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 important 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, 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 writer, she worked in several jobs. She was an assistant director on a film set, an assistant controller at a large trucking company, president of a temporary employment 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 film set. The movie was made for a division of General Motors. At the time, McNaught worked as 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 books.

Her first book, 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 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. This was after McNaught had already written two successful novels. At first, McNaught did not know the rules that most Regency romances followed. Her early books were different because they introduced the hero first, not the heroine. Unlike typical Regency romances, which were usually light and not sexual, 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 romance, but its long length, sensuality, and emotional depth were more similar to historical romances, which were often set in different time periods. Even though it took many years to sell the story, the book was very successful. Its success encouraged other editors to ask for more books written in the same style.

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 during the Regency period like McNaught’s. In 1990, McNaught changed genres to write contemporary romances, hoping this would help her stand out in a less crowded market. As her career continued, she slowly added suspense elements to her stories. No matter the genre, her books are usually fast-paced and feature 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. This helped her books get reviewed by major publications. She first appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List in 1988, and all her books after that also made the list. After one of her books reached the Bestseller List, McNaught asked her publisher to change the covers of future books. She wanted “classy” covers instead of the usual ones showing women in tight clothing.

In the early 1990s, Coors Brewing Company asked McNaught to write a book that would help promote its women’s literacy program. She was shocked to learn that one in five women was functionally illiterate. McNaught rewrote her nearly finished book, Perfect, to include the literacy theme. This took six extra weeks to complete. She donated part of the book’s earnings to literacy programs and included a card in each book with information on how readers could donate to literacy programs or become tutors.

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 1 on the New York Times Bestseller List.

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, a professional golfer and an engineer, ended in May 1993. McNaught described the breakup 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 lived in Frisco, Texas. McNaught is involved in children’s charities and breast cancer awareness efforts, and she recently started working to support literacy causes. After adding a story line 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

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