Austin SCBWI

Emma J. Virján was born in Texas, under an Aries moon, on a Wednesday evening, her Dad’s bowling night. This might explain her attraction to shiny, hardwood floors and crunchy, snack bar French fries.

In first grade, Emma became permanently right-handed because Sr. Bridget refused to have left-handers in her class. After a successful high school career, Emma went off to college and had to decide between art, her all-time favorite subject, and medicine, a subject that intrigued her ever since that Christmas when she received her first doctor’s kit. An extremely brutal course, Advanced Algebra for Scientists and Engineers, helped her decide on art. She never looked back.

By day, Emma is a graphic designer and illustrator.

Nacho the Party Puppy is her first book for children. When Emma isn’t drawing, she spends her time reading, making lists, cutting out images of the numeral 5, and collecting produce stickers.