Judy Blundell, who writes under the pen name Jude Watson, is an American author with a diverse bibliography spanning middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction. She gained significant recognition for her young adult novel "What I Saw and How I Lied," which earned her the National Book Award for Young People's Literature in 2008. This work was published under her birth name, Judy Blundell.

Watson is particularly celebrated for her extensive contributions to the Star Wars universe, where she is considered a leading author of fiction set during the prequel era. Her career in this franchise began in 1998 with "Star Wars Journal: Captive to Evil." She has since authored numerous books within this universe, including several journal entries, the "Jedi Apprentice" series (excluding the first book), "Jedi Quest," and "The Last of the Jedi" series, which collectively comprise around forty books. She also co-authored the "Star Wars: Science Adventures" series. Beyond Star Wars, Blundell has written the romance series "Brides of Wildcat County," parapsychic science fiction novels like "Premonitions" and "Disappearance," and contributed to the "39 Clues" mystery series.

Judy Blundell operates under the pseudonym Jude Watson, a name under which she has built a substantial literary career. While she writes for various age groups, she is particularly noted for her young adult and middle grade fiction. Her significant achievement in this realm was the 2008 National Book Award for Young People's Literature, awarded for her novel "What I Saw and How I Lied." This particular work was released under her legal name, Judy Blundell, highlighting a distinction in how she presents certain aspects of her writing.

Watson is widely recognized as a prominent author within the Star Wars literary franchise, especially for her work set during the prequel era. Scholastic, her publisher, has referred to her as "the most celebrated author in the prequel-era of the Star Wars phenomenon." Her involvement began in 1998 with "Star Wars Journal: Captive to Evil." Her prolific output includes character journals such as those for Princess Leia and Queen Amidala, and major series like "Jedi Apprentice" (though she did not write the first installment), "Jedi Quest," and "The Last of the Jedi," which together account for approximately forty books. She also collaborated on the "Star Wars: Science Adventures" series, aimed at readers aged 9 to 14.

Beyond her extensive work in the Star Wars universe, Judy Blundell has explored a variety of other genres and series. She authored the romance series "Brides of Wildcat County" and delved into parapsychic science fiction with titles like "Premonitions" and "Disappearance." Additionally, she contributed to the popular "39 Clues" mystery-adventure series for young adults, writing several installments across its various sub-series. Her non-Star Wars bibliography also includes "Strings Attached" and "The High Season," published under her birth name.