Judith McNaught was born on May 10, 1944. She is a well-known author who has written more than 12 historical and contemporary romance novels. Over 30 million copies of her books have been printed and sold. She also held the position of the first woman to be an executive producer at a CBS radio station.

Early career

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

Before becoming a successful writer, McNaught worked as an assistant director for a film crew, an assistant controller for a major trucking company, president of a temporary employment agency, and president of an executive search firm. She was also 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 for a film crew on a movie for a General Motors division. He 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 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 was killed in an accident.

Success

The book Whitney, My Love was published in 1985, after McNaught had written and published 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 male character first, instead of the female character. Unlike typical Regency romances, which were usually light and not romantic, McNaught’s books were more sensual and clever. The book Whitney, My Love is now credited with creating the genre now called Regency Historical. It included elements of traditional Regency romances, but its long length, romantic feelings, and emotional depth were more like traditional historical romances, which were rarely set during the Regency period. Even though it took many years to sell the story, it was very successful. Its success encouraged other editors to ask for books written in the same style.

At the start of her writing career, McNaught was one of very few authors writing historical romance books. By 1985, the genre had grown quickly, and over 50 new historical romance books were published each month, many of them full-length stories set during the Regency period, like McNaught’s. Despite her success in the historical romance genre, McNaught changed to writing contemporary romance books in 1990, hoping to stand out in a less crowded market. As her career grew, she began adding suspense elements to her stories. No matter the genre, her books are fast-paced and feature strong, loyal, kind, and smart female characters.

McNaught was one of the first romance authors to sign a contract worth millions of dollars 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 of her books since then have also been on the list. After one of her books reached the New York Times Bestseller List, McNaught asked her publisher to change the covers of all future books. Instead of the usual covers that showed women in revealing clothing, she wanted her books to have more elegant covers.

In the early 1990s, Coors Brewing Company asked McNaught to write a book that would appeal to women and help promote its women’s literacy program. She was shocked to learn that one in five women was unable to read or write well. McNaught decided to rewrite her nearly finished book, Perfect, to include the literacy theme. This change took her six more weeks to complete. She also donated part of the book’s earnings to women’s literacy programs and included a card in each book with information about how to donate to literacy programs or become a tutor.

McNaught was the keynote speaker at the Romance Writers of America Conference in 1996. In 1997, Texas Women’s Monthly chose her as 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 book, Night Whispers, which became a Number 1 New York Times Bestseller.

Personal life

McNaught once lived in Saint Louis, Missouri, but she moved to Texas after falling in love with Dallas during a book tour. Her third marriage, to Don Smith, who worked as a professional golfer and engineer, ended in May 1993. McNaught described the separation as peaceful and friendly, and she hosted a party for 160 friends to celebrate beginning a new chapter in her life. As of 2007, she lives in Frisco, Texas. McNaught helps with children's charities and breast cancer causes, and she has recently started supporting literacy efforts. After adding a story about literacy in her novel Perfect, McNaught asked her publishers to include a response card in the book's packaging. Because of this, thousands of women who read the book volunteered to become tutors and help others learn to read.

Selected awards

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