Janet Evanovich is an American
writerA writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. She began her career writing short contemporary romance novels under the
pen nameA pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
Steffie Hall, but gained fame authoring a series of contemporary mysteries featuring
Stephanie PlumStephanie Plum is a fictional character and the protagonist in a series of novels written by Janet Evanovich. She is a spunky combination of Nancy Drew and Dirty Harry, and - although a female bounty hunter - is the opposite of Domino Harvey...
, a lingerie buyer from
Trenton, New JerseyTrenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, who becomes a
bounty hunterA bounty hunter captures fugitives for a monetary reward . Other names, mainly used in the United States, include bail enforcement agent and fugitive recovery agent.-Laws in the U.S.:...
to make ends meet after losing her job. The 18 novels in this series consistently top the
New York TimesThe New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is published weekly in The New York Times Book Review magazine, which is published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times and as a stand-alone publication...
and
AmazonAmazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
bestseller lists, most recently with Explosive Eighteen.
Early years
Evanovich is a second-generation American. She was born and raised in
South River, New JerseySouth River is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 15,322....
to a
machinistA machinist is a person who uses machine tools to make or modify parts, primarily metal parts, a process known as machining. This is accomplished by using machine tools to cut away excess material much as a woodcarver cuts away excess wood to produce his work. In addition to metal, the parts may...
and housewife. Evanovich attended
South River High SchoolSouth River High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from South River in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the South River Public Schools...
. She became the first in her family to attend college when she enrolled at Douglass College, part of
Rutgers UniversityRutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, to study art.
When Evanovich had children, she chose to become a housewife like her mother. In her thirties, she began writing novels. To learn the art of writing dialog, Evanovich took lessons in
improv actingImprovisational theatre takes many forms. It is best known as improv or impro, which is often comedic, and sometimes poignant or dramatic. In this popular, often topical art form improvisational actors/improvisers use improvisational acting techniques to perform spontaneously...
. For ten years, she attempted to write the
Great American NovelThe "Great American Novel" is the concept of a novel that is distinguished in both craft and theme as being the most accurate representative of the zeitgeist in the United States at the time of its writing. It is presumed to be written by an American author who is knowledgeable about the state,...
, finishing three manuscripts that she was unable to sell. After someone suggested she try writing romance novels, Evanovich read several romances and discovered that she enjoyed the genre. She wrote two romances and submitted them for publishing. Still unable to find a publisher, Evanovich stopped writing and signed with a temporary employment agency. Several months after beginning work for them, she received an offer to buy her second romance manuscript for $2,000, which she considered an "astounding sum."
Romance novels
That novel,
Hero at Large, was published in 1987 in the Second Chance Love category line under the pseudonym Steffie Hall. The following year she began writing for Bantam Loveswept under her own name. For the next five years she continued to write category romances for Loveswept. Her work within the romance novel genre helped her learn to create likable characters and attractive leading men. In this time, Evanovich also became known for the humor that filled her novels. She believes that "it's very important to take a comic approach. If we can laugh at something, we can face it."
After finishing her twelfth romance, however, Evanovich realized that she was more interested in writing the action sequences in her novels rather than the sex scenes. Her editors were not interested in her change of heart, so Evanovich took the next eighteen months to formulate a plan for what she actually wanted to write.
Stephanie Plum
She quickly decided that she wanted to write romantic adventure novels. Unlike the style of romance novels, her books would be told in first person narrative. Her new type of writing should contain heroes and heroines, as well as "a sense of family and community." In that vein, she intended her new style of writing to be based on the TV sitcom model. Like
SeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
, her new books would have a central character that the rest of the cast of characters revolve around.
Inspired by the
Robert De NiroRobert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
movie
Midnight RunMidnight Run is a 1988 American action comedy film starring Robert De Niro as a bounty hunter and Charles Grodin as his prisoner....
, Evanovich decided that her heroine would be a
bounty hunterA bounty hunter captures fugitives for a monetary reward . Other names, mainly used in the United States, include bail enforcement agent and fugitive recovery agent.-Laws in the U.S.:...
. This occupation provided more freedom for Evanovich as a writer, as bounty hunters do not have a set work schedule and are not forced to wear a uniform. The profession is also "romanticised to some extent." To become acquainted with the demands of the career, Evanovich spent a great deal of time shadowing bond enforcement agents. She also researched more about the city of
TrentonTrenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, where she wanted her books to be set.
In 1994, her initial romantic adventure,
One for the Money, was published to good reviews. This was the first of a light-hearted series of mysteries starring barely competent bounty hunter
Stephanie PlumStephanie Plum is a fictional character and the protagonist in a series of novels written by Janet Evanovich. She is a spunky combination of Nancy Drew and Dirty Harry, and - although a female bounty hunter - is the opposite of Domino Harvey...
.
One for the Money was named a
New York Times notable book, a
Publishers Weekly Best Book of 1994 and a
USAToday Best Bet. Shortly before the book was released, Evanovich sold the movie rights to Columbia Tristar for $1 million; as of 2009 no movie has been made. As of Feb. 2010,
Katherine HeiglKatherine Marie Heigl is an American actress and producer. She is possibly best known for her role as Dr. Izzie Stevens on ABC's Grey's Anatomy from 2005 to 2010, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Drama Series in 2007...
has agreed to play Stephanie Plum; after initial interest,
Reese WitherspoonLaura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon , better known as Reese Witherspoon, is an American actress and film producer. Witherspoon landed her first feature role as the female lead in the film The Man in the Moon in 1991; later that year she made her television acting debut, in the cable movie Wildflower...
had decided to decline the role. As of Apr. 29, 2010, Lionsgate had acquired distribution rights, and will co-produce with Sidney Kimmel Entertainment and
Lakeshore EntertainmentLakeshore Entertainment Group is an American independent film production company founded in 1994 by Tom Rosenberg and Ted Tannebaum . Lakeshore Entertainment is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California...
(which had acquired the rights from Columbia); Julie Ann Robinson (
The Last SongThe Last Song is a 2010 American coming of age drama film developed alongside Nicholas Sparks novel by the same name. The film was directed by Julie Anne Robinson in her feature film directorial debut and co-written by Sparks and Jeff Van Wie...
) will direct, and production began July 12, 2010.
Evanovich has continued to write romantic adventures starring Stephanie Plum. The sixth book in the series,
Hot Six, was the first of her novels to reach Number 1 on the
New York Times Best Seller ListThe New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is published weekly in The New York Times Book Review magazine, which is published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times and as a stand-alone publication...
. Her subsequent Plum novels have each debuted at Number 1. All About Romance has described her as the "rare breed of romance author who has left the genre and yet not alienated her many romance fans."
The Plum novels have taken many attributes from Evanovich's own life. Evanovich shares many commonalities with her character Stephanie Plum. Both are from New Jersey, both devour Cheetos, both had owned a hamster, and both have shared "similar embarrassing experiences." The character Grandma Mazur is loosely based on Evanovich's "Grandma Fanny" and "Aunt Lena." Evanovich claims the spirited elderly lady is "who I want to be when I grow up."
Other novels
Evanovich began a collaborative effort with Charlotte Hughes because she wanted to see some of her other ideas on paper but did not have the time to write them. This resulted in the "Full" series.
In 2004, she launched another series with
Metro Girl. This book debuted at Number 2 on the New York Times Best Seller List.
She collaborated with
Stephen J. CannellStephen Joseph Cannell was an American television producer, writer, novelist and occasional actor, and the founder of Stephen J. Cannell Productions.-Early life:...
on a book entitled
No Chance, which was to be the first book in a new series. It was supposed to be released in October 2007. However, as of July 2007, the book seems to have been canceled.
Personal life
During the week, Evanovich works eight hours per day. On weekends she generally works for an additional four hours each day. She generally creates a brief outline before beginning a new book, with one or two sentences about what will happen in each chapter. Upon the release of a new book, Evanovich regularly goes on book tours. Her 2006 book signings attracted 2,000-3,000 people each. After her third book, and with the exception of
Explosive Eighteen, all of the titles have been chosen from fan submissions.
Evanovich lives in
New HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and
FloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
with her husband, Pete, whom she married in 1964. Pete is of Serbian ancestry. Members of Evanovich's family are employed by her company, Evanovich Inc, including her husband, Pete, son Peter, daughter Alexandra and son-in-law P.J. Heller.
Single Romance Novels
(originally written under the name Steffie Hall)
- Hero at Large (1987)
- Foul Play (1989)
- The Grand Finale (1988)
- Thanksgiving (1988)
- Manhunt (1988)
- Ivan Takes a Wife (1988)
- Naughty Neighbor (1992)
- Love Overboard (2005)
Elsie Hawkins Series
- Back to the Bedroom (1989)
- Smitten (1990)
- Wife for Hire (1990)
- Rocky Road to Romance (1991)
Stephanie Plum Series
- One for the Money
One For the Money is the first novel by Janet Evanovich featuring the bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. It was published in 1994 in the United States and in 1995 in Great Britain...
(1994)
- Two for the Dough (1996)
- Three to Get Deadly (1997)
- The Last Peep (A Stephanie Plum Short story included in Mary Higgins Clark
Mary Theresa Eleanor Higgins Clark Conheeney , known professionally as Mary Higgins Clark, is an American author of suspense novels...
presents The Plot Thickens) (1997)
- Four to Score
Four to Score is the fourth novel by Janet Evanovich featuring the bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. It was written in 1998.-Plot summary:Stephanie Plum is back, and this time she's on the trail of Maxine Nowicki, an ex-waitress accused of stealing her ex-boyfriend's car...
(1998)
- High Five
High Five is the fifth novel by Janet Evanovich featuring the bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. It was written in 1999.-Plot summary:Business is slow for Stephanie Plum, so when her Uncle Fred goes missing, Stephanie agrees to help look for him. Soon enough, Stephanie realizes that she's in over her...
(1999)
- Hot Six
Hot Six is the sixth novel by Janet Evanovich featuring the bounty hunter Stephanie Plum and was written in 2001.-Plot summary:The book begins at the point at which High Five ended, revealing who Stephanie picked: Ranger or Joe Morelli. The story then jumps ahead five months, with Stephanie's...
(2000)
- Seven Up
Seven Up is the seventh novel by Janet Evanovich featuring the bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. It was written in 2001.-Plot summary:Stephanie is assigned to bring in semi-retired mobster Eddie DeChooch when he fails to appear in court for selling contraband cigarettes...
(2001)
- Hard Eight
Hard Eight is the eighth novel by Janet Evanovich featuring the bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. It was written in 2002.This book is notable for the introduction of Albert Kloughn, an attorney and soon to be brother-in-law of Stephanie....
(2002)
- Visions of Sugar Plums
Visions of Sugarplums is the ninth book in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, published in 2003. One of four "holiday novellas" in the series, it falls between Hard Eight and To the Nines....
(2002), Holiday novella
- To the Nines
To the Nines is the ninth novel by Janet Evanovich featuring the bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. Written in 2003, it's the second book in a row that doesn't revolve around a criminal bond, and the first to take Stephanie out of New Jersey and into the neon glitz of Las Vegas.To the Nines appeared on...
(2003)
- Ten Big Ones
Ten Big Ones is the tenth novel by Janet Evanovich featuring the bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. It was written in 2004.When Janet Evanovich was questioned why she decided to focus on gang violence in this book, she replied, "I keep in touch with the Trenton Police Department...
(2004)
- Eleven on Top
Eleven on Top is the eleventh novel by Janet Evanovich featuring the bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. It was published in June 2005, and quickly became a #1 best-seller, remaining on the USA Today list of 150 best-selling novels for 19 weeks.-Plot summary:...
(2005)
- Twelve Sharp
Twelve Sharp, published in 2006, is the 12th novel by Janet Evanovich featuring the bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. The hardcover version appeared at the top of the New York Times Bestseller List in the week of July 9, 2006, while the paperback release has also been in the top four spots in...
(2006)
- Plum Lovin'
Plum Lovin' is a 2007 novel by Janet Evanovich. It is the thirteenth book in the Stephanie Plum series.Stephanie's sister Valerie marries Albert Kloughn after getting pregnant by him for the second time....
(2007), Holiday novella
- Lean Mean Thirteen (2007)
- Plum Lucky
Plum Lucky is a crime novel by mystery writer Janet Evanovich. It is the 14th part of her series dedicated to bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. It was published on January 8, 2008.-Synopsis:...
(2008), Holiday novella
- Fearless Fourteen
Fearless Fourteen is a novel written by Janet Evanovich. It was released on June 17, 2008.-Plot summary:Stephanie Plum apprehends Loretta Rizzi for failure to appear in court after holding up a liquor store , but Loretta, who is a distant cousin of Stephanie's policeman boyfriend, Joe Morelli,...
(2008)
- Plum Spooky
Plum Spooky is a novel by Janet Evanovich starring the fictional character Stephanie Plum. One of four holiday novellas in the series . Plum Spooky is much more ambitious than the other "Betweens" in that the nefarious activities uncovered have world-wide implications....
(January 6, 2009), Holiday novel
- Finger Lickin' Fifteen (June 23, 2009)
- Sizzling Sixteen (June 22, 2010)
- Smokin' Seventeen (June 21, 2011)
- Explosive Eighteen (November 22, 2011)
Diesel Series
(Spin-off from the Stephanie Plum Series)
- Wicked Appetite (September 14, 2010)
The Barnaby Series
- Metro Girl (November 2004)
- Motor Mouth (October 2006)
- Trouble Maker (2010-Graphic novel, published by Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
)
Full (Max Holt) Series with Charlotte Hughes
- Full House (1989) (Originally as Steffie Hall, Re-released in expanded form in 2002)
- Full Tilt (2003)
- Full Speed (2003)
- Full Blast (2004)
- Full Bloom (2005)
- Full Scoop (2006)
External links