2021

2020 was a long year for everybody and for those living in Wales and the UK a lot of the time it seemed to come to a lockdown-standstill. It’s also meant that much of the writing and publishing industry has been somewhat ‘on hold’ or having to adapt to a new online environment. In truth, we at Tyler’s publicity team have been off-duty for a long while; it’s hard to believe our last post was back in 2019. That sensation of stasis hasn’t ended yet, but all the same the new year is a time of hope and transition - both for looking forward and reflecting on what’s been. And in truth a lot has still been going on in the publishing industry despite these challenging circumstances, thanks to brilliant editors and publishers like Myriad Editions, who launched Tyler’s new novel Your Still Beating Heart this autumn. The book has also been supported and promoted by friends old and new: Mark Carew hosted Tyler on his podcast The Joy of Writing for three episodes to discuss the book; Gary Raymond featured it on The Review Show on BBC Wales; Isabel Costello invited Tyler to contribute a post to her Writers on Location series; Bookanista published his article You and the Story; and Pennralt Galeri Y Siop Lyfrau featured the book as a winter read. Tyler hasn’t been able to do any of the readings or promotional events he might have in a pre-COVID world, so that support has been all the more appreciated. Like everybody else we’re hoping 2021 brings change for the better. The start hasn’t been promising - things still feel very unstable - but all we can do, really, is what Eira does at the end of the novel, after emerging from that frigid water and bursting through the ice. Breathe: take those ragged, painful breaths, and fill your lungs with oxygen, and keep your heart beating.