Kay Hooper is a New York Times bestselling American author known for her more than 60 books. She was born in 1957 in California, at an air force base hospital, as her father was stationed there. Shortly after her birth, the family moved back to North Carolina, where she was raised and went to school.

Hooper is the oldest of three children, with a brother two years younger and a sister seven years younger. Her family has a strong background in construction, with her father and brother running a highly respected construction company. Her mother, who worked in personnel management, became her personal assistant until her untimely death in March 2002. Her sister, Linda, is her Business Manager, Events Coordinator, and plays a major role in the Kay Hooper Foundation.