Jude Deveraux, born Jude Gilliam on September 20, 1947, is revered as an eminent American author, celebrated for her rich oeuvre of historical romances. With an illustrious career that spans several decades, Deveraux has penned over 40 novels, many of which have graced The New York Times Best Seller list. Her notable works include A Knight in Shining Armor and Remembrance, contributing to her selling over 50 million copies worldwide as of 2016.

Deveraux's journey began in Fairdale, Kentucky, where she was born into a large, closely-knit family as the eldest of five siblings. She pursued an education in Art at Murray State University. In 1967, she married and adopted the surname White, but the couple divorced four years later. Before embarking on her writing career, Deveraux dedicated herself to teaching, a role she relinquished after publishing her first book, The Enchanted Land, in 1977 under the name Jude Deveraux. This marked the beginning of a prolific writing journey that led to 31 of her books becoming New York Times bestsellers.

Deveraux's narrative brilliance is particularly evident in her Velvet series, which captures the hearts of readers through the captivating tales of the Montgomery family's men. Beyond her writing, Deveraux's personal life and experiences have also deeply influenced her works, making her stories resonate with authenticity and emotional depth. She appeared as herself in the 1987 romance novelist documentary Where the Heart Roams, further cementing her status as a significant figure in the romance genre.