Diana Hendry

Diana Lois Hendry (born 2 October 1941) is an English poet, children's author and short story writer. She won a Whitbread Award (later the Costa Prize) in 1991 and was again shortlisted for the prize in 2012.

Background

Hendry was born in the Wirral, England, one of three children. She worked for a time as a journalist in print and radio, including a post at The Western Mail in Cardiff (1960–65). She taught English at a boys' school Her book The Seeing, inspired by her childhood memories of the war, was shortlisted for the Scottish Children's Book Award (2013). She tutors at the Arvon Foundation and writes for The Spectator magazine.

Hendry lives in Edinburgh with her partner Hamish Whyte of Mariscat Press. She has two children and three grandchildren. Her influences include novelist Charles Langbridge Morgan, Albert Camus, Muriel Spark, Elizabeth Bishop and Seamus Heaney. She enjoys yoga and playing the piano. 2007: Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship (with Hamish Whyte) 2008: Fellow at University of Edinburgh, Science and Engineering 2009: Fellow at Office of Lifelong Learning, University of Edinburgh 2013: Shortlisted for the Costa Book Award 2013: Shortlisted for the Scottish Children's Book Award

Works

Poetry collections Making Blue, Peterloo Poets, 1995 Borderers, Peterloo Poets, 2001 Twelve Lilts: Psalms & Responses, Mariscat Press 2003 Sparks! (with Tom Pow), Mariscat Press 2005 Late Love and Other Whodunnits, Peterloo/Mariscat Press, 2008 The Seed-Box Lantern: New & Selected Poems 2013

Children's fiction: selected The Very Noisy Night, illustrated by Jane Chapman. Little Tiger Press, 1998 The Very Busy Day, illustrated by Jane Chapman Little Tiger Press, 2001 The Very Snowy Christmas, illustrated by Jane Chapman. Little Tiger Press, 2005 Oodles of Noodles, illustrated by Sarah Massini. Little Tiger Press, 2008 Harvey Angell, Julia MacRae/Walker Books, 1991; Red Fox, 2003 and 2012 Harvey Angell and the Ghost Child, MacRae/Red Fox 1997, 2003 and 2012 Harvey Angell Beats Time, Red Fox, 2003 and 2012 You Can't Kiss It Better, Red Fox, 2003 The Seeing, Bodley Head, 2012