Novelist Ferber (4)
I believe the answer is:
edna
'novelist ferber' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for edna that I've seen before include "- O'Brien, Irish writer" , "Girl's name; Dane (anag.)" , "Prolific Irish woman novelist . . . . O'Brien" , ". . . . O'Brien, ... Saint Vincent Millay" , "Barry Humphries' Dame" .)