Francis Ray was born in Texas on July 20, 1944. She graduated from Texas Woman's University. She wrote over 50 books during her lifetime including After the Dawn, The Turning Point, and All That I Need. Her novel Incognito was adapted into the first BET made-for-TV movie. She also wrote numerous series including Taggart/Falcon, The Graysons of New Mexico, Grayson Friends, and Invincible Women. She received numerous awards including the Romantic Times Career Achievement, The Golden Pen, EMMA, and The Atlantic Choice. In 2001, she established the Turning Point Legal Fund to assist victims of domestic violence. She died on July 2, 2013.