Meet Brenda
“I used to think that you only get to be a kid once in your life. I’ve learned that this simply is not true. You can be a kid anytime you choose. All you have to do is dare! Dare to remember; remember the laughter, play times, and the feeling of being carefree. Then let the spirit, mind, and body follow!”
‘R’
What does the ‘R’ stand for in my name? Rebecca: named after my amazing grandmother whose middle name is Rebecca. Grandma told the best scary stories that I still recall: Bloody Bones—one of the scariest stories ever!!!
Hometown
Where I live now
Metro Atlanta, Georgia
Sons
Pet
Chloe, my affectionate male cat who was mistaken as a female kitten.
Favorite book:
Favorite color:
Favorite subjects in school:
Favorite food: East Indian chicken curry
Hobbies
Gardening, crafts, politics, and movie watching!
Favorite drink
Hot lemon ginger tea with lots of honey!!!
FUN FACTS:
When I Was Young
* I pretended to be a ballerina. I danced all over the house!
* I liked school. I always wanted to make good grades.
* I loved cats! And cats loved me.
* Very fearful of snakes. I was really scared!
* I collected stamps. I ordered them by mail and had albums of stamps in my collection.
* I liked crafts—especially sewing. My dad owned an upholstery business, and I sewed furniture coverings for his business. I started sewing when I was about 8 and got to be pretty good at it too!
* Planted and tended my own flower garden. Zinnias were my favorite.
* Had a pen pal named Audrey who lived in Michigan. My grandfather was also my pen pal. I loved receiving one of his typed letters in the mail.
* Kept a diary. It was my very own secret world.
* Enjoyed summer vacations in St. Louis, Missouri. Best fun ever with family and friends.
* I liked music. I began taking piano and guitar lessons when I was 6 years old. Mom insisted! I never became good at either, but I was pretty good at singing in both the school and church choirs! My sister, brother, some friends, and I formed a band in elementary school. I played guitar and sang. That was fun!
* My brother and I eventually formed a duet. We were very popular.
* One of my most memorable moments is when my sister, brother, and I had the honor of singing before the then governor of Mississippi. That was awesome!
Favorite school activity
Fieldtrip to the Mississippi State Fair!!!!!
Goals
New adventures in writing and traveling!!!!
What I wanted to be when I grew up
I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up!!!! I did know what I wanted to do when I grew up. I wanted to help others. I just needed time to figure out how I could help others.
What I got to be when I grew up
A College Professor. I taught college classes for over 30 years. Pennsylvania State University, Morris Brown College, Clark Atlanta University, and Morehouse College are a few of the colleges where I taught classes in Speech Communication, English, and Theater.
I also got to be a
- Fulbright Scholar
- Theater Director
- Voiceover Talent
- Writing Coach
- Homeschool Teacher and Tutor
- Restaurant Owner/Operator
- Community Activist
Where I went to college
Kean University, Union, New Jersey. Major: Special Education. Summa cumlaude
Columbia University, New York, New York. Major: Communicative Arts
What I am now
Children’s book author. I like the unusual sounds words make and the many meanings and images words conjure up. Writing a story is like making an adventure come to life. I usually begin writing the story in a writing tablet. I later type or read the story into the computer.
Publisher. I own and operate Cholowa Books, LLC. where I publish all of my books.
