Gaeth Pegi Talfryn ei geni a'i magu yn yr Unol Daleithiau, symudodd hi i Gymru ac wedyn dysgu Cymraeg, dechrau gyrfa newydd fel tiwtor a bellach mae hi'n awdures! Ei llyfr llawn cyntaf yw Gangsters yn y Glaw, nofel noir wedi'i lleoli yng Nghaernarfon a rhan o'r Gyfres Amdani. Yma, mae hi'n siarad â Sam Brown o Wasg Gomer am y llyfr.
Pegi Talfryn was born and brought up in the United States, has moved to Wales, learnt Welsh, started a new career as a tutor and now she is an author! Her first full book is Gangsters yn y Glaw, a noir novel set in Caernarfon and part of Cyfres Amdani. Here, she speaks with the Sam Brown of Gomer Press about the book.
Awdures: Pegi Talfryn
Publisher: Gomer
Price: £4.99
Language: Simple Welsh, with vocabulary at the bottom of each page.
Level: Mynediad / Entry
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| Dim un o Gymru wyt ti yn wreiddiol – DWYT ti ddim hyd yn oed yn dod o Brydain – o le wyt ti’n dod? | You are not someone originally from Wales – in fact you are not even from Britain – where are you from? |
| Dw i’n dod o Seattle, yn yr Unol Daleithiau. | I'm from Seattle, in the United States. |
| Beth wnaeth dy atynnu at Gymru? Roedd rhywbeth arbennig am Gymru roedd yn rhaid i ti ei weld? | What attracted you to Wales? Was there something special about Wales that you had to see? |
| Mi wnes i ddod o hyd i Gymru drwy ddarllen chwedlau o dros y byd a llyfrau ffantasi. Penderfynais i fynd i’r brifysgol (Coleg Prifysgol Dewi Sant, Llanbedr Pont Steffan) yng Nghymru er mwyn cael profiad hir yn y wlad. | I discovered Wales through reading stories from across the world and books of fantasy. I decided to go to university in Wales (St David's College, Lampeter) in order to gain a deep experience of the country. |
| Beth am yr iaith, wyt ti’n cofio dy brofiad cyntaf efo’r iaith Gymraeg? Beth oeddet ti’n meddwl amdani hi pryd hynny? Oedd amser penodol pan oeddet ti’n gwybod bod yn rhaid i ti ddysgu’r iaith? | What about the language, do you remember your first experience with Welsh? What did you think of it at that time? Was there a particular time when you knew you were going to have to learn the language? |
| Roedd dysgu Cymraeg yn fwriad gen i o’r cychwyn, er don i ddim wedi clywed yr iaith nes i mi ddod i Gymru (yn y dyddiau cyn y we byd-eang!) Roedd dysgu Cymraeg yn rhan o fy nghwrs i, gyda gwersi ddwywaith yr wythnos. | My intention right from the start was to learn Welsh, although I had never heard the language spoken until I came to Wales (in the days before the World Wide Web!). Learning Welsh was part of my course, with lessons twice a week. |
| Sut oedd y profiad o ddysgu Cymraeg? | How was your experience of learning Welsh? |
| Ar ôl gwneud blwyddyn yn y brifysgol es i i un o’r Wlpanau cyntaf, pan oedd rhaid astudio 8 awr y dydd, 7 diwrnod yr wythnos am ddau fis. Roedd un person wedi gadael efo ‘nervous breakdown’. Hefyd roedd disgwyl i’r dysgwyr gymdeithasu yn y dafarn bob nos, gan gario taflenni caneuon. Roedd hi’n drwm iawn. | After doing a year at the university I went to one of the first Ulpans, when one had to study eight hours a day, seven days a week for two months. One person had left with a nervous breakdown. In addition, learners were expected to get together in the pub each night, carrying songsheets. It was very hard work. |
| Ti bellach yn diwtor Cymraeg- pam wnest ti benderfynu mynd o fyfyriwr i athro? | You are now a Welsh-language tutor- what made you decide to go from student to teacher? |
| Mi es i’n diwtor yn syth ar ôl bod ar yr Wlpan. Awgrymodd ffrind y baswn i’n gwneud tiwtor da, felly dechreuais i ddysgu dosbarth nos. | I became a tutor straight after being on the Ulpan. A friend suggested that I would make a good tutor, so I began to teach an evening class. |
| Oedd yn wahanol wrth ddechrau o flaen y dosbarth am y tro cyntaf? | Was it different at the start being in front of the class for the first time? |
| Dw i erioed wedi bod yn berson swil, ac ron i’n teimlo’n eithaf hyderus o flaen dosbarth. Wedi dweud hynny, mae’n siŵr mod i’n diwtor ofnadwy yn y dechrau. | I had never been a shy person, and I felt quite confident in front of a class. That said, I'm sure that I was a terrible tutor to begin with. |
| Pa fath o swyddi wyt ti wedi eu gwneud? | What kind of jobs have you done? |
| Cyfieithu/teipio Hyfforddi yn athrawes babanod Cael plant ac ail-gydio yn y dysgu oedolion Creu cwrs Cymraeg i Rieni i’r WEA (CAG) Ysgrifennu cwrs i Gynorthwy-wyr Dosbarth Gweithio i sawl corff yn dysgu, creu cyrsiau ayb. Gweithio ar fy liwt fy hun eto yn ysgrifennu cyrsiau, marchnata, ansawdd, ac wrth gwrs ysgrifennu llyfrau erbyn hyn. | Translation/typing Training as a nursery school teacher Having children and getting back to teach adults Creating a Welsh for Parents course for the WEA (CAG) Writing a course for Teaching Assistants Working for many organisations teaching, creating courses etc Working on my own account writing courses, marketing, quality and of course now writing books. |
| Felly, ac eithrio dysgu ac ysgrifennu yn Gymraeg, beth arall wyt ti’n licio ei wneud yn dy amser sbâr? | So, apart from teaching and writing in Welsh, what else do you like to do in your spare time? |
| Dw i’n byw yn ardal Eryri, felly dw i’n mwynhau mynd am dro hir. Dw i’n darllen. Dw i’n mwynhau canu. Dw i’n aelod o’r côr lleol a hefyd dw i’n cael gwersi canu preifat (wedi pasio Gradd 5). Ar hyn o bryd dw i’n dysgu Iseldireg. Ar ôl astudio gartref am ryw flwyddyn bues i ar gwrs preswyl Iseldireg yr haf diwethaf, a dw i’n paratoi i fynd eto ym mis Gorffennaf. | I live in Snowdonia, so I enjoy going for long walks. I read. I enjoy singing. I am a member of the local choir and I also take private lessons (I have passed Grade 5). At the moment I'm learning Dutch. After studying at home for some years I went on a Dutch residential course last summer, and I am preparing to go again in July. |
| Mae’r llyfr yn cynnwys siop lyfrau yng Nghaernarfon- ydy’n seiliedig ar siop go iawn? | The book features a bookshop in Caernarfon- is it based on a real bookshop? |
| Rôn i yn siop lyfrau Palas Print yn dweud wrth y perchennog Eirian, mod i wedi cael comisiwn ysgrifennu llyfr i ddysgwyr. Buon ni’n sôn am y diffyg llyfrau i ddysgwyr yn iaith y gogledd sy’n digwydd yn y gogledd. Yn sydyn, dywedais wrthi hi efallai y basa siop lyfrau yn lleoliad da ar gyfer stori dditectif. Mi gytunodd ar y pryd, ond dw i ddim yn gwybod a oedd hi’n cofio. Mi es i i’r siop ryw bythefnos yn ôl i ddweud bod y llyfr yn dod allan! | I was in the Palas Print bookshop saying to the owner Eirian that I had had a commission to write a book for learners. We were talking about the lack of books for learners written in the language of the north and taking place in the north. All at once I said to her that perhaps a bookshop would be a good setting for a detective story. I went to the shop some weekends ago to say that the book was coming out! |
| Beth am y cymeriadau? Oes Lilith go iawn? Oes Elsa? | What about the characters? Is Lilith real? Is Elsa? |
| Yn anffodus, does dim Lilith, er fy mod wedi dod yn hoff iawn ohoni hi. Mae Elsa’n gyfuniad o’r holl dditectifs clasurol. Mi faswn i’n hoffi meddwl ei bod hi’n fersiwn fenywaidd o Philip Marlow (Raymond Chandler) a Sam Spade (Dashiell Hammelt) . Mae’n bwysig iawn i mi gael merched cryf sy’n mynd tu hwnt i’r disgwyliadu arferol. | Unfortunately there is no Lilith, although I would have been very fond of her. Elsa is an amalgamation of all the classic detectives. I would like to think of her as a female version of Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlow and Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade. It is very important to me to have strong women who surpass normal expectations. |
| Pa awduron wnaeth dy ysbrydoli i ysgrifennu’r llyfr? | What authors inspired you in writing the booK? |
| Ar ben Raymond Chandler a Dashiell Hammett dw i’n hoffi Agatha Christie a straeon Sherlock Holmes. Hefyd mae llawer o hen, hen lyfrau ditectif gan y Llyfrgell Brydeinig a dw i wedi darllen bob i bob un ohonyn nhw ar y Kindle! Dw i’n hoffi Patricia Cornwel, sydd wedi gwneud y gyfres fforensig am Kate Scarpetta, sy’n dangos merch gref a deallus yn gwneud gwaith dadansoddi’n effeithiol. | Apart from Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett I like Agatha Christie and the Sherlock Holmes stories. In addition there are many very old detective novels in the British Library and I have read every one of them on Kindle! I like Patricia Cornwell, who has created the forensic detective series featuring Kay Scarpetta, showing a strong intelligent woman doing analytical work effectively. |
| Mae’r nofel yn cymysgu elfennau noir efo’r byd modern a’r Cymry Cymraeg- oedd dyma sialens i ti? | The novel mingles elements of noir with the modern world and Welsh-speaking Wales- was this a challenge for you? |
| Dw i wedi ysgrifennu straeon tebyg i ddysgwyr o’r blaen, achos mod i mor hoff o’r ‘genre’, felly mae’n hwyl i gyfuno’r ddau. | I have written similar stories for learners before, because I am very fond of the genre, so I had fun amalgamating the two. |
| Dydy cymeriad Elsa ddim wastad yn licio tref Caernarfon, ai dyma adlewyrchiad o deimladau dy hun am y dref? | The Elsa character does not always like the town of Caernarfon: is this a reflection of your own feelings about the town? |
| Mae Elsa’n dweud bod hi ddim yn hoffi Caernarfon. Ond mae hynny’n rhan o’r ‘genre’. Mae’r ditectif bob tro’n dweud fod o ddim yn hoffi’r dref a’r cymeriadau, ond mewn gwirionedd mae o – neu hi – yn hoff iawn ohonyn nhw. Dyna pam mae hi’n aros yn y dref, a dyna pam mae hi bob tro’n gwneud ei gorau i helpu pobl. | Elsa says that she doesn't like Caernarfon. But that's part of the genre. The detective says every time that he doesn't like the town and the characters, but in actual fact he – or she – is very fond of them. That is why she stays in the town, and that is why she always does her best to help people. |
| Sut profiad gest ti wrth ysgrifennu ar gyfer dysgwyr? Oedd yn anodd i ti addasu dy iaith ar gyfer lefel penodol? Oedd yn help fod ti wedi dysgu’r iaith dy hun? | What was it like for you writing for learners? Was it hard to adapt your language to a particular level? Did it help you having taught the language yourself? |
| A bod yn onest, doedd hi ddim yn llawer o broblem i mi. Dw i wedi bod yn ysgrifennu straeon i helpu dysgwyr ddefnyddio’r patrymau maen nhw’n eu dysgu yn y gwersi ers blynyddoedd. Mae’n rhaid bod yn ymwybodol iawn o bob gair a chystrawen maen nhw wedi’u dysgu, er mwyn creu stori lwyddiannus. Profiad, yn fwy na bod yn ddysgwr ai peidio, sydd yn helpu ysgrifennu stori lwyddiannus. | To be honest, it wasn't much of a problem for me. I have been writing stories for years to help learners use the patterns that they learn in the lessons. To create a successful story, one has to be very mindful of every word and construction that they have learned. It's experience, rather than having been a teacher or not, that helps one to create a successful story. |
| Dyweda dipyn am y tîm roeddet ti’n gweithio â nhw (Nia Parry, y Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru, ayyb). | Tell us a little about the team that works with you (Nia Parry, the Welsh Books Council, and so on) |
| Dw i wedi gwneud dau lyfr ar gyfer y gyfres, un yn gyfieithiad ar gyfer dysgwyr lefel Canolradd a’r nofel wreiddiol hon. Roedd cyfieithu’n dipyn o her (ond hwyl) , ac ysgrifennu Elsa’n ddigon o hwyl. Dw i ddim wedi gwneud llawer gyda’r Cyngor Llyfrau’n uniongyrchol, ond dw i’n ddiolchgar iawn iddyn nhw am noddi’r gyfres. Roedd angen rhywbeth tebyg ers talwm iawn. Dw i wedi nabod Nia fel ffrind ers blynyddoedd. Roedd hi’n hawdd iawn gweithio gyda hi fel golygydd ac mae hi wedi rhoi pob cefnogaeth i’r gwaith. | I have done two books for the series, one a translation for learners at the Intermediate level and one an original novel. The translation was a bit of a challenge (but fun), and writing Elsa a lot of fun. I have not done much with the Books Council directly, but I am very grateful to them for sponsoring the series. There has been a need for something of the kind for a very long time. I have known Nia as a friend for years. It was very easy working with her as the editor and she has given the work every support. |
| Mae’r llyfr yn llawn lluniau trawiadol- wyt ti eisiau dweud tipyn i ni am beth sy’n digwydd yn y rheiny? | The book is full of striking illustrations- do you want to tell us a bit about what happened with those? |
| Dw i’n ddiolchgar iawn i Hywel Griffith am greu’r naws ron i eisiau. Mae’r clawr yn adlewyrchu steil yr hen lyfrau ditectif, gyda llawer o gysgodion. | I am very grateful to Hywel Griffith for creating the feel that I wanted. The cover reflects the style of the old detective books, with plenty of shadows. |
| Wyt ti’n licio llyfrau trosedd fel rheol? | Do you like crime books as a rule? |
| Does dim ffordd well i ymlacio na darllen llyfr ditectif – yn enwedig os oes rhywun yn cael ei ladd! | There is no better way of relaxing than with a detective book – especially if someone gets murdered! |
| Mae’r stori yn gorffen efo tipyn o cliff hanger – ydan ni’n gallu disgwyl clywed mwy am Dditectif Elsa B a’r Lilith ddrwg? | The story ends with a bit of a cliff-hanger - can we expect to hear more of the Detective Elsa B and the wicked Lilith? |
| Wrth gwrs mae hynny’n dibynnu ar Wasg Gomer a’r Cyngor Llyfrau. Mi faswn i wrth fy modd yn ysgrifennu mwy o lyfrau Elsa Bowen. Dw i wedi ysgrifennu dwy stori arall yn barod ar gyfer dysgwyr Popeth Cymraeg, ac wedi cyfieithu un i’r Iseldireg! | That depends of course on Gomer Press and the Books Council. I would be delighted to write more Elsa Bowen books. I have written two other stories ready for the use of Popeth Cymraeg learners, and have translated one into Dutch! |
Mi wnes i ddod o hyd i Gymru drwy ddarllen chwedlau o dros y byd a llyfrau ffantasi. Penderfynais i fynd i’r brifysgol (Coleg Prifysgol Dewi Sant, Llanbedr Pont Steffan) yng Nghymru er mwyn cael profiad hir yn y wlad.
Lluniau gan Hywel Griffith
Cwmni Deialog
Ar ôl blynyddoedd yn gweithio i wahanol gyrff ym maes Cymraeg i Oedolion, sefydlodd Pegi Talfryn ei chwmni ei hun yn 2016 o’r enw Deialog. Yn ychwanegol i ysgrifennu Gangsters yn y Glaw ac addasu Gêm Beryglus, mae hi wedi ysgrifennu’r cyrsiau Cymraeg ar gyfer Cynorthwy-wyr Dosbarth (Coleg Llandrillo), Cwrs Cenedlaethol Cymraeg i Rieni 1 a 2 (CAG) a Chwrs Cymraeg Llafar 2 a 3 (Popeth Cymraeg).
After years of working for different bodies yn the Welsh for Adults field, Pegi Talfryn has been working independently since 2016 under the name Deialog. In addition to writing Gangters yn y Glaw and adapting Gêm Beryglus, she has written the courses Welsh for Classroom Assistants (Coleg Llandrillo), National Course Welsh for Parents 1 and 2 (WEA) and Year 2 and 3 Coursebook (Popeth Cymraeg).
Gallwch chi gysylltu â Pegi i drafod gwaith at [email protected] / You can contact Pegi to discuss work at [email protected].
