I'm suffering from Welsh envy. That does not mean I'm desperate to sing Cwm Rhondda at Cardiff Arms Park; I'd rather watch someone knitting than watch rugby. I'm talking books here. I've just been on Inpress member Parthian's website Parthian Books and trawled through the pile of agencies, festivals, international projects devoted to Welsh literature, the range of national magazines including Planet - which is always worth a read, by the way.

There is also the Library of Wales, a reprint series - published by Parthian - dedicated to bringing back to print books by Raymond Williams, Alun Lewis, Lewis Jones, Dannie Abse and the like. Of course Parthian advertises a launch event for the latest batch in Canada where there are people studying and promoting Welsh books. And I've not even got onto Welsh language books, these are all books in English. Parthian are lucky to have a nation's literature to draw on, or at least the English writing part of it, and a visible target audience. Somehow I can't really imagine a "Library of the East Midlands" having resonance. We've got the writers, start with John Clare and work your way north. But no East Midlands culture or identity.

Parthian also has some great modern writers, including Rachel Trezise, whose name I always have to look up twice to spell correctly. She writes of the seamy side of life in the run down valleys. Rachel also wrote the book with my current fave title, Dial M for Merthyr and I'm pretty sure I heard something by her on Radio 4 the other day. The Parthian site is probably a good place to start if you want to explore Welsh lit - though do skip over the picture of members of their staff disco dancing.

No doubt Parthian will say, ah yes, but nobody in England takes Welsh literature seriously, we have to fight for shelf space with the international best sellers in the chains even in Cardiff, and what about the north/south divide in our country? And what about English culture imperialism?

All I can say is I'll swap you Nottingham any time.