Dorothy Emily Stevenson (18 November 1892 – 30 December 1973) was a best-selling Scottish writer. She published more than 40 "light romantic novels" over a span of more than 40 years.
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Life
Stevenson was born in Melville Street, Edinburgh, Scotland, on 18 November 1892. Her father was David Alan Stevenson, a lighthouse engineer and first cousin to author Robert Louis Stevenson and her mother was Annie Roberts. A commemorative plaque marking the house where she spent her childhood was mounted at 14 Eglinton Crescent, Edinburgh in 2016. She began writing at a young age but hid her efforts because her parents and governesses disapproved. Her father refused to send her to university, lest she become a bluestocking.
In 1916, Stevenson married James Reid Peploe, a captain in the 6th Gurkha Rifles. The Peploes had four children. Her 1932 novel Mrs. Tim of the Regiment, which describes her life as a British army wife, was based on her personal diary.
She wrote most of her books while living in the town of Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Her novels were best-sellers, with more than seven million copies printed and translations in multiple languages. Her last book was published in 1969.
Stevenson died in Edinburgh in 1973. She is buried with her husband in Moffat New Cemetery.
Legacy
In 2017, Historic Environment Scotland awarded a plaque to commemorate Stevenson, at 14 Eglinton Crescent, Edinburgh.