Catherine Cookson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Catherine Ann McMullen 20 June 1906 South Shields, Tyne Dock, England |
| Died | 11 June 1998 (aged 91) Newcastle upon Tyne, England |
| Pen name | Catherine Cookson Catherine Marchant Katie McMullen |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Period | 1950–1998 |
| Spouse |
Tom Cookson (m. 1940) |
Dame Catherine Ann Cookson, DBE (née McMullen; 20 June 1906 – 11 June 1998), was a British writer. She is in the top 20 of the most widely read British novelists, with sales topping 100 million, while she retained a relatively low profile in the world of celebrity writers. Her books were inspired by her deprived youth in South Shields (historically part of County Durham), North East England, the setting for her novels. With 104 titles written in her own name or two other pen names, she is one of the most prolific British novelists.