The short version:

Born 1956, Lisburn, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland; educ. Friends' School, Lisburn (1969-1975), Queen's University, Belfast (1975-1979), Cadet Queens University Air Squadron (R.A.F.V.R.) grad. B.A. (Hons.) 1975; Officer H.M. Customs & Excise (1980-86); first novel 1983; resigned 1986, relocated to Los Angeles; m. Diane Duane 1987. Publications: see below. Awards/decorations: Srebrny Krzyz Zaslugi Polska (Polish Silver Cross of Merit). Clubs: Sloane. Recreations: Travel, photography, military history.

A little more information:

Peter Morwood, novelist, screenwriter and recipient of the Polish Silver Cross of Merit, was born in 1956 in Lisburn, Co.Antrim, a town near Belfast in Northern Ireland. He can no longer remember when he first started writing about subjects as diverse as tanks and knights, fighter-planes and pirates, dragons and spaceships, all of which sometimes appeared in the same story. But it was during his attendance at Friends' School, Lisburn, at the tender age of thirteen, that he experienced his first public success in the field of fiction - getting a skilfully forged sick note past his games-master, and so avoiding having to play rugby on a particularly foul November afternoon.

Peter went on to Queen's University, Belfast, where he studied English Language and Literature, Law, and Medieval History. He also served as an Officer-Cadet of the Queen's University Air Squadron (R.A.F.V.R.), but was forced to choose between academics and the RAF when (due to Government budgetary issues) the Squadron's members suddenly found their attendance requirements tripled. Peter chose to become a one-man defence cut, which seems to have been the right choice, as he graduated with a B.A. (Hons.) degree in 1979, and the QUAS ceased to exist in 1982. With his degree in hand, Peter took a job as an officer in H.M. Customs and Excise, a job he was overjoyed to relinquish in 1986.

He wrote his first novel at nights while still working for Customs and Excise, but at one point was reprimanded by his immediate superior for writing during his lunch hour and making the others in the office "look lazy." This functionary told Peter that he would never come to anything as a writer, and that he should stop wasting his and the Department's time on "pointless scribbling" and concentrate on being a good civil servant. Under the circumstances, Peter was immensely gratified when his first novel, THE HORSE LORD, was quickly accepted and published to critical acclaim in 1983.

It was soon followed by several sequels (THE DEMON LORD, THE DRAGON LORD and THE WAR LORD'S DOMAIN), resignation from the Civil Service, and marriage to fellow writer Diane Duane. While continuing to work in his particularly vivid and unsettling branch of fantasy with novels like PRINCE IVAN, FIREBIRD, THE GOLDEN HORDE, and the first two "Clan Wars" novels, GREYLADY and WIDOWMAKER, Peter also turned his attention to science fiction and collaborative writing, both in print and on the screen.

Peter has written numerous short stories for science fiction anthologies, both solo and with Diane: with her he also wrote the "Space Cops" series of SF novels, and a Star Trek® novel, THE ROMULAN WAY. He returned to the Star Trek universe with a solo Star Trek novel, RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, which spent some weeks on the New York Times Best-Seller List. He then went on to write screenplays for such animated series as BKN Productions' THE LOST CONTINENT, Warner Brothers' BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, Walt Disney's GARGOYLES, and Fox's SPIDERMAN UNLIMITED, as well as comic scripts for Epic Comics' FUSION. His most recent screen work is the screenplay for the miniseries / feature film RING OF THE NIBELUNGS, in collaboration with Diane.

Present novel-writing projects include the first in a military/political science fiction series, DEEPFLEET; the first in an historical fantasy series, BLOOD'S RUBY; and a stand-alone epic fantasy, THE CLOVEN HOOF. He is also outlining the third in his "Clan Wars" fantasy series and his fifth "Horse Lord" novel. Also in the works are screenplays for a miniseries and another feature film.

After a brief tenure in Los Angeles and Philadelphia, Peter relocated with Diane to County Wicklow in the Republic of Ireland, where they now reside. Peter consults both formally and informally on weapons and armour, specialising in the Middle Ages, and recently provided English translations for battle reconstructions on display in Torriano Castle, Italy. Other hobbies include travelling (preferably by rail) all over Europe; the cooking and eating of interesting ethnic food (the genteel ferocity of Peter's curries is famous, as is his recipe for pork with chillies and chocolate); adding to his collection of books on military history, arms and armour, folklore and food & drink; studying the fighting techniques of the European medieval and Renaissance periods: and collecting high-quality replica medieval weapons.

See also the Wikipedia page for Peter Morwood.