Our Harp

There were days when I used to sit here wanting to throw myself off this mountain and break into a thousand pieces, losing myself in the coal dust that used to line the valley floor. So many things have been lost here. Mam, Dada. Auntie Carys. A whole coal mine and the livelihoods it provided. Hope. History. And a harp.But in the end, I didn’t lose myself, did I? Quite the opposite. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt over the past month, it’s this: Nothing is ever really lost.Gwen Garman, history teacher and self-confessed ’desiccated old moth,’ has been signed off sick with stress. When she finds herself unexpectedly back home in the South Wales Valleys for a family funeral, she soon discovers that a lot can happen in the course of a two-week sick note. A chance encounter with a suitcase full of her great-aunt’s diaries sends her off on a quest for the village’s lost harp, assisted by a carnival of local characters...A quest that will change all of their lives forever, and bring an unlikely new love into Gwen’s life. At once joyous, heartbreaking and nostalgic, Our Harp will take you on a rollercoaster ride through one woman’s search for healing, love and a sense of belonging.Perfect for fans of Welsh storytelling, from The Mabinogion to Gavin and Stacey, as well as for anyone with an interest in Welsh history, the Welsh language, teaching, Down Syndrome, neurodiversity - and harps.