Louise Forsslund was the pen name of Mary Louise Foster, an American novelist and short story writer active during the first decade of the twentieth century. Born on March 13, 1873, in Sayville, New York, she adopted her pen name from her father's original Swedish surname, Forsslund, which he had later Americanized to Foster. Drawing inspiration from her family history, she frequently incorporated her father's diverse life experiences into her own literary works.
Throughout her writing career, Forsslund contributed numerous short stories to prominent national publications of her era, including The Century Magazine, Ladies' Home Journal, and Tom Watson's Magazine. Her narratives often captured the local color and character of her native Long Island. In 1906, she married fellow author Charles Carey Waddell, who wrote under the pseudonym Charles Carey.
Forsslund's most enduring literary contribution was her final novel, Old Lady Number 31. Published before her untimely death, the book achieved significant posthumous success. It was adapted into a successful Broadway play during the 1916–1917 theatrical season and was later produced as a silent film of the same name in 1920. Forsslund passed away on May 2, 1910, in Brentwood, New York, leaving behind a brief but notable legacy in early twentieth-century American popular literature.
