Sarah Addison Allen, also known by the pen name Katie Gallagher, is an American and New York Times bestselling author. Allen brings the full flavor of her southern upbringing to bear on her fiction, which is characterized by a captivating blend of magical realism, heartwarming romance, and small-town sensibility.

Born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Allen grew up with a love of books and an appreciation of good food. She credits her journalist father for her love of literature and her mother, a fabulous cook, for her appreciation of good food. In college, she majored in literature, marveling at the idea that she could get a diploma just for reading fiction. It was, in her words, "like being able to major in eating chocolate." After graduation, Allen began writing seriously, eventually achieving significant recognition.