ABERGAVENNY author Owen Sheers is already hard at work on his next novel after winning the £10,000 Welsh Book of The Year prize.

The 30-year-old writer, who scooped top place for English language fiction with The Dust Diaries, plans to deliver his next novel to publishers Faber in March of next year.

"It's fictional and set in the Welsh borders," said Mr Sheers from his London address, "and that's all I'll say about it. I'm also releasing my next book of poetry in October called Skirrid Hill, after the mountain near Abergavenny."

Born in Fiji and raised the middle of three sons in Abergavenny, Mr Sheers won the Wales Book of the Year Award, sponsored by the Arts Council of Wales, at a ceremony in Cardiff on Tuesday.

Published by Faber in 2004, the book is a fictional working of two stories, one about Owen's great great uncle who lived in Zimbabwe, the other an account of the author's five months long journey there.

"My great great uncle Arthur Shearly-Cripps travelled to southern Rhodesia in 1901 as an Anglican missionary," Mr Sheers said. "He was to stay for two years but ended up living there until he died in 1952. The book charts his dramatic time there.

"He was the first European social activist for African rights, particularly land rights.

"I feel this is entirely relevant in light of what's happening there at present." Charlotte Williams, chairwoman of the English-language judging panel, said of The Dust Diaries: "It is a beautifully written and remarkably accomplished book, particularly in its mix of travelogue, fiction, biography, investigative journalism and historical accounts. It is both timely and timeless."

The Dust Diaries was also short-listed for the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize 2005.

Last year, Mr Sheers was writer in residence with the Wordsworth Trust in the Lake District. His first collection of poetry, The Blue Book, was published in 2000.

A former pupil of King Henry VIII Comprehensive School, Mr Sheers attended New College Oxford and the University of East Anglia.