Growing up as part of a large family, Donna knew from the start what it was to be part of something bigger.  She knew what it was to share, and she and her siblings did just that.  They shared everything from clothes to beds.  Throughout Donna's life, she has experienced a good many things.  It was all these experiences that led to Donna literary pursuits.  At first, Donna found some small measure of peace by dabbling in poetry.  After the September 11, 2001 Terrorist attacks, Donna began to put some of her poems to music and her songwriting career began.  After her grandchildren came along, Donna began to consider children's stories and songs.  It is a combination of all these things that has helped Donna as she completes her first fiction novel, Wisteria Trees and Honeybees.

Though she had been writing poetry for many years, she did not submit for publication until 1988 when her poem AnNe was published. Between 1988 and 1999, three others - Ten-Year Thank You, A Higher Vision and The Tribute - were published in Sparrowgrass Poetry Forum publications.