Judith McNaught was born on May 10, 1944. She is a well-known author who has written more than 12 historical and contemporary romance stories. Over 30 million copies of her books are still available to buy. She also held the position of the first woman to serve as an executive producer at a CBS radio station.

Early career

She was born on May 10, 1944, in San Luis Obispo, California. She studied Business at Northwestern University. She married a dentist from St. Louis and had two children, a daughter named Whitney and a son named Clayton, before her divorce.

Before becoming a successful writer, she worked in several roles. She was an assistant director for a film crew, an assistant controller for a large trucking company, president of a temporary job agency, and president of an executive search firm. She also became the first woman to hold the position of executive producer at a CBS radio station.

She met her second husband, Michael "Mike" McNaught, while working as an assistant director on a movie for a General Motors division. At the time, McNaught was the director of public relations for the company. Together, they had seven children: her two children and his five children from a previous marriage. Her husband supported her writing career by buying her a typewriter and encouraging her during years when publishers rejected her novels.

McNaught's first book manuscript, Whitney, My Love, was written between 1978 and 1982. After struggling to sell that novel, she wrote and sold Tender Triumph in early 1982. She received the book cover for Tender Triumph on June 20, 1983—the day after her husband died in an accident.

Success

"Whitney, My Love," the first manuscript, was published in 1985 after McNaught had written two successful novels. At first, McNaught did not know the rules that most Regency romance books followed. Her early books were different from others because they introduced the hero before the heroine. Unlike typical Regency romances, which were usually light and not romantic, McNaught’s books were more sensual and witty. The book is now known for creating the Regency Historical genre. "Whitney, My Love" included elements of traditional Regency romances, but its long length, romantic details, and emotional depth were more like traditional historical romances, which were rarely set during the Regency period. Although it took many years to sell the story, the book was very successful and inspired other editors to seek similar stories.

At the start of her writing career, McNaught was one of the few authors writing historical romance books. By 1985, the genre had grown rapidly, and over 50 new historical romances were published each month, many set in the Regency period like McNaught’s. Despite her success in historical romance, in 1990 McNaught changed genres to write contemporary romances, hoping to stand out in a less crowded market. As her career grew, she added suspense elements to her stories. No matter the genre, her books usually had fast pacing and strong, loyal, compassionate, and intelligent female characters.

McNaught was one of the first romance authors to sign a multimillion-dollar contract and have her books published in hardcover, which helped them be reviewed by major publications. She first appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List in 1988, and all her later books also reached the list. After one of her books became a bestseller, McNaught asked her publisher to change the covers of future books. Instead of the usual covers that focused on romantic scenes, she wanted "classy" designs.

In the early 1990s, Coors Brewing asked her to write a book that would appeal to women and support the company’s women’s literacy program. McNaught learned that one in five women was functionally illiterate and decided to rewrite her nearly finished book, Perfect, to include a literacy theme. This change took six more weeks to complete. She donated part of her earnings from the book to literacy programs and included a card in each copy with information about donating to literacy programs or becoming a tutor.

In 1996, McNaught was the keynote speaker at the Romance Writers of America Conference. In 1997, Texas Women’s Monthly named her one of their four favorite authors, along with John Grisham, Patricia Cornwell, and Dean Koontz. She has also received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award and wrote a romantic suspense novel, Night Whispers, which reached number one on the New York Times Bestseller List.

Personal life

McNaught once lived in Saint Louis, Missouri, but she moved to Texas after she fell in love with Dallas during a book tour. Her third marriage was to Don Smith, who was a professional golfer and engineer. This marriage ended in May 1993. McNaught described the breakup as peaceful and friendly. She held a party for 160 friends to celebrate starting a new chapter in her life. As of 2007, she lives in Frisco, Texas. McNaught works with children's charities and breast cancer causes. She has recently started promoting literacy issues. In her novel Perfect, she included a subplot about literacy. She asked her publishers to include a response card with the book. Because of this, thousands of women who read the book volunteered to become tutors and help others learn to read.

Selected awards

• In 1985, the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Best New Historical Romance, Whitney, My Love, was received.
• In 1986, the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Harlequin Superromance, Tender Triumph, was received.
• In 1987, the Affaire de Coeur Golden Pen Certificate for Once and Always was received.
• In 1987, the Affaire de Coeur Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Historical Romance, Once and Always, was received.