Louise Austin won the BCNA Cornerstones PWA Longlist Prize in 2022 with her hilarious debut Alex Abbott is [Un]Dead — out today as a lead title for Macmillan Children’s Books UK. Louise tells us how the course she won helped her to secure a literary agent, along with what being a classroom assistant has taught her about the books kids reread like old friends.

Huge congratulations on the publication of Alex Abbott is [Un]Dead. For those yet to read it, what is it about?

It’s the tale of a reluctant eleven-year-old vampire who’s desperate to return to life as an ordinary kid. Seeking a cure, Alex blunders into the supernatural world, accidentally extinguishes 32 tiny fire sprites and breaks a pact that’s governed good relations between humans and the supernaturals living secretly among us for centuries. To right these wrongs, Alex and an unlikely band of supernatural allies are sent on a road trip across Europe to track down an ancient fire demon. En route, Alex discovers that the demon also has the power to restore human life, but making a deal with a demon never goes quite according to plan…

In terms of vibes, it’s the paranormal monsters and peril of Wednesday written in the fun, accessible style of Louie Stowell’s Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good, with the warm-hearted whimsy of a Pamela Butchart book.

What sparked the idea for the book?

It all began with Alex – I loved the concept of a kid who’s been through an enormous transformation, who has all these incredible powers and has discovered a hidden supernatural world, yet has to keep everything secret and must still prepare for Monday morning’s spellings test. That blend of the magical and the mundane leaves so much scope for both adventure and humour in a way that’s really relatable.

The Junior Judges particularly enjoyed your humour, heart and the strong, supportive friendships . . .

The pages you see kids leaning across to share with a friend are usually the ones that have made them laugh. I think humour is hugely underrated in literature, especially given how hard it is to write well and how good it makes people feel. I love books that I can dwell in, where I delight in the hours I spend immersed in another world. Unlikely friendships that have real depth and heart can turn a good reading experience into something that warms you for days afterwards. In my books I want to take kids on an exciting adventure and I want to make them laugh, but most of all I want to leave them with that warm feeling of belonging.

A common issue we see in entries aimed at nine to twelve-year-olds is a mismatch between vocab and the target reader’s age. How did you ensure yours aligned?

Language is ever-evolving and we need to embrace the ways kids play with language and adapt words and cadence to suit their meaning, especially if we want our child characters to feel believable to their target audience. The best way to write for kids in a way that feels authentic is to spend time with them and listen to their day-to-day interactions. Reading your work aloud really helps – does the dialogue sound like real kids talking? If not, it needs more work. Knowing what’s important to kids is essential too. They see the world through a completely different lens to adults, and their priorities are not the same as ours. We might want them to remember the historically significant artefacts they saw at the museum, but as far as they’re concerned, the best part of a day out is usually the gift shop.

What has being a classroom assistant taught you about literacy and accessibility?

So many kids run their fingers along the spines on library shelves looking for something to read that isn’t intimidating. Once they pick one up, their next move is a flick through the pages to check for offputting text density. A significant number of children don’t see how books that fail those vibe checks could ever be for them, but it doesn’t mean they can’t still enjoy reading.

We need to provide inspiring books that meet kids where they are, not where we might wish they could be. If a child sees reading as a chore, rather than an invitation to enjoy a story or to learn more about something that really interests them, then something’s gone horribly wrong. And accessibility isn’t just for reluctant readers; even the keenest bookworms have comfort reads that they come back to time and again as a form of escapism. And the books they tend to return to? Funny diaries, highly illustrated non-fiction, graphic novels and stories that feel like old friends.

Illustrations and interesting visual formats enhance storytelling and I love that we’re seeing more of them now. I’m thrilled with the way Macmillan have translated my ideas onto the page; their gorgeous layout designs and the fantastic illustrations by Katie Kear bring Alex’s story to life in a way that’s really inviting for kids.

Do you have a favourite illustration from the book?

I was so moved when I saw the first rough sketches; I couldn’t believe how brilliantly Katie had captured the essence of the preening vampires, the mischievous erisian demon, Alex’s open-hearted human besties and the monsters they all face. My favourite thing is the way she conveys so much in the characters’ facial expressions and manages to find the perfect blend of peril and humour – I’m completely in awe of her talent.

What did it mean to receive a golden vote, and to longlist for the BCNA in 2022?

Putting your writing out into the world requires such courage and, to be completely honest, I struggle with overcoming the fear of rejection that comes with submitting a manuscript. Luckily, I have a hugely supportive group of writer friends and they insisted we all enter the BCNA together – I had no expectations and was totally amazed when one of them forwarded the Golden Yes tweet to me. My heart has barely stopped racing since, and that was in 2022! Being longlisted was a real boost and gave me confidence that the concept, characters and story were working well, which spurred me on to get stuck into editing to really make the manuscript shine.

You also won our Longlist Prize, receiving a place on the Cornerstones Literary Consultancy & the Professional Writing Academy’s course Edit Your Novel the Professional Way. What was the best thing about the course?

It was perfect timing and was exactly what I needed at that stage. Not only did it help me get my manuscript into shape to find my wonderful agent, it also helped me develop skills that made getting the book ready for publication a much smoother and more enjoyable process. My cohort of fellow writers was so supportive and I love that I can still refer back to the course materials when I’m writing or editing.

You went on to find representation with Becky Bagnell at the Lindsay Literary Agency. How did you know Becky was the agent for you?

Becky has such a calm presence and immediately put me at ease. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve so I knew I needed someone on my side who could gently guide me through the ups and downs of the submission process – it’s a real rollercoaster. Her editorial ideas matched really well with my vision for the book and I loved her warm, professional manner.

How, where and when do you write?

I’d love to say I have a regular schedule and a plan, but I’m an erratic bingewriter who loves a side quest. No aesthetic ink and quill here either, I find typing helps my ideas flow and makes editing so much easier. I do like to be surrounded by my favourite books, so my writing desk is tucked between my bookshelves and surrounded by stuff that inspires me, like Doctor Who and plenty of dragons. Add in my fluffy white dog and some chocolate cornflake krispies to munch and I’m all set. I’ve never tried writing in public – I need somewhere sequestered so I can disappear into the story without getting distracted.

You’ve mentioned that you saw becoming a writer as a job as “a dream rather than a proper plan” and “a bit like deciding to try to win the lottery”, so you got “a sensible job as a lawyer” until you realised that you “couldn’t bear all that not-writing any longer”. With hindsight, do you wish you had studied writing rather than law?

Not at all. Studying and practising law gave me so many skills that have helped me in my writing – using language with care, the importance of attention to detail, being commercially-minded, taking constructive feedback on board effectively, turning large, unwieldy documents quickly and efficiently, public speaking and teamwork. Life-experience is an asset to a writer, and I feel like publication is happening at the right time for me; I’m much better equipped to enjoy it after my legal career than I would have been straight after university. I love learning and I wouldn’t rule out formal study of literature, linguistics or creative writing in the future, but for now, I’m like a sponge soaking up all I can in other ways. Being creative every day, whether in my writing or working in school is such a joy, and that’s the element that was missing for me in the law – there isn’t a lot of space for whimsy amongst the deeds and regulatory updates.

What’s next for you?

Alex Abbott is [Un]Dead is the first book in a series, so there will be more paranormal adventures over the coming months. Returning to characters you love is such a joy and I’m really excited about going into schools as an author and running creative writing workshops. Getting kids excited about storytelling makes my heart glow.

Lastly, any words of advice for any writers thinking of entering this year’s Bath Children’s Novel Award?

Go for it! Competitions like BCNA not only give you the chance to win prizes, build your writing CV and test the waters with your manuscript before querying agents, they also motivate you to get your submission package in good shape and give you a deadline to work towards. They also taught me the importance of a strong opening – if your hook draws in the judges, it will appeal to readers too. Don’t hold back the good stuff, put it in your first few chapters and get it out there.

Buy your copy of Alex Abbott is [Un]Dead at

Alex Abbott is [Un]Dead: The fang-tastically funny diary of a reluctant vampire aged 11½

Wednesday meets Loki in this hilarious adventure series from debut author Louise Austin. Illustrated throughout by Katie Kear and perfect for readers of 8 to 12.

Come on a fang-tastic adventure! I’m Alex Abbott. I was a completely ordinary kid until I accidentally got turned into a vampire. I have cool powers, but they’re seriously not worth it, because I have to:

1. Keep the powers secret, even from my best friends (nightmare)
2. Still go to school every day (thanks, Mum and Dad)
3. Never eat chips or ice-cream ever again (the WORST)

Actually, that’s not the worst. Trying to find a cure, I blundered into the supernatural world, broke an ancient pact and extinguished 32 tiny fire sprites (my bad). Now I’m on an epic quest to right those wrongs and make a deal with an ancient Sicilian fire demon to get my life back. What could possibly go wrong?

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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 Oxford University, 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 and publishes as a lead title for Pan Macmillan in April 2026. Find out more about Louise at:

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