I was born in New Orleans and attended Newcomb Colleege and Tulane University where I hold a Master's Degree in English and Art. From 1982 until 1994, I taught Children's Literature at Tulane and wrote a column, Reading, Writing, and Children, for the Times Picayune, New Orleans' only daily newspaper. I am the author/illustrator of more than 24 picture books, four YA novels, and three how-to books with Eric Suben, former editor-in-chief of Golden Books (see website for total list of published books). I have been married to James Amoss, former CEO of Lykes Brothers Steamship Co. and now president of Sea Point. We have six sons, six beautiful daughters-in-law and twelve wonderful grandchildren. We have lived in Hawaii, Germany and Belgium, and now in New Orleans and on the Gulf Coast in Pass Christian, MS. Our house in Pass Christian was destroyed by Hurricane Camille and then by Katrina. The newly rebuilt one has survived both Gustav and Ike. In my 83 years, I have never missed a year of attending art school. After family, my main interests are art, writing, fishing and gardening.