She was the sister of writers, Jane Aiken Hodge and John Aiken.
She was the author of at least two books a year for half a century of all genres: detective novels, children's historical fantasies, urban fantasies,
supernatural, Gothic, historical romances, horror, fairy tales, and
more.
She was awarded the M.B.E. (Member of the Order of the British Empire)
in the 1999 Queen's Birthday Honors List for her services to children's literature.
Two children: John Sebastian Brown and Lizza Aiken (Elizabeth Delano Brown, later Elizabeth Delano Charlaff).