Get to Know Moe Ferrara
- By: admin | Date: Feb 21 2020
Welcome to the next installment of the BookEnds “Get to Know” series. You’ve read our bios, follow us on social media, and you know which genres we represent. But behind the business persona, we are real people (no, really, I swear!) with real lives, hobbies (yes, we do things outside of publishing!), pet peeves, and passions (for more than just books).
While most of you know that I’m a night owl, cannot exist without at least five cups of coffee, and am usually chasing after my pain in the butt corgi who still isn’t happy he’s only an intern after almost three years… here’s some more facts about me!
Hobbies
Nope, not talking about my violin just yet. That’s one of my passions! No, instead we’re going to talk about Agility! I’m so excited that 2020 is going to be the year when Winston starts to prove himself on the Agility competition circuit. It’s been two years of training, but I’ve loved the time getting to work closely with Winston and watching him fly around the courses. Anyone who is curious should really watch when they show Agility at the AKC shows. It’s much harder than it looks!
Pet Peeves
Can your pet peeve be that you don’t have any pet peeves? Okay, okay I do have a lot of little petty things that irk me. People who wait until the very last minute to merge when there’s construction (Don’t talk to me about zipper merges, they aren’t a thing in Northwest Pennsylvania). People who leave you on read when you text them. People who say “irregardless”. Buzzfeed when they have those ridiculous quizzes that are supposed to tell you what kind of bread you are and I roll my eyes but take them anyways because what else are you supposed to do at 2 AM when you’re a night owl?
Passions
At last, let’s bring up the violin. I’m coming up on my 27th year playing my instrument—I started in 3rd grade, so three cheers for public schools and music education! I’m lucky enough to play on an English violin that was made in 1743. (Yes, my instrument is 277 years old. Really.) My Freshman year of high school, all orchestral musicians were expected to play in the pit orchestras for our shows. I couldn’t imagine anything worse than playing Fiddler on the Roof for two weeks in a row. And yet—once those two weeks were over I didn’t know what to do with myself. Enter my love affair with theatre. Since Fiddler, over the next 20 years I’ve played in the pit for over 100 different productions, from community theatre to a few nights of the National Tour of Chicago. I’m so blessed to live in a city that has so many opportunities for someone who is most at home playing in a pit orchestra and look forward to the next 100. (I might already be at 108 with 5 more contracted by August! — all my theatre pictures show up on instagram so follow me there, @inthesestones)
And now you know why I always book at least 2 Broadway shows when I’m in NYC. Don’t ask me how many shows I’ve seen across three continents. It’s… a lot.
Moe, thanks for making me feel less conflicted about my coffee consumption. And if it’s any comfort to you, I don’t think anyone knows how to drive anymore (present company. excluded, of course. ) I really loved hearing more about you here. Passion, IMHO, is the key to sanity, and you have it in droves.
Thanks for the glimpse into your everyday. It was a pleasure to get to know you during the recent SCBWI webinar and I look forward to bumping into you again somewhere. BTW have you heard the Across the Stars album: John Williams music by Anna-Sophie Mutter and her Strad? Mmm-hmm.
I love this so much! So many reasons that Moe is awesome!
I’m jealous (in a good way – I’m in awe) of people like you, Moe, who seem to be multi talented. I gave up the clarinet after fourth grade when my sisters made it clear that my practicing was painful to everyone in the household. I’m still plugging away with my writing, however. It’s painful only to me and only occasionally.