Romance Turned Thriller Author Fern Michaels, Author Biographies

Fern was born Mary Ruth Kovak in Hastings, Pennsylvania on April 3, 1933, the daughter of Albert and Lucy Kovak. She says she was an avid reader at a young age. She particularly liked mysteries and adventure stories.

Fern Michaels is the pseudonym of Mary Ruth Kuczkir. She says that even though Fern Michaels is not who she is but what she does, she doesn’t mind people calling her Fern. So to simplify, we’ll call it Fern.

Fern and her husband Michael married in 1952 and had five children. After moving to New Jersey, she decides with her friend Roberta Anderson to try writing. It was then that they adopted and wrote under the pseudonym of Fern Michaels.

Fern Michaels and Roberta Anderson wrote 26 novels together. Fern divorced her husband, separated from Roberta, and obtained the legal rights to the name Fern Michaels in 1989.

Fern then started writing on her own and what a prolific writer she has been. She says she never had writer’s block. Most of his novels are on the New York bestseller list. She was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame in 1995.

Fern moved to South Carolina in 1997. She has several dogs and lives in a renovated 300-year-old haunted plantation house outside of Charleston.

Fern’s advice to budding writers: “Sit down and DO IT. Don’t listen to anyone but yourself. Believe in yourself and don’t give up. If you persevere, you will prevail. I I’m living proof of that.”

Fern founded the Fern Michaels Foundation in 1990. This tax-exempt charitable corporation awards two- to four-year scholarships each year to qualified students. Because she understands the plight of single mothers, she has also helped open affordable child care centers for single mothers in need.

Bibliography:

Series:

Prisoners
Captive Passions (1977)
Captive Embraces (1979)
Captive Splendors (1980)
Captive Secrets (1981)

Texas
Rich Texas (1985)
Texas Heat (1986)
Texas Fury (1989)
Texas Sunrise (1993)
Texas Trilogy (omnibus) (1991)

sins
Sins of Omission (1989)
Sins of the Flesh (1990)

Vegas
Rich Vegas (1996)
Vegas Heat (1997)
Vegas Sunrise (1995)
Vegas Trilogy (omnibus) (2001)

Kentucky
Rich Kentucky (2001)
Kentucky Heat (2002)
Kentucky Sunrise (2002)

Fraternity
Weekend Warriors (2001)
Payback (2004)
Sellette (2004)
The Jury (2005)
Sweet Revenge (2006)
Deadly Justice (2006)
Free Fall (2006)
Hide and Seek (2007)
Hocus Pocus (2007)
Fast Lane (2008)
Collateral Damage (2008)
Final Justice (2008)
Under the Radar (2009)
Sharp Razor (2009)
Disappearing Act (2009)
Deadly Deals (2009)

Cisco
MP Place Like Home (2002)
Family Blessings (2004)

Godmothers
The Scoop (2009)

Stand-alone novels
Pride and Passion (1975)
Vixen in Velvet (1976)
Valentina (1978)
The Ladies of the Delta (1980)
Golden Lasso (1980)
Sea Gypsy (1980)
Captive Gypsy (1980)
Whisper My Name (1981)
Beyond Tomorrow (1981)
Paint Me Rainbows (1981)
Panda Bear is Critical (1982)
Star of the Night (1982)
Wild Honey (1982)
Tender Warrior (1982)
All She Can Be (1983)
Free Spirit (1983)
Cinders to Ashes (1984)
Taste the Wine (1987)
For All Their Life (1991)
Seasons of His Life (1994)
Have and Hold (1994)
Desperate Measures (1994)
Serendipity (1994)
Dear Emily (1995)
Wish List (1995)
Yesterday (1995)
White Fire (1997)
Sara’s Song (1998)
Guardians of the Finders (1998)
Celebration (1999)
Annie’s Rainbow (1999)
Split Second (1999)
The Guest List (2000)
Picture Perfect (2000)
What You Wish For (2000)
Listen to Your Heart (2000)
Charming Lily (2001)
Plain Jane (2001)
Future Scrolls (2001)
Late Bloom (2002)
About the Face (2003)
Commercial Places (2003)
Crown Jewel (2003)
The Real Deal (2004)
The Nosy Neighbor (2005)
Pretty Woman (2005)
Fool Me Once (2006)
Hey, Handsome (2006)
The Wedding Game (2007)
Up close and personal (12007)
Mr. and Mrs. Anonymous (2009)
Betrayal (2009)
Return to Sender (2010)
Game Over (2010)