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 being sold. She also became the first woman to hold the position of 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 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 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 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

Whitney, My Love, the first book by McNaught, was published in 1985 after she had written two other successful novels. At the time, she did not know the usual rules for Regency romance stories, so her early books were different from others. Her stories introduced the male character first, rather than the female character. Unlike typical Regency romances, which were usually light and not sexual, McNaught’s books were more sensual and witty. This book is now credited with 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 rarely set during the Regency period. Although it took many years to sell the story, 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 books. By 1985, the genre had grown rapidly, with more than 50 new historical romances published each month, many set during the Regency period like McNaught’s. Despite her success in the historical romance genre, McNaught changed to writing contemporary romances in 1990, hoping to stand out in a less crowded market. As her career developed, she gradually added suspense elements to her stories. Regardless of the genre, her books are known for being fast-paced and featuring 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 be reviewed by major publications. She first appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List in 1988, and all her later books also made the list. After one of her books reached the Bestseller List, McNaught asked her publisher to change the covers of her future books. Instead of the typical covers showing dramatic 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 appeal to women and support its women’s literacy program. She was shocked to learn that one in five women was functionally illiterate, so she rewrote her nearly finished book, Perfect, to include the literacy theme. This change took her six extra weeks to complete. McNaught donated part of the book’s earnings to women’s literacy programs and included a card in each book with information about donating to literacy programs or becoming a tutor.

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 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, a professional golfer and engineer, ended in May 1993. McNaught described the separation as calm and friendly, and she held a party for 160 friends to celebrate starting a new chapter in her life. As of 2007, she lives in Frisco, Texas. McNaught is involved in children’s charities and breast cancer awareness, and she recently began supporting literacy efforts. After including a story line 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 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