About Me

I wrote my first "book" at age seven. It was called "Teddy Bear in the Woods" and was followed by a sequel. Luckily, my parents encouraged my writing and my sister, Janet, was a great writer and role model.

I didn't just write, however. When I wasn't roller-skating (my favorite pastime), I was riding my bike, playing piano, swimming, reading, playing cards and board games or just hanging out with my friends. I loved school, but I loved vacations, too!

From kindergarten through graduation, I attended school in Affton, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. Then I graduated from Webster College (now Webster University) in Webster Groves, Missouri. Of course, I majored in English and kept on writing.

After working in advertising in St. Louis, Missouri and in Chicago, Illinois, I eventually moved to Southern California. First, I worked for Disneyland (fun job!) in the advertising department. The monorail whizzed past my window all day long. Then I worked at the Disney Studio in Burbank, where I had another fun job, writing and producing television and radio commercials and theatrical trailers (previews of coming attractions) for everything from re-releases of "Cinderella" and "Fantasia" to "Tex."

When the Disney Channel was started, I became a writer and story editor for WELCOME TO POOH CORNER. Since then, I've written more than 200 episodes of animated and live-action television programs including MADELINE, DOUG, BOBBY'S WORLD, DUMBO'S CIRCUS, THE PUZZLE PLACE, CAMP CANDY, LITTLE MOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, WHERE'S WALDO, FRAGGLE ROCK and ZOOBILEE ZOO. That's right, I write cartoons! I also wrote a number of award-winning afterschool specials and many interactive CD-ROM programs, including the award-winning "Berenstain Bears on their Own," "Richard Scarry's Busiest Neighborhood Ever," and "The Crayon Factory."

A made-for-television family movie I wrote, MARY CHRISTMAS, starring John Schneider, Cynthia Gibb and Tom Bosley, aired on the PAX network in 2002. It was the highest rated movie in PAX history and has aired each Christmas season since then.

I have been fortunate enough to win a Writer's Guild of America Award and three Humanitas Prizes (as well as two other nominations). In 2002, I won a Daytime Emmy Award for MADELINE, after two previous Emmy nominations.  More recently, I received the Christopher Award for FRIENDSHIP ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY, many children's choice awards for THE WORLD ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY and was inducted into the Affton (MO) School District Hall of Fame.

But my first love - going back to age seven - is writing books. Over the years, I've written more than 35 children's books, many of them on Disney themes.

Some people find it strange that I've worked in so many mediums but to me, a story is a story and I am a story-teller. Some stories are better told in a small flap book. Others belong on the big screen. Once I get "inside the story," it doesn't matter whether I'm telling the story of a honey-loving bear or a confused teenager; the process of creating characters and plots is really the same and never boring.

When I was a teenager, I wanted to be an actress, as well as a writer. While I later changed my mind, I ended up marrying an actor, FRANK BIRNEY. To see what he looks like, click here. Through the years, I have watched him play everything from a tango-dancing butler to a presidential cabinet member. Once he even played a children's book writer! For six seasons, he played Judge Warren West on the ABC show, THE PRACTICE. Most recently, he has portrayed Judge William Howe in several episodes of BOSTON LEGAL and he recently appeared in commercials for Tostitos, VitaminWater (with 50 Cent) and Halo 3. I have two wonderful stepdaughters, Rebecca Frank and Anna Birney, who are both talented artists and graphic designers and a terrific son, Walshe (here with girlfriend, Ania) who graduated from Boston College in 2006. He lives New York City, one of my favorite places on earth! Then there's the youngest member of the family, now three years old: Remy Bella, daughter of Rebecca and her husband Gary. Daughter Anna married Tobias Ross two years ago; they live in Minneapolis. 

But no matter what else is going on, I keep on writing!