Riana Scheepers was born on 9 December 1957, at Vryheid in Natal. She matriculated from Vryheid High School in 1975 and studied at the University of the Orange Free State in Bloemfontein (BA in Communications, BA hons in Afrikaans en Dutch and MA in Afrikaans (1987), all cum laude). In 1997 she obtained a Ph D in Afrikaans and Dutch at the University of Cape Town with the thesis: Koos Prinsloo: Die skrywer en sy geskryfdes, 1998.
Between July 1988 and April 1990, she was a lecturer at the University of Zululand. From April 1990 until 1994 she was a lecturer at the University of Cape Town. From January 1995 - 1998 she worked as a Promotions Manager at Tafelberg Publishers. She worked as an Afrikaans teacher from 1999 to 2001 at Paul Roos Gymnasium. In 1999 she started the Stellenbosch Skool vir Skryfkuns en Kreatiewe Denke
In addition to many academic publications Riana wrote a script for educational TV (52 episodes) in 1988. She has been a regular columnist in a variety of journals and newspapers in South Africa: Die Burger (1992-1995), Die Volksblad (1999- ), Beeld (2000- ), the Flemish paper De Morgen (2000- ) and Finesse (November 1999 -May 2000) and writes book reviews for academic journals, magazines and radio.
Riana has two sons. When she is not travelling, Riana lives in Paternoster and Wellington. Riana is married to Johan Loubser and they live on the wine farm De Compagnie in Wellington. Riana is full time author and manager of the wine farm.
Riana's first children's book, Die avonture van Wilde Willemientjie, was set to music and presented at the KKNK festival in Oudtshoorn, 2006, with great success.
ATKV prize for popular prose in 1990 and the FAK prize in 1991 for Die ding in die vuur
SA Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns: Eugène Marais Prize in 1992 for Dulle Griet
ATKV Youth book prize for Blinde Sambok
2000: Member of the South African Academy of Arts and Science.
The musical presentation of Die avonture van Wilde Willemientjie
Onthou, my Lief, ek is Afrika, jou land.
My land verwelkom my
met 'n oorweldigende fanfare
ek wóú nog oor die bergtop loer
ek wóú nog my armbande skud
van ver af wuif
maar my land het geweet ek kom
want toe ek oor die nek kom
is die lug vol bebliksemde donderslae
by die afdraai plaas toe
trek die orkes van die lug oop
my land wys my wat ek lánk nie gesien het nie:
'n simfonie van bliksem en reën
ek gooi áltwee my arms oop
my land omhels my
vannag slaap ek nie alleen nie
ek lê in die arms van die reën
1996. Die ding in die vuur, HAUM-Literêr, Uitgeverij Prometheus
1991. Dulle Griet, Tafelberg
1994. 'n Huis met drie en 'n half stories, Tafelberg
1994. Haai, Katriena, wat vertel jy my nou?, J P van der Walt
1995. Katriena, nou lieg jy mos!, J P van der Walt
2009. Katvoet, Human en Rousseau
2012. Die vrou in die vuur. Tafelberg
1995. Die heidendogters jubel, Tafelberg
2001. Met die taal van karmosyn, Human & Rousseau
2003. My voete loop na Wellington (Selected essays from her columns), Protea Boekhuis
2005. 'n Engel in my huis. (Sketse from Die Burger), Protea Boekhuis
2001. Blinde Sambok
2006. Die avonture van Wilde Willemientjie, Tafelberg
2007. Arboretta, Die Heks met die groen hare.
2009. Die verdere avonture van Wilde Willemientjie, Tafelberg