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 are currently available for sale. She also held the position of the first female 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 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 as an assistant director for a film crew, an assistant controller at a major 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 for a film crew 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 and his five 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.

Her first manuscript was titled Whitney, My Love, which she wrote 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

Whitney, My Love, the first manuscript, 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 novels were different because they introduced the hero first, not the heroine. Unlike typical Regency romances, which were usually light and not romantic, McNaught’s books were more sensual and witty. This book is now credited with creating the genre known today as Regency Historical. 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 rarely set during the Regency period. 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 very few authors writing for the historical romance market. By 1985, the genre had grown rapidly, and over 50 new historical romances were published each month, many of them full-length books set during the Regency period like McNaught’s. Despite her success in the historical romance genre, in 1990 McNaught changed genres to write contemporary romances, hoping to make her work stand out in a less crowded market. As her career continued, she gradually added suspense 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 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 her books after that also made 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 using the common covers that showed women in revealing clothing, she wanted her books to have "classy" covers.

In the early 1990s, Coors Brewing asked her to write a book that would appeal to women and help promote its women’s literacy program. McNaught was shocked to learn that one in five women was functionally illiterate. She offered to rewrite her nearly finished manuscript, Perfect, to include the literacy theme. This change took her six extra weeks to complete. McNaught also donated part of her earnings from the book to women’s literacy programs and included a card in each book with information about 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 one 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 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 resides in Frisco, Texas. McNaught is involved in children’s charities and breast cancer causes, and she recently began supporting literacy efforts. After including a story about literacy in her novel Perfect, McNaught requested that her publishers include a response card inside the book. Because of this, thousands of women who read the book volunteered to be tutors and help others learn to read.

Selected awards

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