Alisha Emrich

Alisha Emrich is an American novelist whose fiction for teenagers places Black girls, fandom, creativity, and first love at the center of contemporary stories. She studied literature and writing, completing an MFA focused on fiction for young readers after earning two master's degrees. NerdCrush, published by Running Press Kids in 2023, is her debut novel. Its protagonist, Ramona Lambert, is a shy sixteen-year-old artist who finds confidence through cosplay and an original character named Rel. An email exchange with her classmate Caleb lets Ramona speak more freely, but it also creates a divide between her everyday identity and the persona he is getting to know. Emrich uses that mistaken-identity structure to explore family expectations, friendship, artistic community, and the fear of being seen clearly. The story treats cosplay as a meaningful creative practice rather than decoration, linking costume design with Ramona's gradual self-acceptance. Emrich's debut combines a light romantic plot with a broader account of belonging in school and fan spaces.