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 and are still available for purchase. She also holds the title of being 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 writer, she worked in several jobs. She was an assistant director on a movie set, an assistant controller for a large trucking company, president of a company that helps people find temporary jobs, and president of a company that helps businesses find top talent. 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 film set for a movie made by 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 did not accept her novels.

McNaught’s first book draft was Whitney, My Love, which she wrote between 1978 and 1982. After struggling to sell that book, 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 other 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 sexual, McNaught’s books were more sensual and witty. This book is now known for creating the modern Regency Historical genre. Whitney, My Love included traditional elements of Regency romance, but its long length, sensuality, and emotional depth were more like 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 and inspired other editors to seek similar stories.

At the start of her career, McNaught was one of very few authors writing historical romance books. 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. Despite her success in historical romance, McNaught changed genres in 1990 to write contemporary romances, hoping to stand out in a less crowded market. As her career grew, she began adding 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 very large contract and have her books published in hardcover, making them more likely to be reviewed by major publications. She first appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List in 1988, and all her books after that also reached 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 revealing covers, she wanted her books to have more elegant designs.

In the early 1990s, Coors Brewing Company asked McNaught to write a book that would 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 six extra weeks. McNaught also donated part of the book’s earnings to literacy programs and included a card in each copy 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 won a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award and wrote a romantic suspense book, 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 engineer, ended in May 1993. McNaught described the breakup as peaceful and friendly, and she threw a party for 160 friends to celebrate starting a new chapter in her life. As of 2007, she lives in Frisco, Texas. McNaught works with children's charities and breast cancer causes, and she has recently started promoting literacy issues. After adding a story about literacy in her book Perfect, McNaught asked her publishers to include a response card with 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 Award for Best New Historical Romance Book, Whitney, My Love
• 1986 – Romantic Times Reader's Choice Award for Best Harlequin Superromance Book, Tender Triumph
• 1987 – Affaire de Coeur Golden Pen Award, Once and Always
• 1987 – Affaire de Coeur Reader's Choice Award for Best Historical Romance Book, Once and Always