Alex Milway was born in Hereford in 1978.  He went to art college in Shrewsbury when he was 16, followed by Cheltenham art college, where he won a David Murray Landscape Award from the Royal Academy.He now lives in London and works in the world of magazines, where he discovered his love of writing. As a writer and illustrator, he likes to combine the two wherever possible. He began by running his own fairy tale blog Old Hokey’s Whimsical Tales, described by THE GUARDIAN as:
“quickfire stories about witches, ogres and all sorts of snotty and stinky things, these short short tales, complete with delightful illustrations, have enough ickiness and gently subversive humour to appeal to children and grown-ups alike.”

While living in Crystal Palace he has developed a love of mice, particularly ones with fur of pure gold. After writing countless short tales, The Mouse Hunter is his first full-length children’s book.

“a cross between Pirates of the Caribbean and Lemony Snicket, with a shot of the Simpsons and a Muppet adventure film thrown in!… A modern day Treasure Island” TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT

“a fast-moving and atmospheric tale that somehow manages to blend pirates
and mice…diverting, engaging and imaginative” TELEGRAPH

Alex Milway in schools

Alex often starts by getting the children to draw and create characters (often mice). He also talks about the writing process and how he gets inspiration for his stories.