Fern Michaels (born Mary Ruth Kuczkir; April 9, 1933) is an American
author
An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states:
"''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...
of
romance
Romance (from Vulgar Latin , "in the Roman language", i.e., "Latin") may refer to:
Common meanings
* Romance (love), emotional attraction towards another person and the courtship behaviors undertaken to express the feelings
* Romance languages, ...
and
thriller
Thriller may refer to:
* Thriller (genre), a broad genre of literature, film and television
** Thriller film, a film genre under the general thriller genre
Comics
* ''Thriller'' (DC Comics), a comic book series published 1983–84 by DC Comics i ...
novels, including nearly 150 best selling books with nearly 200 million copies in print. Her ''USA Today'' and ''New York Times'' best selling books include ''Family Blessings'', ''Pretty Woman'', and ''Crown Jewel'', as well as the Texas quartet and the Captive series.
Biography
Fern Michaels is the pen name of Mary Ruth Kuczkir, who was born in Hastings, Pennsylvania on April 9, 1933, weighing only four and one-half pounds.
[Fern Michaels Biography. http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography.html ] Because of her small birth weight, Michaels' father nicknamed her "Dink," for "dinky little thing. Her family and friends still use the nickname. As a child, though, others referred to her as Ruth. Once she entered the business world, she became "Mary."
Michaels married, moved to
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York (state), New York; on the ea ...
, and had five children. When the youngest entered school in 1973, her husband told her to get a job. Because she had no idea how to get a job, Michaels decided to try to write a book. Her husband was not very supportive of her efforts, and consequently they separated.
Although her first manuscript did not sell, the second did. Since then, Michaels has sold over sixty books, many of them ''New York Times'' bestsellers. She has been quoted as saying that she loves breathing life into her characters. She also loves writing books about women who prevail under difficult circumstances, which she feels reflect her struggle for success early in her career.
For her efforts, she has been inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame.
When she was a girl, Michaels' grandmother told her "when God is good to you, you have to give back". With this in mind, she founded the Fern Michaels Foundation, which grants four year scholarships for deserving students. In addition to that, she has also helped establish pre-school and day care programs with affordable rates for single mothers.
Michaels currently lives in
Summerville, South Carolina
Summerville is a town in the U.S. state of South Carolina situated mostly in Dorchester County, with small portions in Berkeley and Charleston counties. It is part of the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville Metropolitan Statistical Area. ...
, in a 300-year-old plantation house listed in the Historic Registry. She claims to share the house with a ghost named Mary Margaret (which had also been documented by the previous owners). Mary Margaret is said to leave messages on her computer.
Bibliography
Captives
*''Captive Passions'' (1977)
*''Captive Embraces'' (1979)
*''Captive Splendors'' (1980)
*''Captive Secrets'' (1991)
Note: ''Captive Innocence'' (1981) is ''not'' part of this series. It is a separate novel.
Texas
*''Texas Rich'' (1985)
*''Texas Heat'' (1986)
*''Texas Fury'' (1989)
*''Texas Trilogy'' (omnibus) (1991)
*''Texas Sunrise'' (1993)
Sins
*''Sins of Omission'' (1989)
*''Sins of the Flesh'' (1990)
Vegas
*''Vegas Rich'' (1996)
*''Vegas Heat'' (1997)
*''Vegas Sunrise'' (1998)
*''Vegas Trilogy'' (omnibus) (2001)
Kentucky
*''Kentucky Rich'' (2001)
*''Kentucky Heat'' (2002)
*''Kentucky Sunrise'' (2002)
Sisterhood
*1. ''Weekend Warriors'' (2003)
*2. ''Payback'' (2004)
*3. ''Vendetta'' (2005)
*4. ''The Jury'' (2005)
*5. ''Sweet Revenge'' (2006)
*6. ''Lethal Justice'' (2006)
*7. ''Free Fall'' (2007)
*8. ''Hide and Seek'' (2007)
*9. ''Hokus Pokus'' (2007)
*10. ''Fast Track'' (2008)
*11. ''Collateral Damage'' (2008)
*12. ''Final Justice'' (2008)
*13. ''Under the Radar'' (2009)
*14. ''Razor Sharp'' (2009)
*15. ''Vanishing Act'' (2009)
*16. ''Deadly Deals'' (2009)
*17. ''Game Over'' (2010)
*18. ''Cross Roads'' (2010)
*19. ''Déjà Vu'' (2010)
*20. ''Home Free'' (2011)
*21. ''Gotcha'' (2013)
*22. ''Blindsided'' (2013)
*23. ''Kiss and Tell'' (2014)
*24. ''Eyes Only'' (2014)
*25. ''In Plain Sight'' (2015)
*26. ''Point Blank'' (2015)
*27. ''Crash and Burn'' (2016)
*28. ''Need to Know'' (2017)
*29. ''Safe and Sound'' (2018)
*30. ''Cut and Run'' (August 27, 2019)
*31. ''Truth and Justice'' (2020)
*32. ''Bitter Pill'' (2020)
*33. ''Yellow Moon Road'' (2021)
Cisco
*''No Place Like Home'' (2002)
*''Family Blessings'' (2004)
The Godmothers
*''The Scoop'' (2009)
*''Exclusive'' (2010)
*''Late Edition'' (2011)
*''Deadline'' (2012)
*''Breaking News'' (2012)
*''Classified'' (2013)
*''Hideaway'' (2017) e-novella
*''Getaway'' (2017) e-novella
*''Spirited Away'' (2017) e-novella
*''Far and Away'' (omnibus: contains-''Hideaway'', ''Getaway'', and ''Spirited Away'') (2019)
Men of the Sisterhood
*''Double Down'' (2015) (also published as ''Upside Down'' + ''Countdown + Take Down'')
*''Fast and Loose'' (2016)
*''High Stakes'' (2017)
*''Truth or Dare'' (2018)
*''Hot Shot'' (August 27, 2019)
Stand Alone Novels
*''Pride and Passion'' (1975)
*''Vixen in Velvet'' (1976)
*''Valentina'' (1978)
*''Whitefire'' (1978) (written as Iris Summers)
*''Sea Gypsy'' (1980)
*''The Delta Ladies'' (1980)
*''Whisper My Name'' (1981)
*''Golden Lasso'' (1981)
*''Beyond Tomorrow'' (1981)
*''Paint Me Rainbows'' (1981)
*''Captive Innocence'' (1981)
*''Night Star'' (1982)
*''Tender Warrior'' (1982)
*''Wild Honey'' (1982)
*''Picture Perfect'' (1982)
*''All She Can be'' (1983)
*''Free Spirit'' (1983)
*''Cinders to Satin'' (1984)
*''To Taste the Wine'' (1987)
*''For All Their Lives'' (1991)
*''Seasons of Her Life'' (1994)
*''To Have and to Hold'' (1994)
*''Desperate Measures'' (1994)
*''Serendipity'' (1994)
*''Yesterday'' (1995)
*''Wish List'' (1995)
*''Dear Emily'' (1995)
*''Whitefire'' (1997)
*''Finders Keepers'' (1998)
*''Sara's Song'' (1998)
*''Annie's Rainbow'' (1999)
*''Celebration'' (1999)
*''Split Second'' (1999)
*''The Guest List'' (2000)
*''Picture Perfect'' (2000)
*''Listen to Your Heart'' (2000)
*''What You Wish for'' (2000)
*''Charming Lily'' (2001)
*''Plain Jane'' (2001)
*''The Future Scrolls'' (2001)
*''Late Bloomer'' (2002)
*''About Face'' (2003)
*''Trading Places'' (2003)
*''Crown Jewel'' (2003)
*''The Real Deal'' (2004)
*''The Nosy Neighbor'' (2005)
*''Pretty Woman'' (2005)
*''Fool Me Once'' (2006)
*''Hey, Good Looking'' (2006)
*''The Marriage Game'' (2007)
*''Up Close and Personal'' (2007)
*''Mr. and Mrs. Anonymous'' (2009)
*''I'll Be Home for Christmas'' (2010)
*''Return To Sender'' (2010)
*''Christmas at Timberwoods'' (2011) (reissue of ''Split Second''.)
*''Betrayal'' (2011)
*''Southern Comfort'' (2011)
*''Tuesday's Child'' (2012)
*''Fancy Dancer'' (2012)
*''Forget Me Not'' (2013)
*''The Blossom Sisters'' (2013)
*''A Family Affair'' (2014)
*''Wishes for Christmas'' (2015)
*''Perfect Match'' (2015)
*''No Safe Secret'' (2016)
*''Holly and Ivy'' (2017)
*''Sweet Vengeance'' (2018)
*''Deep Harbor'' (2019)
*''Spirit of the Season'' (September 24, 2019)
Omnibuses/Collections
*''Desperate Needs'' (1995) (with
Emilie Richards
Emilie Richards is an American author of over 50 contemporary romance and mystery novels.
Early years
Emilie Richards was born in Bethesda, Maryland and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida. After receiving an undergraduate degree in American st ...
and
Sherryl Woods)
*''A Joyous Season'' (1996) (with
Olga Bicos,
Jennifer Blake, and
Hannah Howell
Hannah Dustin Howell (born 1950 in Massachusetts) is a best-selling American author of over 40 historical romance novels. Many of her novels are set in medieval Scotland. She also writes under the names Sarah Dustin, Sandra Dustin, and Ann ...
)
*''Heartbreak Ranch'' (1997) (with
Dorsey Kelley,
Chelley Kitzmiller,
Jill Marie Landis)
*''Homecoming'' (1997) (with
Deborah Bedford
According to the Book of Judges, Deborah ( he, דְּבוֹרָה, ''Dəḇōrā'', "bee") was a prophetess of the God of the Israelites, the fourth Judge of pre-monarchic Israel and the only female judge mentioned in the Bible. Many schola ...
,
Janet Dailey
Janet Anne Haradon Dailey (May 21, 1944 – December 14, 2013) was an American author of numerous romance novels as Janet Dailey (her married name). Her novels have been translated into nineteen languages and have sold more than 300 million ...
,
Dinah McCall)
*''Heart of the Home'' (1997) (with
Denise Domning,
Brenda Joyce and
Bronwyn Williams Bronwyn is a Welsh feminine given name, a variant of the mostly feminine version Bronwen/ Branwen, literally meaning "White Raven (or Crow)" or, abstractly, "White Breast" (from ''bran'', raven, and ''bron'' (" breast") and 'gwen'' ("white, fair ...
)
*''Through the Years'' (1999) (with
Linda Howard,
Debbie Macomber
Debbie Macomber (born October 22, 1948) is an American author of romance novels and contemporary women's fiction. Six of her novels have become made-for-TV movies and her ''Cedar Cove'' series of novels was adapted into a television series of th ...
)
*''Five Golden Rings'' (2000) (with
Jo Beverley
Mary Josephine Beverley (née Dunn; 22 September 1947 – 23 May 2016) was a prolific English-Canadian writer of historical and contemporary romance novels from 1988 to 2016.
Her works are regarded as well researched, filled with historical d ...
, Brenda Joyce and
Katherine Sutcliffe)
*''Shattered Night: Split Second and Picture Perfect'' (2001)
*''The Delta Ladies / Wild Honey'' (2002)
*''Maybe This Time'' (2003) (with Emilie Richards and Sherryl Woods)
*''Let It Snow'' (2003) (with
Holly Chamberlin,
Marcia Evanick
Marcia may refer to:
People
* Marcia (given name)
* James Marcia, Canadian psychologist
* Stefano Marcia (born 1993), South African Olympic sailor
Other uses
* ''Marcia'' (Beccafumi), a c. 1519 painting by Domenico Beccafumi
* ''Marcia'' (biva ...
,
Virginia Henley
Virginia Henley (née Virginia Syddall; born 5 December 1935 in Bolton, England), is a British writer of historical-romance novels. She is well known for her Medieval, Renaissance and other period piece romance novels.
Biography
Virginia Sy ...
)
*''Jingle All the Way'' (2004) (with
Theresa Alan,
Jane Blackwood and
Linda Lael Miller
Linda Lael Miller (born 1949 as Linda Lael), is a best-selling American author of more than 100 contemporary and historical romance novels. She has also written under the pen name Lael St. James.
Personal life
Linda Lael was born in 1949 in Was ...
)
*''Deck the Halls'' (2004) (with
Marcia Evanick
Marcia may refer to:
People
* Marcia (given name)
* James Marcia, Canadian psychologist
* Stefano Marcia (born 1993), South African Olympic sailor
Other uses
* ''Marcia'' (Beccafumi), a c. 1519 painting by Domenico Beccafumi
* ''Marcia'' (biva ...
,
Virginia Henley
Virginia Henley (née Virginia Syddall; born 5 December 1935 in Bolton, England), is a British writer of historical-romance novels. She is well known for her Medieval, Renaissance and other period piece romance novels.
Biography
Virginia Sy ...
,
Lisa Jackson, and Linda Lael Miller)
*''Dream of Me: Whisper My Name / Paint Me Rainbows'' (2004)
*''Weekend Warriors / Payback'' (2005)
*''Sugar and Spice'' (2006) (with
Beverly Barton
Beverly Marie Beaver (née Inman; December 23, 1946 – April 21, 2011), better known as Beverly Barton, was an American author, known for her romantic suspense novels. She has written over thirty contemporary romance novels and created the p ...
,
Joanne Fluke
Joanne Fischmann (''née'' Gibson, born in Swanville, Minnesota) is an American writer, using the pen name Joanne Fluke. She is best known for her cozy mystery series surrounding a small-town baker, Hannah Swensen. Six movies for the Hallmark ...
,
Shirley Jump
Shirley may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Shirley'' (novel), an 1849 novel by Charlotte Brontë
* ''Shirley'' (1922 film), a British silent film
* ''Shirley'' (2020 film), an American film
* ''Shirley'' (album), a 1961 album by Shirley Bas ...
)
*''Captive Passions / Captive Embraces'' (2006)
*''Captive Splendors / Captive Secrets'' (2006)
*''Texas Fury / Texas Sunrise'' (2006)
*''Texas Rich / Texas Heat'' (2006)
*''Comfort and Joy'' (2007) (with Marie Bostwick, Cathy Lamb, and Deborah J. Wolf)
*''Promises: Nightstar/Beyond Tomorrow'' (2008)
*''Silver Bells'' (2008) (with Mary Burton, Judy Duarte, and
JoAnn Ross
JoAnn Ross (born July 25 in United States) is an American writer of over 100 romance, romantic suspense, and women’s fiction novels since 1983. She has also written novels as JoAnn Robbins and JoAnn Robb.
She is a member of the Romance Wri ...
*''Snow Angels'' (2009) (with Marie Bostwick,
Janna McMahan
Janna McMahan is an American author who wrote her first novel when she was in her early thirties. She has published four novels, a novella, and several short stories.
Awards and recognition
In 1998, McMahan won the South Carolina Fiction Project ...
, and Rosalind Noonan)
*''Wildflowers: Sea Gypsy/Golden Lasso'' (2010)
*''Holiday Magic'' (2010) (with Mary Carter, Terri Dulong, and Cathy Lamb)
*''Making Spirits Bright'' (2011) (with Elizabeth Bass, Rosalind Noonan, Nan Rossiter)
*''Coming Home for Christmas: Silver Bells/Snow Angels/Holiday Magic'' (2012)
*''A Winter Wonderland'' (2012) (with Holly Chamberlin,
Kristina McMorris
Kristina McMorris is an American author of five novels and two novellas.
McMorris's debut novel, ''Letters from Home,'' was originally inspired by her grandparents' WWII courtship letters. The book was a 2013 nominee for the RITA Award.
Kristi ...
, and Leslie Meier)
*''Balancing Act: All She Can Be/Free Spirit'' (2013)
*''Secret Santa'' (2013) (with Marie Bostwick, Laura Levine, and Cindy Myers)
*''When the Snow Falls'' (2014) (with Nancy Bush, Rosanna Chiofalo, and Lin Stepp)
*''The Most Wonderful Time'