Audrey Niffenegger is an acclaimed American author, renowned for her unique storytelling in literary fiction, historical fiction, illustrated and graphic novels. She is also a visual artist and a professor in the MFA Creative Writing Program at Columbia College Chicago. Niffenegger's artistic journey began in 1978 when she started making prints under the guidance of William Wimmer. She honed her visual artist skills at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and later earned her MFA from Northwestern University.
Niffenegger's debut novel, "The Time Traveler's Wife," published in 2003, was a national bestseller. This unconventional love story revolves around a man with a peculiar genetic condition that causes him to time-travel unpredictably, and his wife, an artist, who grapples with his constant absence. Her second novel, "Her Fearful Symmetry," published in 2009, is set in London's Highgate Cemetery, a place where Niffenegger conducted research and even acted as a tour guide.
In addition to her novels, Niffenegger has also made significant contributions to graphic and illustrated novels. Her works in this genre include "The Adventuress" (2006), "The Three Incestuous Sisters" (2005), "The Night Bookmobile" (2009), and "Raven Girl" (2013). The latter was adapted into a ballet by the Royal Opera House Ballet (London) in 2013. Niffenegger's artistic prowess is not confined to literature alone; her visual art has been exhibited in several shows, and a mid-career retrospective, "Awake in the Dream World: The Art of Audrey Niffenegger," was presented by the National Museum of Women in the Arts (Washington D.C.) in 2013. The exhibition catalog delved into various themes in Niffenegger's visual art, including her explorations of life, mortality, and magic.