Fern was born Mary Ruth Kovak in Hastings, Pennsylvania on April 3, 1933 to Albert and Lucy Kovak. She says that she was an avid reader at a young age. She especially liked mysteries and adventure stories.
Fern Michaels is the pen name of Mary Ruth Kuczkir. She says that even though Fern Michaels is not who she is but what she makes of her, she doesn’t mind people calling her Fern. So, for simplicity, we’ll call her Fern.
Fern and her husband, Michael, were married in 1952 and had five children. After moving to New Jersey, she decided with her friend Roberta Anderson to try writing. It was then that they adopted and wrote under the pseudonym Fern Michaels.
Fern Michaels and Roberta Anderson wrote 26 novels together. Fern divorced her husband, separated from Roberta, and gained 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 that she has never had writer’s block. Most of her novels have made it to 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 aspiring writers: “Sit down and DO IT. Listen to no one but yourself. Believe in yourself and don’t give up. If you persevere, you will prevail. I am living proof.”
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 also helped open affordable child care centers for single mothers in need.
Bibliography:
Series:
captives
Captive Passions (1977)
Captive Hugs (1979)
Captive Splendors (1980)
Captive Secrets (1981)
Texas
Rich Texas (1985)
Texas Heat (1986)
Texan Fury (1989)
Texas Sunrise (1993)
Texas Trilogy (omnibus) (1991)
sins
Sins of Omission (1989)
Sins of the Flesh (1990)
Las Vegas
Rich Vegas (1996)
Vegas Heat (1997)
Sunrise in Las Vegas (1995)
Las Vegas Trilogy (omnibus) (2001)
Kentucky
Rich in Kentucky (2001)
Kentucky Heat (2002)
Sunrise in Kentucky (2002)
Brotherhood
Weekend Warriors (2001)
Revenge (2004)
Vendetta (2004)
The Jury (2005)
Sweet Revenge (2006)
Lethal Justice (2006)
Free Fall (2006)
Hide and Seek (2007)
Hokus Pokus (2007)
Fast Track (2008)
Collateral Damage (2008)
Final Justice (2008)
Under the Radar (2009)
Razor Sharp (2009)
Disappearance Law (2009)
Deadly Deals (2009)
cisco
MP Place Like Home (2002)
Family Blessings (2004)
godmothers
The Scoop (2009)
standalone novels
Pride and Passion (1975)
Vixen in Velvet (1976)
Valentine (1978)
The Delta Ladies (1980)
Golden Lasso (1980)
Sea Gypsy (1980)
Captive Gypsy (1980)
Whisper My Name (1981)
Beyond Tomorrow (1981)
Paint Me Rainbow (1981)
Panda Bear Is Critical (1982)
Night Star (1982)
Wild Honey (1982)
Tender Warrior (1982)
All She Can Be (1983)
Free Spirit (1983)
Ashes to Ashes (1984)
To taste the wine (1987)
For All Their Lives (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)
The Seekers Stay (1998)
Celebration (1999)
Annie’s Rainbow (1999)
Split Second (1999)
The Guest List (2000)
Picture Perfect (2000)
What You Desire (2000)
Listen to your heart (2000)
Charming Lily (2001)
Regular Jane (2001)
The Scrolls of the Future (2001)
Late Bloom (2002)
About 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 Marriage Game (2007)
Up Close and Personal (12007)
Mr. and Mrs. Anonymous (2009)
Betrayal (2009)
Return to Sender (2010)
Game Over (2010)
