"She wrote of cabbages and crocuses, sausages and shoes. The newly born, the price of corn, the cranking phone she'd never use."

Born in Glendale, California, Elizabeth graduated with a degree in Journalism from University of Southern California, where she was elected to Theta Sigma Phi, the national honorary for women in journalism. Upon graduation, she became an editor for a small town daily newspaper and later became an award-winning advertising copywriter for Young & Rubicam International, in both their New York and Los Angeles offices. She married a fellow copywriter, Reginald Spurr.

Widowed at an early age, she moved with her five children to Newport Beach, Calif., where she freelanced as an advertising and public relations writer.

In 1983, Elizabeth sold her first book for children and went on to produce a number of highly acclaimed children's books with major houses such as Atheneum, Disney/ Hyperion, Harcourt, and Simon & Schuster. Her first picture book, Mrs. Minetta's Carpool, was published in 1985. She currently has eight new children's books under contract and is working on an adult mystery series.

Elizabeth has taught a number of classes in picture book writing, has spoken at a number of conferences, and often visits schools. A popular speaker, she has taught many children's writing classes, among them Saddleback College Conference, Cuesta Community College, SCBWI Writer's Day, and San Luis Obispo Literary Council. She is a member of The Authors Guild and active in the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and Cambria Writers' Workshop.

Today Elizabeth lives with her husband Jim McCoy in the small beach town of Cayucos, Calif., where the two are often seen on the tennis courts. Three of her children are also writers.