Creative Future Literary Awards

I am very happy to announce that I have been given Platinum Award by Creative Futures Literary Awards for my poetry, Way Back Home. CFLA is the only national competition for under-represented and marginalised writers in the UK.

I still cannot believe that I was given the highest award and some wonderful prizes.

This made me want to write more and hone my skills on poetry.

Before the awarding, I was talking to my writer friend, Lerah Barcenilla, and mentioned that last year, I only got Commended, and this year would be my last attempt no matter what level of award I received.

As judge, Kit de Waal read out the winners, I started feeling nervous for some reason. For a moment, I held Lerah to show her how clammy my hand had become. Kit de Waal read out a different name for Commended, and I thanked God straightaway, thinking 'At least I'm highly-commended'. And when Kit de Waal mentioned another name for highly commended, I almost jumped up in joy as I thought I got Bronze. To my utter surprise, she called out different names for Bronze, Silver, and Gold to the point that I thought, there's no way I could've got Platinum! They must've missed my name at some point, I'm sure they'd call out a different name for Platinum! But of course, they called me up to the stage where I received my Platinum Award. I am so grateful to the whole CFLA team and to Dominique De-light for this honour.

Receiving my Platinum Award for Poetry from writer, Kit de Waal

At the Showcase event where I read 'Way Back Home'. 

Interview after the win

Of course, I wouldn't be able to receive this award if not for the people who helped me improve as a writer, and I cannot wait to continue this journey with all the things they taught me.