Kurt started writing early. An article in The Carmel Pine Cone notes "At the age of 11 Kurt von Meier was editor and publisher of "Carmel Quack" and sports reporter and author of the cartoon strip "Smitty the Space-Mouse," which ran in the "Spectator" in 1947. In his cartoon strip (found in a childhood scrapbook), Kurt's already playing off Disney's iconic "Micky Mouse" and displaying his sense of humor with characters like "Prof. Schmaltz."