David Fox and his wife Annie co-founded the world’s first public-access microcomputer center in 1977. The Marin Computer Center was a prototype for bringing new technology to the public. When he was eleven years old, David made his first 8 mm cartoon using stacks of discarded Flintstone cels he found in the trash bins behind Hanna-Barbera, and has been fascinated with animation and technology ever since. He studied engineering at UCLA and Humanistic Psychology at California State University at Sonoma where he received his bachelor’s degree.

David co-authored the books Computer Animation Primer, Armchair BASIC, and Pascal Primer, and then in 1982 became one of the founding members of the Games Division at Lucasfilm Ltd. (now LucasArts Entertainment Company). During his 10 year stay with LucasArts, he was the designer, project leader, and one of the programmers for the games Rescue on Fractalus!, Labyrinth, Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure. He also worked on Maniac Mansion as the primary script programmer.

During his last two years at LucasArts David was Manager of Entertainment Software on Mirage (a collaboration between LucasArts and Hughes Aircraft Corporation). This multi-player, networked location-based entertainment system was intended for theme parks.

After leaving LucasArts, David was a Senior Game Designer at Rocket Science Games, then worked as a freelance consultant on several games.

In 1996, David joined LiveWorld Inc./Talk City, an Internet community provider, as their Director of Kids and Entertainment Programming. During his four years at the company, he produced The InSite, a Web site for teen empowerment, helped produce a home page offering for use by Talk City’s 4 million members, and launched several online chat games. He then became the Director of New Content, finding and implementing new technologies within Talk City.

In 2001, David returned to immersive gaming at Xulu Entertainment, producing their motion simulator project. Then he produced and designed a prototype of an educational game for Learning Friends under a grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

In the run-up to the 2004 election, he was active on the Dean Media Team, doing video and Web production for the Howard Dean campaign (www.Switch2Dean.com) as well as building a Web log (blog) for Simon & Schuster featuring Dean’s book, Winning Back America. More recently he co-designed and implemented Web sites for authors David McCullough and Terry Gamble, Ayrshire Foundation, the Alaska Federation of Natives’ main site as well as an event site for them, and Marin Democrats, all with graphic designer Daniel Will-Harris. David’s also the Director of Production for NewsTrust, a proposed citizen news rating service aiming to bring together experienced journalists and volunteer reviewers to rate news stories and their sources according to rigorous editorial standards.

When not playing with computers David enjoys science fiction, good films, photography, video making, and taking long walks with Annie and their dog Vermont through the hills of Marin County, California. They have two grown kids, ages 20 and 26.

She and her husband David opened the world’s first public access microcomputer facility (Marin Computer Center) in 1977, which led her to write her best selling book, Armchair BASIC: An Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Microcomputers and Programming in BASIC (1983, Osborn/McGraw-Hill). From there she tried her hand at screen writing which eventually brought her back to computers as an award-winning writer/designer of children’s CD ROMs. (Putt-Putt; Madeline; Get Ready for School, Charlie Brown; and Mr. Potato Head Saves Veggie Valley are just a few of the titles on which she has worked.)

In 1996 Annie dreamed up the idea for The InSite, a place “for teens and young adults to turn their world around.” For 3 years she served as creator, designer, writer, and executive producer of that award-winning site. One of The InSite’s most popular features was Hey Terra, a Cyberspace Dear Abby. Her book, The Teen Survival Guide to Dating & Relating: Real-World Advice on Guys, Girls, Growing Up and Getting Along (2005, Free Spirit Publishing — previously titled Can You Relate? 2000, Free Spirit Publishing) is based on hundreds of emails to Terra and Annie’s responses to them.

From 1999-2001 Annie served as Director of Content Development for STEPonline.com, creating a powerfully engaging, Internet based drug awareness and substance abuse prevention program for teens.

Through her Workshops for teens, public speaking, and her ongoing work on the Internet, Annie continues working toward her goal of empowering young people through increased self-awareness, emotional intelligence skills and stress-reduction strategies. Her new book for teens, Too Stressed to Think? A Teen Guide to Staying Sane When Life Makes You CRAZY, co-authored with Ruth Kirschner, was published in October 2005 through Free Spirit Publishing.

When not answering Terra letters, Annie enjoys yoga, meditation, cooking, hiking, traveling, and, most of all, being with David and the rest of the family.