top of page

About me and others...

Donna (top photo) was born in Phoenix, Arizona but moved to California when a child. She is a University of California, Irvine graduate, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature.  She writes, "THE GIRLS ARE BACK! and the TRUTH is on the WALLS say a great deal about me, because I took the necessary leap to rewrite history.  The black-and-white photo at left is of the four women who inspired THE GIRLS ARE BACK!   (My mother, grandma and two aunts.)  Below are pictures of my cousins who contributed greatly to the Memoir.  Left to right:  Lynda Newell Backman, Laurie Kandel (blond) and Tomi Helm, Leigh Helm and Mari Helm.  When attempting to expose historical events in the TRUTH... over 25 years ago, Naz and I faced many challenges, not the least of which was the apartheid government.  A general lack of information about South Africa's complex racial mix (the "coloureds") was generally unknown then because of extreme isolation.  Both nonfictions were like peeling an onion: decades of denial stood in the way of all main characters for much different reasons.  I hope the stories give readers some insight and clarification into all issues that are raised in both books." 

bottom of page