Catherine Cookson

Catherine Cookson lived in Northumberland, England, the setting for many of her works. bestsellersShe began writing as a form of therapy and is still considered one of the most popular contemporary authors in the English language. She dedicated herself to painting with equal fervor. After being appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1985, she was made a Dame of the British Empire in 1993. She died shortly before her ninety-second birthday, having written more than 104 works and sold approximately 130 million copies worldwide.