APECS Press Staff and Illustrators

Margaret Isaac read English, History and Religious Studies at Cardiff University before entering the teaching profession.
Her major subject, English, enabled her to familiarise herself with a wide range of literature that included the Icelandic Sagas, Celtic and Greek myths and legends, and later European works such as Hans Christian Anderson's Fairy Tales and The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien.

She has taught children from four years to eighteen years and also student teachers at Gwent College of Higher Education,Caerleon, now the University of Wales, Newport.

As an Independent Inspector of schools, Margaret visited over 50 schools in England and Wales between 1996 - 2000, following which she has taken up full-time writing and given book readings and writing workshops at over 100 schools in Wales.

From 1995, she served on the governing board of a local Welsh-medium primary school, being its Vice-Chair and Chair from 1999 - 2007.

Margaret has contributed to many Local Education Authority projects as a Writer in Residence, at schools in Rhondda Cynon Taff, Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff and Newport, and worked with the Basic Skills Agency.

In 2006, Margaret commenced researching the folklore surrounding the lakes of Wales. Her first book has been published bilingually in 2008 as Lake Stories of Wales - Shadows in the Waters and Storiau Llynnoedd Cymru - Cysgodion yn y Dyfroedd.

The next book of the series is scheduled for 2009

Margaret continues to write language resources for schools based on the books. She contributes to the Writer on Tour Scheme of the Academi who have been very supportive of her work with children and adults.

Dr Alun Isaac Dr Alun Isaac is responsible for all aspects of publishing and marketing on behalf of Apecs Press Caerleon. His background in senior management in the South Wales mining industry together with his subsequent teaching and research activity at Cardiff University provided a launching pad that enabled him to combine his expertise with the literary expertise of Margaret Isaac in the establishment of Ashtree Publishing and Education Consultancy Services (APECS).

With his experience in mining and his position as a University Reader, he initiated and supervised the rehabilitation of the Roman Gold Mine near Lampeter from 1978 - 1999. This activity provided the stimulus for Margaret Isaac's first book, Tales of Gold, published by the National Trust in 1991.

Since 2001, Dr Isaac has accompanied Margaret on her visits to schools and contributed to the education consultancy aspect of the Press's work.

Currently, Dr Isaac is writing an account of the re-opening of part of the Dolaucothi Gold Mine in mid-Wales. He is also engaged on the lakes research project in order to produce a guide book that is complementary to the series of fictional stories to be written by Margaret.

Alun Isaac edits Margaret’s books and the works of other authors published by Apecs Press. These include Birth of a School by Alan Shewring, It Came To Pass, an autobiography by Margaret Jones, and Thomas Thomas of Pontypool - Radical Puritan by Canon Arthur Edwards.

Margaret Dorothy Jones is an internationally-acclaimed artist whose work on Welsh folklore, in particular, has made a significant contribution to the genre. During the twenty years from 1980, she has illustrated for publication a number of the great traditional tales of the world.

Margaret's paintings of the Mabinogion and Folktales of Wales produced as posters, and her paintings of months of the year for the 1988 Calendar won critical acclaim. She has received several major awards for her work including five Tir Na N'Og prizes from the Welsh Books Council.

Margaret's interest in the character Twm Siôn Cati led to her involvement in the illustration of the book by Margaret Isaac, The Tale of TWM SIÔN CATI.

In her autobiography, IT CAME, TO PASS (2007), Margaret's wide-ranging portfolio as an artist and book illustrator is listed in an Appendix. A selection of her paintings are also included in the book. Book details.

In October 2008, Margaret’s latest book, The Revelation of John was edited and published by Dr. Robin Gwyndaf, Honorary Research Fellow, National History Museum Wales, St Fagans Cardiff. The book was launched at the National Library Wales, Aberystwyth, where her illustrations of the work are now held.

Angela Hoppe Kingston studied painting at the Bath Academy of Art. Her work has concentrated on the use of watercolours and is superbly suited to those publications that have themes and rural locations related to the Welsh stories written by Margaret Isaac such as NIA and the Magic of the Lake and RHIANON'S Way. Angela is a leading member of the Watercolour Society of Wales and the Welsh Group and has exhibited her work in Wales, London, Ireland and at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Together with her husband, Dr Gordon Kingston, a geologist and mineralogist, Angela usually accompanies Margaret on research visits to the locations of new stories in order to develop an authentic and interesting story board that leads subsequently to her illustrations. The photograph shows Angela sketching at Grey Hill, one of the Celtic sites described in RHIANNON'S WAY.

Angela continues to produce fine art of the highest standards and was invited to show her work in an exhibition at Oxford University in December 2008.

Barbara Crow was educated at the Slade School of Fine Art, Bristol and the University of Wales Aberystwyth. During her time as a lecturer at the Gwent College of Higher Education, she collaborated with Margaret Isaac on the illustration of the books, Tales of Gold and SIR GAWAIN and the GREEN KNIGHT.

Barbara trained at the Slade School of Fine Art and the University of Wales Aberystwyth, which culminated in an MA degree in Visual Arts.

She has worked in the schools and colleges, notably in the University of Wales Newport and the University of Glamorgan.

She is presently a Freelance illustrator and has held many exhibitions of her work in Wales, Bristol and the USA. Her work is in private collections in the UK and the USA.

Barbara’s work as a book illustrator has been published by Heinemann, Oxford University Press, the National Trust, Lapridge Publications, University of Wales Aberystwyth, Whittington Press, Thames and Hudson, the Folio society, and APECS Press.

Barbara also played a significant role in the major Dolaucothi Education Project sponsored by the National Trust, The University of Wales Cardiff and Gwent College of Higher Education (now University of Wales Newport).

She has since held many exhibitions of her latest work at Bristol.

Juli Paschalis was born in Cardigan, West Wales and is a first language Welsh speaker. She is a very experienced translator and her work is in much demand. Her wide range of activities can be consulted on the internet and includes teaching, books and script writing, translation, and freelance presentation of radio and television programmes.

Juli has translated an impressive list of publications including books and television/radio scripts over the last 30 years and since 2004/5, has pursued advanced courses in translation, proofreading and editing at Cardiff University.

Her career has included 15 years of teaching at a Welsh medium school, 5 years in BAFTA Cymry, programme presentation for Radio Cymru and S4C, and from 1995-2009 was the Events Officer for the National History Museum, St.Fagans, Cardiff.

APECS Press is fortunate to have an association with Juli and looks forward to more of her work with their books on Welsh Folklore.

APECS Press - Staff and Illustrators

Margaret Isaac Writer on Tour

Margaret Isaac Awdur Ar Daith

Our First Book In The Welsh Language

Teaching Resources

Our New Brochure