Storytellers cause a stir in the USA (From Penarth Times)

Storytellers cause a stir in the USA

A PENARTH woman was so inspired by her experiences in America she wrote a book about them - and it's causing quite a stir in the States.

Twenty-two-year-old Sally Cameron Griffiths of West Terrace spent a year at Berkeley University in California as part of her degree in English literature at Cardiff University.

Along with two of her friends, Sally wrote Out Of Cardiff, a collection of short stories and poetry.

She told the Times: "It was very difficult to complete the book and take our exams.

If one of the trio needed to revise the others would carry on editing and typing out the book."

Sally's friends and co-writers, Helia Pourzanjani Phoenix and Hannah Wood, all study at Cardiff University and spent the year in Berkeley with Sally exploring themes such as the cultural diversity of the States.

Sally hopes to launch Out Of Cardiff in this country soon but has yet to find a publisher to take it on.

But it's a different story in America.

The book was launched in the States by Ismeil Reed, a well-known and respected critic from Berkeley University.

The launch was a great success and was attended by 200 enthusiastic supporters from the university.

Sally, a former Stanwell School pupil, is not sure which path her career as a writer will take.

She told us: "I want to write a novel which takes the Welsh point of view and uses a lot of language only found in Wales.

I think there is a need for a book to be written from the perspective of this culture.

"Cardiff has many different cultures in the same melting pot.

"In the United States there are a lot of different cultures represented."

Sally's co-writer Helia, 22, is from Southampton and is still in California promoting the book.

Her other collaborator, Hannah, also 22, lives in London but eventually wants to go to film school in Colorado.

She's doing well - she's been picked to be a film critic at a forthcoming movie festival.