PENfro Book Festival has launched a search to find some of the best ‘eco’ poets and short story writers.

Two competitions run by the festival are linked to the Loving the Earth Green Fair weekend, due to be held at Rhosygilwen, Cilgerran, at the end of August. Results will be revealed at the fair, and if the event is postponed the winners and shortlisted writers in both contests will be announced on the venue’s website.

Poetry competition organiser, Jackie Biggs said: “Many writers are using lockdown time to write productively, and we believe our broad ‘eco’ theme of ‘Loving the Earth’ will help to inspire them.”

Poetry judge is Adam Horovitz, whose second full collection of poems, The Soil Never Sleeps was written over several seasons on six pasture farms in England and Wales.

Adam said: “I am interested in poems which dig deep into the ecosystem; poems which root around in the soil and dig up surprising ideas and expose new shoots of life; poems which ask hard questions more than they offer answers; poems which are beautiful, challenging and full of subtle music and danger - much like the world we share.”

The competition closing date is July 1. Entry, via the website only, is £5 per poem. Maximum length is 40 lines. First prize: £300, second prize: £100.

The Short Story competition, also on the ‘Loving the Earth’ theme, will initially be judged by PENfro Festival committee members Brenda Squires and Anne Garside, with the shortlist judged by the full committee.

First prize will be a weekend in the award winning eco house Ty Solar, Rhosygilwen. Maximum length for entries is 1,000 words. Closing date is July 31. All entries via the website, £8 per story. For more information visit rhosygilwen.co.uk