In the beginning of her career, she illustrated for fanzines, such as
Energumen,
Granfalloon,
Aspidistra, and
Science Fiction Review. She sold every piece of work entered in the 1969
World Science Fiction Convention in St. Louis, and then began accepting professional assignments. Her first two assignments were the first two
Universe anthologies, which were edited by
Terry Carr. She then became a regular artist for
Vertex magazine. Austin has illustrated books by
Robert E. Howard,
C. L. Moore,
Andre Norton,
Harold Lamb,
Poul Anderson,
Lewis Shiner, and
Ursula K. Le Guin. A collection of her work, ''
Alicia Austin's Age of Dreams'', was published by
Donald M. Grant, Publisher, Inc. in 1978. == Personal life ==