Author and illustrator Louise Yates is 26. She grew up in Farnborough, Hampshire. Louise's career began with a commission for a national magazine when she was 14. At school, she enjoyed experimenting in the art studio and later developed her love of literature and writing when she read English at Christ Church, Oxford.

After graduating, she began drawing in earnest whilst working in a rare-books bookshop off the Charing Cross Road. More recently, Louise worked as a costumier for film, theatre and television, inspired by her interest in storytelling and illustrating character.

Louise enjoys etching - a skill that has greatly influenced her illustration technique: layering hand-drawn line and mixed media colour images. She loves long walks and hidden places, as is clear from the creatures she draws. She is currently working on her first children's picture book ‘A Small Surprise', with Random House.