Category Archives: Monthly Letter

Dear Friends,

Hooray for Spring! The rebirth from the darkness. The azaleas are in full bloom. Everything is coming back to big, bold, beautiful brightness! I just hope the weather behaves and everyone can enjoy a lovely spring.

I was looking at some of my previous letters. Three years ago we were in the dark ages of COVID. At least that dark cloud is behind us. But it sure would be nice if we had no more surprises.

Most of you know I am a news junkie and the news hasn’t been great. There is turmoil, treachery, and just a whole lot of bad going on. It’s hard not to let it get the best of you. I try to turn it off, but it’s addicting. I had a conversation with a friend the other night who said she was feeling depressed. There was nothing in particular, but she felt weepy. I told her to stop watching the news. Maybe I should take my own advice. Ha. But it’s true, my friends. If the only things we hear about are horrible, then we’re going to feel horrible. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot to feel horrible about, but I’ve said it many times, when you get up each day, think about something that makes you happy. Even if it’s just one thing. And then be thankful for it.

It’s my pet menagerie that keeps me sane. I imagine them having a conversation about what stunts they’re going to pull while I’m asleep. Just like the commercials:

One says, “your turn to unroll the toilet paper.”

“But I did it last month. Let me play with the remote!”, says the other.

All this from the mind of a crazy cat lady.

April is a month of holidays. We have Easter and Passover. I know I mentioned it in the past, but did you know why Easter is different every year? It’s the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the Equinox. So if you want to know when Easter will fall next year, look up the day of the Equinox and the full moon that follows. The Sunday after will be Easter. You can bet your chocolate bunny on it!

On to book news: On The Line is finally available and the reviews have been wonderful! My appreciation to everyone who has taken the time to read it and the time to review it. It means so much to me when I know I did my job. My job to entertain you. To transport you. To give you hope, laughs, and a mystery to solve. Plus, there are some wonderful recipes in it too!

I wish everyone a blessed holiday no matter what you practice as long as you practice kindness in the mix. Be well. Be safe. Be kind. Keep your sense of humor. Keep reading, and cooking!

All the best,
Fern

Hello Friends,

March comes in like a Lion…a very large one. The winter was almost in our rear-view mirror when all of a sudden not one, not two, but three major snowstorms hit the country in less than a week. I hope you’ve been able to weather the weather.

I normally don’t like to talk about my health, but recently I fell twice and it wasn’t pretty. My purpose for telling you this is that one of the reasons is because I wasn’t paying attention; and the other was that I was in too much of a hurry. So please slow down and watch where you are going. Unless you are running from a fire, or trying to save someone, take your time. There will always be another bus, train, flight, movie, concert, whatever. Nothing is worth hurting yourself over. End of speech.

The fur family is doing just fine, and I still haven’t figured out who is unraveling the toilet paper.

People who aren’t pet owners don’t understand how I can find something like that funny. They are missing out on unconditional love and entertainment. Let’s face it, hitting the TV remote in the middle of the night or turning on the faucet isn’t criminal behavior. I’m thrilled I have such ingenious animals. Sometimes I think they are smarter than I am. After all, I do all the work. And I don’t mind one bit.

I also want to remind you about cyber security. There is an enormous amount of scams and spam flooding the internet. If you see “YOU HAVE WON” in the subject line, DO NOT OPEN IT. Unless you get an email from me or Diane, my Social Media Relations go to person, about my contests, I would almost bet those other “winning” emails are a means to hack into your computer or gain sensitive information. There should be an option in your email to “Report Spam.” Please do it.

On to more fun things. I am thrilled to announce Tick Tock made it to # 6 on The New York Times Best Seller List. It blows my mind that we are on book #34 in The Sisterhood and, so far, every one of them has hit the list. So, thank you for your readership, your emails, and your posts.

As I mentioned in the February letter, On The Line will be available March 28th. It begins with a rising star in the culinary industry who begins to have serious and mysterious health issues. We are then taken back to the 1980’s when his family experiences a harrowing escape from the Medellin Cartel. As the story unfolds we learn about his family’s past and a long-held dark secret. It has history, mystery, family loyalty, and a bit of romance. It’s cross-generational with strong male and female characters and I like to think there is something for everyone in this book. That being said, this month’s contest is a signed first edition of On The Line, AND a few of my other favorite books.

All the best,
Fern

Dear Friends,

I hope this finds you and your loved ones safe and well.  Welcome to Feburrraray!  I don’t remember it ever being this cold in South Carolina.  And the Ground Hog?  All he has to do is look at a calendar and see that Spring is 6 weeks away.  He must have a good contract with the Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce.  LOL.

I hope my lesson in internet safety last month was helpful.  Cybercrime is at an all-time high.  A friend of mine had one of her credit cards hijacked and it never left her house.  So, be careful.  If you don’t have an RFID wallet you can get RFID protectors to put in your purse.  They’re the size of a credit card and will keep your information safe from people with scanners.  Yes, people walk around with them in stores.  They look like cell phones.  Not to make you paranoid, but just keep your eyes open.  It’s easy to get distracted when you’re shopping, especially if you have kids.

My personal animal farm is doing well.  They keep me amused.  I’m not sure who is doing this, but several mornings I woke up to a pile of toilet paper on the floor.  One of those rascals unraveled the entire roll.  Good thing it isn’t those COVID days when toilet paper was a scarce commodity.

Besides Ground Hog Day we also have Valentine’s Day.  I have mixed feelings.  As a writer of romance novels, I am sometimes ambivalent about it.  I know that sounds contrary, but the reason I write those types of novels is because it’s the kind of romantic experience we wish we can have.  And who says we can’t?  If no one buys you candy this year, buy some for yourself.  Or buy yourself a new purse.  Treat yourself.  We shouldn’t have to wait for other people to do something nice for us or validate us, for that matter.  Whatever you do, remember it’s important.  Someone is counting on you, whether it’s your family, your boss, your customers, or your pets. Remember self-care is not being selfish.  So be kind to yourself.  And others, of course.  When you feel uplifted, it’s easy to pass along the good vibes.

Book news:  This month’s contest is a signed edition of my next hardcover On The Line coming March 28th.   It centers around an up-and-coming chef, who begins to have serious and mysterious health issues as we learn about his family’s past and their treacherous escape from one of the biggest drug cartels in the world.  It has history, mystery, family loyalty, and a bit of romance.  That’s all I am going to say about it, and I hope you will enjoy reading it.

Take care.  Be safe.  Be Well.  Be Happy.

All the best,
Fern

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year!  I hope 2023 will bring you good health, happiness, and blessings.  Don’t forget to count them too.  😊

I want to start by saying thank you for your support, and all of your kind words.  It means the world to me to know I touched your lives in some way.  I read every comment and I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to correspond.

As you are aware, scams are in no short supply, and every single one of us is going to be a target.  You can’t escape the attempts, but you can try to arm yourself the best way you can.  I am telling you this because recently someone was asked to pay an entry fee for one of my contests.  I will say this right now, NO WAY.  NO HOW.  I will never ask you for money.

I know very little about cyber security (don’t tell Myra or Charles), but a cyber security specialist gave me this advice about passwords—don’t moan, this is very easy and the scammer hasn’t been able to run code that includes a lot of letters and numbers.  That’s why you’ll see those funny password suggestions.  Here is what is recommended:

Substitute numbers for letters.  For example:

Mister Pickles  would become M1$t3r P1ckl3$

I = 1
O = 0 (zero)
E = 3
S = $

See how easy that was?  And it’s easy for you to remember because you probably use the same password for everything.  Right?   That too is a no-no.   If you can, spend a little time reviewing your “on-line presence.”  Take a few minutes each day to change your passwords.  You don’t have to do it all at once.

Which brings me on to the next subject.  Not everything has to be done in one day, or all at once.  Take clearing out closets, for example.  You don’t have to do all of them at the same time.  Pick one.  I promise you will feel like you accomplished something.  You will feel so good you’ll be motivated to do it again.  With this crazy world, that is probably the one thing we can control.  Our closets.  LOL.

Book news:  Tick Tock (Sisterhood 34) has just hit the shelves.  Spoiler alert:  It has nothing to do with TIK TOK.  It’s tick-tock, as in a bomb.  And that’s all I am going to tell you about it.

Be well, be safe, be kind.
Fern

This months’ contest is:
A bundle of Sisterhood books that includes the first one (Weekend Warriors) and four recent ones including Tick Tock.

Dear Reader,

Hello again.  Time is moving faster than Santa’s reindeer going downhill on a ski slope!  Actually I have no idea how fast that is because I have never been on skis.  Nope.  Too fast, too cold.  My kids love it, but I’ll stick to a comfortable chair, sitting by the fireplace drinking some mulled cider.

Tis the season for shopping, planning, and panic attacks.  I was in a store the other day and a woman in line started breathing heavily and started to sweat.  She turned to me and said, “I think I’m having a heart attack!”  Naturally everyone gasped, but before someone dialed for an ambulance, I put my hand on her shoulder and said, “It’s ok.  You’re going to be ok.  In fact, I’ll let you get in line ahead of me.”  The woman clutched her chest, looked at me and said, “Really?”  I handed her a cookie I pulled from a bag I was about to pay for.  Like magic, she snapped out of it and pushed her cart in front of mine.  The cashier was so grateful the incident didn’t escalate, she gave me the cookies for free!  One good turn deserves a bag of chips!  Chocolate chips!

I know I told you that we have to have our Christmas decorations up right after Halloween or the Ornament Police will issue a summons and drop a chunk of black coal on your doorstep.  I’m only half kidding.  My kids arranged to decorate my house this year.  I usually go all out turning my modest home into a magical holiday scene, and this year was no different.  I must have thousands of lights in all colors; some are blinking, others are twinkling.  I even have one of those flood lights that shines an outline of Santa in the tree.  If it weren’t for the palm trees and lack of snow, you would think you were at Santa’s workshop!  It gives me such joy to see and know that a passersby can enjoy the magic of Christmas even for a moment.  Please remember to stop for a moment, too.  It’s good for the soul.

Lots of book news to share.  Santa Cruise has hit the shelves, along with Falling Stars.  At the end of December the mass market edition of Tick Tock will be available.  It’s book 34 in The Sisterhood.  The longevity of this series is astonishing.  Goes to show you women like the satisfaction of seeing justice done.

Because it is Christmas, this month’s contest will be a satchel of Christmas books. Be sure to enter.

I am including a lot of recipes this month because holidays are a wonderful reason to share a meal.

Be well.  Be Safe.  Take care of yourself and have a peaceful, wonderful, magical holiday.

And a sane, happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

Warmest wishes,
Fern

P.S. Now we wait and see how long it will take before my little fur family decides the ornaments are their new toys.

Dear Reader,

Thank you for visiting my website.  It’s mind boggling that we are now in the month of November.  They say our universe is expanding as in THE universe, and galaxies are moving faster.  Well I can’t move any faster even if you lit a fire under me!  Ha.  All jokes aside, time does seem to have accelerated.  Perhaps we will be moving faster into a nicer, kinder, gentler world.  Yeah, I can hope!  And that’s what prayers are for.

Thanksgiving plans also seem to be moving at breakneck speed, and before you know it Christmas will be at our door.  It’s exhausting thinking about it, so I won’t—for now.  Although where I live, if you don’t have your holiday decorations up the day after Halloween, they’ll send the ornament police after you!

Back to Thanksgiving.  It used to be a time when families would gather and show their gratitude for their blessings.  Today it’s football, faces stuck to cell phones, video games, and getting ready for Black Friday.  Again, exhausting.  Let’s not forget the stress of inviting annoying relatives.  The upside of having a big family dinner is that you can avoid the pesky ones.  But if you have a small family and you drink, start early.  If you don’t drink, reconsider your invitation list.  Or, pretend you’re going away for the weekend.  Pull the curtains shut and keep most of the lights off.  Maybe leave a newspaper in front of your door to look authentic.

Now let’s talk about Black Friday.  I understand there are lots of bargains, but it seems as if there are sales every other weekend.  Truth be told, you couldn’t get me near a store even if they were giving away a free giant television.  (I’d send my grandson.  He’s young.  He can manage.)  Seriously, I am really grateful for internet browsing, and of course all the shopping networks.  Click here, click there.  Done.

Looking ahead, my advice is give yourself a break.  Boundaries, my friends.    I’ve adopted a new saying: “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”  There’s already enough stress to go around the world a few times.  You really don’t have to do anything but be kind.  A simple smile at the person working at the cash register can go a long way.  Appreciation for each other can change someone’s day.

On to all things books.  As many of you know Falling Stars is out now in hardcover.  Santa Cruise a fun, holiday story of four friends and their escapades on a singles cruise is now available in paperback.  Secrets, Book Two of the Lost and Found Series is on the New York Times Best-Seller List!  Woo-hoo!  If you haven’t read the first book, Hidden, don’t despair, there’s plenty of back story, although Hidden sets up the series and the quirky, artsy characters.  Tick Tock, Book 34 in The Sisterhood is coming in December.  Those women are still at it, getting justice when the system fails.  I wish they were real.  That’s why I started the series in the first place!

So, following the topic of all things books, this month’s contest will feature a copy of each book that I just mentioned including the soon to be released Tick Tock!

That’s all I have for now.  Remember, be good to each other and good to yourself.

Stay well, stay healthy and stay strong!

All the best,
Fern

Dear Reader,

Thank you for visiting my website.  I want to start by saying my thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of Hurricane Ian.  We got hammered in South Carolina.  I spent 2 hours sitting in the shower due to 80mph sustained winds.  The storms are getting fiercer, and there is nothing we can do about them except be prepared as best we can.  Makes me want to build a bunker, but it would probably get flooded!  I always worry about a power outage because you don’t know how long it will last.  I have a generator,  but that won’t keep the wind from blowing off the roof.  Yep.  Scary stuff.

The kitty squad is up to their usual tricks like turning on the TV in the middle of the night.  I have to remember to hide the remote, except I forget where I put it.  Need to leave a post-it, but I’m sure Mz. Boo will figure out a way to hide that too!   And then there’s her ability to turn on the faucet.  I swear they have a meeting as soon as I go to bed to decide what havoc they’re going to wreak.  But I have to admit they always make me laugh.  I suppose I’m an enabler.

There’s lots of book news to spread holiday cheer:

FALLING STARS – Hardcover On Sale Now

SPIRIT OF THE SEASON – On Sale Now with new packaging

SANTA CRUISE – Paperback on Sale Oct 25.  I must be psychic because I wrote this 2 years ago and there is a new “REAL” LOVE BOAT show airing this month, too!

People are starting their holiday shopping now because stores have too much inventory from the supply chain backlog.  So be careful out there.  The craziness is about to begin!  It seems like we’ve been living in the spin cycle of the washing machine for a couple of years.  Please try to be patient and kind as you traverse the holiday mania.

This month’s contest is a collection of books including FALLING STARS.

Be well, be safe, be kind, and try to have some fun.   Trick or Treat!

All the best, Fern

Dear Reader,

Hello again and thanks for visiting.  Even though it’s early September we still have some hot weather ahead, especially if you’re in the South.  The summer was so hot I didn’t even bother to attempt a vegetable garden.  According to some friends of mine who live in the Garden State of New Jersey, the only thing that made it through the heat was the corn.  Nothing like a good, buttery corn on the cob.  I don’t know about you, but when the temperature is about to burst the thermometer, I don’t feel too much like cooking so I will share some easy recipes besides digging into a carton of ice cream!

Kids are going back to school, and I am sure there are mothers and fathers out there doing cartwheels!  The past two years have been a big challenge for most families, between figuring out how to work from home, and school your kids.  Talk about a juggling act.  Maybe this will be the beginning of things getting back to normal once and for all.

The cats are still running my life and I am very happy about it, and so is Harvey.  He thinks they belong to him.  If you don’t have a pet you don’t know what you’re missing.  I’m serious.  There have been dozens of studies from accredited health organizations stating that interacting with an animal has shown to decrease levels of cortisol, a stress related hormone.  That helps to lower your blood pressure.  They also found animals help lower anxiety levels.  Of course, they provide companionship and help to structure your day.  You ain’t kidding.  My fur family bosses me around all day long.

On to book news.  Secrets, book two in the Lost and Found Series just hit the shelves and is already a USA TODAY Best Seller.  So thank you to all my fans who bought it and read it.  I was very pleased to see how many people are enjoying the escapades of the characters.  The third novel Liar! will be out next year.

This month’s contest is for an assortment of six of some of my favorites including Hidden (book  one in the Lost and Found series), and Secrets.

Stay well, healthy, and strong!

All the best,
Fern Michaels

Dear Reader,

I hope this finds you and your loved ones safe and well. Here we are in the “Dog Days” of summer thinking about pooches panting in the heat and searching for some shade. But the true origin of the term comes from astronomy. If you look closely at the night sky, you may notice one star is brighter than the rest. That’s Sirius, The Dog Star, part of the constellation Canis Major, meaning “Big Dog.” This year it will be visible until August 11^th. You should be able to see it without a telescope but if you have one enjoy the magnificent sparkling display.

Yes, the cats are on a hooligan rampage again. I think they’ve broken everything possible in the house.  I shrug. It’s just stuff. So, here’s a tip: if you ever adopt young cats lock everything up that has any value, although I think Miz Boo can pick locks. I think she’s been watching Tick Tock videos with Tessie. Speaking of Tessie (Miz Boo’s Mommy), she is quite talented. She can turn the TV on, and if it’s a show she likes she’ll leave it, but if not, she’ll turn it off. She still hasn’t mastered changing the channel. Yet. She also knows how to turn on the water but hasn’t been able to figure out how to turn it off. It’s a learning curve. I’ve also discovered her favorite beverage is ginger ale. And she must drink it from a straw. We’re trying to figure out how to do a blind taste-test. I’ll let you know how that turns out.

My pillows are no longer my own. Harvey sleeps on one, and Boo sleeps on the other. She is sweet as honey with 3 legs, a club foot, one orange eye and one yellow eye. She’s quite a site but she’s my little baby. I know I mentioned Winnie has taken residence on the dining room table, and that’s fine with me. It seats 12 so there’s still plenty of room for company. If people don’t want a cat at the table they can go somewhere else to eat. My house. My rules. 😊

August is hot and sticky down here. Every year it gets hotter and stickier. I love to sit on my rocking chairs on my front porch but last month it was impossible. I needed a spatula to get up. After 5 minutes of that I decided to hunker down in the air conditioning and watch my fur-family destroy whatever is in their path. Gotta love ‘em.

Big book news:  No Way Out is on The New York Times Best Seller List; Secrets (Book 2 in the Lost and Found Series starring Luna and Cullen Bodman) will be on sale the end of this month; The Guest List and The Marriage Game are being reissued in August and September with spectacular new covers! I’ll save the fall announcements for next month!

It is hard to imagine school will be starting in some states at the end of this month, so the weekends are precious and there is nothing better than a good family dinner, especially a traditional Southern dinner. I wrote about this last year, but it’s worth repeating. Many people turn up their noses to collard greens—I for one, am one of those people—but this is made with bacon. Everything is better with bacon. (I wonder why no one has invented bacon flavored toothpaste…oh well) As I mentioned before, this recipe comes from Ashley Fenimore, a beautiful young pharmacological oncologist who won the Charleston Magazine contest for side vegetables. Her collard greens was the winning recipe!  Ashley is one of those people who work tirelessly in search of the cure for cancer. After a long week in the lab, she relaxes by cooking with her family. Another friend Carolyn Williams gave us her family recipe for fried chicken. And of course, every Southern meal must have potato salad.

Contest stuff:  Everyone seems to be enjoying the contests for a bundle of my personal favorites so we’re going to do that again!

Enjoy the rest of the summer. Stay cool, stay well, stay safe, and most of all stay sane!

Warm regards,
Fern

Dear Friends,

Oh my goodness it’s July already!   I hope you had an enjoyable holiday weekend.  Personally I spent a lot of it hiding in a large closet with the fur babies.  We had torrential rain, and clouds so black it looked like a tornado was about to hit.  Surely we are not in Kansas anymore.  The weather here in South Carolina has been all but consistent.  The only constant is change.  Kinda like life, I suppose.  But seriously, people may not want to acknowledge climate change, but guess what kids?  Climate changes every single day.  We just happen to be experiencing wide swings of it in a very short time.  Call it whatever you want but even the weather people can’t seem to get a handle on it either.  (I want that job.  Get paid lots of money and you can be wrong every single day.  Not bad.  LOL.)

The world surely seems in need of some kind of realignment.  A re-set button so to speak.  Every day there is more to fret about.  I know I’ve said I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer and I won’t.  I’m simply saying while there is a lot to fret about, we need to be strong.  We need to be Bad-Ass.  One of my favorite expressions is “Just because I can, doesn’t mean I should.”  We have to pick our battles and boy oh boy do we seem to have many.  So pick the ones that mean the most to you.  Narrow it down.  Don’t be overwhelmed by the overshadowing cloud of doom.  Imagine if all of us could take a deep breath at the same time and then blow away all the evil?  Now that is what I call a fantasy.  My point is, try to stay positive.  Try to stay kind even if you want to choke the living heck out of the idiot at the head of the line at the post office who never bought a money order before.  Sorry.  Was that mean?  Thought balloons.  Like in the cartoons.  Sometimes I laugh out loud at what’s going through my head and then everyone around me takes a few steps back.  Gives me a little more elbow room.  Ha! Ha!

I am happy to report the latest paperback release NO WAY OUT is # 9 on the NEW YORK TIMES Best Seller List, and I thank all of you for your support.  I cannot tell you how much it means to me that after all the years I’ve been writing, I can still reach people’s hearts, minds, and souls.  So thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Speaking of paperback releases and being a shameless self-promoter (if you know me personally you know that’s a big fat lie.  I have people pushing me all the time 😊),  the second installment of the Lost and Found series SECRETS, starring Luna Bodman and her brother Cullen will be out in six weeks.  So we are going to make that part of this months’ contest.  A bundle of my favorites including HIDDEN the first book in the series, just in case you haven’t started it yet.  I am truly enjoying writing it.  It’s set in the atmosphere of an art center and the eccentric people who inhabit it.  There’s mystery, romance, friendships, twists, and turns.

For the dog days of August I suggest lots of watermelon, sweet tea, ice cream, hot dogs, and corn on the cob, and not necessarily in that order!  Eat what you want, and when you want!

Sincerely,
Fern