{{Short description|Filipina-british poet}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Use British English|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox person | honorific_suffix = FRSL | birth_name = | birth_date = | birth_place = Lipa, Philippines | website = {{URL|https://www.romalynante.com/}} }}
'''Romalyn Ante''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRSL}} is a Filipina-British poet, novelist, and cognitive behavioral therapist. She has received a number of accolades for her work, including the Manchester Poetry Prize.
==Early life and education == Romalyn Ante was born in Lipa, Batangas<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2022/jan/31/poem-of-the-week-family-by-romalyn-ante|title=Poem of the week: #family by Romalyn Ante|journal=The Guardian|first=Carol|last=Rumens|date=31 January 2022|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref> during her hometown's fiesta of San Sebastian. Her grandfather was a manghihilot and shaman.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://globalnation.inquirer.net/193975/filipina-nurse-in-uk-romalyn-ante-also-making-waves-through-poetry/|title=Filipina nurse in UK Romalyn Ante also making waves through poetry|work=Inquirer|first=Eunice Barbara C|last=Novio|date=22 February 2021 |accessdate=3 November 2024}}</ref> In 2005 at age 16, Ante joined her mother, an NHS nurse, in Wolverhampton, England.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theoverhear.app/post/comfort-meeting-by-romalyn-ante|title=Comfort Meeting by Romalyn Ante|work=Overhear|first=Kibriya|last=Mehrban|date=7 January 2020|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref>
After completing secondary school, Ante studied nursing and specialised in renal dialysis as well as counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxmag.co.uk/articles/romalyn-ante/|title=Romalyn Ante: Poetry, Perms and Potatoes|work=OX Magazine|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref> graduating in 2012.<ref name="il mar 22">{{Cite web|url=https://indeliblelit.com/2022/03/03/3548/|title=The Feminine: Interview with Romalyn Ante|work=Indelible Literatute|first=Roula-Marie|last=Dib|date=3 March 2022|accessdate=26 January 2025}}</ref> Ante began writing English-language poetry around 2014 and took an Arvon Foundation class in 2016.<ref name="ypn">{{Cite web|url=https://ypn.poetrysociety.org.uk/features/how-to-work-in-the-arts-kostya-tsolakis-romalyn-ante-harana-poetry/|title=How to work in the arts: Kostya Tsolakis & Romalyn Ante (harana poetry)|work=Young Poets Network|accessdate=6 January 2025}}</ref>
==Career== Ante became co-founding editor of ''Harana Poetry'' and was appointed deputy editor of ''Ambit''.<ref name="ypn"/> Her debut pamphlet ''Rice & Rain'' (V Press) received the 2018 Saboteur Award for Best Poetry Pamphlet. She also won the 2017 Manchester Poetry Prize<ref name="ps dec 17"/> and the 2018 ''Poetry London'' Clore Prize.<ref name="pl 18"/>
In 2019, Ante signed her first book deal with Chatto & Windus (a Penguin Random House imprint),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/akbar-ante-and-boix-join-chatto-windus-1025596|title=Chatto & Windus expands poetry list with three new poets|work=The Bookseller|first=Heloise|last=Wood|date=24 June 2021|accessdate=31 July 2021}}</ref> through which she published her debut collection titled ''Antiemetic for Homesickness'' in 2020. In the collection, the poet balances writing about her experiences working as an NHS nurse with nostalgia for her childhood in the Philippines.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://theguardian.com/books/2020/jul/07/antiemetic-for-homesickness-by-romalyn-ante-review-tales-of-yearning|title=Poetry book of the month: Antiemetic for Homesickness by Romalyn Ante – review|journal=The Guardian|first=Kate|last=Kellaway|date=7 July 2020|accessdate=31 July 2021}}</ref> ''Antiemetic for Homesickness'' was shortlisted for the 2021 Jhalak Prize and longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize. It was named ''The Observer'' Poetry Book of the Month and one of the best poetry books of 2020 by ''Irish Times''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/|title=Best Poetry Books of 2020|work=Irish Times|accessdate=7 September 2021}}</ref>
Ante spoke at the 2022 TEDxNHS event titled ''Reconnected''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tedxnhs.com/previous-events/2022-reconnected/performers/|title=Performers|work=TEDxNHS|date=2022|accessdate=19 January 2025}}</ref> and introduced a selection pamphlet titled ''Ten Poems About Angels''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.candlestickpress.co.uk/update/angels-earthly-and-celestial-in-poems-of-beauty-and-love/|title=Angels earthly and celestial in poems of beauty and love|work=Candlestick Press|date=23 September 2022|accessdate=27 January 2025}}</ref> In 2023, Ante was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blakefriedmann.co.uk/news/ante-galloway-oreilly-rsl-fellows|title=Romalyn Ante, Janice Galloway and Kaite O'Reilly made Royal Society of Literature Fellows|website=Blake Friedmann|date=20 July 2023|accessdate=16 October 2024}}</ref>
In 2024, Ante reunited with Chatto & Windus for her second poetry collection ''Agimat''. The collection also touches on stories from working as a nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic, this time incorporating elements from Japanese occupation in the Philippines as well as the Filipino mythological character, Mebuyan.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://theguardian.com/books/2024/sep/24/agimat-by-romalyn-ante-review-spells-to-ward-off-trauma|title=Agimat by Romalyn Ante review – spells to ward off trauma|journal=The Guardian|first=Jade|last=Cuttle|date=24 September 2024|accessdate=16 October 2024}}</ref>
In 2025, Ante received the Royal Society of Literature Literature Matters Award for her novel-in-progress ''Tanker Boys'' whilst awaiting the publication of her debut novel, ''The Left-Behind Child''. <ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://blakefriedmann.co.uk/news/romalyn-ante-rsl-literature-matters-award#:~:text=Romalyn%20Ante%20%E2%80%93%20the%20Poetry%20London,Voyage%20of%20Memory%20and%20Masculinity.|title=Romalyn Ante receives Royal Society of Literature’s 2025 Literature Matters Award for work-in-progress novel TANKER BOYS=Blakefriedmann Literary Agency|date=10 January 2026|accessdate=12 January 2026}}</ref>
==Personal life== As of 2022, Ante is married.<ref name="il mar 22"/> On the side since 2017, she has helped run a Filipino shop in Wolverhampton.<ref name="ypn"/>
==Bibliography== ===Fiction=== * The Left-Behind Child – novel (Chatto, forthcoming 2026)
===Collections=== * ''Antiemetic for Homesickness'' (2020) * ''AGIMAT'' (2024)
===Pamphlets=== * ''Rice & Rain'' (2017)
===Select contributions=== * "Half-empty" in ''Primers Volume Three'' (2018) * in ''The Good Journal #3'' (2019) * in ''State of Play: Poets of East & Southeast Asian Heritage in Conversation'' (2023)
===Selections=== * ''Ten Poems About Angels'' (2022)
==Accolades== {| class="wikitable sortable |+ !Year !Award !Category !Title !Result !Ref |- | 2017 | Creative Future Writers' Awards | Platinum Poetry | "Way Back Home" | {{won}} |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.creativefuture.org.uk/new-story/trusting-your-voice-and-beyond-an-interview-with-cfla17-platinum-poetry-winner-romalyn-ante/|title=Trusting your voice and beyond: an interview with CFLA17 Platinum Poetry winner, Romalyn Ante|date=23 April 2018|accessdate=5 January 2025}}</ref> |- | 2017 | colspan="3" | Manchester Poetry Prize | {{won}} | {{efn|Jointly won with Laura Webb}}<ref name="ps dec 17">{{Cite web|url=https://poetrysociety.org.uk/news/manchester-poetry-prize/|title=Romalyn Ante and Laura Webb joint winners of Manchester Poetry Prize|work=The Poetry Society|date=4 December 2017|accessdate=17 January 2021}}</ref> |- | 2018 | Saboteur Awards | Best Poetry Pamphlet | ''Rice & Rain'' | {{won}} | |- | 2018 | ''Poetry London'' Clore Prize | First Prize | "Names" | {{won}} |<ref name="pl 18">{{Cite web|url=https://poetrylondon.co.uk/names-by-romalyn-ante/|title=Poetry London Clore Prize 2018 FIRST PRIZE: Names by Romalyn Ante|work=Poetry London|date=24 September 2018 |accessdate=17 January 2021}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2" | 2021 | colspan="2" | Dylan Thomas Prize | rowspan="2" | ''Antiemetic for Homesickness'' | {{nom|Longlisted}} |<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2021-01-21|title=Dylan Thomas Prize 2021: Longlist Announced|url=https://www.walesartsreview.org/dylan-thomas-prize-2021-longlist-announced/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-29|website=Wales Arts Review|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122160443/https://www.walesartsreview.org/dylan-thomas-prize-2021-longlist-announced/ |archive-date=2021-01-22 }}</ref> |- | colspan="2" | Jhalak Prize | {{sho}} |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jhalakprize.com/the-prize|title=Jhalak Prize Shortlist|website=Jhalak Prize|accessdate=27 April 2021}}</ref> |- | 2024 | Poetry Book Society | "Autumn Recommendation" | rowspan="2" | ''Agimat'' |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.poetrybooks.co.uk/collections/autumn-2024-listings?srsltid=AfmBOor0El9Qf5MWyWx9oo315d1pVvWQJ4QcAzRRCcpV_E1MHc6yT_0k|accessdate=26 February 2025 |title=Autumn 2024 Listings }}</ref> |- | 2025 | Jhalak Prize | Poetry Prize | {{nom|Longlisted}} |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jhalakprize.com/the-prize|title=Jhalak Prize Longlist|website=Jhalak Prize|accessdate=27 April 2025}}</ref> |- |}
== Notes == <references group="lower-alpha" />
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * ''[https://www.haranapoetry.com/ Harana Poetry]''
{{DEFAULTSORT:ante, romalyn}} Category:Living people Category:British Asian writers Category:British women poets Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Literature Category:Filipino emigrants to England Category:Filipino women poets Category:National Health Service people Category:People from Lipa, Batangas Category:Writers from Wolverhampton Category:Year of birth missing (living people)