u cyhoeddi gan Gomer, i ddigwyddiadau mewn ysgolion a sesiynau llofnodi. Dechreuodd hon fel taith dros Gymru, ond mae wedi troi yn brofiad rhyngwladol gan fy mod i’n cael dod â straeon fy ngwlad i ynysoedd Malta a Gozo. I’m overjoyed to be able to take these novels, published by Gomer, to school events and book signings. What was once a journey across Wales has now excitedly become an international experience, as I get to bring the stories of my land to the beautiful islands of Malta and Gozo.