Brenda Ortega grew up in Michigan, the fifth of six children, sandwiched in between two older brothers and one younger one. She was a classic tomboy who loved to play baseball, hockey, and basketball, go fishing, and climb trees. But she harbored a secret: She liked girly things too. At the age of six, she convinced her mom to buy her a pair of white, zip-up go-go boots, which never saw the light of day. She only wore them in her bedroom, where she was free to model-walk down the runway, strike a pose, dance. Now she celebrates her inner quirks and writes novels that explore the contradictions, the struggles, and the triumphs of being human.

Her debut young adult novel, The Twelfth of Never, was named a 2014 B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree. Midwest Book Review called it “a riveting good read from beginning to end… Very highly recommended.”