Books

Dave has published the following books:

Haiku

Dave’s sixth book is a haiku collection written over a period of a few years. Published in May 2012 by Ponty Press.

‘Dave Lewis is a unique voice in the poetry world. His new collection is filled with a range of vivid, often quirky, word pictures. He is adept at making every word count. Despite its brevity, the haiku is anything but an easy option – at its best, this short and fairly formal poem should make the reader look anew at an everyday event. This Dave does to perfection, for example, “Chain gangs of electricity/on the green mountain/armies marching”. His haiku don’t always conform to the traditional 5,7,5 syllable format – he goes his own original way, as in a favourite of mine, “Consultant’s waiting room/the plant in the window/dead”… who else would have the temerity to finish on that single-beat word, dead? His thought-provoking images have some surprising last lines that take your breath away and will remain with the reader for a long time.’ – Moira Andrew

Sample poems:

St. David’s Day –
Eve has two daffodils
one for her doll

bowing elephant
at the sacred relic of the tooth
hot sun

Thrush on the ground
next to the sycamore branch
Still bobbing

To buy this book just visit Amazon.co.uk.

Ctrl-Alt-Delete

In October 2011 Dave published his first novel on Amazon kindle.

Praise for ‘Ctrl-Alt-Delete’:
‘The novel for the Facebook generation. An ambitious tour de force that should put Wales well and truly on the international crime thriller map. Believable characters and a gripping story. Can’t wait for a sequel to find out what happens to Hal. Love the ‘Alien’ tag line too, very contemporary and quite scary.’ – Mark Jones

‘Excellent characters that are introduced early into the book to develop the story at a fast pace. The setting of the South Wales Valleys was the highlight for me as a local myself and it was refreshing to read a book that isnt set in America or London for once! The book throws up numerous possibilities for who the killer could be and once revealed the resulting end of the story is exciting and very rewarding. Would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the thriller genre.’ – Ryan Wujewski

‘In a time when Facebook follows so many people’s lives, this thriller grips hold of you and you can’t put it down. I had to know what filled the next chapter, if I put the book down it was all I thought about until I picked it up again. I hope Dave Lewis is busy working hard on the sequel because the last chapter is stuck in my head and I need to know what happens next. A great read, I would recemend Ctrl-Alt-Delete to anyone that enjoys a book that keeps them on the edge of their seat throughout. Congratulations Mr. Lewis.’ – Bev Jones

‘For anybody with a Facebook page this is a must read book. Set in South Wales with some interesting facts about the area the characters are very believable and the modern twist of using Facebook and computer technology makes this totally up to date. The book has definately left me wanting to know more about the characters and I hope that there will be a sequel. A great first novel.’ – Kay Hunt

‘An engrossing thriller. Starts off with a great prologue that grabs you straight away. Then it slowly introduces a mixed bunch of very different characters before the story really hots up. For a new writer he seems to know what he’s doing and there is a strong storyline and well paced plot. The attention to detail is very good and the author is either an expert in IT or there has been a lot of in depth research.

‘As the story builds and the plot thickens we see how all the characters interact and what I found great albeit worrying was how easy all this could happen in the real world. Although I assume the story is pure fiction there is a lot of truth in here and the book should also serve as a warning to those who see the internet purely as a tool for enjoying themselves. The message is clearly beware!

‘Also unlike many writers the sex scenes are very good as are the descriptions of the violence. The suspense also builds up with a great cliff-hanger ending. I’d say this is a very good book indeed.

‘A unique style for sure and unlike many new writers I’m reading at the moment I’d love to read more of this guy’s work. ‘ – Alun Davies

‘This is my first e-book and what a way to start. It keeps you guessing right up to the end until the dreaded Hagar is revealed.

‘All charcaters were developed well in the early chapters, you get to know each one and could associate with their surroundings. The author displays excellent knowledge of various subjects throughout the book, IT knowledge especially (and for some reason knows exactly how to dispose of bodies?)

‘The pace of the book was perfect, you can’t put the book down during the last quarter as you need to know how it all unfolds.

‘The quote regarding the scenario for Cardiff is brilliant! Had me in stitches.

‘Looking forward to the next novel by Dave, let’s see what Hal can do?’ – Leon Moses

‘Could do for Wales what Stieg Larsson did for Sweden! I love Dave Lewis’ writing, always so multi-layered. You can read his stuff and just simply enjoy it or you can delve deeper and go back over it and find hidden gems, political comment, social comment. This book has violence, kinky sex, dream sequences, rock music yet is fundamentally a love story. A modern one at that and one that gripped me from the start. I wanted to find out what happened next and that is always good in a crime thriller. It’s well written, the plot unfolds with the odd `end of chapter cliff hanger’ approach too and I never felt bored. Kept me up late just because it was so different to many murder mysteries. Commercial as it deserves to be and I hope it becomes, it is also literary fiction and without spoiling the end I want a sequel.’ – White Swan

‘Finding it gripping and with rich vocabulary. Interest kept up – found it hard to leave . First book for me, on the PC Kindle – great. Well done Dave – a master in the making. Deserving of success.

‘From Brecon to Cardiff bay, I felt I was walking in these areas – so well researched by the author. The reader is reminded of the dangers of the web and Facebook.

‘Everything explained, especially computer web sites – on which the story hinges. Characters were believable and well connected. From the great, first chapters – when the reader is introduced to the characters, the story develops. A love story, a thriller and lots in between.

‘Gripping to read and satisfying to finish. A twist at the end – which was very well thought out. Hope there is a sequel. Well done on a fabulous book – Dave Lewis.’ – ponypony

‘Read this in just 3 days even though it’s normal novel length. Once I got into the characters it was very hard to stop reading. Great story, lots of little subtleties, twists and turns, and a great ending. And as others have said, scary because it’s very believable too.’ – Tembo

‘Just finished reading this book on my Kindle and what a thriller…it is so true to what could actually be happening out there in the world at the moment, and just goes to show that you can’t read a book by its cover….I was constantly trying to figure it out and I was a little in shock when I finally did. Definitely one to read.’ – Julz

‘I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel by South Wales based author Dave Lewis.

‘The book has some strong characters, some great humour and a story that gets you gripped until the very end.

‘I loved the way Dave Lewis introduced the characters, developed a scenario for each one and involved them all in a story that twisted and kept me turning the pages.

‘There are several moments in this novel that had me laughing out loud. I would definitely recommend the book and am looking forward to reading other books by Dave Lewis.’ – 4ledj

To buy this novel just visit Amazon.co.uk.

Welsh Poetry Competition – Anthology

In July 2011 Dave published / edited his fourth book – The First Five Years, 2007-2011 – an anthology of the winning poetry from five years of the Welsh Poetry Competition chosen by judges John Evans, Mike Jenkins and Sally Spedding.

Praise for ‘The First Five Years’:
‘On opening the book I was impressed by the broad selection of poems and poets on display and by the list of notable names who have contributed: Roger Elkin, Graham Burchell, James Knox Whittet, Pat Borthwick, Terry Jones and Fatima Al Matar, to name but a few. It really is an impressive collection of poems.’ – Jay Doubleu

To buy this collection just click here or visit Amazon.co.uk.

Sawing Fallen Logs For Ladybird Houses

In April 2011 Dave published his third book – Sawing Fallen Logs For Ladybird Houses – a book of poetry in five sections with online images.

Praise for ‘Sawing Fallen Logs’:
‘From the first eponymously titled poem, we realise that Dave Lewis’s work possesses an energy and freshness that lifts his imagery and empathy way above the work of many less ambitious poets. The element of surprise in each poem, however short, is even more startling coming as it does from such uncluttered writing. Last lines are an example, while phrases such as ‘trees as tall as ships’, ‘a severe lack of hares’, ‘the brittle grass of misunderstanding…’ will surely enhance the readers’ own perceptions of the world around them. This collection’s structure too, works well under its five separate headings, and the diverse forms used in several poems adds visual variety. A wonderful read. Buy it!’ – Sally Spedding

‘Dave Lewis is a vital voice of the Valleys, in touch with both the streets and the natural world. His free-flowing verse makes him a Welsh son of the Beats.’ – Mike Jenkins

Review:
‘From the moment you pick up a copy of Sawing Fallen Logs For Ladybird Houses [SFLLH], you realize you are holding a piece of art.

‘Published by Ponty Press earlier this year, SFLLH is gutsy, perceptive and experimental. Most of all it allows Dave Lewis to take us on a journey into all those nooks and crannies of life and love that most of us overlook.

‘His keen eye and excellent usage of wit make this book one that I will come back to time and time again. For instance, in Outside the museum with Warren, Mr Lewis uses language and formatting so skilfully that we are instantly engaged in this encounter. Lines such as ‘we held the moments as strong as a whale’s heartbeat’ grab the reader and refuse to let go.

‘Throughout the book, Dave Lewis shares intelligent and comedic metaphoric snippets that not only fill the backdrop, but also carry us along with him frame-by-frame. Like any good director, Mr Lewis allows his audience to look through the camera just enough to make them want more.

‘In Opium, his repetitive use of ‘dab, dab’ actually summons the scent up, which is exactly what authors hope for and readers demand. The poem is creative, as is the entire book, but, more than that, it stimulates us on several levels.

‘Through exaggeration and sarcasm we see situations most of us can relate to all too well as in the case of A fly in the ointment, one of several pieces that made me laugh and nod my head in total agreement.

‘Travel Text is a clever reminder of how we’ve shortened our conversations to such an extent that we may lose the ability to truly communicate.

‘Poems like Car Accident are so potent that you might miss how cleverly the author has used understatement to grab you by the gut.

‘Train Lines provided me with a first-class ticket to a perceptive ride through the countryside I wouldn’t have missed for the world. I have read each of the poems in this book countless times and each time was given a richer taste of Mr Lewis’ fantastic feast.

‘His lines are smooth and flow like ale on the palate on a hot summer day. I found this book refreshing and tantalizing. Even in his Row of trees, we’re taken immediately to the scene.

  ‘film grain, harsh light
the black and white of winter
rain rips skies.’

‘My heart was broken by Hospital bed. The stark reality Mr Lewis painted left me breathless.

‘Throughout the book readers will ride a rollercoaster of rich language, clever insights and creativity. And when they finally come to the end, they’ll join the queue to ride again.

‘Just remember, the queue starts behind me.’ - Jolen Whitworth, Poetry Editor, Gold Dust Magazine

To buy this collection just click here or visit Amazon.co.uk.

Urban Birdsong

In May 2010 Dave published his second book – Urban Birdsong – a book of short stories, poetry, prose and one song. The book contains the short story ‘Onions’, which earned a runners-up spot in the Rhys Davies Short Story Competition 2009.

Judges adjudication:
‘…the world of Onions is an enclosed one; specifically, a valleys curry-house at a weekend, in which we witness the clash of several disparate cultures, all of which the writer powerfully evokes with the briefest of sketches. The epiphanic moment at the story’s close is expertly done: the headlights of a passing car beam into the restaurant, and ‘the people were lit up, momentarily, clear as diamonds [and] Mohammed could see for the first time in his life’. A remarkably controlled piece of work.’ – Stevie Davies & Niall Griffiths

Praise for ‘Urban Birdsong’:
‘A melodic safari through a valleys consciousness.’ – Andrew Davies, The Gallowbirds

‘Dave Lewis’ second collection, Urban Birdsong, is a work of enormous range and scope both in terms of its form and subject matter. A Welsh writer who can move the reader from the local to global, from Merthyr to Monterey, and back again. Shared pain, shared laughter, and we are all as one, and all the richer for the experience. Carefully observed; funny and sad; accessible and illuminating: a must read collection of verse and prose.’ – John Evans

‘Dave Lewis brings together the personal and social in poems and prose set in pubs, fields and bedrooms. From Ponty to Africa, he makes places come alive with both humour and the senses.’ – Mike Jenkins

‘Dave Lewis offers us multiple perspectives in this musical travelogue through a modern Wales and beyond. Honest, raw and mysterious. Just when you think you’ve worked it out a twist, a turn, a sensuous push. This collection is finely honed each word carefully chosen. From the intimacy of family and friends, to lovers and laughable locals a quality of authenticity shines through. The writer’s eye for detail is finely observed and he is never afraid to confront authority head-on. The prose pieces are well crafted and show great range and the final poem in the collection is about as perfect as a poem can get – an absolute masterpiece! Avant-garde? Revolutionary? One thing is for certain there is no pretentious bullshit here.’ – Mark Davies

To buy this collection just click here or visit Amazon.co.uk.

Layer Cake

In March 2009 Dave published his first book of poetry – Layer Cake – spanning 24 years.

About:
‘Dave Lewis is a poet, teacher, zoologist, web designer, global traveller, husband, father, newspaper columnist, and so many other things. He is a 21st Century Renaissance Man; a genuine multi-tasker; a man who’s life history and work reflects and documents so many of the changes that effect us all today.

‘His poetry is honest and direct. Each word is effective. Each word is easily understood. Unlike so many others today, he writes from the heart and soul, from raw emotion; he has drawn on his wide ranging knowledge and experience to evolve a style, an elevated poetic diction, which eschews artifice and ornate language. To do otherwise, to court obscurity, to write for just a small coterie, would be for him to miss the mark. Dave Lewis’ poetry is for everyone, not just the metropolitan intelligentsia, or Arts Council elite, or pseudo University academics.

‘Although a true son of his native South Wales Valleys, his work moves from the local, to the national, to the international; he aspires to a universal discourse, beyond the here and now, and beyond class, or localness, or country.

‘His subject matter is both urban and naturalistic and reflects not only a love of towns and cities but also his awareness and passion for the wild landscapes that lie beyond – from the wet streets of his home town, Pontypridd, and the sunlit switchbacks of San Francisco, to the lush, green, Breconshire mountains, and the dry, arid, deserts of Kenya

‘This excellent collection of Dave Lewis’ work is highly recommended and it should help establish poetry to its rightful place as a vital form of artistic expression for everyone.’ – John Evans

To buy this collection just click here or visit Amazon.co.uk.