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Nora Roberts

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Nora Roberts

Aliases: Eleanor Marie Robertson
Pen Names: Nora Roberts（Primary pen name for romance novels）, J. D. Robb（Used for the 'in Death' police-procedural series with sci-fi elements）, Jill March（Pen name used for a magazine story）, Sarah Hardesty（Used in the U.K. for some releases）

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1950-10-10 （Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.）
Nationality
American
Languages
English
Religion
Roman Catholicism
Residence History
Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S. → Boonsboro, Maryland, U.S.

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Author
Active Years
1981-
Affiliations
Romance Writers of America (RWA)
Memberships
Romance Writers of America (founding member)
Influenced By
Mary Stewart

Education

Montgomery Blair High School
Period: 1964–1968
Year of Graduation: 1968
Country: United States

Awards

RWA Hall of Fame
Organization: Romance Writers of America
Result: Inducted
RWA Lifetime Achievement Award
1997
Organization: Romance Writers of America
Result: Winner
RITA Award
2004
Work: Birthright
Category: Best Contemporary Single Title
Organization: Romance Writers of America
Result: Winner
RITA Award
1992
Work: Night Shift
Category: Best Romantic Suspense
Organization: Romance Writers of America
Result: Winner
Quill Award
2006
Work: Angels Fall
Category: Book of the Year
Organization: Quills Foundation
Result: Winner
Quill Award
2006
Work: Angels Fall
Category: Romance
Organization: Quills Foundation
Result: Winner
TIME 100 Most Influential People
2007
Organization: Time Magazine
Result: Listed
RITA Award (as J. D. Robb)
2006
Work: Survivor in Death
Category: Romantic Suspense
Organization: Romance Writers of America
Result: Winner
RITA Award (as J. D. Robb)
2012
Work: New York to Dallas
Category: Best Romantic Suspense
Organization: Romance Writers of America
Result: Winner
RITA Award
2009
Work: Tribute
Category: Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements
Organization: Romance Writers of America
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Birthright

2003 Romance

A contemporary romance that explores family ties and individual choices; focuses on renewal and the development of love between the protagonists.

familylove and renewalchoices and destiny

Irish Thoroughbred

1981 Romance

Roberts' debut novel published under the pen name Nora Roberts; an early work that established her in the romance genre.

cross-cultural romancegrowth in love

Montana Sky

1996 Romance

A romance about family inheritance and relationships; a bestseller that was adapted for television.

familyland and inheritancerenewal
Adaptations
  • [TV film] Montana Sky (TV film) (2007)

Bibliography

  • Irish Thoroughbred
  • Sea Swept
  • Montana Sky
  • Angels Fall
  • Blue Smoke
  • Carolina Moon
  • Northern Lights
  • Tribute
  • Birthright
  • The Witness

Adaptations

  • Sanctuary (TV film, 2001)
  • Angels Fall (TV film, 2007)
  • Montana Sky (TV film, 2007)
  • Blue Smoke (TV film, 2007)
  • Carolina Moon (TV film, 2007)
  • Northern Lights (TV film, 2009)
  • Midnight Bayou (TV film, 2009)
  • High Noon (TV film, 2009)
  • Tribute (TV film, 2009)
  • Carnal Innocence (2011)
  • Brazen (film, 2022)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Accessible, reader-friendly narrative voiceEmphasis on dialogue and scene constructionAdapts stylistic conventions to different genres (romance/suspense)
Recurring Motifs
family and kinshipstrong female protagonistsfate and choiceblend of romance and suspense

Health

  • Fear of flying (aviophobia)
    長年
    Has influenced research habits — tends to use the internet and local resources instead of air travel for research and appearances

Legacy

Nora Roberts is one of the most prolific and influential authors in the romance genre, contributing to the elevation of genre fiction through numerous RITA wins, induction into the RWA Hall of Fame, and inclusion in TIME's '100 Most Influential People'. Her books have been published worldwide and adapted for screen multiple times.

Museums

  • Nora Roberts Center for American Romance (endowed) McDaniel College, Westminster, Maryland, U.S.

Academic Societies

  • Romance Writers of America (RWA)

Archives

  • Nora Roberts Foundation archives

In Popular Culture

  • Multiple Lifetime TV movie adaptations (2007, 2009, etc.)
  • Listed in TIME's '100 Most Influential People' (2007)

Quotes

  • 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.
    Source: The Record (Bergen County, New Jersey) — interview/feature (2006)
  • an Irishwoman through and through
    Source: Interview / Irish Times (2007)

Trivia

  • Birth name is Eleanor Marie Robertson; 'Nora Roberts' is a shortened pen name.
  • The 'J.D.' in J. D. Robb comes from her sons' initials (Jason and Dan).
  • The Boone Hotel owned by the couple was damaged by fire in 2008 and later restored as Inn BoonsBoro.
  • In 1997 Janet Dailey admitted to plagiarizing Roberts; Roberts sued and donated the settlement to literacy causes.
  • Her works have been translated into many languages and have sold hundreds of millions of copies worldwide.