Emma Donoghue, born in October 1969, is a distinguished Irish-Canadian playwright, literary historian, novelist, and screenwriter. Her illustrious career is highlighted by her 2010 novel Room, which not only became an international best-seller but also a finalist for the prestigious Booker Prize. Earlier, Donoghue's 1995 novel Hood garnered the Stonewall Book Award, and Slammerkin (2000) won the Ferro-Grumley Award for Lesbian Fiction. Among the accolades she has received, she is also a 2011 recipient of the Alex Awards.

Her versatility extends into the world of film, where Donoghue adapted her novel Room into a critically acclaimed movie. This adept transformation earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. She also received nominations for the BAFTA Awards, Satellite Awards, and won the Independent Spirit Award in the same category.

Emma Donoghue's early life was spent growing up in Ireland. During her 20s, she pursued a PhD in eighteenth-century literature in England, and thereafter she settled in Canada. Alongside her famed novel Room, she is well-known for her variety of works including contemporary and historical novels, short stories, non-fiction, theatre, and middle-grade novels.