Carley Dawson

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1909, Carley Robinson Dawson was an American writer whose work crossed several genres and interests. Reliable catalog and archive records describe her as the daughter of composer Avery Robinson and Grace Chess Robinson, founder of the Mary Chess cosmetics business.

Dawson is best remembered by many readers for Mr. Wicker's Window, a fantasy novel that has remained her most widely recognized book. Library and public-domain catalog sources also credit her with other works for children and adults, and describe her broader career as including historical novels, French translation, and writing tied to her spiritual life.

Her background was unusually varied: sources identify her not only as an author, but also as a composer, actress, spiritual leader, ordained Divine Science minister, and teacher. She died in 2005, leaving behind a body of work shaped by imagination, intellect, and a remarkably eclectic life.