Danielle Fernande Dominique Schuelein-Steel (born on August 14, 1947 in New York City, New York) is an American romantic novelist and author of mainstream dramas.
Best known for her mainstream drama novels, Danielle Steel has sold more than 550 million copies of her books (as of 2005). Her novels have been on the New York Times bestseller list for over 390 consecutive weeks and 22 have been adapted for television.
Danielle Steel lives in San Francisco, but also maintains a residence in France where she spends several months of each year and a beach house in La Californie near St. Tropez. Despite her public image and varied pursuits, Steel is known to be shy and because of that and her desire to protect her children from the tabloids, she rarely grants interviews or public appearances. Her San Francisco home was built in 1913 as the mansion of sugar tycoon Adolph B. Spreckels.