Growing up in Cincinnati Ohio, I loved to make stuffed animals for my little brother, sew, create puppet shows, read, and secretly write stories in my closet. My nickname was Anna Banana.
I studied Industrial Design at the University of Cincinnati but got my BFA in Product Design from Minneapolis College of Art and Design. My senior thesis was on Child Development and my project was designing exhibits for the Minneapolis Children’s Museum.
Toy Designer
While in college, I interned at Tonka Toys and designed my first toy. After graduation, I worked at Mattel Toys – several years in Girls Toys and Plush, then Infant and Preschool. My toys received patents and design and parenting awards. I left Mattel to create my own toy inventing company.
Writing and Arts Education
After 9/11, I pondered about other things I had always wanted to do. In high school, I had talked about becoming a cartoonist so I picked up some pencils and started drawing. In elementary school, I used to sit in my closet and write stories, so I started writing.
Meanwhile, I ran the Art Volunteer In the Classroom Program at local elementary schools for 10 years. For the local elementary school’s Afternoon Enrichment Classes, I taught classes on Game Design, Cartooning, and Monster Making for 5 years. And, for two years, I taught drawing at several schools in the Chicago area through an international program called Young Rembrandts.
Eventually, I had several articles published in kids’ magazines and other places. And, for seven years, I wrote monthly pieces for the Interesting Nonfiction for Kids blog.
Becoming an Author
Women of Steel and Stone: 22 Inspiring Architects, Engineers, and Landscape Designers was published in 2014 by Chicago Review Press. It was a labor of love because my dad ran his own engineering consulting company in Cincinnati for over 40 years. I spent over a year researching and writing the 22+ biographies in the book. Then spent another 6/9 months revising with our editing department. Women of Steel and Stone won the Best STEM Book award in 2017 — see all my books on the main page.
My Co-Writers/ Helpers
Most days when I write and/or draw, Lucy, the old english sheepdog, is at my feet with a few tennis balls.
And, Milton, the Maine Coon cat, is on a table or book shelf nearby.