Norman, Diana

The British author and journalist Diana Norman has become known for her historical novels, some of which were published under the pseudonym Ariana Franklin. She was born as Diana Narracott in London, but to escape the bombing of the city during the Second World War her parents sent her when she was a young child to Devon where she grew up. Her father was a journalist, and she decided to follow his footsteps at an early age. She left school at 15 and started to write for local newspapers. Two years later, she moved back to London where she worked as a freelance reporter until, at 20 years of age, she was given a permanent position on the Daily Herald.