Animals and Beasts with Psyche Disorders, Oh My. Attorney author Herman Franck grew up on a ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he took care of animals, birds, reptiles and insects, and learned about their behavior. His step father held a Doctor degree in special education, and started a school for children with learning disabilities. His step father's interest in psychology and animals was something Mr. Franck grew up with on the ranch. Mr. Franck put two and two together to form the ideas behind Issues and The Beast. Oh My.