Timothy Michael Federle[1] (born March 24, 1980) is an American author,[2] theater librettist, director and screenwriter[3] whose best-known works include the novel Better Nate Than Ever,[4] the cocktail recipe book Tequila Mockingbird,[5] the Golden Globe Award and Academy Awards nominee (for Best Animated Feature) Ferdinand,[6][7] and Disney's High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.

[11] Federle was born in Foster City, California, on March 24, 1980,[12] and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,[13] the setting for much of his fiction.

[14] Prior to his writing career, Federle appeared in the original casts of The Little Mermaid and Gypsy (2003 Bernadette Peters revival), as an actor, dancer and singer.

[17][18] In a CNN article about the book, Federle said: "I think so often when you're a kid, we mellow out those more interesting edges in order to coast through middle school quietly.

[32] The sequel charts Nate's continued adventures in New York City as he navigates his role in the creation of a major Broadway musical.

[40] Federle's first title for young adults is about Quinn Roberts, "a sixteen-year-old smart aleck",[41] who dreams of Hollywood and becoming a professional screenwriter.

The novel is receiving advance praise from authors and critics alike, with Veronica Mars' Rob Thomas calling it "original, authentic, engaging".

[52] In an April 2014 interview with School Library Journal, Federle was quoted as saying, "Tequila Mockingbird came out of a silly one line email to my agent, Brenda Bowen—'Hey, do you think the Urban Outfitters crowd would go for a literary cocktail guide?'

[21] Hickory Daiquiri Dock: Cocktails with a Nursery Rhyme Twist (2014, Perseus Books): The second installment in Federle's cocktail book series, Hickory Daiquiri Dock features twists on popular nursery rhymes, such as "Jack and Coke (and Jill)," "Baa, Baa, Black Russian," and "Old MacDonald Had a Flask."

[60] Due in October 2017, Federle confirmed the book via his Twitter, describing it as "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff with jazz hands.

[62][63] The book and the musical version tell the story of Winnie Foster, an 11-year old who stumbles upon a family that has discovered the secret to immortality.

The artistic team is led by director-choreographer Casey Nicholaw, with music and lyrics by Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen.

Ferdinand stars John Cena in the titular role, along with Kate McKinnon, Bobby Cannavale, David Tennant, Gina Rodriguez, and Daveed Diggs.