Teaching art to 8th and 9th graders in the Seattle Public Schools was Donna’s first career. One day, her principle asked her to teach one class of 8th grade Language Arts each day—for just one semester. She agreed, but worried, could she do it? It wasn’t her field. As it turned out, teaching students how to use words to communicate their ideas in stories, essays, and poems was a joy. She saw how closely related creating an art piece was to writing a story. Visual artists use the Elements of Design (line, shape, color, value and texture) to tell their story. Authors use words to paint pictures to tell their stories.

Teaching that Language Arts class eventually led to her second career: writing books, magazine articles and poems for young people.  As an author she has the additional pleasure of visiting classrooms to talk with students about books and writing. She also enjoys   teaching adults how-to write children’s literature.

Donna enjoys writing stories about characters, both human and animal, who have problems, but also have the determination to solve their problems. Her hope is that her characters’ perseverance both entertains and inspires her readers.

Because of Donna’s art background, her story ideas often begin with something she has seen. Once a story gets going, it runs like a movie in her head. Donna is a member of The Society of Children Book Writers and served as the Washington State SCBWI Regional Advisor for six years. She is also a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association and served on their Board. Donna was a faculty member of the University of Washington’s certificate program, “Writing for Children.

She was born in Seattle, where she still lives with her husband, Doug. Besides writing, she enjoys puttering in her garden, walking, and attending jazz concerts.