Jean Ferris was an American writer best known for her young adult fiction. Born on January 24, 1939, she lived in San Diego, California, with her husband, a retired lawyer. Jean Ferris was not afraid to tackle difficult subjects such as living with a deaf parent in Of Sound Mind, facing the consequences of a criminal act in Bad, or questioning one's sexuality in Eight Seconds. However, she was also adept at writing comedy, historical fiction, and romance.

Interestingly, she did not publish her first novel until she was in her mid-40s, yet she never forgot the intense feelings and changes of her own teenage years. Critics and teen readers have recognized this in her writing and have honored her novels with numerous awards, from Best Books for Young Adults to various state and National Book Award nominations. Jean Ferris passed away on October 30, 2015.