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. Her books have sold 30 million copies worldwide. She also held a significant position as 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. 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 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 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 made for a General Motors division. 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 novels.

Her first manuscript was Whitney, My Love, which she wrote from 1978 to 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, McNaught's first book, was published in 1985 after she had written and published two other successful novels. At first, McNaught did not know the usual rules for Regency romance stories. Her early books were different because they introduced the male character first, instead of the female character. Unlike typical Regency romances, which were usually light-hearted and not romantic, McNaught's books were more sensual and clever. Whitney, My Love is now known as the book that helped create the Regency Historical genre. It included the usual elements of Regency romance, but its long length, romantic details, and emotional depth were more similar to traditional historical romances, which were often set in different time periods. Even though it took many years to sell, the book was very successful and inspired other editors to publish similar stories.

At the start of her writing career, McNaught was one of the few authors writing historical romance novels. By 1985, the genre had grown rapidly, and over 50 new historical romances were published each month, many set during the Regency period like her books. In 1990, McNaught changed genres to write contemporary romances, hoping to stand out in a market with fewer writers. As her career continued, she added suspense elements to her stories. Regardless of the genre, her books are known for being fast-paced and featuring strong, kind, and smart 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 get attention from major publications. Her first book reached the New York Times Bestseller List in 1988, and all her later books also appeared on the list. After one of her books became a bestseller, McNaught asked her publisher to change the covers of her future books. Instead of using the usual covers showing romantic scenes, she wanted "classy" designs.

In the early 1990s, Coors Brewing Company asked her to write a book that would support its women's literacy program. McNaught learned that one in five women could not read or write well and decided to change her nearly finished book, Perfect, to include a literacy theme. This change took six more weeks to complete. She also donated part of her earnings from the book to literacy programs and included a card in each book with information about how readers could help.

In 1996, McNaught spoke 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, who was a professional golfer and engineer, ended in May 1993. McNaught described the separation as peaceful and friendly, and she held 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 works to support causes related to breast cancer. She has recently focused on promoting literacy efforts. After including a story about literacy in her novel Perfect, McNaught asked her publishers to add a response card to 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 Award for Best New Historical Romance, Whitney, My Love
• 1986 – Romantic Times Award for Best Harlequin Superromance, Tender Triumph
• 1987 – Affaire de Coeur Golden Pen Certificate, Once and Always
• 1987 – Affaire de Coeur Award for Best Historical Romance, Once and Always