Deborah Gregory Books In Order

Publication Order of The Cheetah Girls Books

Publication Order of Catwalk Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Deborah Gregory is a teen fiction novelist from New York City that is best known for the “Cheetah Girls” series of novels. Before she became an acclaimed author, she had success in a variety of careers from magazine columnist, entertainer, and fashion model. In 1999, she was approached by Disney, who wanted her to write a series of novels targeting African American teenage girls. Given that she has a flair for words and is a flamboyant personality, she was the best person to write novels for a marketing segment that had for a long time been ignored by authors. In September 1999, she published her debut novel “Wishing on a Star,” the first of the popular “Cheetah Girls” series of novels. Since then Gregory has become a prolific author with more than a dozen titles published. Her novels in the “Catwalk” and “Cheetah Girls” series follow New York teens looking to make it in the show business. While her novels have become huge, she also got a movie deal with Disney that released a “Cheetah Girls” film in 2003. She has practically created a dynasty for the series with fashion accessories, T-shirts, and CDs among many other items inspired by the series.

Even though Deborah Gregory managed to make a name for herself, she had a very difficult upbringing. Of the five girls in the Cheetah Girls series of novels she most relates to Dorinda who was brought up in the foster system just like Gregory was. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and together with her mother and five brothers and sisters she lived on the streets for three years. At three years old, her family was picked up with the mother getting institutionalized and the children getting distributed to several foster homes. She still keeps in touch with her siblings but is yet to locate her mother to this day. As a child, she lived with four different families and also has to live in a group home for several months. It was from the feelings of loneliness and being unwanted that she started looking inward and discovered a beautiful world of fantasy. Deborah became a creative child that would practice in front of her mirror and sew outrageous outfits pretending to be a famous performer. She was finally free of the foster system when she turned eighteen and went to live her life. Since she had a talent for fashion, she soon found a way to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology that is a college of the State University of New York. When she graduated, she went to Europe where for a time she worked as a model. She then came back to the States to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in English from the Empire State College in New York.

Born and bred in New York, Deborah Gregory settled in Soho, the artsy district, and set up her fashion boutique shop. The boutique was very successful for several years but she was forced to shut it down when her business partner pulled out. Having no job, she turned to the many contacts she had made over several years and soon had the ear of the editor of “Essence.” Since she had often featured many of Gregory’s designs, she asked if she could do some writing for the magazine. By 1992, she was a contributing writer for the magazine and wrote “Chit Chat and All That,” a monthly entertainment news Column. Given her flair for writing, she went on to write for several magazines that included “Entertainment Weekly,” “Vibe,” “Us,” and “More.” Since she had written a lot about singing groups when she was working with “Essence,” she was approached by Disney to write a new book series. It was to feature five teenage girls looking to make it big in New York showbiz. Disney believed she had the writing flair mixing the right amount of fun and a pulse on girl group trends which would make for a great teen series. When she is not writing her novels she runs “Cheetahrama” a design company that makes beautiful creations. As a member of the National Association of Former Foster Children, she still works to advocate the rights of foster children and even got a citation from the New York Association of Black Journalists for her work.

Deborah Gregory’s “Wishing on a Star” is the first novel of “The Cheetah Girl” series of novels. It is a hip tale that tells the story of a fourteen-year-old girl named Galleria Garibaldi. She is the daughter of an Eye-talian father from Bologna and a 250 pounder mother that bears some resemblance to a Black opera diva. She is about to get admitted into the Manhattan Fashion Industries High where she will be going with Chanel her best friend. Chanel is a Cuban Jamaican on the father’s side and Puerto Rican and Dominican on her mother’s side. Once they are admitted, they team up with three other teens to make a singing group. They soon discover the jiggy jungle; the Cheetah-Licious and magical location that is found in every crowded, scary, and dangerous city full of dreams.

Gregory’s “Shop in the Name of Love” opens to the girls getting ready to go meet a very important record producer over luncheon. Jackal Jackson is one of the biggest record producers in town but Princess Pamela has warned the girls against meeting the man. But Chanel is tired of her mother telling her who they can and cannot see and talk to. Moreover, she has never taken the singing group seriously and Chanel intends to punish her. She takes her mother’s credit card and goes berserk on a shopping spree. But she orders way too much stuff and gets into trouble which sours things at a time when they are about to be offered a management deal by the biggest record producer in town. Even though her mother has never supported her dreams, this may just be the turning point in their relationship, and maybe they will just come to an understanding.

“Who’s ‘Bout to Bounce” by Deborah Gregory follows Dorinda that finally managed to get a position as a dancer on the tour of one of the biggest stars in show biz. She is a foster child and going away from the familiar means that she may be pretty much confused though this is something that she has had to deal with for a long time. The Cheetah Girls are about to make their debut at the Showtime at the Apollo a legendary show but Dorinda has the best opportunity as she is auditioning for the dance crew of a famous rap star. Given her insecurities, she has not told her crew about her big opportunity as she thinks they could kick her out of the singing “Cheetah Girls” crew. But she is just twelve and her friends are going to find out one way or another. She goes to the audition and is accepted and now she is feeling really scared of losing her friends. They all live with Mrs. Bosco their foster mother and DEorinda is sure she will tell the Cheetah girls about her new job.