Dixie Browning

Dixie Burrus Browning (September 9, 1930–June 11, 2024) was an American artist and the author of more than 80 romance novels. She published her earliest contemporary romances under the name Zoe Dozier and later wrote under her married name, Dixie Browning. With her sister Mary Burrus Williams, she wrote historical romances as Bronwyn Williams, a pseudonym derived from their married surnames.

Browning received the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award in 1983 for Renegade Player and was a five-time RITA finalist. She also won three Maggie Awards and numerous honours from the National Federation of Press Women and the North Carolina Press Club.

Born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Browning grew up on the Outer Banks, where her family had lived for generations. She was the daughter of professional baseball player Maurice Lennon “Dick” Burrus and Rebecca Stevens Burrus. Her siblings included Mary Burrus Williams, Sara Burrus Shoemaker and Stephen Burrus.

Before and alongside her writing career, Browning worked as a painter, illustrator and art teacher. She was a founding member and the first president of the Watercolor Society of North Carolina, and her artwork was exhibited in numerous public and private collections.