E F McAdam is a science fiction writer obsessed with all things AI. They are currently studying a Creative Writing PhD at the University of Liverpool, where they are writing a novel which focuses on the fictionalisation of coding languages, and philosophies of consciousness and the soul. Their work can be seen in both University of Manchester and University of Liverpool Anthologies, with publication of fiction upcoming in 2024-2025. Follow her on her website, twitter, instagram

In a battle between two computer systems, the winner becomes a better being than her human owner, and the loser is given a gift of language.

"The shifting relationships among its four characters make this story powerful." - Sue Burke

Breach will be published in an upcoming issue of Interzone magazine.

Awdures drwm ei chlyw yw Olivia. Myfyrwyr arwyddieithoedd ac ieithyddiaeth - mae ei bywyd yn llawn o ieithoedd ar y tafod, tudalen a dwylo - a'i nod yw traethu’r storiâu arwyddwyr.

Olivia is an author who is hard of hearing. As a student of sign languages and linguistics, her life is full of language on the tongue, page and hands, and her aim is to relate the stories of signers.

Mewn gorffennol damcaniaethol, mae Cymru annibynnol wedi gwarchod yr iaith Gymraeg llafar. Yn ei chysgod, mae arwyddiaith Cymraeg yn esblygu, ond yn cael ei bygwrth gan bolisïau iaith llym.

In an alternative past, an independent Wales has protected the spoken Welsh language. Under its wing, a Welsh Sign Language has evolved, but is now threatened by misguided policies.

"Mae darllen y Ddwyleg fel dod ar draws cerdd newydd am y tro cyntaf: mae angen craffu ar yr egwyddorion ieithyddol a delweddol, ac mae gwneud hynny’n agor byd newydd." - Gwyneth Lewis

"A rare and detailed example of an imaginary sign language that presents a challenge: is it time that we saw the fight for the future of Welsh as part of a wider fight for the rights of many other less fortunate languages?" - Seán Roberts

JL George (she/they) was born in Cardiff and raised in Torfaen. Her fiction has won a New Welsh Writing Award, the International Rubery Book Award, and been shortlisted for the Rhys Davies Short Story Competition. In previous lives, she wrote a PhD on the classic weird tale and played in a glam rock band. She lives in Cardiff with her partner and a collection of long-suffering houseplants, and enjoys baking, live music, and the company of cats. Find out more at www.jl-george.com.

Language does not limit what can be said, but it mandates what must be said — and on a distant planet, political dominance limits how it may legally be said.

"A luminous, once-upon-a-time sentence opens this story, and then its setting becomes real, anchored, and compelling. Two worlds quickly appear: one where the ground shimmers and possibilities await; the other a frustrating Earth. This tension pulls the story forward." - Sue Burke

Miri Mertner is a PhD student in linguistics and has a deep interest in linguistic diversity and the evolution of language. Her speculative fiction is informed by her academic knowledge of language and history as well as her personal experience growing up bilingual in Copenhagen and London. In her spare time, she hosts a multilingual open mic night, where she dabbles in storytelling and spoken word poetry, and buys far too many books for her already overflowing bookshelf. You can find her at www.mirimertner.com or on Instagram as @themirimertner.

Death does not separate ancestors and their living descendants; instead, it is the fear of change that aging will bring that keeps them apart.

"Language is the catalyst and metaphor in this story, both a barrier to what the visitor wants and a bridge to finding it. The story is satisfying, imaginative, and inventive." - Sue Burke.

Achilles Plan is a writer based in Europe, who often finds his inspiration while travelling by train across the Northern hemisphere. With hopes to expand his journeys to the Southern hemisphere and beyond, he continues to explore new settings for his stories. Achilles has a keen interest in science fiction, experimental music, and cats. Although he initially planned to research language, culture, and symbolic systems, he ultimately decided to channel his passion for these subjects into writing fiction, exploring the dynamic interplay between them through his narrative craft.

The hunt for the control of a black market leads to an unsettling discovery: communication that no longer needs language and yet has its own meaning and purpose.

"an action-packed trip into a city’s underground in a fully imagined setting and with excellent pacing" - Sue Burke

Sue Dawes lives in the wilds of Essex with her family, and is writing a speculative novel as part of her PhD in Creative Writing at Essex University. She writes in several genres and has over 30 writing credits to her name: short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. She has been published in magazines, anthologies and on-line publications, including Mslexia, Potato Soup Journal, Writer's Forum and the Island Review. She has also had some success in competitions. Sue contributes to the Wivenhoe writer's blog and has a WordPress site where she logs her writing achievements. Sue is a reader for Short Fiction journal, and a member of Colchester Writenight, which she helps to run. She can be found on Twitter @Wivenhoewriters.

Read Aroma Therapy in The May 2021 edition of the New Welsh Review.

Magwyd Ian yn Lloegr, er ei fod yn dod o deulu Cymreig. Roedd ei dad yn Gymro Cymraeg o Gwmafan, Gorllewin Morgannwg, a'i fam o Aberafan. Ymhen yr hir a'r hwyr derbyniodd Ian her yr heniaith, a symud i Gymru yn 2011. Tua 2017 dechreuodd Ian ar ysgrifennu creadigol yn Saesneg, ond wedi ei ysbrydoli gan y tiwtoriaid yn Nhŷ Newydd, Llanystumdwy, trodd fe at ysgrifennu yn Gymraeg. Mae'n ddiolchgar iawn i Lenyddiaeth Cymru am eu cymorth. Mae Ian yn byw ym Machynlleth bellach, gyda'i wraig Chris, a phan nad yw Ian yn ysgrifennu, maen nhw'n treulio amser mewn coedwig, neu ar lan y môr, neu gyda'u defaid anwes. Mae Chris yn cynhyrchu a lliwio edafedd ei hun o'u gwlân.

Ian was born and brought up in England in a Welsh family. His father, a Welsh speaker, came from Cwmafan, West Glamorgan and his mother from Aberafan. Leaving it late, Ian began to learn Welsh and soon after moved to Wales in 2011. Ian began creative writing around 2017, at first and successfully in English, he was soon inspired to move to writing in Welsh. He is grateful for the support of Llenyddiaeth Cymru through courses at Tŷ Newydd. Ian now lives in Machynlleth, with his wife, Chris. When Ian is not writing they spend time in woodland, or in looking after their pet sheep. Chris produces and dyes her own yarn from these woolly characters

Tim Byrne is the author of the award winning story What you Want, performed in full by BAFTA nominated actor, Michael Sheen at TimByrne.co.uk. Tim was longlisted for the Times Chickenhouse Prize for Children's fiction for his novel The Living Memory and his story The Internet of Adorable Things has been published in association with Southampton University's Green Stories project. Tim is currently developing a new novel, The Precious Space based on his previous work.

Read The Precious Space in The May 2021 edition of the New Welsh Review.

Julia Teodorescu is a recent English grad from Cambridge with a particular affection for theatre, absurdism, and contemporary writing. When she writes, she aims to incorporate absurdism and lyricism while engaging with contemporary issues in indirect ways. She especially enjoys composing prose and minimalist poetry, and is also interested in script writing. Her favourite novel is probably On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous– I really admire how Ocean Vuong achieves harrowing societal reflection with aesthetic virtuosity. When it comes to free time, Iulia loves painting, directing plays, and feeding the rather alarming monster that is her jumper collection. You can find her on twitter @iuliateo2

Rayn Epremian writes fantasy, science fiction, and the occasional musical. She is also a poet and filmmaker, and has an MSc in Evolution of Language and Cognition. Her typical haunts are Edinburgh, New York, and the Shire, and you can always find her at www.raynepremian.com.