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, California. 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 writer, she worked as an assistant director on a movie set, an assistant controller for a large trucking company, president of a temporary employment agency, and president of a company that helps businesses find top employees. 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 on a movie set 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 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 book, 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 because they introduced the male character first, not the female character. Unlike typical Regency romances, which were usually light and not romantic, McNaught’s books were more sensual and witty. This book is now considered the start of the Regency Historical genre. Whitney, My Love included traditional elements of Regency romance, but its 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 publish, 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 romances. By 1985, the genre had grown rapidly, with over 50 new historical romances published each month, many set during the Regency period like McNaught’s. In 1990, McNaught changed genres to write contemporary romances, hoping to stand out in a less crowded market. As her career developed, she slowly added suspense to her stories. Regardless of the genre, her books are 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, which helped them get reviewed by major publications. She reached the New York Times Bestseller List for the first time in 1988, and all her books after that also appeared on 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 showed romantic scenes, she wanted her books to have more elegant designs.

In the early 1990s, Coors Brewing Company asked McNaught to write a book that would help promote its women’s literacy program. She learned that one in five women was functionally illiterate and decided to rewrite her nearly finished book, Perfect, to include the literacy theme. This change took her six more weeks to complete. McNaught donated part of her earnings from the book to 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 won a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award and had a Number 1 New York Times Bestseller with the romantic suspense novel Night Whispers.

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 breakup as peaceful and friendly, and she hosted a party for 160 friends to celebrate starting a new chapter in her life. As of 2007, she lived in Frisco, Texas. McNaught works with children's charities and breast cancer organizations, and she recently began supporting literacy efforts. After including a story about literacy in her novel Perfect, McNaught asked her publishers to add a response card inside 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, 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