FEATURED AUTHOR: Brenda Farrar-Ejemai

Brenda Farrar-Ejemai is an author, educator, conference speaker, and business woman. She is a contributing editor for BrooWaha Newspaper, located in New York, Los Angeles, London and Paris. She writes motivational articles on various blogs. She is also a board member and the Training Director of the United Black Writers Association.

She was born and raised in New York City. There she attended elementary, junior/high school, and college. After attending the City University of New York, she graduated Magna Cum Laude, with degrees in education/sociology.


THE FAMILY IN THE CAR, A Revelation, which the author describes as “on-time”, time-lines the journey of a struggle. It shows how members of a family who were all their lives sheltered, as well as privileged, now were without. “The trauma was so unbelievable, I felt that period in my life was a dream and not actually lived,” Ejemai said. Although it was written in 2004, the author felt led to release it in 2008 and reveal the true characters in the documentary. It is impacted with trials, but ends with triumph. This documentary will not only encourage, but will inspire those who are experiencing or have experienced this trauma.

There are a number of middle class Americans living secretly homeless today.

Brenda Farrar-Ejemai has taken a leap-of-faith in the writing of this documentary. With the rise in foreclosures in the United States today, this documentary is not only timely, but relevant. The face of the homeless is changing rapidly. No longer can the homeless be viewed only as the poor, criminals or mentally ill. Homelessness is involving the middle class as well.


What would you like your readers to take away from your book?

I want readers to some how be able to, after reading this book, look beyond difficulties. The reason I want this for them, is because it’s not an easy thing to do, when one is faced with trauma. It’s hard. But I do know that hind sight gives a better sense of why things happen. When people are facing trials and tribulations, they usually can’t see things getting better, so they lose hope. I would like readers to take from this book the encouragement to hold-on when they face harsh situations.

What did you learn while writing this book?

I learned that I had a story to be told that was relevant and timely.

What inspired this book?

This book was written in 2004, but I was led to release it in 2007. The inspiration for this book came from my love of writing.

What is the hardest part about the writing business?

The hardest part about the writing business, for me, is the promoting part. Writing and editing is hard enough, but getting the word out requires more work and time.

What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

One thing I would want non-writers to understand is the writing is not just simply putting the pen to the paper. Writing is a skill. It must be well thought through. This is especially so for non-fiction writing. The message you are trying to convey must be crafted so that it is perceived exactly the way you intended it to.

What marketing have you found that particularly works well for you?

So far, live radio interviews have worked quite well. I’ve found that it draws people to the web site and thereby increasing readership. Also, book signing works well, due to the fact that it gives me the opportunity to meet and greet readers on a personal level.

What are three things you wish you'd known before you reached where you are now?

One thing is that I wish I had known a long time ago that writing was my purpose.

Secondly, I wish I had taken a Business/Marketing class in school. I believe it would have helped with the marketing of my books.

Finally, I wish I had known what a wonderful world the writing community is. Even though it has been and still is hard work, there are a lot of great people in the writing community.

This month our theme is Mainstream Fiction. Can you give us five mainstream authors you read?

I have read books by Walter Mosley, James Baldwin, Margaret Atwood, Robert Kiyosaki, and T. D. Jakes.

Do you have any advice for the aspiring writer?

Just write!

How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)

My mailing address is: P.O. Box 765, Columbia, Maryland 21045
E-mail: favorblooms@thefamilyinthecar.com
Websites: www.TheFamilyInTheCar.com

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