Virginia Howard has a BA and an MA in English from the University of Alabama. For many years she worked as a medical editor in the Office of Publications at Louisiana State University School of Medicine. She now works part-time from her home office for the LSU Medical Alumni Association in New Orleans, where she designs and edits the alumni magazine (LSU Medicinews) for publication and also does computer graphics, including holiday greeting cards. She is founder and editor of THEMA literary journal, now in its 32nd year of publication, and is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She has illustrated one picture book, Timothy Hubble and the King Cake Party, by Anita Prieto, and written another, The Wind Plays Tricks, illustrated by Charlene Chua. Under the pseudonym H. O. Ward, she and her sister-in-law co-authored two murder mysteries, Death by Unches and Death by the Reel. She also has published short stories as well as essays in various books and magazines.
