A new historical novel inspired by the wartime eviction of families from Mynydd Epynt is set to be released next week.

Before the Mountain Falls, written by South Wales author Luisa A. Jones, draws on the events of the Second World War when the War Ministry cleared the farming community from Mynydd Epynt to create a military training area.

More than 50 families were forced to leave their homes and farms in what became known as the Chwalfa, meaning “the shattering” or dispersal.

Jones brings this event to life through a fictional community, following a young woman grappling with a dangerous lie while the war threatens the traditional world of her Welsh hosts.

Jones said the history of the Epynt clearance remains little known despite its impact on rural Wales.

"The story of Epynt is such a poignant chapter in modern Welsh history, yet the clearance is an event many Welsh people are unaware of," she said. “I wanted to explore the human impact of that upheaval."

Described by an early reader as a "love letter to Wales," the novel is a raw look at the personal cost of the Epynt clearance

The book will be officially launched during the Newport Festival of Words, where Jones will give a presentation about the history behind the story before signing copies for readers.

The event will take place at The Riverfront in Newport on Sunday, March 22 at 3pm as part of the three-day festival.

Before the Mountain Falls will be published by Storm Publishing on March 19 and will be available as an ebook and paperback, with an audiobook to follow.

Jones has previously written historical novels including The Gilded Cage (2023) and The Broken Vow (2024).