Diana Hendry author page

Diana Hendry biography

Diana Hendry is an English poet, children’s author and short-story writer. She was born on the Wirral and grew up by the sea. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked as a journalist, including for The Western Mail in Cardiff from 1960 to 1965. She later taught English in a boys’ school and tutored creative writing at the University of Bristol between 1995 and 1997.

Hendry writes for children and adults, with work including picture books, novels for children and young adults, poetry and short stories. Her poetry collections include Making Blue (1995), Borderers (2001), Twelve Lilts: Psalms & Responses (2003) and Late Love & Other Whodunnits (2008).

Harvey Angell won the Whitbread Award in 1991. Her poetry won first prize in the 1996 Housman Society Competition. Hendry was writer-in-residence at Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary from 1997 to 1998. The Very Noisy Night and The Very Snowy Christmas were adapted for performance by Blunderbus Theatre Company.

Hendry has given readings, poetry readings, workshops and talks for children and adults at UK festivals including Cheltenham, Edinburgh, Dead Good Poets, Liverpool and Wigtown Book Festival. She has also visited schools across the country. Her libretto for the cantata The Pied Piper, written for choir and small orchestra, premiered in Switzerland in 2012.