« Relatable characters | Main | Tuesday's Mail »

Hi- I've followed your strip for years. I'd like to thank you for helping me thru the 1st "pregnancy from hell" (My oldest child is 9 days younger than April.) Also, I'm a cancer nurse and I think your work handles death and illness beautifully. I've saved the strip when Elly's mom died on my "wisdom wall" since it was printed. I'm really enjoying the whole crowd every day. Thanks.

Abbie M, Waterford Works NJ

I relate the most to Elizabeth, and partly to Michael as well.
At 27, I'm quite close in age to Elizabeth. I've grown up alongside her character, experiencing university burnout and broken hearts at the same time.
As a journalist, I relate to Michael's compulsion to write!
Thanks for all the stories Lynn. I enjoyed meeting you at the New Sudbury Shopping Centre a few years ago.

Heidi U, Sudbury ON

I don't envy single women at ALL. Freedom? What freedom? As the wife of someone who is away most of the time working, I find myself often saying "I don't envy single mothers!" One of the things I love the most when he comes home is the break from single parenthood. The ONLY freedom SOME single parents have is if they have shared custody and they have overnights with th other parent. Otherwise twice the work and NO freedom.

Ann, Dubuque IA

I enjoy strips involving Shannon,who has a developmental disability. She is very much like my own daughter, also Shannon, 15, who has autism. For my MA, I am researching the effect on parents of having a differently abled child, and wonder if you plan to introduce Shannon's parents.

I miss Shannon and hope to read about her soon.

Sharon A, Mississauga, Ontario Canada

Hi Sharon - Shannon's mom has made a couple of appearances!

I can not tell you how much I have enjoyed your strip through out the years. I have 2 boys that are alittle older than Mike and Elizabeth. My boys always thought you were looking through our windows when you wrote about the Pattersons. We lost our pet dog of 12 years the same week Farley died. When Elly got pregnant with April...I panicked!!! Thank you for touching our lives in so many wonderfull ways.

Carol N, Orlando FL

Thanks for over 20 years of friendship. I am about Michael's age and we mirrored a lot of our lives. Deana found out she was pregnant with Merrie about 2 months before I found out I was pregnant with our son. So reading the strip gave me a friend going through the same things as me.

My husband laughed at me because we were trying to have our second when Mike and Deana got pregnant with Robin and I cried. Partly with tears of joy for them and partly because they were able to get pregnant and I wasn't (this is where my husband couldn't understand). Lynn, you created friends not just characters. They took on a life of their own as you have mentioned many times before and from the bottom of my heart thank you for not cutting us off cold turkey. I love the way you have done it, it is working, keep it up!

Maura, Crossfield AB

Iris, Iris,Iris....can be Grace, Grace, Grace! I really get a lift from Iris. Being 2nd wife,step-mom to two women who absolutly adore their father, but live 2 hrs away(or 1000 miles) away! Dad's son lives 500 miles away. So, just like Iris, I'm IT! It was so uplifting this week to hear Elly say "I want to take care of you!" Thank you so much all the wonderful family and friends, I call my own. You'll just have to excuse me. Just love your work Lynn. Best wishes and my prayers for you health.

Grace D., Palm Springs CA

I've been meaning to do this for the last 25 years!

My kids are now 29 and 23 years old, with the girl being the older child. Lynn has saved my sanity more times than I can ever count. I was a single mom for all their growing up years, and I don't think I could have survived some of those days without my FBorFW collection. The books reminded me that my kids were normal - they didn't hate me, they were just being kids. My daughter's cat, Georgie, disappeared shortly after Farley died. reading those strips with her were a godsend.

I could go on and on but I won't. I've just purchased Seniors Discount - can't wait to read it. Elly and John's life is in so many ways a reflection of mine, and mine runs about 2 years after theirs. In many ways, Lynn is teaching me as a go as to what I might expect.

My daughter has a son now - he's almost two. Last year for Christmas I wrapped up the entire FBorFW collection and gave it to her. We had a good little cry together - the cycle continues.

Thank you, Lynn, from the woman in me and the mother in me. In a way, you've been my best friend through so many years.

Tina J, Edmonton AB

Hello..

I just wanted to let you know how much FBFW has been a part of my life. My Mother was a huge fan from the early days.. relating to Elly's struggles as I was only a year younger than Michael, and my brother 3 years younger than me. As long as I can remember, we shared laughs over the morning paper.
As the years went on.. my life usually synced up with Michael's, as he got married and kids of his own, so did I. My Mom and I remained fans of the strip and it always gave us something to talk about. Mom even submitted a book idea of her own to Ms. Johnson herself, who responded with a handwritten letter that Mom cherished.

On Sept 20, 2007 my Mom passed away from heart failure.. I had been a bit out of touch with the strip the few weeks before, so when I sat down to read my FBFW.. without my Mom for the first time, it seemed so fitting that the strip had changed. The characters will not age and the return of early strips mimicked the memories of my childhood that had flooded my thoughts.

Thank you for 28 years of happiness, laughter and life.

Laurie H, Morrison IL

I really love your strips. I love April especially but the other characters all come in and make everything fun and so real. I was sad when they stopped showing your animated series on T.V over here. Most of your characters inspire me. I just want to read your strips every time so i just go a week without reading them then they get nice and long for me to just curl up in my chair and see what I've been missing.
I cant get any of your published works in my country though. But all the same I love 'em!!!

Sandra S, Ghana Africa