I was born in Watford in the 1970's. It was a traumatic childhood - I spent much of my time in libraries to be free. I read voraciously - loved poetry and fantasy books. I found T. S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and Ursula K. Le Guin’s Wizard of Earthsea series inspirational, so life-changing. I loved Terry Brooks, J.R.R.Tolkien and Malcolm Bradbury, later progressing to Herman Hesse, Carlos Castaneda, George Orwell, Aldous Huxley and Jeanette Winterson. We are so blessed to have such amazing authors.

At secondary school, I wrote all the time – filled notebooks with stories, a short novel, poetry, short stage plays. At an early age, we did a balloon debate and I wrote a script that went down well - encouragement at this age is vital and means so much.

I got published in a lot of places, and placed second in an Eastern Rainbow Competition when I was very young - I'm still in contact with the wonderful editor Paul Rance. Then I was second in a competition at Hatfield Uni and my play was performed. I set up literary magazines at Cassio Sixth Form College and Lancaster University (‘The Cracked Mirror’). I was a finalist twice in Lloyds Bank Film Challenge - I remember meeting Bob Geldof and him telling us all it was pointless writing TV/Film with any meaning. Not very helpful! Though looking back, sadly it is partly true - but we have to try or what's the point? I also met Steven Moffat, who was so kind and generous.

If I had my time again, I'd have stayed writing poetry, but this was before we all had home computers/internet, so I had no idea routes were possible. I remember seeing Adrien Henri at University with my first serious girlfriend - such an amazing night and an astonishing talent. And Henry Normal was always such an inspiration - I have since interviewed him for the Stockport/Manchester Post culture section, alongside other talented artists such as Jenny Mitchell and Carol Morley. All of them are legends, so kind and supportive of other artists - all about talent rather than ego.

I wrote a lot of theatre after University - T.I.E tours, Contact Theatre; all sorts of awards and performances. Then I got into TV/Film - a fantastic course with the wonderful writer Susan Everett at the Northern Film School. I had a great journey working with MTV, Blue Zoo, M.EM, Tangent (Neil Morrissey's company) and numerous indies. My work played in over 150 film festivals and earned 40+ awards - I was one of the writers on 'Those Scurvy Rascals' which was Children's Bafta nominated. There was nearly so many TV series and features, but that's life I guess. I'm very proud of what I achieved - from the highest audiences that year on MTV and Nickelodeon, and many international awards (Gold Remi WorldFest Houston, Best Drama New York, Virgin Media Finalist, Branchage and Best Film Kyiv Molodist etc). I was also the senior judge/mentor for the Peter Ustinov Awards (iemmys).

I have fought chronic illness since the age of 11 - and in 2010 it finally got too much, and I lost well over a decade. I'm so thankful for those who supported me, especially the wonderful artist Alison Griffin. The last three years, I’ve still been very ill but I've returned to poetry with a vengeance -finding it the perfect form in these troubled, strange times. I have placed in many awards and been in well over 100 literary journals. I am so thankful to all the wonderful editors, publishers, admin and everyone involved - having run film festivals, competitions and magazines, I know how hard it is to make these things run smoothly and successfully. So thankful to Richard Howitt and N2tS for this award and platform.

I am looking forward to getting a poetry book out through a well-known publisher, so fingers crossed with that. It's been a real journey, so many highs and lows. In many ways, writing has saved me - though perhaps often it's a defence mechanism/wall to experience. But given a life of chronic illness, at least it gives a means to explain, explore and understand. Life is beautiful, even when it's complex and difficult. We will find a way through.

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Peter Devonald is a multi-award-winning poet/screenwriter, published in over a hundreds journals including Dreich, three Broken Spine anthologies, London Grip, DoorIs A Jar, Vipers Tongue and Voidspace. Winner Loft Books 2024, Waltham Forest 2022, Heart Of Heatons 2023 & 2021, joint winner FofHCS 2023 and runner-up Shelley Memorial and N2tS 2024. Finalist Tickled Pink ekphrastic 2024, highly commended Hippocrates and Passionfruit Review 2024, shortlisted OxCanalFest 2024, Saveas & Allingham 2023. Nominated Forward Prize, two BestOfNet and Poet in Residence Haus-a-Rest. 50+ film awards, former senior judge/ mentor Peter Ustinov Awards (iemmys) and Children’s Bafta nominated.

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