Danielle Fernandes Dominique Schuelein-Steel, better known by the name Danielle Steel, is an American novelist, currently the best-selling author alive and the fourth bestselling fiction author of all time, with over 800 million copies sold.

Born on August 14, 1947, she is best recognized for her romance novels. As of 2021, she has written 190 books, including over 140 novels. Based in California for most of her career, Steel has produced several books a year, often juggling up to five projects at once. All of her novels have been bestsellers, including those issued in hardback, despite "a resounding lack of critical acclaim" according to Publishers Weekly. Her books often involve rich families facing crises, threatened by dark elements such as prison, fraud, blackmail, and suicide.

Steel has also published children's fiction and poetry, as well as created a foundation that funds mental illness-related organizations. Her books have been translated into 43 languages, with 22 adapted for television, including two that have received Golden Globe nominations.