Cuchifrita, Ballerina

Chanel has never written a song before, and she’s overjoyed when her first effort, “It’s Raining Benjamins,” proves a hit for the Cheetah Girls. But when another group accuses her of stealing lyrics, Chanel admits that not all the words were her own. Broken-hearted and ashamed, Chanel is so low that she’s considering taking up ballet, which could mean giving up on the Cheetah Girls—for good!

American Ballet Theatre is recruiting junior dancers, and Chanel is going to get on that dance team no matter what it takes. But pliés and pirouettes are no substitute for true friendship, and Chanel will have to be on pointe if she is to keep the Cheetahs close to her heart. Deborah Gregory was born in Brooklyn, New York. When she was only three years old, her mother was institutionalized, and young Deborah was put into foster care. As a teenager, she started designing her own clothes and fantasized about a singing career. At the age of eighteen, she attended the Fashion Institute of Technology. She graduated in 1986 with a BS in cultural studies from Empire State College. After graduation, she found success as a model in Europe.

Gregory has written for various magazines including Essence, More, Us Weekly, and Entertainment Weekly. In 1999 she penned the book series the Cheetah Girls. The books were adapted into a series of original movies by Disney Channel starting in 2003. She also wrote Catwalk and Catwalk: Strike a Pose.