How to be [undead] and enjoy pizza!

4 days ago

6 min read

When I shared my questions with Louise Austin, author of Alex Abbot, I also mentioned how much I enjoyed reading the book to which Louise responded ~ I’m so glad you enjoyed it - the book is the first in a series, so there will be more of Alex’s paranormal adventures to come!

Alex is ‘Undead’ according to the title. Did you prefer that descriptor to a title revealing Alex as a vampire? I think the title suits the blend of peril and humour in the book, but there is another good reason behind it: Alex isn’t at all comfortable with being a vampire. There’s a lot of denial and refusal to face reality because Alex’s greatest wish is to get back to being a normal kid who can eat ice cream and pizza with friends. Like so many of us, Alex’s main coping mechanism is to use humour and euphemism to avoid facing difficult truths; writing about being a vampire or being undead rather than dead dead is something Alex finds really hard to do without making light of it.

Given a choice of immortality or being human, what is it that drove you to write Alex as a character who wants to be human? Having awesome vampire powers and living forever sounds amazing in theory, but the stuff that’s actually important to Alex, like so many kids, is hanging out with friends, doing activities together that they all enjoy and then stuffing their faces with delicious treats. Being a vampire means missing out on a lot of that; no more food, hugs have lost their warmth and keeping secrets is isolating. Not to mention everyone else will be moving up to secondary school, getting taller and growing up, while Alex is stuck looking eleven. In the story, Alex ends up discovering a whole secret supernatural world that’s hidden alongside ours and goes on an epic road trip across Europe, but that longing for an ordinary life, for the stuff we all take for granted, is at the heart of what Alex needs the most, which is friendship and belonging.

The story feels as though it contains a mix of myth and fantasy. Are there some of your own favourite stories and tales woven in since they were your inspiration? I love the idea that the incredible creatures from mythology didn’t really disappear, they just went into hiding and are still living among us. The book came out on St George’s Day, and the thought that dragons are still taking to the skies, unseen by most of us, feels really exciting. I particularly love the mythology of ancient Greece; I can remember studying it in Year 5 at school and being fascinated by all the amazing gods and monsters, so having the chance to imagine what they’d be like if they were still wandering around in our modern world was really fun. As was taking fantasy characters like trolls, werewolves and vampires and thinking about what they would be like in real life and how offended they might be by the stories we tell about them.

Why do Alex and friends find themselves in Sicily? What was it about Sicily that seemed to fit the story? At the heart of the story is Alex’s hometown, a perfectly ordinary place with a primary school, a leisure centre, a library and some shops; the kind of town loads of people grow up in. Becoming a vampire and joining the hidden supernatural society really expands Alex’s world, but also results in some disasters (Alex accidentally extinguishes 32 tiny fire sprites and breaks a pact that’s kept humans and the hidden supernaturals living peacefully side-by-side for centuries).

When Alex and an unlikely band of supernatural allies are sent to find a powerful fire demon to right these wrongs, I wanted to include an epic road trip across Europe to expand the scale of the adventure geographically too. I’ve always loved visiting Italy (I honeymooned there) and I needed somewhere that had both amazing food and a volcano, so Sicily seemed a perfect fit.

Is righting wrongs, as a theme, important for you to convey to readers and why do you feel that way? Alex is a kid who means well, but doesn’t always think everything through carefully. A lot of us can relate to being impulsive, or letting our hearts lead before our heads can catch up. I think one of the most important things any of us can learn is to face our own mistakes and try to learn from them. We all get things wrong, it’s how you own up to your errors and do all you can to fix them that really shows your character.

Did you choose to write in diary style to ensure the story is widely accessible? I’m a firm believer that reading should be fun, and having a visually interesting book that keeps kids turning the pages is a huge part of that, especially now that books are competing with apps designed to keep kids relentlessly chasing dopamine.

A lot of kids are put off by dense text and thick book spines, so I wanted a layout that was inviting and varied, and a diary with a scrapbook feel is perfect for that. I’m thrilled with the amazing illustrations by the talented Katie Kear and with the page layouts that the Macmillan team have designed - they really enhance the storytelling. Accessibility is really important, and not only for reluctant readers, even avid bookworms seek out comfort-reads that they can return to again and again.

Did the antics & adventures of the characters ever get out of hand and need a firm edit? I do have a tendency to go off on a side quest if I think of a cool idea! I’m lucky that I have a brilliant editor, Sarah Hughes, who helps me shape my chaotic adventures into a great narrative.

What is it, do you think, that makes vampires such good characters for funny books as well as horror novels?

Vampires are such charismatic characters; apex predators that are eternally young, strong and charming. The idea of a kid reluctantly ending up lumped in with preening, confident killers provides fantastic contrast and gives a lot of scope for comedy. I also think humour allows us to explore darker themes in a safe way; kids are often drawn to things that scare them a little, and laughter helps balance that out so they still get the thrill without too much bite (if you’ll excuse the pun).

The story integrates normal life, the ups and downs of immortality and adventure. As a storyteller is it important to you to ensure normality is just as important as adventure? I think the constant pursuit of happiness and growth in our society means we often overlook the value of contentment.

Kids are generally better than adults at appreciating the small things in life - making the time to do activities they enjoy, spending hours having fun with their friends, laughing until they’re doubled over and engaging in play without getting self-conscious. I think those little moments of connection are the most precious parts of our lives, and sadly they’re often the moments we overlook completely, until they’re just a memory and we’re wishing ourselves back to them.

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 those warm moments of belonging.

As a child, even now as an adult, would you have rather been anything other than a human? I have a wild imagination and a million ideas, but I think, in reality, I’d rather befriend a fantastic creature than be one. I’d love to meet one of the dryka (tiny psychic dragons) from the book.

This is your debut publication. Was it your first ever story or have you been writing for a long time? I’ve always loved writing and I honed my craft on a different children’s book before this one, but writing Alex was the first time I really found my ‘voice’ as a writer. I really connected with the characters and the world and I had so much fun writing their unlikely friendships and madcap adventures. I hope that comes across when you read it!

Finally, what message would you like Alex to share with our readers?

Enjoy that slice of pizza and keep a close eye on those pigeons.

Alex Abbott Is [un]Dead can be found in all good bookshops. My thanks to Louise Austin for taking the time to answer these questions and to Alice James at Macmillan Children's Books for suggesting the feature.