Alexander Gordon Smith is a renowned author of children and Young Adult fiction, best known for his Escape from Furnace series, which includes popular novels such as Lockdown and Solitary. Born on 27 February 1979 in Norwich, England, Smith had a passion for writing from an early age.

After exploring various jobs in the service and retail sectors, he pursued higher education at the University of East Anglia, where he studied English and American Literature. His university years marked the beginning of his deep involvement in publishing, leading to the co-founding of Egg Box Publishing with poet Luke Wright. This initiative supported and promoted new authors by publishing groundbreaking works.

Smith has a diverse writing portfolio, contributing to a range of genres and mediums. His work spans from writing Scooby Doo comic strips to creating world atlases, and even includes writing for television series such as Midsomer Murders and X-Files.