Peter Holvoet-Hanssen (1960) worked as a dolphin keeper before debuting in 1998 with the collection of poems, Dwangbuis van Houdini (Houdini’s Straitjacket), which was awarded the major Flemish debutant prize. The collection is a homage to the Hungarian escapologist, Harry Houdini. Following in the footsteps of Houdini, boundaries are stretched, manacles are wriggled out of and all accepted constraints in poetry alluded. Holvoet-Hanssen calls himself an ambassador of the ‘active ingredient’: his work unites extremes. The high with the low, the inaccessible with the accessible, humour with emotion, routine with insanity. Characteristic is the theatrical and musical content of this work, which makes him much in demand as a guest at literary performances.

Holvoet-Hanssen was also the compiler and co-translator of a collection of poems by Arthur Rimbaud. To date, Holvoet-Hanssen has published five volumes of poetry: the first 3 form together a triptych, a ‘quest on the theme of the number three for the ultimate melody encompassing both happiness and suffering’. Spinalonga was awarded with the Cultural Prize of the Flemish Community 2005-2007 for Poetry.

Holvoet-Hanssen published his first novel De vliegende monnik (The Flying Munk) in 2004. He is living near Antwerp in 'Het Kapersnest' together with his wife Noëlla Elpers who writes excellent children books.