Tony started writing at the age of 10 and continued writing throughout his teens, but his focus turned to poetry. Upon joining Loughborough, the alumnus wished to continue writing and have his work publicised, but found that there was no student-run creative magazine in place to showcase the art and writing of students.The alumnus recognised the demand for an art magazine and established Zeus.
The alumnus shared with us the starting process of the magazine. He said:
“When I arrived at Loughborough to study PE and Drama in 1969, I found there was no magazine for poetry or the Arts in general, so a lecturer suggested I start one, which I did. It was called 'Zeus' and comprised contributions from students at the then College of Education. I roped in some art students to produce a cover, and I printed off the pages myself at the student union office near the Bastard Gates. It sold for 6d a copy, and always sold out!”
In addition to establishing Zeus, Tony continued to get involved in various Loughborough art circles. As well as Zeus, the alumnus assisted with a bigger university run arts magazine which focused on more general art. Alongside this, Tony initiated a group called the Loughborough Poetry Circle who met at various venues and shared poetry.
Upon graduating from Loughborough, it took Tony some time to pursue a career in writing. He first turned to a career in teaching and his passion for writing took a step back as he rose through the ranks in education, eventually becoming a school inspector. Whist working in education Tony continued to partake in arts activities and spent much of his time singing and dancing prior to leaving the education sector in 1996 when he pursued a full-time career as a writer.
The alumnus has written a rich library of books including a dozen novels and a series of books for children.
Tony spoke about the impact Loughborough had on his writing. He said:
“I'm very grateful to Loughborough for supporting my writing and giving me opportunities to get involved in publishing. It really shaped my life.”
You can check out some of Tony’s books online.