Growing up in Southern California, Beatrice decided at age nine to become a writer. She graduated from Pomona College and then went to work for a book publisher near San Francisco. She married Robert Gormley, an editor working for the same publishing company. They had two children and moved from California to Massachusetts. Beatrice's first published writings were articles and book reviews. On the advice of her children (then nine and seven), she wrote a book about a girl who could fly, and her career in writing for young people was launched. Besides fantasy/science fiction, she now writes biographies (including a biography of Narnia creator C.S. Lewis) and historical novels for young adults. Beatrice likes to read, talk with other writers and readers, sing (in a chorus), take long walks, and watch birds and animals. She lives in Westport, MA, with her husband and three cats.

Biography provided by the author, November 2003.