Stuff
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley Revealed
About Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
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What is your birthdate?:6/24
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Previous occupations:Highway construction; research chemistry; freelance editor
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Favorite job:Writing!
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High school and/or college:Bishop Dwenger High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, then Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts
Revealing Questions
- Q. How would you describe your life in only 8 words?
- A. Husband, children, books, horses, work, yarn, farm: happy.
- Q. What is your motto or maxim?
- A. "Ninety percent of writing is the application of the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair." Mark Twain
- Q. How would you describe perfect happiness?
- A. I know it's different for every person. I think we are most happy when we are completely immersed in something that brings us joy.
- Q. What’s your greatest fear?
- A. Heights
- Q. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you choose to be?
- A. Somewhere warm! (We are all sick of winter as I type this.) Last year at this time I was in South Africa, and I would love to be there again.
- Q. With whom in history do you most identify?
- A. Yikes--I don't have any idea.
- Q. Which living person do you most admire?
- A. Nelson Mandela
- Q. What are your most overused words or phrases?
- A. I'll have to ask my family....in college it was "furthermore," but I think I've quit saying that. My children like, "avoid the appearance of impropriety."
- Q. If you could acquire any talent, what would it be?
- A. Olympic level ice skating, preferably pairs.
- Q. What is your greatest achievement?
- A. Raising my children to become responsible, honest, open people.
- Q. What’s your greatest flaw?
- A. It's always hard to be your own critic, but I'd guess impatience. I hate waiting.
- Q. What’s your best quality?
- A. The ability to see things from other points of view--essential in a writer.
- Q. If you could be any person or thing, who or what would it be?
- A. I'm it--not perfect, but I'm doing my best to be the person I want to be.
- Q. Who is your favorite fictional hero?
- A. Captain Jack Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin, from Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series. After that, Hari from The Blue Sword.
- Q. What is your favorite occupation, when you’re not writing?
- A. Riding my horse
- Q. What 3 personal qualities are most important to you?
- A. Integrity, honesty, and courage
- Q. If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your days, what would it be?
- A. Baked potato soup with bacon and cheese
On Books and Writing
- Q. Who are your favorite authors?
- A. Jane Austen; Patrick O'Brian; Hilary McKay; J.K. Rowling; Dorothy Sayers
- Q. Is there a book you love to reread?
- A. I reread all 20 Aubrey/Maturin books about once a year. I have most of Jane Austen on audiotape and listen to them while I'm trailering to horse shows. I also reread Harry Potter on a regular basis.
- Q. How did you come to write Lacemaker and the Princess?
- A. I love history; I'd been to France twice and love the country. I had read a biography of Marie Antoinette that was very good and thorough, but I realized, at the end of it, that I still didn't understand the French Revolution. So I set out to learn more--and the research grew into Lacemaker.
To me, the most interesting aspect of my fictionalized friendship between a common lacemaker and a princess is that it had a historical basis--Marie Antoinette's daughter was raised alongside the daughter of one of the palace baliffs.
