Brenda Ferber - About Me

I grew up in Highland Park, Illinois, the third of four children. My dad is a doctor, and my mom is an artist. Even though our family had its share of fights, I thought it was the greatest family in the world. I always felt loved and knew I could accomplish whatever I set my mind to. My mom says I was a natural born leader, but my brother and sisters say I liked to boss people around. I guess it goes to show you how important point-of-view can be!

I’m close with all my siblings. My sister Lisa has lived in Israel, New York, and California, but she finally settled down with her family here in Chicago. My brother Larry and his family live just two blocks away from me. (He made that scarecrow costume himself for a Fourth of July parade one year to help promote the Deerfield Family Theatre!). And my younger sister Micky lives nearby, too. She and I are best friends. We look so much alike that people often ask us if we’re twins. Sometimes we say yes! When we were kids, Micky and I shared a bedroom, and I used to make up stories for her at bedtime. I was never very good at figuring out the endings to my stories, so I’d tell Micky to go to sleep and dream the end. When I wasn’t making up stories I was reading to Micky or to myself.

I didn't always have my nose in a book, though. I played with friends (four-square and anything make-believe were my favorite games), went to Hebrew school, took tennis lessons and theatre classes, wrote in my diary, and best of all went to summer camp at Camp Birch Knoll in Northern Wisconsin.

In elementary school I discovered Judy Blume’s books. I was astonished by how they seemed to be written about me! Judy captured my heart and soul in the pages of her books. I decided right then to become a children’s book author, too.

As a teen, my dreams of becoming an author drifted away. I focused my energy instead on fitting in with the crowd. Who had time to write stories when there were parties, sleepovers, homework, tests, report cards, permanent records, SATs, and such? And an even bigger question: Who was I to think I had the talent to become an author? The confident part of me had gone into hiding.

Thankfully, I rediscovered my confidence and happiness at the University of Michigan, even though I kept my author dream safely filed under, “outlandish childhood aspirations that will only come true if all the planets align properly, I find a four leaf clover, and a guardian angel puts in a good word for me.” I loved everything about college, from the classes, to the people to the football team. I made life-long friends, and best of all, I met Alan, this cute, smart, funny guy who eventually became my husband!

After graduation, Alan and I moved to Chicago. I worked at an advertising agency but quit when I gave birth to twins. A year and a half later, we had a third child. I was up to my eyeballs in diapers and babies who all needed my attention. Not quite the perfect time to try to write, but being around kids and books reignited my old writing fantasy. I was determined to give it a shot no matter how bad the odds of success were. I hired a babysitter for three hours each week, and that became my writing time. It wasn’t much, but it was wonderful, refreshing, and mine.

I started out writing stories that were accepted by Ladybug magazine. I also wrote several picture book manuscripts that collected 130 rejection letters over the course of three years! I immersed myself in children’s fiction at our library. Wow! What amazing authors I found… Kate DiCamillo, Sharon Creech, Patricia MacLachlan, Linda Sue Park, Jack Gantos, Lois Lowry… I wanted to do what they did. I wanted to write novels that could touch a child’s heart and soul. Eventually I found the courage to try.

I worked on JULIA’S KITCHEN for a year and a half while my kids were in school. I had no idea if anyone outside of my family or my critique group would like it, but I submitted it to the Sydney Taylor Manuscript Competition, and it won! And then, joy of joys, FSG decided to publish it! I don’t know much about planets, clovers, or guardian angels, but I feel like the luckiest person in the world. I have a healthy, loving family, and I’ve made my childhood dream come true. What more could a person want?

Birthday: April 23, 1967

Astrological Sign: Taurus (That stubborn streak got me past 130 rejection letters!)

Favorite Movie: Finding Neverland and Titanic

Favorite Book: As a child my favorite books were Blubber by Judy Blume and Beat the Turtle Drum by Constance Greene. Now, I have too many favorites to list, but you can click here to read more about my favorite books and authors.

Middle Name: The “A” in Brenda A. Ferber stands for my maiden name, Aaronson. But my middle name is actually Gail. And for reasons I can’t explain, my sister calls me Brenda Sue.

Family: Husband: Alan. Kids: Jacob, Faith, and Sammy

Pets: Two sweet cats, Sidney and Bolton. One black rabbit named Chocolate (but he really belongs to Faith.)

Hobbies: Scrapbooking, Baking, and Yoga

Unusual Talent: I’m very good at interpreting dreams.

Talent I Wish I Had: I wish I could sing without everyone running for cover.

Things I Love: (In no particular order) Homemade chocolate chip cookies, Camp Birch Knoll, changing seasons, family get-togethers, tall vanilla skim lattes, University of Michigan, Deerfield Illinois, reading a fabulous book, mail from an old friend, optimism, falling asleep on the beach, friendly people, acceptance letters, and pedicures.

Things I Hate: Rudeness, grocery shopping, cooking dinner, and raisins.

My Favorite Quote: This quote, by Walt Disney, was told to me by Gary Baier, the director of Camp Birch Knoll. I was only 15 years old at the time, but it stuck in my head and has guided me ever since.

“Think about the person you’d like to become. Believe in yourself based on the thinking you’ve done. Dream big dreams based on your belief in yourself. Dare to make your dreams come true. Think… Believe… Dream… Dare… Become the person you know you can be.”