Biography of Donna Barnes

Two thousand and eight was my breakout year for writing, and this year alone I’ve managed to sell articles to two national publications: The North Atlantic Monthly and Fate Magazine. In addition to my success, Alpha World Press bought my second novel Love is Love, which wasn’t always a novel.  Actually, Love started out a major motion picture script, which was originally represented by an agent, who shopped it around Hollywood eight years ago. But I don’t think producers were quite ready for two women in love on the big screen. I put the script away and waited for the right time.

 Last year, I started to search for a new agent, and I found Barbara Bitela at Ed Silver Agency in LA. She loved the pitch, but thought it would be better if I wrote it as a novel. Ironically, she didn’t represent me, but her advice has proven invaluable to my career. Alpha World Press bought it less than a year later and I have faith that Love is Love will be seen on the big screen sometime soon.

My writing career started when I was twelve years old. When a relative gave me a journal to write down my emotions, I started writing and I haven’t stopped since. My creativity started with poetry. I graduated to writing short stories, plays, screenplays, articles to finally novels.

My formal education and training came from Long Island University at Southampton. I received my Masters Degree in Fine Arts in English, Literature and Writing, along with a Secondary Education Degree. I am a certified English teacher for grades 7-12k. Currently, I teach at SUNY Farmingdale and Suffolk Community College. I love the social interaction with my students and thrive on the satisfaction of education.