When
Annie Fox's first book People Are Like Lollipops (1971, Holiday
House) was published, she wasn't old enough to legally sign the contract!
By the time she turned 21, though, she decided that helping kids was
going to be her life's work. After graduating from Cornell University with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies then completing her Master’s in Education from the State University of New York at Cortland, Annie set off on a teaching career. After a few years in the classroom,
computers changed her life as she began to explore ways in which
technology could be used to empower kids.
In 1977, Annie and her husband David opened Marin Computer Center, the world's first public access microcomputer facility. Her work there led her to write her best selling book, Armchair BASIC: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microcomputers and Programming in BASIC (1983, Osborn/McGraw-Hill). After a detour into the world of screen writing, Annie returned to computers as an award-winning writer/designer of children's CD ROMs. (Putt-Putt; Madeline; Get Ready for School, Charlie Brown; and Mr. Potato Head Saves Veggie Valley are just a few of the titles on which she has worked.)
In 1996 Annie dreamed up the idea for The InSite, a place "for teens and young adults to turn their world around." For 3 years she served as creator, designer, writer, and executive producer of that award-winning site. One of The InSite’s most popular features was Hey Terra, a Cyberspace Dear Abby. Her book The Teen Survival Guide to Dating & Relating: Real World Advice About Guys, Girls, Growing Up And Getting Along (Previously titled Can You Relate?, 2000, Free Spirit Publishing) is based on hundreds of emails to Terra and Annie’s responses to them.
Too
Stressed to Think? A Teen Guide to Staying Sane When Life Makes You CRAZY, co-authored
with Ruth Kirschner, was published in October 2005 by Free Spirit Publishing.
Annie’s new series Middle School Confidential™ includes Book 1: Be Confident in Who You Are (2008), Book 2: Real Friends vs. the Other Kind (2009) and Book 3: What’s Up With My Family? (January 2010).
Through
her public events for kids, tweens, teens, parents, and educators, Annie continues working toward her goal of empowering young people through increased self-awareness, emotional intelligence skills and stress-reduction strategies.
When not answering teen email, Annie enjoys yoga, meditation, baking, gardening, photography, hiking, traveling, and, most of all, being with David and the rest of the family, including their dog, Josie.












