Danielle Steel Author Biographies

Danielle Steel was born Danielle Fernandes Schuelein on August 14, 1947 in New York City, New York. Her parents, John Schlein, a descendant from the Lowenbrau Beer founders, and Norma da Camara Stone Reis, the daughter of a Portuguese diplomat. They divorced when Danielle was only seven years old and she was raised mostly by her German born father.

Danielle loved to write stories and poetry even as a child. She graduated from Lycee Francais de New York in 1965 and studied literature and fashion design at Parson School of Design and New York University.

Danielle started her business career in PR work before she settled down to writing manuscripts in the seventies. First published in 1973, she now has more than 350 million books in print. According to The Guinness Book of World Records, she has been on the New York Times Best seller List for 381 consecutive weeks.

Danielle Steel has been married five times. She married Claude-Eric Lazard, a French banker, when she was eighteen. The marriage lasted nine years and produced a daughter. She had a son, Nick by her third husband.

In 1981, her fourth husband, John Traina, brought two sons into their marriage and adopted Danielle’s son and Danielle adopted John’s two sons. They had five more children together. Danielle says the children are the most important thing in her life. John Traina and Danielle later divorced.

Danielle married a financier, Tom Perkins, but divorced two years later. Her later wrote a novel and dedicated it to Danielle.

Danielle started and runs the Nick Traina Foundation in memory of her son who committed suicide in 1997. Nick suffered from bipolar disorder and drug abuse. She is active in lobbying for children with mental health disorders.

Her children’s book series, Martha and Max, and later the Freddie series are geared to help children deal with real life problems.

Today Danielle Steel is a single woman and divides her time between her homes in San Francisco and in France. And, yes, she is still writing novels.

Bibliography:

Max and Martha Series:
Martin’s Best Friend (1989)
Martha’s New Daddy (1989)
Martha’s New School (1989)
Max and the Babysitter (1989)
Max’s Daddy Goes to the Hospital (1989)
Martha’s New Puppy (1990)
Max Runs Away (1990)
Max’s New Baby (1990)
Martha and Hilary and the Stranger (1991)
Ma and Granma and Grandpa Winky (1991)
Freddie Series:
Freddie and the Doctor (1992)
Freddie’s Accident (1992)
Freddie’s First Night Away (1992)
Freddie’s Trip (1992)

Novels:
Going Home (1973)
Passion’s Promise (1976)
The Promise (1978)
Now and Forever (1978)
Season of Passion (1978)
Golden Moments (1979)
Summer’s End (1979)
Loving (1980)
The Ring (1980)
To Love Again (1980)
A Perfect Stranger (1981)
Remembrance (1981)
Palomino (1981)
Once in a Lifetime (1982)
Crossings (1982)
Changes (1983)
Thurston House (1983)
Full Circle (1984)
Family Album (1985)
Secrets (1985)
Wanderlust (1986)
Kaleidoscope (1987)
Fine Things (1987)
Zoya (1988)
Star (1989)
Daddy (1989)
Message From Nam (1990)
Heartbeat (1991)
No Greater Love (1991)
Jewels (1992)
Mixed Blessings (1992)
Vanished (1993)
Wings (1994)
The Gift (1994)
Accident (1994)
Five Days in Paris (1995)
Lightning (1995)
Silent Honor (1996)
Malice (1996)
The Ghost (1997)
Special Delivery (1997)
The Ranch (1997)
The Klone and I (1998)
The Long Road Home (1998)
Mirror Image (1998)
The Wedding (1998)
Bittersweet (1999)
Irresistible Forces (1999)
Granny Dan (1999)
Journey (2000)
The House on Hope Street (2000)
The Kiss (2001)
Leap of Faith (2001)
Lone Eagle (2001)
Answered Prayers (2002)
The Cottage (2002)
Sunset in St Tropez (2002)
Johnny Angel (2003)
Safe Harbor (2003)
Dating Game (2003)
Miracle (2004)
Ransom (2004)
Second Chance (2004)
Echoes (2004)
Impossible (2005)
Toxic Bachelors (2006)
Coming Out (2006)
H.R.H. (2006)
Bungalow Two (2006)
The House (2006)
Sisters (2007)
Amazing Grace (2007)
Honor Thyself (2008)
Rogue (2008)
A Good Woman (2008)
One Day at a Time (2009)
Matters of the Heart (2009)
Southern Lights (2009)
Family Ties (2010)
First Sight (2010)
Big Girl (2010)

Other Works:
Love: Poems (1981)
The Happiest Hippo in the World (2009)

Nonfiction:
His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina(1998)