LOUISE Austin is a reformed lawyer from Kent who is the mother of three book-devourers and a devoted servant to her fluffy white cavapoo. A graduate of the University of Oxford, she is passionate about encouraging a love of reading and works part-time in a primary school, where she haunts the book corner helping kids discover new stories. Her writing was selected for SCBWI Undiscovered Voices 2024 and won the Cornerstones PWA prize for most promising longlisted manuscript in the Bath Children’s Novel Awards 2022. Alex Abbott is [Un]dead is her debut book for children and published in 2026 by Macmillan. Louise is currently working on a sequel, Alex Abbott and the Portal of Doom due in February 2027. You can find out more about Louise at louiseaustin.com