Debbie Brannigan immigrated to the United States from Glasgow, Scotland as a toddler. While her love for writing was evident during her childhood in Detroit, a tumultuous life demanded that Brannigan focus her energies elsewhere. She quit high school at 16 and began an unusual and circuitous route to a highly successful career as a design engineer in the automotive and aerospace industries. Brannigan produced a successful film competition that spotlighted small businesses making a difference in the community, earning a regional Emmy award in the process. An avid mountaineer and traveler, she has summited numerous northwest peaks, lived and worked across North America and in Germany, and traveled in Central and South America, New Zealand, and throughout Europe.