Charlotte Vale Allen was born in Toronto, Canada, on January 19, 1941. She spent several years in England, where she worked as a singer and actress. After returning to Canada for a short time, she immigrated to the United States in 1966. Allen began writing in 1970 and sold her first novel, Love Life, in 1974. Her 36 novels have sold seven million copies, most of which have been translated into more than 20 languages. In her novels, Allen attempts to offer optimism and insight on many issues women face. In her most celebrated work, an autobiography titled Daddy's Girl and published in 1980, Allen relates her experience as an abused child. She was listed as one of the 100 most borrowed… authors in the United Kingdom by the British Public Library system in 1990. Other titles include Somebody's Baby and Claudia's Shadow. A full-time writer since 1976, Allen also pursues interests in photography, cooking, and needlework.