Debra was raised on a farm and ranch on the South Plains of Texas. During her growing up years, she learned to care for and love her animals. As a child, Debra was taught to respect others and treat them the way she would want to be treated. She found that kindness and caring are two of the most important values to make a difference in everyone's lives. She also learned responsibility by taking care of her animals and doing chores around the farm. She met and married her husband in 1987. They moved to the farm, in the house she grew up in. She retired from teaching in 2016, and began writing her children's books.