Judith McNaught
Encyclopedia
Judith McNaught is a bestselling
author of over a dozen historical
and contemporary romance novel
s, with 30 million copies of her works in print. She was also the first female executive producer at a CBS radio station. McNaught is credited with inventing the modern Regency Historical romance subgenre.
Before gaining success as a writer, McNaught has previously worked as an assistant director for a film crew, an assistant controller of a major trucking company, president of a temporary employment agency, and president of an executive search firm. She also was the first female 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, working on a movie for a General Motors
division. McNaught was the director of public relations for the company. Between them, they had seven children, her two and his five from a previous marriage. Her husband encouraged her to write, buying her a new typewriter and being supportive through the years that publishers rejected her novels.
McNaught's first manuscript was Whitney, My Love, which she wrote between 1978 and 1982. After having difficulty selling 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.
s followed, McNaught's early novels were unique. Her novels introduced the hero first, rather than the heroine. Unlike the typical Regency, "a light romp with no sex," her novels tended to be "intensely sensual and witty." The book is now credited with inventing the genre today known as the Regency Historical. Whitney, My Love captured the elements of the traditional Regency romance, but its long length, sensuality, and emotional intensity were more often associated with the traditional historical romances, which were rarely set during the Regency period. Despite the many years it took to sell the story, it was very successful, and its success influenced other editors to solicit manuscripts written in the same style.
At the beginning of McNaught's writing career, she was one of a very few authors writing for the historical romance market. By 1985, however, the genre had exploded, and over 50 new historical romances were being published each month, many of them full-length historicals set in the Regency period like McNaught's. Despite her years of success in the historical romance genre, in 1990 McNaught switched genres to write contemporary romances, hopeful that she would have a better opportunity to distinguish her work in a less-saturated market. As her career has continued to mature, McNaught has gradually introduced elements of suspense into her writing. Regardless of their genre, however, her books tend to be fast-paced, with strong, loyal, compassionate and intelligent heroines.
McNaught was one of the first romance authors to receive a multi-million dollar contract and have her novels published in hardcover, better positioning them for review by major publications. She reached the New York Times Bestseller List for the first time in 1988, and all of her subsequent books have also placed on the NYT Bestseller List.
After one of her novels placed on the New York Times Best Seller List for the first time, McNaught asked her publisher to change the covers of all future releases. Instead of the common bodice-ripping cover, McNaught wished her books to be packaged with "classy" covers.
In the early 1990s, Coors Brewing asked her to write a book that would appeal to women and could be used by the company to promote its women's literacy program. Appalled at the discovery that one in five women was functionally illiterate, McNaught offered to rewrite her almost-completed manuscript, Perfect to insert the literacy theme. The change took her an additional six weeks to incorporate. McNaught chose to donate a portion of her earnings from the book to women's literacy programs and insisted that each book contain a card giving readers information on how to donate to literacy programs or to become tutors.
She was the keynote speaker at the Romance Writers of America
Conference in 1996, and in 1997, Texas Women's Monthly selected her among their four favorite authors, with John Grisham
, Patricia Cornwell
, and Dean Koontz
. She has also been awarded a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award and had a Number 1 New York Times Bestseller with the romantic suspense Night Whispers.
after falling in love with Dallas
while on a book tour. Her third marriage, to Don Smith, a professional golfer and engineer, ended in May 1993. McNaught described the break-up as peaceful and friendly, and she threw a party for 160 friends to celebrate entering a new phase of her life. As of 2007, she lives in Frisco, Texas
. McNaught is active in children's charity and with breast cancer causes, and she has recently begun promoting literacy issues. After creating a subplot on literacy in her novel Perfect, McNaught asked her publishers to include a response card in the book packaging. Because of its inclusion, thousands of women who had read the book volunteered to become tutors and help people learn to read.
Bestseller
A bestseller is a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on lists of currently top selling titles that are based on publishing industry and book trade figures and published by newspapers, magazines, or bookstore chains. Some lists are broken down into classifications and...
author of over a dozen historical
Historical romance
Historical romance is a subgenre of two literary genres, the romance novel and the historical novel.-Definition:Historical romance is set before World War II...
and contemporary romance novel
Romance novel
The romance novel is a literary genre developed in Western culture, mainly in English-speaking countries. Novels in this genre place their primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Through the late...
s, with 30 million copies of her works in print. She was also the first female executive producer at a CBS radio station. McNaught is credited with inventing the modern Regency Historical romance subgenre.
Early career
Born on May 10, 1944 in San Luis Obispo, she majored in Business at Northwestern University. She married and had two children, a daughter, Whitney, and a son, Clay, before her divorce of a St. Louis dentist.Before gaining success as a writer, McNaught has previously worked as an assistant director for a film crew, an assistant controller of a major trucking company, president of a temporary employment agency, and president of an executive search firm. She also was the first female 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, working on a movie for a General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
division. McNaught was the director of public relations for the company. Between them, they had seven children, her two and his five from a previous marriage. Her husband encouraged her to write, buying her a new typewriter and being supportive through the years that publishers rejected her novels.
McNaught's first manuscript was Whitney, My Love, which she wrote between 1978 and 1982. After having difficulty selling 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 finally published in 1986, after McNaught had proven herself with two successful published novels. Unaware that there were rules that most Regency romanceRegency romance
Regency romances are a subgenre of romance novels set during the period of the British Regency or early 19th century. Rather than simply being versions of contemporary romance stories transported to a historical setting, Regency romances are a distinct genre with their own plot and stylistic...
s followed, McNaught's early novels were unique. Her novels introduced the hero first, rather than the heroine. Unlike the typical Regency, "a light romp with no sex," her novels tended to be "intensely sensual and witty." The book is now credited with inventing the genre today known as the Regency Historical. Whitney, My Love captured the elements of the traditional Regency romance, but its long length, sensuality, and emotional intensity were more often associated with the traditional historical romances, which were rarely set during the Regency period. Despite the many years it took to sell the story, it was very successful, and its success influenced other editors to solicit manuscripts written in the same style.
At the beginning of McNaught's writing career, she was one of a very few authors writing for the historical romance market. By 1985, however, the genre had exploded, and over 50 new historical romances were being published each month, many of them full-length historicals set in the Regency period like McNaught's. Despite her years of success in the historical romance genre, in 1990 McNaught switched genres to write contemporary romances, hopeful that she would have a better opportunity to distinguish her work in a less-saturated market. As her career has continued to mature, McNaught has gradually introduced elements of suspense into her writing. Regardless of their genre, however, her books tend to be fast-paced, with strong, loyal, compassionate and intelligent heroines.
McNaught was one of the first romance authors to receive a multi-million dollar contract and have her novels published in hardcover, better positioning them for review by major publications. She reached the New York Times Bestseller List for the first time in 1988, and all of her subsequent books have also placed on the NYT Bestseller List.
After one of her novels placed on the New York Times Best Seller List for the first time, McNaught asked her publisher to change the covers of all future releases. Instead of the common bodice-ripping cover, McNaught wished her books to be packaged with "classy" covers.
In the early 1990s, Coors Brewing asked her to write a book that would appeal to women and could be used by the company to promote its women's literacy program. Appalled at the discovery that one in five women was functionally illiterate, McNaught offered to rewrite her almost-completed manuscript, Perfect to insert the literacy theme. The change took her an additional six weeks to incorporate. McNaught chose to donate a portion of her earnings from the book to women's literacy programs and insisted that each book contain a card giving readers information on how to donate to literacy programs or to become tutors.
She was the keynote speaker at the Romance Writers of America
Romance Writers of America
Romance Writers of America is a national non-profit genre writers association. It provides networking and support to individuals seriously pursuing a career in romance fiction and supports top authors such as Nora Roberts and Judith McNaught.-History:...
Conference in 1996, and in 1997, Texas Women's Monthly selected her among their four favorite authors, with John Grisham
John Grisham
John Ray Grisham, Jr. is an American lawyer and author, best known for his popular legal thrillers.John Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University before attending the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981 and practiced criminal law for about a decade...
, Patricia Cornwell
Patricia Cornwell
Patricia Cornwell is a contemporary American crime writer. She is widely known for writing a popular series of novels featuring the heroine Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner.-Early life:...
, and Dean Koontz
Dean Koontz
Dean Ray Koontz is a prolific American author best known for his novels which could be described broadly as suspense thrillers. He also frequently incorporates elements of horror, science fiction, mystery, and satire. A number of his books have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List, with...
. She has also been awarded a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award and had a Number 1 New York Times Bestseller with the romantic suspense Night Whispers.
Personal life
While McNaught at one time lived in Saint Louis, Missouri, she moved to TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
after falling in love with Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
while on a book tour. Her third marriage, to Don Smith, a professional golfer and engineer, ended in May 1993. McNaught described the break-up as peaceful and friendly, and she threw a party for 160 friends to celebrate entering a new phase of her life. As of 2007, she lives in Frisco, Texas
Frisco, Texas
Frisco is an affluent city in Collin and Denton Counties in the U.S. state of Texas and a rapidly growing suburb of Dallas. As of the 2010 Census, 116,989 people were living in Frisco up from 33,714 in the previous census. Frisco was the fastest growing city in the United States in 2009, and also...
. McNaught is active in children's charity and with breast cancer causes, and she has recently begun promoting literacy issues. After creating a subplot on literacy in her novel Perfect, McNaught asked her publishers to include a response card in the book packaging. Because of its inclusion, thousands of women who had read the book volunteered to become tutors and help people 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
Westmoreland Dynasty Saga
- A Kingdom of DreamsA Kingdom of DreamsA Kingdom of Dreams is a 1989 historical romance novel written by American author Judith McNaught. It is set during the time of the English invasion of Scotland.-Plot summary:...
(1989) - Whitney, My Love (1985)
- Until You (1994)
- "Miracles" in A Holiday of Love (1995/Oct) (with Jill BarnettJill BarnettJill Barnett is a best-selling American author of women's fiction and romance novels.In 1988, Jill Barnett sold her first novel, The Heart's Haven, to Pocket Books. It was published two years later, and spent three weeks on the bestseller list. She continued to write for Pocket, and by the time...
, Jude DeverauxJude DeverauxJude Deveraux is an American Romance novel author who is well-known for her historical romances. As of 2010, 36 of her novels had been on The New York Times Best Seller list according to Forbes, including among the dozens such titles as 2009's Lavender Morning and Days of Gold...
, Arnette LambArnette LambArnette Lamb was an American writer of 13 romance novels from 1995 to 1998. She died from cancer...
) & in Simple Gifts (1997) (with Jude DeverauxJude DeverauxJude Deveraux is an American Romance novel author who is well-known for her historical romances. As of 2010, 36 of her novels had been on The New York Times Best Seller list according to Forbes, including among the dozens such titles as 2009's Lavender Morning and Days of Gold...
) - Someone Like You (formerly entitled: Can't Take My Eyes Off of You) (upcoming January 2013)
Sequels Series
- Once and Always (1987)
- Something Wonderful (1988)
- Almost Heaven (1990)
Paradise Series
- Paradise (1991)
- Perfect (1993)
- Night Whispers (1998)
- Someone to Watch Over Me (2003)
- Every Breath You Take (2005)
- Someone Like You (formerly entitled: Can't Take My Eyes Off of You) (upcoming January 2013)
Foster Saga
- "Double Exposure" in A Gift of Love (1995) (with Kimberly Cates, Jude DeverauxJude DeverauxJude Deveraux is an American Romance novel author who is well-known for her historical romances. As of 2010, 36 of her novels had been on The New York Times Best Seller list according to Forbes, including among the dozens such titles as 2009's Lavender Morning and Days of Gold...
, Andrea KaneAndrea KaneAndrea Kane is an American author of romance novels. She has resided in the Martinsville section of Bridgewater Township, New Jersey, United States, with her husband Brad and daughter Wendi.-Single novels:* Dream Castle...
, Judith O'Brien) - Remember When (1996)