Nora Roberts
Encyclopedia
Nora Roberts is a bestselling
American
author
of more than 209 romance novels. She writes as J.D. Robb for the "In Death
" series, and has also written under the pseudonym
Jill March. Additionally, some of her works were published in the UK
as Sarah Hardesty.
Nora Roberts was the first author to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America
Hall of Fame. As of 2011, her novels had spent a combined 861 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List, including 176 weeks in the number-one spot. Over 400 million copies of her books are in print, including 12 million copies sold in 2005 alone.
, the only daughter and the youngest of five children. She is of Irish descent as both of her parents have Irish ancestors, and has described herself as "an Irishwoman through and through". Her family were avid readers, so books were always important in her life. Although she had always made up stories in her head, Roberts did not write as a child, other than essays for school. She does claim to have "told lies. Really good ones -- some of which my mother still believes." She attended a Catholic school and credits the nuns with instilling in her a sense of discipline. During her sophomore year in high school, Roberts transferred to a local public school, Montgomery Blair High School
, where she met her first husband, Ronald Aufdem-Brinke. They married, against her parents' wishes, in 1968, as soon as she had graduated from high school.
The newly married couple settled in Keedysville, Maryland
. Roberts' husband worked at his father's sheet-metal business before joining her parents in their lighting company. She stayed home with their sons, Dan and Jason. Calling this her "Earth Mother" years, Roberts spent much of her time doing crafts, including ceramics and sewing her children's clothes. In 1983, the marriage ended in divorce.
called Turn the Page Books. The Wilders also owned the nearby historic Boone Hotel, that was undergoing renovations when it was destroyed by a fire in February, 2008. After 3 million dollars in renovations, Inn Boonsboro opened on February 17, 2009
Roberts believes that pursuing a career as a writer requires discipline: "You're going to be unemployed if you really think you just have to sit around and wait for the muse to land on your shoulder." She concentrates on one novel at a time, writing eight hours a day, every day, even while on vacation. Rather than begin with an outline or plot summary, Roberts instead envisions a key incident, character, or setting. She then writes a short first draft that has the basic elements of a story. After finishing the first draft, Roberts goes back to the beginning of the novel. The second draft usually sees the addition of details, the "texture and color" of the work, as well as a more in-depth study of the characters. She then does a final pass to polish the novel before sending it to her agent, Amy Berkower. She often writes trilogies, finishing the three books in a row so that she can remain with the same characters. When possible, she does the same with the "In Death" books, writing three in a row before returning to contemporary romances. Her trilogies are all released in paperback, as Roberts believes the wait for hardcover editions is too long for the reader.
Roberts does much of her research over the internet, as she has an aversion to flying. Despite this she owns property in County Clare
, Ireland
and visits the country regularly. Some of her novels are set in Ardmore, County Waterford
.
, the leading publisher of romance novels, but was repeatedly rejected. Roberts says, "I got the standard rejection for the first couple of tries, then my favorite rejection of all time. I received my manuscript back with a nice little note which said that my work showed promise, and the story had been very entertaining and well done. But that they already had their American writer. That would have been Janet Dailey
."
In 1980, a new publisher, Silhouette books, formed to take advantage of the pool of manuscripts from the many American writers that Harlequin had snubbed. Roberts found a home at Silhouette, where her first novel, Irish Thoroughbred
, was published in 1981. She used the pseudonym Nora Roberts, a shortened form of her birth name Eleanor Marie Robertson, because she assumed that all authors had pen names.
Between 1982 and 1984, Roberts wrote 23 novels for Silhouette. They were published under various Silhouette imprints: Silhouette Sensation, Silhouette Special Edition and Silhouette Desire, as well as Silhouette Intrigue, and MIRA's reissue program. Despite the large number of books she had produced, Roberts did not have real success until 1985, when she released Playing the Odds, the first novel in her MacGregor family series. The book was an immediate bestseller. Sequels followed, and romance readers began to associate her name with multigenerational sagas.
Roberts was instrumental in helping shift the romance novel away from virginal, eighteen-year-old heroines and superficial male portrayals. Her early heroines were much less passive than the norm. Her novels also featured a more in-depth characterization of the hero, because "the books are about two people, and readers should be allowed into the heads and hearts of both." The years spent writing category romance helped hone her ability to create realistic characters. The category romance's short page count forces writers to be able to "paint" their characters "quickly and clearly in a short amount of time." In 1987, she began writing single title books for Bantam. Five years later she moved to Putnam to write single title hard covers as well as original paperbacks. She reached the hardcover bestseller lists with her fourth hardcover release, 1996's Montana Sky. Despite her hardcover success, Roberts has continued to release single-title novels in paperback. Unlike many of her peers who have crossed from category romance to single-title, she still occasionally writes shorter category romances. Her attachment to the shorter category books stems from her years as a young mother of two boys without much time to read, as she "[remembers] exactly what it felt like to want to read and not have time to read 200,000 words."
Roberts and her career were featured in Pamela Regis's A Natural History of the Romance Novel. Regis calls Roberts "a master of the romance novel form, because she "has a keen ear for dialogue, constructs deft scenes, maintains a page-turning pace, and provides compelling characterization." Publishers Weekly lauds her "wry humor and the use of different narrators, two devices that were once rarities" in the romance novel genre.
Many of Roberts's novels deal extensively with families. Roberts believes that her sense of family is an important part of her life and how she developed. Because family is so important in her life, it is also often reflected in her books. Her "characters come from somewhere, and where they come from, good or bad, has a large part in forming who they are and who they can become."
Roberts had long wanted to write romantic suspense novels in the vein of Mary Stewart
, but, at the urging of her agent, she concentrated on classic contemporary romance novels while she built a following of readers. After moving to Putnam in 1992, the publishing company quickly realized that they were unable to keep up with Roberts's prolific output. They suggested that she adopt a second pseudonym so that they would be able to publish more of her work each year.
Her agent, Amy Berkover, convinced the publishers to allow Roberts to write romantic suspense novels under the new name. Her first romantic suspense novel was published in 1995 under the pseudonym J.D. Robb. The initials "J.D." were taken from her older sons, Jason and Dan, while "Robb" is a shortened form of Roberts. She first decided to use the pseudonym D.J. MacGregor, but right before publication, she discovered that this pseudonym was used by another author.
As J.D. Robb, Roberts has published a series of futuristic science fiction
police procedurals. These books, all part of the "In Death
" series, feature NYPSD Detective Eve Dallas
and her husband Roarke
and are set in a mid-21st century New York City
. Despite the emphasis on solving a crime in each of the books, the overall theme of the series is the development of the relationship between Eve and Roarke. When the "In Death" series began, neither Roberts nor her publisher acknowledged that she was in fact the author. They hoped to allow the series to stand on its own merits and build its own following.
After publishing 18 novels in the "In Death" series, Putnam published the nineteenth, Divided in Death first in hardcover. The book became Roberts's first bestselling novel of 2004.
As of December 2009, Roberts had published 36 books in the In Death
series, with more scheduled.
She wrote a story for a magazine titled "Melodies of Love" under the pseudonym Jill March.
Roberts has also been known as Sara Hardesty. When the "Born In" series was released in Britain it carried that name instead of Nora Roberts. She has since changed publishers.
listed as the best-selling romance novels of the year were written by Roberts. Her first appearance on the New York Times Bestseller List came in 1991, and between 1991 and 2001, she had 68 New York Times Bestsellers, counting hardbacks and paperbacks. The New York Times did not review any of those novels. In 2001, Roberts had 10 best-selling mass-market paperbacks, according to Publishers Weekly, not counting those books written under the J.D. Robb name. In September 2001, for the first time Roberts took the numbers 1 and 2 spots on the Publishers Weekly bestseller list, as her romance Time and Again was number one, and her J.D. Robb release Seduction in Death was number two.
Since 1999, every one of Roberts's novels has been a New York Times bestseller, and 124 of her novels have ranked on the Times bestseller list, including twenty-nine that debuted in the number-one spot. As of 2006, Roberts's novels had spent a combined 660 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List, including 100 weeks in the number-one spot. Outside of the United States she is marketed by a single woman, Judy Piatkus of the independently-run company Piatkus Books, which publishes about 150 books a year. Over 280 million copies of her books are in print, including 12 million copies sold in 2005 alone. Her novels have been published in 35 countries.
A founding member of the Romance Writers of America
(RWA), Roberts was the first inductee in the organization's Hall of Fame. As of 2006, she has won an unprecedented 19 of the RWA's RITA Award
s, the highest honor given in the romance genre.
Two of Roberts' novels, Sanctuary and Magic Moments, had previously been made into TV movies. In 2007, Lifetime Television
adapted four Nora Roberts novels into TV movies: Angels Fall
starring Heather Locklear
, Montana Sky
starring Ashley Williams, Blue Smoke
starring Alicia Witt
, and Carolina Moon
starring Claire Forlani
. This was the first time that Lifetime had adapted multiple works by the same author. Four more films were released on four consecutive Saturdays in March and April 2009. The 2009 collection included Northern Lights
starring LeAnn Rimes
and Eddie Cibrian
, Midnight Bayou
starring Jerry O'Connell
, High Noon
starring Emilie de Ravin
, and Tribute
starring Brittany Murphy
.
Time
named Roberts one of their 100 Most Influential People in 2007, saying she "has inspected, dissected, deconstructed, explored, explained and extolled the passions of the human heart." Roberts was one of only two authors on the list, the other being David Mitchell
.
, admitted to repeatedly plagiarizing Roberts' work. The practice came to light after a reader read Roberts' Sweet Revenge and Dailey's Notorious back-to-back; she noticed several similarities and posted the comparable passages on the Internet. Calling the plagiarism "mind rape," Roberts sued Dailey. Dailey acknowledged the plagiarism and blamed it on a psychological disorder. She admitted that both Aspen Gold and Notorious lifted heavily from Roberts' work. Both of those novels were pulled from print after Dailey's admission. In April 1998, Dailey settled the case. Although terms were not released, Roberts had previously indicated that any settlement funds should be donated to the Literacy Volunteers of America
.
In January 2008, Roberts joined the chorus strongly criticizing fellow romance writer Cassie Edwards
, who had lifted many passages from much older sources (many in the public domain), without giving credit, forcing Edwards out of the business.
.
The 2007 Collection featured:
The 2009 Collection featured:
Peter Guber
's Mandalay TV and Stephanie Germain Prods., produced the eight adaptations.
Golden Medallion awards were awarded by the Romance Writers of America.
RITA Award
s are awarded by the Romance Writers of America.
Quill awards are awarded by the Quills Foundation.
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...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of more than 209 romance novels. She writes as J.D. Robb for the "In Death
In Death
The …in Death series of novels, written by Nora Roberts under her pseudonym J. D. Robb, features NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her husband Roarke and is set in a mid-21st century New York City. The stories also regularly feature other characters, including Captain Ryan Feeney, Detective Delia...
" series, and has also written under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Jill March. Additionally, some of her works were published in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as Sarah Hardesty.
Nora Roberts was the first author to be inducted into 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:...
Hall of Fame. As of 2011, her novels had spent a combined 861 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List, including 176 weeks in the number-one spot. Over 400 million copies of her books are in print, including 12 million copies sold in 2005 alone.
Early years
Eleanor Marie Robertson was born on October 10, 1950 in Silver Spring, MarylandSilver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 71,452 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.The urbanized, oldest, and...
, the only daughter and the youngest of five children. She is of Irish descent as both of her parents have Irish ancestors, and has described herself as "an Irishwoman through and through". Her family were avid readers, so books were always important in her life. Although she had always made up stories in her head, Roberts did not write as a child, other than essays for school. She does claim to have "told lies. Really good ones -- some of which my mother still believes." She attended a Catholic school and credits the nuns with instilling in her a sense of discipline. During her sophomore year in high school, Roberts transferred to a local public school, Montgomery Blair High School
Montgomery Blair High School
Montgomery Blair High School is a public high school located in unincorporated Silver Spring in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States...
, where she met her first husband, Ronald Aufdem-Brinke. They married, against her parents' wishes, in 1968, as soon as she had graduated from high school.
The newly married couple settled in Keedysville, Maryland
Keedysville, Maryland
Keedysville is a town in Washington County, Maryland, United States. The population was 482 as of the 2000 Census. As of 1 July 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the town's population at 862, a 78.8% increase from 2000.-Geography:...
. Roberts' husband worked at his father's sheet-metal business before joining her parents in their lighting company. She stayed home with their sons, Dan and Jason. Calling this her "Earth Mother" years, Roberts spent much of her time doing crafts, including ceramics and sewing her children's clothes. In 1983, the marriage ended in divorce.
Present
Roberts met her second husband, Bruce Wilder, a carpenter, when she hired him to build her bookshelves. They were married in July 1985. Her husband owns and operates a bookstore in Boonsboro, MarylandBoonsboro, Maryland
Boonsboro is a town in Washington County, Maryland, United States, located at the foot of South Mountain. It nearly borders Frederick County and is proximate to the Antietam National Battlefield...
called Turn the Page Books. The Wilders also owned the nearby historic Boone Hotel, that was undergoing renovations when it was destroyed by a fire in February, 2008. After 3 million dollars in renovations, Inn Boonsboro opened on February 17, 2009
Roberts believes that pursuing a career as a writer requires discipline: "You're going to be unemployed if you really think you just have to sit around and wait for the muse to land on your shoulder." She concentrates on one novel at a time, writing eight hours a day, every day, even while on vacation. Rather than begin with an outline or plot summary, Roberts instead envisions a key incident, character, or setting. She then writes a short first draft that has the basic elements of a story. After finishing the first draft, Roberts goes back to the beginning of the novel. The second draft usually sees the addition of details, the "texture and color" of the work, as well as a more in-depth study of the characters. She then does a final pass to polish the novel before sending it to her agent, Amy Berkower. She often writes trilogies, finishing the three books in a row so that she can remain with the same characters. When possible, she does the same with the "In Death" books, writing three in a row before returning to contemporary romances. Her trilogies are all released in paperback, as Roberts believes the wait for hardcover editions is too long for the reader.
Roberts does much of her research over the internet, as she has an aversion to flying. Despite this she owns property in County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and visits the country regularly. Some of her novels are set in Ardmore, County Waterford
Ardmore, County Waterford
Ardmore is a fishing village in County Waterford, Ireland, not far from Youghal on the south coast of Ireland, with a population of around 330, although this varies with the tourist season. It is believed to be the oldest Christian settlement in Ireland...
.
The beginning
She began to write during a blizzard in February, 1979 while housebound with her two small boys. Roberts states that with three feet of snow, a dwindling supply of chocolate, and no morning kindergarten she had little else to do. While writing down her ideas for the first time, she fell in love with the writing process, and quickly produced six manuscripts. She submitted her manuscripts to HarlequinHarlequin Enterprises Ltd
Harlequin Enterprises Limited is a Toronto, Ontario-based company that is a publisher of series romance and women's fiction. Owned by the Torstar Corporation, the largest newspaper publisher in Canada, the company publishes approximately 120 new titles each month in 29 different languages in 107...
, the leading publisher of romance novels, but was repeatedly rejected. Roberts says, "I got the standard rejection for the first couple of tries, then my favorite rejection of all time. I received my manuscript back with a nice little note which said that my work showed promise, and the story had been very entertaining and well done. But that they already had their American writer. That would have been Janet Dailey
Janet Dailey
Janet Anne Haradon Dailey is an American author of numerous romance novels as Janet Dailey . Her novels have been translated into nineteen languages and have sold over 300 million copies worldwide....
."
Nora Roberts
In 1980, a new publisher, Silhouette books, formed to take advantage of the pool of manuscripts from the many American writers that Harlequin had snubbed. Roberts found a home at Silhouette, where her first novel, Irish Thoroughbred
Irish Thoroughbred
Irish Thoroughbred, Nora Roberts's debut novel, was originally published by Silhouette in January 1981 as a category romance. Like other category romances, the novel was less than 200 pages and was intended to be on sale for only one month. It proved so popular that it was repackaged as a...
, was published in 1981. She used the pseudonym Nora Roberts, a shortened form of her birth name Eleanor Marie Robertson, because she assumed that all authors had pen names.
Between 1982 and 1984, Roberts wrote 23 novels for Silhouette. They were published under various Silhouette imprints: Silhouette Sensation, Silhouette Special Edition and Silhouette Desire, as well as Silhouette Intrigue, and MIRA's reissue program. Despite the large number of books she had produced, Roberts did not have real success until 1985, when she released Playing the Odds, the first novel in her MacGregor family series. The book was an immediate bestseller. Sequels followed, and romance readers began to associate her name with multigenerational sagas.
Roberts was instrumental in helping shift the romance novel away from virginal, eighteen-year-old heroines and superficial male portrayals. Her early heroines were much less passive than the norm. Her novels also featured a more in-depth characterization of the hero, because "the books are about two people, and readers should be allowed into the heads and hearts of both." The years spent writing category romance helped hone her ability to create realistic characters. The category romance's short page count forces writers to be able to "paint" their characters "quickly and clearly in a short amount of time." In 1987, she began writing single title books for Bantam. Five years later she moved to Putnam to write single title hard covers as well as original paperbacks. She reached the hardcover bestseller lists with her fourth hardcover release, 1996's Montana Sky. Despite her hardcover success, Roberts has continued to release single-title novels in paperback. Unlike many of her peers who have crossed from category romance to single-title, she still occasionally writes shorter category romances. Her attachment to the shorter category books stems from her years as a young mother of two boys without much time to read, as she "[remembers] exactly what it felt like to want to read and not have time to read 200,000 words."
Roberts and her career were featured in Pamela Regis's A Natural History of the Romance Novel. Regis calls Roberts "a master of the romance novel form, because she "has a keen ear for dialogue, constructs deft scenes, maintains a page-turning pace, and provides compelling characterization." Publishers Weekly lauds her "wry humor and the use of different narrators, two devices that were once rarities" in the romance novel genre.
Many of Roberts's novels deal extensively with families. Roberts believes that her sense of family is an important part of her life and how she developed. Because family is so important in her life, it is also often reflected in her books. Her "characters come from somewhere, and where they come from, good or bad, has a large part in forming who they are and who they can become."
J.D. Robb
Roberts had long wanted to write romantic suspense novels in the vein of Mary Stewart
Mary Stewart
Mary Florence Elinor Stewart is a popular English novelist, best known for her Merlin series, which straddles the boundary between the historical novel and the fantasy genre.-Career:...
, but, at the urging of her agent, she concentrated on classic contemporary romance novels while she built a following of readers. After moving to Putnam in 1992, the publishing company quickly realized that they were unable to keep up with Roberts's prolific output. They suggested that she adopt a second pseudonym so that they would be able to publish more of her work each year.
Her agent, Amy Berkover, convinced the publishers to allow Roberts to write romantic suspense novels under the new name. Her first romantic suspense novel was published in 1995 under the pseudonym J.D. Robb. The initials "J.D." were taken from her older sons, Jason and Dan, while "Robb" is a shortened form of Roberts. She first decided to use the pseudonym D.J. MacGregor, but right before publication, she discovered that this pseudonym was used by another author.
As J.D. Robb, Roberts has published a series of futuristic science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
police procedurals. These books, all part of the "In Death
In Death
The …in Death series of novels, written by Nora Roberts under her pseudonym J. D. Robb, features NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her husband Roarke and is set in a mid-21st century New York City. The stories also regularly feature other characters, including Captain Ryan Feeney, Detective Delia...
" series, feature NYPSD Detective Eve Dallas
Eve Dallas
Eve Dallas is the main character of the In Death series, a futuristic romance-mystery series by J.D. Robb, pseudonym for author Nora Roberts.- Character Basis :...
and her husband Roarke
Roarke
Roarke is a fictional character from the series In Death. He is the husband of Lt. Eve Dallas and together, they are the main characters of the futuristic romance-mystery series by J.D. Robb, pseudonym for NY Times best-selling author Nora Roberts...
and are set in a mid-21st century New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Despite the emphasis on solving a crime in each of the books, the overall theme of the series is the development of the relationship between Eve and Roarke. When the "In Death" series began, neither Roberts nor her publisher acknowledged that she was in fact the author. They hoped to allow the series to stand on its own merits and build its own following.
After publishing 18 novels in the "In Death" series, Putnam published the nineteenth, Divided in Death first in hardcover. The book became Roberts's first bestselling novel of 2004.
As of December 2009, Roberts had published 36 books in the In Death
In Death
The …in Death series of novels, written by Nora Roberts under her pseudonym J. D. Robb, features NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her husband Roarke and is set in a mid-21st century New York City. The stories also regularly feature other characters, including Captain Ryan Feeney, Detective Delia...
series, with more scheduled.
Other pseudonyms
She wrote a story for a magazine titled "Melodies of Love" under the pseudonym Jill March.
Roberts has also been known as Sara Hardesty. When the "Born In" series was released in Britain it carried that name instead of Nora Roberts. She has since changed publishers.
Success
Roberts is remarkably prolific—in 1996 she passed the hundred-novel mark with Montana Sky. In both 1999 and 2000, four of the five novels that USA TodayUSA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
listed as the best-selling romance novels of the year were written by Roberts. Her first appearance on the New York Times Bestseller List came in 1991, and between 1991 and 2001, she had 68 New York Times Bestsellers, counting hardbacks and paperbacks. The New York Times did not review any of those novels. In 2001, Roberts had 10 best-selling mass-market paperbacks, according to Publishers Weekly, not counting those books written under the J.D. Robb name. In September 2001, for the first time Roberts took the numbers 1 and 2 spots on the Publishers Weekly bestseller list, as her romance Time and Again was number one, and her J.D. Robb release Seduction in Death was number two.
Since 1999, every one of Roberts's novels has been a New York Times bestseller, and 124 of her novels have ranked on the Times bestseller list, including twenty-nine that debuted in the number-one spot. As of 2006, Roberts's novels had spent a combined 660 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List, including 100 weeks in the number-one spot. Outside of the United States she is marketed by a single woman, Judy Piatkus of the independently-run company Piatkus Books, which publishes about 150 books a year. Over 280 million copies of her books are in print, including 12 million copies sold in 2005 alone. Her novels have been published in 35 countries.
A founding member of 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:...
(RWA), Roberts was the first inductee in the organization's Hall of Fame. As of 2006, she has won an unprecedented 19 of the RWA's RITA Award
RITA Award
The RITA Award is the most prominent award given throughout the genre of romance novel and some other romantic fiction. It is presented by Romance Writers of America . It is named for the RWA's first president, Rita Clay Estrada. It signifies excellence in one of 13 categories of romantic fiction.-...
s, the highest honor given in the romance genre.
Two of Roberts' novels, Sanctuary and Magic Moments, had previously been made into TV movies. In 2007, Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...
adapted four Nora Roberts novels into TV movies: Angels Fall
Angels Fall (TV film)
Angels Fall, also known as Nora Roberts' Angels Fall, is a 2007 made-for-tv movie directed by Ralph Hemecker, which stars Heather Locklear, Johnathon Schaech, and Gary Hudson. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name, and is a part of the Nora Roberts 2007 movie collection,...
starring Heather Locklear
Heather Locklear
Heather Deen Locklear is an American actress best known for her television roles as Sammy Jo Carrington on Dynasty, Officer Stacy Sheridan on T.J...
, Montana Sky
Montana Sky
Montana Sky, also known as Nora Roberts' Montana Sky, is a 2007 made-for-TV movie. It was directed by Mike Robe, and stars Ashley Williams and John Corbett. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name, and is part of the Nora Roberts 2007 movie collection, which also includes...
starring Ashley Williams, Blue Smoke
Blue Smoke
Blue Smoke, also known as Nora Roberts' Blue Smoke, is a 2007 made-for-tv movie directed by David Carson, which stars Alicia Witt, Matthew Settle, and Scott Bakula. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name. And is part of the Nora Roberts 2007 movie collection, which also...
starring Alicia Witt
Alicia Witt
Alicia Roanne Witt is an American film, stage, television actress and singer.-Early life:Witt was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. Her mother, Diane , is a junior high school reading teacher, and her father, Robert Witt, is a science teacher and photographer. She has a brother, Ian...
, and Carolina Moon
Carolina Moon
"Carolina Moon" is a popular song written by Joe Burke and Benny Davis. The song was a 1928 hit for crooner Gene Austin, when it charted for 14 weeks, staying at number one for 7 weeks....
starring Claire Forlani
Claire Forlani
Claire Antonia Forlani is an English actress.-Early life:Claire Forlani was born in Twickenham, London, the daughter of Barbara , who was English, and Pierluigi Forlani, a music manager from Ferrara, Italy. At the age of 11, Forlani entered the Arts Educational School in London, where she began to...
. This was the first time that Lifetime had adapted multiple works by the same author. Four more films were released on four consecutive Saturdays in March and April 2009. The 2009 collection included Northern Lights
Northern Lights (2009 film)
Northern Lights, also known as Nora Roberts' Northern Lights, is a 2009 made-for-tv movie directed by Mike Robe, which stars Eddie Cibrian, LeAnn Rimes, and Rosanna Arquette. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name and is part of the Nora Roberts 2009 movie collection, which...
starring LeAnn Rimes
LeAnn Rimes
LeAnn Rimes is an American country/pop singer. She is known for her rich vocals and her rise to fame as an eight-year-old champion on the original Ed McMahon version of Star Search, followed by the release of the Patsy Cline-intended single "Blue" when Rimes was only age 13, resulting in her...
and Eddie Cibrian
Eddie Cibrian
Edward Carl "Eddie" Cibrian is an American actor. He is known for his television roles as Cole Deschanel on Sunset Beach, Jesse Cardoza in CSI: Miami, Jimmy Doherty on Third Watch and Russell Varon in Invasion.-Early life and career:...
, Midnight Bayou
Midnight Bayou
Midnight Bayou, also known as Nora Roberts' Midnight Bayou, is a 2009 made-for-tv movie directed by Ralph Hemecker, which stars Jerry O'Connell, Lauren Stamile, and Faye Dunaway. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name. And is part of the Nora Roberts 2009 movie collection,...
starring Jerry O'Connell
Jerry O'Connell
Jeremiah "Jerry" O'Connell is an American actor, best known for his roles in the TV series Sliders, Andrew Clements in My Secret Identity, Vern Tessio in the film Stand by Me, Charlie Carbone in Kangaroo Jack, and Detective Woody Hoyt on the drama Crossing Jordan...
, High Noon
High Noon (2009 film)
High Noon, also known as Nora Roberts' High Noon, is a 2009 television film directed by Peter Markle, which stars Emilie de Ravin and Ivan Sergei. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name. And is part of the Nora Roberts 2009 movie collection, which also includes; Northern...
starring Emilie de Ravin
Emilie de Ravin
Emilie de Ravin born 27 December 1981)is an Australian actress. She is commonly associated with her roles as Tess Harding on Roswell and Claire Littleton on the ABC drama Lost....
, and Tribute
Tribute (2009 film)
Tribute, also known as Nora Roberts' Tribute, is a 2009 made-for-tv movie directed by Martha Coolidge, which stars Brittany Murphy and Jason Lewis. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name. And is part of the Nora Roberts 2009 movie collection, which also includes; Northern...
starring Brittany Murphy
Brittany Murphy
Brittany Anne Murphy-Monjack , known professionally as Brittany Murphy, was an American actress and singer. She starred in films such as Clueless, Just Married, Girl Interrupted, Spun, 8 Mile, Uptown Girls, Sin City, Happy Feet, and Riding in Cars with Boys...
.
Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
named Roberts one of their 100 Most Influential People in 2007, saying she "has inspected, dissected, deconstructed, explored, explained and extolled the passions of the human heart." Roberts was one of only two authors on the list, the other being David Mitchell
David Mitchell (author)
David Stephen Mitchell is an English novelist. He has written five novels, two of which were shortlisted for the Booker Prize.- Biography :...
.
Victim of plagiarism
In 1997, another best-selling romance writer, Janet DaileyJanet Dailey
Janet Anne Haradon Dailey is an American author of numerous romance novels as Janet Dailey . Her novels have been translated into nineteen languages and have sold over 300 million copies worldwide....
, admitted to repeatedly plagiarizing Roberts' work. The practice came to light after a reader read Roberts' Sweet Revenge and Dailey's Notorious back-to-back; she noticed several similarities and posted the comparable passages on the Internet. Calling the plagiarism "mind rape," Roberts sued Dailey. Dailey acknowledged the plagiarism and blamed it on a psychological disorder. She admitted that both Aspen Gold and Notorious lifted heavily from Roberts' work. Both of those novels were pulled from print after Dailey's admission. In April 1998, Dailey settled the case. Although terms were not released, Roberts had previously indicated that any settlement funds should be donated to the Literacy Volunteers of America
ProLiteracy Worldwide
ProLiteracy is an international nonprofit organization based in Syracuse, N.Y., that supports the people and programs that help adults learn to read and write.-History:...
.
In January 2008, Roberts joined the chorus strongly criticizing fellow romance writer Cassie Edwards
Cassie Edwards
Cassie Edwards is a best-selling American author of over 100 historical romance novels. She has been published by Dorchester Publishing, Signet Books, Kensington Publishing and Harlequin.-Biography :...
, who had lifted many passages from much older sources (many in the public domain), without giving credit, forcing Edwards out of the business.
Screen adaptations
- Magic Moments: 1989
- Sanctuary: 2001
- Angels FallAngels Fall (TV film)Angels Fall, also known as Nora Roberts' Angels Fall, is a 2007 made-for-tv movie directed by Ralph Hemecker, which stars Heather Locklear, Johnathon Schaech, and Gary Hudson. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name, and is a part of the Nora Roberts 2007 movie collection,...
: 2007 - Montana SkyMontana SkyMontana Sky, also known as Nora Roberts' Montana Sky, is a 2007 made-for-TV movie. It was directed by Mike Robe, and stars Ashley Williams and John Corbett. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name, and is part of the Nora Roberts 2007 movie collection, which also includes...
: 2007 - Carolina MoonCarolina Moon (film)Carolina Moon, also known as Nora Roberts' Carolina Moon, is a 2007 made-for-tv movie directed by Stephen Tolkin, which stars Claire Forlani, Oliver Hudson, and Jacqueline Bisset...
: 2007 - Blue SmokeBlue SmokeBlue Smoke, also known as Nora Roberts' Blue Smoke, is a 2007 made-for-tv movie directed by David Carson, which stars Alicia Witt, Matthew Settle, and Scott Bakula. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name. And is part of the Nora Roberts 2007 movie collection, which also...
: 2007 - Northern LightsNorthern Lights (2009 film)Northern Lights, also known as Nora Roberts' Northern Lights, is a 2009 made-for-tv movie directed by Mike Robe, which stars Eddie Cibrian, LeAnn Rimes, and Rosanna Arquette. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name and is part of the Nora Roberts 2009 movie collection, which...
: 2009 - Midnight BayouMidnight BayouMidnight Bayou, also known as Nora Roberts' Midnight Bayou, is a 2009 made-for-tv movie directed by Ralph Hemecker, which stars Jerry O'Connell, Lauren Stamile, and Faye Dunaway. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name. And is part of the Nora Roberts 2009 movie collection,...
: 2009 - High NoonHigh Noon (2009 film)High Noon, also known as Nora Roberts' High Noon, is a 2009 television film directed by Peter Markle, which stars Emilie de Ravin and Ivan Sergei. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name. And is part of the Nora Roberts 2009 movie collection, which also includes; Northern...
: 2009 - TributeTribute (2009 film)Tribute, also known as Nora Roberts' Tribute, is a 2009 made-for-tv movie directed by Martha Coolidge, which stars Brittany Murphy and Jason Lewis. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name. And is part of the Nora Roberts 2009 movie collection, which also includes; Northern...
: 2009 - Carnal Innocence: 2011
Lifetime Movie Channel
Several of Roberts' books, have been adapted into made-for-tv movies and aired on LifetimeLifetime Television
Lifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...
.
The 2007 Collection featured:
- Angels FallAngels Fall (TV film)Angels Fall, also known as Nora Roberts' Angels Fall, is a 2007 made-for-tv movie directed by Ralph Hemecker, which stars Heather Locklear, Johnathon Schaech, and Gary Hudson. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name, and is a part of the Nora Roberts 2007 movie collection,...
- Montana SkyMontana SkyMontana Sky, also known as Nora Roberts' Montana Sky, is a 2007 made-for-TV movie. It was directed by Mike Robe, and stars Ashley Williams and John Corbett. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name, and is part of the Nora Roberts 2007 movie collection, which also includes...
- Carolina MoonCarolina Moon (film)Carolina Moon, also known as Nora Roberts' Carolina Moon, is a 2007 made-for-tv movie directed by Stephen Tolkin, which stars Claire Forlani, Oliver Hudson, and Jacqueline Bisset...
- Blue SmokeBlue SmokeBlue Smoke, also known as Nora Roberts' Blue Smoke, is a 2007 made-for-tv movie directed by David Carson, which stars Alicia Witt, Matthew Settle, and Scott Bakula. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name. And is part of the Nora Roberts 2007 movie collection, which also...
The 2009 Collection featured:
- Northern LightsNorthern Lights (2009 film)Northern Lights, also known as Nora Roberts' Northern Lights, is a 2009 made-for-tv movie directed by Mike Robe, which stars Eddie Cibrian, LeAnn Rimes, and Rosanna Arquette. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name and is part of the Nora Roberts 2009 movie collection, which...
- Midnight BayouMidnight BayouMidnight Bayou, also known as Nora Roberts' Midnight Bayou, is a 2009 made-for-tv movie directed by Ralph Hemecker, which stars Jerry O'Connell, Lauren Stamile, and Faye Dunaway. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name. And is part of the Nora Roberts 2009 movie collection,...
- High NoonHigh Noon (2009 film)High Noon, also known as Nora Roberts' High Noon, is a 2009 television film directed by Peter Markle, which stars Emilie de Ravin and Ivan Sergei. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name. And is part of the Nora Roberts 2009 movie collection, which also includes; Northern...
- TributeTribute (2009 film)Tribute, also known as Nora Roberts' Tribute, is a 2009 made-for-tv movie directed by Martha Coolidge, which stars Brittany Murphy and Jason Lewis. The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name. And is part of the Nora Roberts 2009 movie collection, which also includes; Northern...
Peter Guber
Peter Guber
Howard Peter Guber is an American film producer and executive and Chairman and CEO of Mandalay Entertainment...
's Mandalay TV and Stephanie Germain Prods., produced the eight adaptations.
Golden Medallion awards
Golden Medallion awards were awarded by the Romance Writers of America.
- The Heart's Victory: 1983 Golden Medallion for Best Contemporary Sensual Romance
- Untamed: 1984 Golden Medallion for Best Traditional Romance
- This Magic Moment: 1984 Golden Medallion for Best Contemporary 65-80,000 words, shared with Deirdre Mardn's Destiny's Sweet Errand
- Opposites Attract: 1985 Golden Medallion for Best Short Contemporary Romance
- A Matter of Choice: 1985 Golden Medallion for Best Long Contemporary Series Romance
- One Summer: 1987 Golden Medallion for Best Long Contemporary Series Romance
- Brazen Virtue: 1989 Golden Medallion for Best Suspense
RITA Awards
RITA Award
RITA Award
The RITA Award is the most prominent award given throughout the genre of romance novel and some other romantic fiction. It is presented by Romance Writers of America . It is named for the RWA's first president, Rita Clay Estrada. It signifies excellence in one of 13 categories of romantic fiction.-...
s are awarded by the Romance Writers of America.
- Night Shift: 1992 RITA Award for Best Romantic Suspense
- Night Shield:
- Divine Evil: 1993 RITA Award for Best Romantic Suspense
- Nightshade: 1994 RITA Award for Best Romantic Suspense
- Private Scandals: 1994 RITA Award for Best Contemporary Single Title
- Hidden Riches: 1995 RITA Award for Best Romantic Suspense
- Born in Ice: 1996 RITA Award for Best Contemporary Single Title
- Born in Ice: 1996 RITA Award for Best Romance of 1995
- Carolina Moon: 2001 RITA Award for Best Romantic Suspense
- Three Fates: 2003 RITA Award for Best Romantic Suspense
- Remember When - Part 1: 2004 RITA Award for Best Romantic Suspense
- Birthright: 2004 RITA Award for Best Contemporary Single Title
Quill awards
Quill awards are awarded by the Quills Foundation.
- Angels Fall: 2006 Book of the year
- Angels Fall: 2006 Romance
- Blue Smoke: 2007 Romance
As J.D. Robb
- Remember When: 2004 RITA Awards Best Novel winner
- Survivor in Death: 2006 RITA Awards Best Novel winner
External links
- Official website
- Official UK website
- InDeath.net J.D. Robb Fan Forum - includes an In Death Fan Fiction Database and an In Death Wiki Database