A poetry collection that has been said to confront experiences of abuse in a lesbian relationship as well as the relationship between a mother and daughter has won the Wales Book of the Year award for poetry (English language). Girls etc by Rhian Elizabeth, published by Broken Sleep Books, also picked up the People’s Choice award.

Rhian Elizabeth grew up in the Rhondda valley, South Wales, and now lives in Cardiff. She is a trainee counsellor. The award ceremony was at the Sherman theatre in Cardiff.

White Out Loud asked Rhian a few questions after her win. Thank you, Rhian, for taking the time to answer them:

What do you feel about your winning collection?

I have mixed feelings about my winning collection, girls etc. It took a long time to write or, rather, a long time for me to summon the courage to send it out into the world for publication. The subject matter is quite hard or heavy or whatever you want to call it, so it's always nerve-wracking and anxiety-inducing when you put it out there for other people to read. Why do we do this as writers? Why put ourselves through the jeopardy? It's something I ask myself all the time but I also know that it's something I have to do. So on one hand I feel grateful and joyous to have another book out in the world and on the other one I'm like, why have I told people so much personal shit? What's wrong with me?

I see you have another collection out?

I have a new collection out at the moment, maybe i'll call gillian anderson. And yes, it's the same as girls etc - more hard stuff, writing about guilt and difficult things that have happened in my life, about relationships, about life ... but, as always, I try to balance it out with humour. Hopefully.

Why do you think girls etc won the people's vote?

I have no idea why girls etc won the people's choice award! Maybe because when I put the link out on social media that we were asked to put out to encourage people to vote for our books, I put a photo of my cat alongside it. People like cats! In all very serious seriousness, I am really overwhelmed that people voted for it and it makes me feel a bit better and less sick about all the jeopardy stuff.